A Dom is Forever (Masters and Mercenaries #3)(89)

Her dark hair shook. “A lot of things can happen to grain in transport. Sometimes, if it’s not properly stored, it can rot or rats can get to it either in the boat or in the storage warehouse. We also have a lot of trouble with thieves.”

“Thieves stole seven hundred pounds of grain from last September’s shipment? How about five hundred from December? Did rats eat nine hundred pounds of grain this February? Those are mighty big rats, Miss Charles.” Ian passed her the reports.

Avery sat there staring as though she couldn’t quite comprehend.

“Nothing to say, huh?” Ian asked.

“Stop it or I’ll walk her out of here and I’ll find a barrister.” It was plan B. He didn’t particularly want to follow it since it meant taking her out into the real world, and he was pretty bloody sure she would run at the first opportunity.

The door to the conference room opened, and Eve and Alex stepped in. They were both back in street clothes.

Alex took the seat next to his partner and gave Liam a long smile. “Good for you, man.”

Ian turned. “Are you f*cking kidding me?”

“Hey, I’m a sucker for a happy ending,” Alex said.

“This isn’t a happy ending. This is a nasty, f*cked-up ending. This is months’ worth of work down the toilet because Liam over there couldn’t keep his dick from making the decisions.”

“I think it was his heart, man,” Alex shot back, looking at Liam like he was a toddler taking his first steps.

No matter how he felt about Avery, hearing it put like that made him want to vomit. Liam winced. “Jesus, I think I liked it better the way Ian was talking. You’re making me sound like a bloody girl.”

Avery’s hand came out and slapped him across the chest. She gasped. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”

Ah, sweet progress. He gripped her hand and brought it to his lips. “Because that’s what a woman does when her man says something stupid. I’m prepared to be smacked on a regular basis, love.”

She pulled her hand out of his, but not before he’d seen her flush. “I’m not your woman.”

She could fight it for now, but she needed him.

Eve sat on the other side of the table. Liam couldn’t help but notice that she was as far from Alex as she could be. She smiled Avery’s way. “I’m so sorry for the deception. We had to be sure you’re not involved. I hope you understand.”

Ian’s hands came up, his head falling back as he groaned in obvious frustration. “Just because Liam’s dick likes her doesn’t mean she’s not guilty. When did Liam freaking O’Donnell become the world’s leading authority on judging people? Can I remind you of a few of the choices his cock has made before? Cindy Lou Waitress from hell? She took a baseball bat to his car because he didn’t call.”

“I never said I would call. I barely knew the girl.”

“Ah, but you f*cked her, didn’t you? I believe it was in the back room of a Hooters.”

“Ian, this is unnecessary,” Alex said.

Ian ignored his best friend. “How about the twins you screwed and then found out they were secretly taping you and putting up their sex tapes on the Internet under the heading ‘Hot Badass With Huge Cock’? Were they innocent, too?”

That was just about enough of Ian. Liam felt his fists clench. “I swear to god if you say one more f*cking word, I’ll come over the table, Ian. I won’t give a shit that we were friends once.”

Ian growled right back. “I’m trying to help you, *. You don’t know a real thing about this woman.”

“Like you tried to help Sean?” Eve asked, her voice a calm note in the storm of anger that swirled around the room.

Ian stopped, his face hardening into stubborn lines. “It’s not the same.”

“It’s exactly the same.” Eve tapped a manila folder on the desk in front of her. “Right down to the profile I did.” She flipped it open and started to read. “’After careful consideration, I would be surprised to discover the subject is involved in anything that would go against her obvious values. It is my judgment that Avery Charles be treated as an innocent asset and all due consideration to keeping her safe should be taken.’ I think I said the same about Grace, and you ignored me. Ian, you are allowing your own history to affect your judgment, and it’s going to cost you another friend if you don’t back off.”

“You have a file on me?” Avery asked.

Ian sat back, quiet for once and willing to let Eve take charge. “I do. I’m a psychologist. I’ve worked for the FBI before. Now I work with these idiots who rarely listen to me. I studied your prior reports. You had a psych evaluation before you were accepted into the medical study that gave you back the use of your legs, and you saw a therapist for years before that to deal with the trauma of the accident.”

“That was supposed to be private.” Avery reached for the file. “Whatever happened to doctor’s confidentiality?”

Eve slid the file to her, a sure sign that she trusted Avery. “I’m so sorry, but MI6 got me the records, and they most likely had the aid and consent of the Agency. This is a very important mission. These are high-grade weapons, and he’s moving more and more of them. If he manages to move into the Middle East, those weapons are going to be turned on American and British troops. They can be used to destabilize whole parts of the world we would rather have calm.”