Page 3 of My Temptation

I shifted until I could see Jax. “Thank you for this opportunity, but I left an office because I worked with a few jackasses who thought the same as Striker, and I’m not doing it again.”

I’d never been one to pull punches. I couldn’t in the field I’d chosen and hadn’t lost that part of myself. Hopefully, I’d find something else in this town, but I wasn’t bluffing when I said I wasn’t returning to what I’d left.

Turning toward the door, I stopped when Jax wrapped his hand gently around my forearm and stared at Striker. “You have a problem, you can walk, but what you won’t do is disrespect any member of our team.”

Shock hummed through my system when Jax defended me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Striker when he began to stand, and Brody spoke. “Sit down, brother.” Striker held Brody’s stare before he sank back down in his seat, and Brody continued, “Mila is here because she brings a lot of special skills to this company, skills that will benefit our clients. Get over your shit and move on.”

They were obviously close, considering he looked ready to walk before Brody spoke, and now he was seated again.

“You know how this will end.” He pointed at Brody. “You saw the same shit I did.”

“I did,” Brody agreed, “but different time, different place.”

I had no idea what they were talking about, but it was obviously something they’d gone through together that had impacted them both. Something that would stay with them forever.

I could understand that better than anyone.

After a minute, Striker nodded, and Brody sat down. Jax dropped his hand from my arm. “Give us another chance.”

I liked what I just saw, including how they’d worked together and that Jax had defended me. No one had snickered obnoxiously when Striker confronted me, which wasn’t something I was used to, but I still had a nagging suspicion that Striker could easily turn this into something I no longer wanted in my life. Hesitating, I met Nick’s eyes across the table. I trusted him. He’d never led me astray in our two years together.

When he nodded and grinned, I relaxed my shoulders. I didn’t want to walk away. I wanted to give this the chance it deserved, and having an ally felt like the best way to do that. The best way to start over.

I smiled softly at Jax. “Okay.”

Jax jerked up his chin and continued his introductions, pointing at the man beside Nick. “That’s Chris. He’s our brother”—he motioned between himself and Brody—“and he leads investigations.”

Another brother. I knew from my research on the company that two brothers owned the company, and another worked with them. I’d also learned they came from a large family of eight kids—seven boys and only one girl. I wondered how many more brothers I’d meet. “Hi, Chris.”

After I greeted Chris, Jax moved on quickly. “And beside him is Landon, who, just like you, started today. He’ll be training with Pike this week.”

I smiled at Landon when he grinned, easily recognizing the playboy of the group.

I had great instincts, and my mind immediately flashed back to my father who’d hated that I was better than some of his favorite agents. He’d tried to teach them to use their instincts and failed with several of them but would never admit that it was a strength I had that made me a successful agent. Instead, he resented me for proving that I belonged there as much, if not more, than the others. He didn’t want me in the FBI any more than he wanted any woman joining the institution he thought belonged to men.

“Nice to meet you, Mila.”

“That’s everyone,” Jax said and pointed at the seat beside Pike. I walked around the table and sat between Brody and Pike but looked across the table at Nick before allowing my eyes to shift down to the man who’d held my attention a few moments ago.

When our eyes locked and those damn flutters returned, I knew this could only end one of two ways.

And I had no doubt Jax had a rule about this exact thing to avoid any uncomfortable situations.

Too bad I’d never been one to follow the rules.

1

MILA

“Need to see you in my office.”

Rubbing my hand along my forehead, I sighed. I shouldn’t have answered the phone when I saw who it was, but I knew my father well, and if I didn’t answer this time, he’d find a way to make sure I answered the next time. "Why?”

“Isn’t it enough that a father wants to see his daughter?”

Twisting from where I sat on the bed, I looked at the closed door to the bedroom. “I can’t, Dad. I just started a new position.”

“Which is…?” he prodded.

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