Lost and Found (Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2)(43)

He briefly took her hand and attempted to make his expression as gentle as possible. “It’s good to see you as well, Dr. Walsh.”

Her eyes flared briefly as though she hadn’t expected him to use her title. “You can call me Rebecca. Or Becca.”

He took a step back, not wanting to crowd her or make her feel like he was in her space. He had no idea what he’d done to scare her. She hadn’t seemed scared of him when they’d passed in the hall, but she’d obviously changed her mind, and he wasn’t going to push himself on any woman. Not even for a mission.

There was pursuing a woman who wanted to be chased, and then there was stalking a woman to make her feel small, to let her know she was nothing but prey. He wasn’t ever going to do the latter.

But standing in front of her made him ache. He nodded her way. “All right then, Rebecca. I’m going to refill my glass. It’s good to see you again.”

He turned and walked back toward the kitchen, well aware that Robert was staring at him like he was insane.

He could hear Robert telling her hello as well and then River was there, smoothing things over and telling Becca about the menu for the evening.

“Hey, have you decided to play this low and slow or something?” Robert whispered the question as he entered the kitchen.

There was a swinging door between the galley-like kitchen and the living room, but there was also a large open space over the sink. He was sure it had been designed so whoever was left with cooking duties could still be a part of the activities in the living room, but it was also useful for spying.

Jax’s head came up from where he was cutting limes. “Low and slow? Like a brisket?”

“Like a man who just totally blew off a woman,” Robert replied with a frown on his face. “I thought you were going after her. I’m not sure both of you playing hard to get is going to work.”

One of Jax’s big shoulders shrugged. “Robert should know.”

Robert’s eyes rolled. “This isn’t about me. This is about the op, and Dr. Walsh is the op.”

“I think we might have to go a different route.” He poured himself more whiskey. It might be time to go back to what worked for him. He’d never once scared away the whiskey. “She was afraid of me.”

That seemed to flummox his friends.

“You’re reading her wrong. I think she was surprised to see you.” Robert grabbed a glass of his own. “Jax didn’t tell her you would be here tonight. I told you sometimes women get skittish after sex. You have to go out there and be charming.”

“No, she was afraid. Something scared her. That wasn’t embarrassment.” She hadn’t been embarrassed at all when she’d walked away from him that night they’d been stuck in the lift. She certainly hadn’t been the morning after. That morning she’d been in control. This evening there was something tentative about her.

“Why would she be afraid?” Jax asked.

“It could be anything.” Robert stared out into the living room as though considering the problem. “Something her ex-husband did. There might be some trauma there. Ariel didn’t mention that there had been violence in the relationship, but she can’t tell everything from her files.”

“Becca filed an HR report against one of the other doctors at the hospital where she did her residency.” He’d spent the day going over and over her file, everything they knew about her. He’d even tried to read one of her papers, something on how plaque affected memory, but he had no idea what half the words had meant.

She was smart and dynamic, and she’d had a few bumps along the way. The HR claim, the divorce. Tucker had mentioned there was gossip about Becca and Paul Huisman at work. Some people said she was sleeping with him. Others said they hated each other because she’d taken his job.

A woman of her skill and at her level would always have enemies or people who were jealous. Had one of those people tried to hurt her? What would that have to do with him?

He had to also consider the fact that she was simply done with him.

“You should talk to her,” Jax said. “Walk back out there and strike up a conversation. She’ll make an excuse and leave if it’s too uncomfortable.”

“Remember that this isn’t personal,” Robert advised. “This is only about the op. Nothing else matters, and we should put everything else aside.”

The doorbell rang again and he watched as River moved toward it and Becca was left alone. She bit her bottom lip and glanced over at the clock as though trying to decide if she could find a way out.

He was going to lose her. He had to find a middle ground, had to figure out why she was afraid of him suddenly. Had something happened today?

He could hide in here or he could try.

“What the hell?” Robert straightened up as Ezra walked into the apartment, his hand tangled with his partner’s for the evening.

Ariel Adisa. She looked gorgeous in a green dress that showed off her curves. Her hair was in its natural curl, and there was no doubt she was a stunning woman.

Becca’s beauty was quieter, but no less impactful. Of course, Becca wasn’t holding on to another man. She wasn’t grinning as she was introduced as someone’s wife, her face kind of glowing.

No. Becca looked shy as she put her hand out to greet Ezra and Ariel.