Ramsey Security (Ramsey Security #1-3)(151)

“Visiting your mom? Are you nuts?” he asks, horrified. “You’re going to cry so f*cking much. That isn’t a sexy trip he’s signing on for.”

“Yeah, I know, assface. I already admitted that before you vomited your opinion at me.”

“Yes, but I didn’t like the way you said it and felt I could do better. As usual, I was right.”

“Since you’re so damn wise, tell me what you think about Dino. Is he too much of a player for me to get wrapped up with?”

“Men change,” Troy says, wrapping an arm around Darla to make his point. “He could be sick of fresh * and want your tired one.”

“I’m going to climb through this f*cking laptop and cut off one of your balls.”

“Bring it.”

Troy and I smile, but Darla isn’t happy. “This is why I didn’t want you listening in. We can’t talk like girls when you’re around.”

“Minka’s not a girl. She looks like one, and she might have the right parts, but she’s a dude. Trust me.”

“He’s not totally wrong.”

“You’re very feminine,” Darla says, irritated with us both now.

Bowing to Darla’s will, Troy finally leaves the room, but I suspect he’ll be back.

“Dino talks about having kids.”

“Why?” Saskia asks.

“Exactly!” I cry. “What’s that about? Do I have baby-making hips or something?”

Harlow nods. “You’d carry a baby well. I was just saying that the other day on another conference call.”

“You like him,” Darla says, cutting through the bullshit as usual.

“He suits you,” Saskia adds. “The two times I spoke with him, Dino was loud and obnoxious.”

Saskia isn’t teasing me. She thinks I’m loud and obnoxious too, but I won her over much like Dino did with me.

“The thing is, I’m getting attached to him. It’s freaking me out.”

Darla and Harlow do a nearly identical “sympathetic head tilt and sigh” combo. Saskia only stares at the camera as if she’s hoping to hypnotize me through the screen.

“It’s not as if I love him,” I add, and they give me another head nod.

“He’ll likely dump you at the end of the assignment,” Saskia says.

“Why would he?”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

“I’m awesome. That’s why.”

“Would you really care if it ended?” Saskia asks, refusing to back down.

“Are you PMSing?” I mutter.

“This isn’t about me. It’s about you falling for a man who will use you and then discard you.”

“Dino isn’t like that.”

Saskia frowns. “I think he is.”

“What are you basing that assessment on?”

“Everything you told me about Dino.”

“Well I didn’t know him when I told you those things.”

“And you know him now?” Saskia asks.

“Yes. I mean I know him better. Before he was just a dumb goomba. Now he’s a real person.”

“So, will he or won’t he dump you as soon as he gets bored of f*cking you?”

“I don’t think he would.”

“And would you really care if he did.”

“Fucking duh.”

“So, if both of you have real feelings, what’s the problem?”

Rolling my eyes, I hate when Saskia pulls off the Band-Aid without even warning me.

“I guess there isn’t a problem.”

Harlow sighs loudly, signaling her impatience with Saskia’s help. Darla leans away from the screen as if to protect herself from the oncoming fight. Saskia smiles at their reactions. I shouldn’t laugh and encourage her bitchiness, but I can’t stop myself when she riles up the other girls.

“I care about Dino,” I admit after laughing myself out.

Harlow nods. “Then give him a chance.”

“I am.”

“No, you’re looking for a way out,” Saskia says.

“Shut up.”

“I know you, and you don’t trust men.”

“I trusted Troy when we were together.”

“Unlikely. You said you didn’t think he could really fall for Darla.”

“Hey!” Darla cries.

“It wasn’t personal. I just didn’t think he had it in him.”

From the next room, Troy calls out, “I heard that!”

“Shut up. The girls are talking.”

“You have issues with men,” Saskia says.

All three women nod in unison. I can’t argue that my view of men isn’t positive. My father was a well-meaning idiot. My brother isn’t much better. Until recently, I viewed every man except Troy as the enemy.

“I trust Dino,” I mumble, shocking myself. “Why?”

“It’ll be okay,” Darla says. “I’m sure he’s worthy of your trust.”

“What are you basing that on?” I ask.

“You’re a good judge of character.”

“I was wrong about Troy.”

“Because you didn’t realize how awesome Darla was,” Harlow says.