Page 1 of Unexpectedly Wanted
Prologue
Milo
My eyes scanned the code scrolling across the screen, but it was like nothing was making sense.
This was my thing, you know, so I couldn’t understand why my stupid brain was giving up on me.
Rocking my head to one side, I cracked my neck. Then I did it in the other direction, even though I knew I wouldn’t get that satisfying pop this time. My tablet pinged with an alert from the corner of my desk, but I refused to look away from my computer monitor.
Did that ping mean something important? More than likely. Everything I did was kind of important. So I suppose it wasn’t a surprise that my stress level was through the roof and my brain was telling me it was time to walk away for a few.
No. I wouldn’t let it win.
I cracked open another energy drink, cringing as I chugged half of it down in one go. I really didn’t care for these things, but for some reason, they helped my mind to center. They made it so I could stay focused and on track. I never got jittery unless I had more than five in one day. This was number four, so I was pushing it, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Still, I knew that even having one or two wasn’t really all that great for my health. These things would likely be the cause of my death one day. But until that day, I was going to get as much shit handled as I could.
Ding.
Ding.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
“All fucking right, already!” I yelled out, frustration clear in my tone. I sounded close to snapping, and perhaps, I was.
A knock echoed through the room, and before I could even reply to the interrupting sound, the door cracked open. I glared over the rim of my glasses, sure that I knew who it was. Even more sure that I didn’t want to deal with that person. Not now. More like, not ever.
“Everything good?” Remy asked. I couldn’t read his tone. I wasn’t that good at reading people. Maybe it would help if I actually tried, I suppose. But there was something about not being able to readhimthat really,reallybothered me. He could have been concerned. Or he could have been laughing at me. I didn’t have a clue. Though, in my mind, he was always purposely trying to cut me down or get one over on me. “It sounds like you have a lot going on. I could—”
“No.” I cut him off with a sharp tone that was full of bite. “I’m fine. Everything is fine. Carry on with your own stuff and leave me to handle mine.”
“Um, I’ve got stuff wrapped up for right now. I have some free time, so I really don’t mind jumping—”
“I. Said. I. Was. Fine.” I made sure to speak each word slowly so that it got through his thick head.
His brows went up, and he blinked at me.
I didnotlike the way it made me feel. Like he couldn’t believe I was being so horrible and short with him.
He was the perfect one.
The better one.
Not only was he a decent tech-head, but he could also do a million things that I couldn’t do. Hehaddone a million things I’d never be able to do. Like go to war and be a hero. Which, I realized was a shitty thing for me to curse someone for. But he had all those skills and those strong arms. And he was pretty smart on top of it, which totally wasn’t fair. He was also nice, and had a smile that would set anyone at ease. No wonder everyone else in the office loved him. Not to mention, how they trusted him to be the one out in the field, being their eyes and ears, guiding them in dangerous situations.
They never once asked me to go out.
Nope.
Because they didn’t trust me.
Because I was only good for one thing.
Because I was just a nerd with a computer.
I snapped out of it, only to realize that Remy was still standing there and that our gazes were still very much locked. Why hadn’t he moved? Why hadn’t he gone on his way and shut the door again? Was he seriously waiting for something?
“Oh my God,” I huffed. I reached for my tablet, eyes scanning the notifications from the program I had running. With a couple of taps, I sent him a few files that should keep him busy and hopefully out of my hair for a little while. “There. Some new images popped up for the Dover case down in Texas. And there are some background checks that need to be gone through for the new abduction case. Happy?”
“Only if you are,” he shot back, the corners of his mouth flicking up in a tentative smile.
