Page 40 of Tarnished Hands

I look over to Aqua. “Do you mind? Thanks for lunch. I appreciate it. And I’ll think about your offer.”

“It better not be sex,” Piper says, and Aqua’s eyes go wide before she runs off to the office, leaving us staring at each other.

“Want a bite?” I ask as her gaze drops to the burger in my hand. “If you close your eyes, you won’t even know the food is touching.”

“I came to talk,” she says, still eyeing the burger.

“Take a bite.”

“I’m fine.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Have a bite, or we aren’t talking.”

“You really are bossy.” She huffs, then closes her eyes and leans forward. I bring the burger to her mouth and watch as her lips and teeth go around the top of the bun, and she bites into it. She chews as she pulls back and opens her eyes to look at me.

Those devil eyes.

“It’s good.”

“Thanks. Aqua bought it for me.”

Piper stops chewing and swallows. “You like to share what other women get you?” she questions.

“So spicy,” I tease as I sit back down and finish my burger. Piper takes the seat Aqua vacated and crosses her legs. I catch a quick flash of the pink underwear she is wearing.

“Are you going to talk to me now, or do you want to run away again?”

“I can talk,” I tell her, reaching for my drink. I take a long sip, and she sits there waiting, her long nails tapping on her bare, toned leg.

“So, you are a sharpshooter,” she says.

“Yes. I told you this.”

“You served.”

“I did.” How she found this out isn’t surprising. Keir and his team can find information on anyone, so I don’t even raise an eyebrow. Plus, I have nothing to hide from them.

“You shot that man.”

“He had his hands on you, and you were definitely too drunk to agree,” I remind her.

“So it wasn’t because another man was touching me?”

“That was part of the reason.” No point in lying to her. She would see right through it. This woman was not born yesterday—she is too damn smart for her own good.

“I didn’t like finding you eating lunch with another woman.” I stifle a laugh that jealousy, the green-eyed monster, got ahold of her again.

“She works for me.”

“Why do you only hire women?” Piper’s head drops to the side.

“I actually interviewed a man. But Aqua, believe it or not, was the best fit. And it has nothing to do with what’s between her legs.”

“It better not.” Piper leans in. “Because I have a habit of killing people who piss me off.” She winks and stands.

---