Slade (The Protectors #6)(52)

Dillon shrugged. “Hey, can I help it if she turned out to be hot.”

“Eww, Dillon.” Jill looked at him, shocked, before smacking him in the arm. “You’re like a brother to me.”

Dillon actually laughed. “Sorry, Jill, you’re gorgeous, but it’s cool.” He looked up at Slade. “I didn’t know you and the doc had a thing going. I mean, I wondered why you were glaring me to death, but it’s all good.”

“Now, you know.” Slade’s voice was deep with warning. He could see Jill’s eyes open wide in shock, but he didn’t look at her. “She is off limits.”

“I swear, I will only look at Jill as a sister.” Dillon tugged her hair. “See.”

“Ouch, you jerk.” Jill elbowed him in the stomach.

“Truce?” Dillon stuck out his hand toward Slade.

Slade took his hand in a strong grip and nodded, but his eyes gave the kid one last warning.

“Both of you get to the warehouse.” Sloan nodded toward the door.

Once Jill and Dillon were out the door, Sloan turned his attention to Slade and laughed.

“What the f*ck is so funny?” Slade frowned, not finding anything about the situation humorous. When Sloan continued to laugh, Slade eyed him cautiously since Sloan rarely laughed. “What in the f*ck is funny?”

“Oh, hell.” Sloan held his stomach. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.”

“Well, glad you find the situation funny,” Slade grumbled, wondering if Sloan had finally lost it.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment.” Sloan laughed again, then cleared his throat. “And for it to happen because some kid gets a hard-on for Jill and I was here to witness you losing it.”

“Hey, you didn’t hear the shit he was saying when she was dancing.” Slade pointed toward the door. “And he’s no kid.”

“Yeah, probably nothing we haven’t said in our years of watching strippers,” Sloan grinned.

“Jill is not a stripper,” Slade hissed.

“No, she’s not. She’s a beautiful young woman with a badass attitude and is going to make one hell of a Warrior.” Sloan nodded, but his grin faded quickly. “You need to claim her, my friend, because I can’t have you going around threatening every male who even looks her way.”

Slade didn’t say anything; he just nodded. Pausing, he looked at Sloan. “You knew the whole time, didn’t you?”

“Probably before you did, you dumb bastard.” Sloan straightened up, walking behind his desk.

“I can’t wait for the day a woman wraps you around her finger,” Slade grumbled. “I cannot f*cking wait.”

“Not going to happen, so go to hell,” Sloan growled. “Now get out of here and do your job before I have to fire your ass.”

“So Jill is safe? You’re not going to kick her out of the program?” Slade headed for the door, but needed to make sure he didn’t just kill any chance Jill had in the program.

“I’d be a fool to kick her out. I figured you two were going to happen. I would ask you to wait until after her initiation, but I don’t see that happening. I’m not kicking you or her out no matter what I said, not that you’d listen to me anyway.” Sloan turned more serious. “But you need to keep a cool head, especially tomorrow night, and let her do her job without interference because some guy might run his hand up her leg or some shit. It could be dangerous for her if you have another fit.”

Slade sneered, but agreed, “I’ve got it handled.”

“Well, I hope to hell you handle it better than you did a few minutes ago,” Sloan warned, but laughed again.

Walking out of Sloan’s office hearing laughter ringing out behind him, Slade knew without a doubt if Sloan was making fun of him, Jared and Sid were going to be relentless. “Fuck!”

******

Training had been brutal, but Jill welcomed it. Of course, Dillon gave her shit for not telling him about her and Slade, but in all honesty, she hadn’t really known. Or at least she wasn’t for sure. Damn him. He confused her and she had no way of talking to him during training.

Stepping out of the shower, Jill toweled off quickly. Tossing the towel on the floor, she walked out of the bathroom determined to get dressed, find Slade and ask him if he’d lost his mind.

“You need to start locking your door.” Slade’s voice snapped her head up, making her jump.

Slade stood against her wall in old ripped blue jeans, no shoes and a white sleeveless tank that fit him like a second skin. ‘Holy shit’ was all that came to her mind. She knew her nipples automatically reacted to the sight of him. Turning, she started to go in the bathroom.

“Don’t!” His command stopped her.

Slowly, she turned back around and stood before him. His eyes roamed her body, setting her on fire. She wondered briefly if she could actually bitch him out while standing before him completely naked.

“What in the hell was that all about in Sloan’s office?” Yeah, she had no problem with it. “Sloan is probably clapping in glee just waiting to see me so he can throw me out. Did you tell him we…you know…also.”

Slade lifted his eyes to hers and smiled. “First of all, I don’t think Sloan has ever clapped in glee.”