The Intern (The Dalton Family #4)(46)

“Things are unprecedentedly”—he grinned—“quiet at the moment.” He swished his scotch around in its glass. “Jenner’s been grumbling about some issues that have popped up in his world, so there’s a chance he’s going to be keeping you very busy.”

I rubbed my hands together. “I’m ready.”

Silence settled across the table, and Kendall stood from her seat. “Excuse me, guys. I need to go to the ladies’ room.”

“I’ll join you,” Hannah said.

Hannah got up from her chair, linking arms with Kendall, her black pants tightening across her perfect ass as she walked through the bar.

This was my chance to be free of her, yet my eyes were still on her.

Watching.

Dreaming.

Fuck me.

When my stare returned to Dominick, he was looking at me.

“What?” I asked.

He rested his forearms on the table, his hands now surrounding his tumbler. “I’m trying to figure out what the fuck is going on with you.”

“You do realize you’re a broken record at this point, right?” I shifted in my seat. “Nothing was wrong the last time you asked, and nothing is wrong now.”

“I’ve been sensing that something is off, and I just can’t shake that feeling.”

“I’m all good, man.”

His eyes narrowed. “Are you really?”

I adjusted my tie, loosening it at my throat. “Don’t I look good?” I gave him that winning smile I’d used today in the courtroom. “I crushed the Kennedy trial. My team at work is solid. I’m enjoying my job—mostly.” I chuckled. “What the hell could be wrong?”

He combed the side of his beard with his fingers. “I don’t know. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

He was lawyering me, trying to see below the surface, analyzing my movements, my expression, looking for cracks in my exterior.

He continued, “But I can tell you one thing, Declan: I’m going to figure it out.”

I just hoped that didn’t involve testing the conference room table for DNA.

“Listen to me. Things are perfect,” I said. “There’s no need to waste any energy on something that doesn’t exist.”

“Well”—he stopped to take a drink—“I can see that things with Hannah haven’t improved.”

I sighed. “If her performance improved, maybe my attitude would. However, at the moment, she’s like a fucking wart on my team.”

He was quiet for a moment. “For real, do you think you’re being a little tough on her?” He raised his hand before I could chime in. “I’m not saying you should give her any special treatment. I’ve made it clear that I’m dead set against that kind of behavior, but is she really as bad as you’re saying?” He waited for a response. When I didn’t give him one, he added, “She’s young. Fresh. I assume she requires a bit of extra patience and attention, which we’ve compensated for by giving you an additional clerk. But finding that precedent? Come on, man. That’s not your average intern accomplishment, especially not on an intern’s first couple of days on the job.”

Where the fuck were the girls?

How goddamn long did it take to pee?

“Are you as invested in your other interns’ careers as you are with Hannah’s?”

“I put her in your hands. At this point, I can stop pretending it was a random selection—not that you ever believed that anyway. I did that because you’re the best, Declan, and that’s whom I wanted Hannah to learn from. I think she has what it takes to be the top in her field one day, and I can’t wait to watch her climb.” He leaned in, emphasizing, “Not because she’s a Dalton, but because she’s earned it. So, yes, I have a vested interest, but what I can’t understand is why you don’t.”

I didn’t know how to address that statement.

Shit.

I should have been flattered he’d chosen me to mentor his brightest, most promising intern. And, of course, I wanted the best for Hannah. But, fuck, this situation was messy as hell.

Rather than feeding him a lie, I said, “Says the man who preached so hard about favoritism. Bending the rules for your own flesh and blood? Doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

“You want to talk about surprise?” He fingered his cuff links. First his right sleeve, then his left. “When I asked Hannah how her internship is going, she sang your praises. Bragged about how much she’s learned from you. Said this experience has been better than she could have imagined.”

“So?”

“So …” His hands folded together, stilling. “I’m looking at two very different sides of the same coin.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at.”

“I’ve been trying to get to the root of what’s bothering you. Originally, I thought it was because you were getting an intern. On the day you were hired, that made sense. But as time has gone on, I just can’t buy that theory. Then, I thought, is it really because she’s my cousin and future partner—an argument you used when you tried to pass her off to a different team? But I know you, and if anything, that would challenge you more. Which leads me to my final conclusion.”