Servicing the Target (Masters of the Shadowlands #10)(123)

From the way the two incoming resembled Anne’s father, Ben figured they were the * uncles from the bail bond company. Fighting back irritation and amusement, he squeezed Anne’s thigh and said in a low voice, “Got a feeling your dad’s going to be sleeping on the couch again tonight. Want me to dispose of the trash for you, Mistress?”

Amusement replaced her frozen expression, and she gave him a light kiss. “I can handle my uncles—and I love you.”

That was definitely his win. Rising, he took a position where he could guard her six.

“Now, Elaine, don’t be mad at Stephan,” said the gray-haired uncle. “Anne, we asked him if we could come by and apologize.”

With a Mistress’s self-possession, Anne folded her hands in her lap. “All right, Uncle Matt. Go ahead.” Head tilted, she waited for her apology.

She’d put them right on the spot.

Biting back a laugh, Ben saw Travis and Harrison doing the same.

Matt gaped for a second and glanced at the other. “Russell, tell her.”

“Right.” Russell ran his hand over his shiny bald pate. “We want you to come back, niece. We’ll let you take over the team again.”

“We need you,” Matt said. “No one is as good as you are at skip tracing.”

“Anyone in the business in Florida knows she’s the best.” Openly amused, Galen butted in. His nosy submissive undoubtedly kept him up on Shadowlands’ gossip—including Anne’s fight with her uncles. “Which is why I hired her the minute she was free.”

“What… You did what?” Russell’s face reddened. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m a man who appreciates talent and will pay well for the privilege of having Anne in my company,” Galen said smoothly. “Even better, I got here before the Feds made their offer.”

“Feds?”

At the nasal voice, Ben spotted Anne’s * cousin Robert.

Harrison straightened.

Scowling, Travis handed the kitten to Anne’s mother. The party was going downhill fast.

And yet, Anne still sat, cool and composed. There were times he appreciated that Mistress armor of hers.

“She’s a police force dropout.” Joining his father, Robert asked Galen, “Did she tell you the FBI wanted her? And you believed her?”

“Actually, my ex-partner at the bureau, Special Agent Buchanan, made the offer and is pretty steamed she turned him down.” Galen had a wolfish grin. “I win.”

“Don’t know your source of information, boy, but she’s not a dropout,” Dan said. “She quit the force. A lot of us have been trying to get her to return to us, where she belongs.” As Detective Sawyer leaned back in his chair, his jacket fell open enough to allow everyone a good long look at his holstered weapon.

That silenced the cousin fairly well.

Ben met Dan’s gaze and saw both amusement—and impatience. The cop had a low tolerance for *s.

“Anne,” Matt whined. “You really took a job elsewhere?”

“Yes.” Anne tilted her head. “Gentlemen,” she said coldly, “if you don’t wish to offer that apology, please remove yourselves from my property.”

Russell puffed up. “We did—”

“Actually, you did not. I didn’t hear any phrase containing the words forgive or sorry.” Anne’s father folded his arms over his chest. “My gi—Anne built you the finest team in Florida, and you handed her crew over to your incompetent kid. That showed disrespect to Anne—and wasn’t fair to your agents either.”

“Uncle Stephan, the guys wanted me. Not her,” Robert yelled.

“Sure, they did,” Travis said sarcastically. “Two of the wimpy part-timers wanted a male—not particularly you. The rest wanted the person who melded them into a team and who kept them safe. Not the cowardly * who botched the last three apprehensions with his grandstanding, who almost got Aaron killed, and who got Michael winged.”

Anne was on her feet. “Travis, is—”

She’d gone pale. Damn, she shouldn’t have to deal with this crap. Ben put his arm around her and felt her tremble.

“He’s okay, sis. They all are. But it only took three times with dumbass here and the men are jumping ship.”

“The team is yours if you come back, Anne.” Matt directed a stern stare at Robert’s father, who stayed silent.

“Thank you, but no,” Anne said firmly.

Ben cheered silently. She didn’t need those f*ck-ups. Galen would value her.

She continued, “I won’t be back. Perhaps if you remove Robert—completely—and make Aaron the team leader, you might keep your agents.”

Matt’s shoulders slumped. “I understand. We’ll give Aaron the job.”

“You’ll what?” Robert shouted. “You’ll listen to that cunt?”

Ben growled.

Anne’s upraised hand held Ben in place. She frowned. “Ben, did you ever visit the bail bond office to see me?”

“No. Never been there.”

When her gaze turned to Robert, the * turned white.

“I couldn’t figure out how the bastards last night got my address,” she said. “But a week ago, someone beat you up. You said it was Ben.”