the towel his brother’s way.
“After you,” Daegan murmured, gesturing with one hand while placing his other on her back. His familiar way was about to be brought to a halt and she wouldn’t in any way feel bad about it. In a way it was comical. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Catori Starr, of Red Starr HRT.”
In under a second Catori felt his hand drop from her waist like his fingers had just been singed. She smiled and kept walking, making her way to one of the empty booths. Picking one, she made sure she was facing the door. Knowing that he would have done the same and seeing the frown mar his face gave her some satisfaction. He slid into his side, giving her one hundred percent of his attention. That was good.
“Red Starr? I thought that agency went defunct a couple years back. What do you want with me?”
“Your services.” Catori leaned back against the dark wooden seat and studied Daegan’s reaction. “I’m putting together another team. I need a long range shooter with your marksmanship skill.”
Daegan sat back as well, mulling over her words. Catori knew damn well that he had an IQ well above average, seeing as he could do the advanced math required for a long distance shot in his head without blinking. He used his charm to cover up exactly how intelligent he was and seemed to enjoy playing with people. She wasn’t the woman he wanted to try that on and it was apparent he’d figured that out rather quickly. The smile vanished and he reached over to grab a toothpick from where the holder sat alongside the salt and pepper shakers. Instead of chewing it, he rolled it in his fingers. He was tactile and it showed.
“Why me?”
“Why not you?” Catori countered and then patiently waited for his answer.
“Let’s be blunt,” Daegan said, pinning her with his blue eyes. “You’ve obviously read my file. I’m not known to follow orders I don’t like. I was transferred out of my unit and into a range PMI billet because I had a difference of opinion with my Ops O. When I detached he shit-canned my career. I was given an adverse fitness report so that I couldn’t reenlist. I’m not the sort that Red Starr HRT would be looking for.”
“Really?” Catori asked, catching a glimpse of the anger that anyone would have in his position. Daegan had been reassigned from his unit to serve out his time as a primary marksmanship instructor at the base range. He’d only been a civilian for less than a year, but she figured to him it had felt like a lifetime. “And you would know that how?”
“Look, I’m not a machine that someone can program. I use my head. I think, Ms. Starr. I don’t regret making that shot against my commander’s orders. I took out the target with no other casualties. That was my job and I did it.” Daegan tossed the toothpick back onto the table and readied himself to leave. “I appreciate that you would consider me for your team, but you’ve obviously made a mistake.”
“I don’t make mistakes, Daegan. I don’t believe in mistakes. With that said, I might miscalculate from time to time. We learn something new every day, just as you’re about to.” Catori picked up the toothpick and held it out for Daegan to take, not continuing until he did so. “First, call me Starr. Second, I want a team of operators who do think. Using your head is the only way to ensure that you’ll get out of these missions alive. Nothing ever goes as planned, and if one of my men hesitates for a second, when that eventually happens all of your lives are forfeit. I admire your smarts and your gut instinct. Last time. Interested?”
Daegan didn’t react at first as he digested what she was offering. When a smile broke out over his face and his blue eyes sparkled, she knew he was hooked. There was an edge about him that suggested he was an adrenaline junkie. As much as he loved his family, as his dossier indicated he wouldn’t be satisfied for long working behind a bar.
“Where
“After you,” Daegan murmured, gesturing with one hand while placing his other on her back. His familiar way was about to be brought to a halt and she wouldn’t in any way feel bad about it. In a way it was comical. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Catori Starr, of Red Starr HRT.”
In under a second Catori felt his hand drop from her waist like his fingers had just been singed. She smiled and kept walking, making her way to one of the empty booths. Picking one, she made sure she was facing the door. Knowing that he would have done the same and seeing the frown mar his face gave her some satisfaction. He slid into his side, giving her one hundred percent of his attention. That was good.
“Red Starr? I thought that agency went defunct a couple years back. What do you want with me?”
“Your services.” Catori leaned back against the dark wooden seat and studied Daegan’s reaction. “I’m putting together another team. I need a long range shooter with your marksmanship skill.”
Daegan sat back as well, mulling over her words. Catori knew damn well that he had an IQ well above average, seeing as he could do the advanced math required for a long distance shot in his head without blinking. He used his charm to cover up exactly how intelligent he was and seemed to enjoy playing with people. She wasn’t the woman he wanted to try that on and it was apparent he’d figured that out rather quickly. The smile vanished and he reached over to grab a toothpick from where the holder sat alongside the salt and pepper shakers. Instead of chewing it, he rolled it in his fingers. He was tactile and it showed.
“Why me?”
“Why not you?” Catori countered and then patiently waited for his answer.
“Let’s be blunt,” Daegan said, pinning her with his blue eyes. “You’ve obviously read my file. I’m not known to follow orders I don’t like. I was transferred out of my unit and into a range PMI billet because I had a difference of opinion with my Ops O. When I detached he shit-canned my career. I was given an adverse fitness report so that I couldn’t reenlist. I’m not the sort that Red Starr HRT would be looking for.”
“Really?” Catori asked, catching a glimpse of the anger that anyone would have in his position. Daegan had been reassigned from his unit to serve out his time as a primary marksmanship instructor at the base range. He’d only been a civilian for less than a year, but she figured to him it had felt like a lifetime. “And you would know that how?”
“Look, I’m not a machine that someone can program. I use my head. I think, Ms. Starr. I don’t regret making that shot against my commander’s orders. I took out the target with no other casualties. That was my job and I did it.” Daegan tossed the toothpick back onto the table and readied himself to leave. “I appreciate that you would consider me for your team, but you’ve obviously made a mistake.”
“I don’t make mistakes, Daegan. I don’t believe in mistakes. With that said, I might miscalculate from time to time. We learn something new every day, just as you’re about to.” Catori picked up the toothpick and held it out for Daegan to take, not continuing until he did so. “First, call me Starr. Second, I want a team of operators who do think. Using your head is the only way to ensure that you’ll get out of these missions alive. Nothing ever goes as planned, and if one of my men hesitates for a second, when that eventually happens all of your lives are forfeit. I admire your smarts and your gut instinct. Last time. Interested?”
Daegan didn’t react at first as he digested what she was offering. When a smile broke out over his face and his blue eyes sparkled, she knew he was hooked. There was an edge about him that suggested he was an adrenaline junkie. As much as he loved his family, as his dossier indicated he wouldn’t be satisfied for long working behind a bar.
“Where
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