Page 27 of Silver Fire

“Babe.” Yes, he was still pissed.

“What was up with the air duct?…Laser security malfunction?…Why couldn’t he have taken Thalia with him and was it even an AGS problem, it sounded like Divergent’s problem…So was it tampered with?…No? So Connelly copped a feel for no good reason and…Maia? Babe? Goddamn it!”

Jack hit redial. Pre-Sophie Leroux, Derek would be amused by the whole exchange, but now he had an idea of what Jack was feeling: possessiveness and jealousy could make an otherwise sensible man act irrationally.

“Babe, I was out of line, but you know damn well I don’t want you around him…Look. I’m sorry—OK?…How did it go with Viktor? A new lead?” His eyes cut to Derek. “So you guys believe it’s a terrorist group?…Interesting…How long are you staying there?” Jack had not liked Maia’s answer judging by his deepening frown, but he was keeping his mouth in check. “OK, I’ll see you tonight.”

“Don’t do it man,” Derek said after his friend ended the call.

“What?”

“Tell me that right this moment, you are not thinking about abandoning all your appointments and driving out to Silver Fire Research.”

“I was.” His friend scowled at him. “I realized I’m overreacting. However, Viktor shipping Connelly out of the country couldn’t come soon enough.”

* * *

Maia shookher head as she ended the call with Jack. Her husband was behaving unreasonably jealous toward Braden. Silly man. Braden wasn’t even her type. She liked her men dark-haired and swarthy like a pirate. Braden was all golden-haired, all-American college frat boy and he was younger than her.

“Everything all right?” Braden asked, his blue eyes boring into her. Maia stiffened. OK—what was that look? Damn her husband for making her feel self-conscious.

“Yes, Jack’s a bit peeved that I didn’t tell him I was coming here,” Maia replied, a little too brightly.

“He likes to keep you on a tight leash,” Braden replied curtly.

Maia frowned. Come to think of it, Braden had made similar comments in the past. She had dismissed it as a colleague commiserating with her, but now she wasn’t too sure.

“I’m going to see Sophie,” she told Braden.

“Can I come with you?”

“Of course you can,” Maia said. “Thalia. Braden and I will be heading to the lab.”

The female Guardian nodded and waved them off. She was busy chatting with Stephen, who could be really entertaining.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Braden said softly.

“Hmm?”

“The fire.”

“Oh, yeah. Me too.”

“You’re kind of a legend, you know that? Everyone says you’re like a cat with nine lives.”

Maia shook her head and laughed. “Derek, damn him, started that rumor. You know how that guy loves to embellish.”

“I don’t, actually. I don’t know him that well.”

Maia angled her eyes at the incredibly tall Guardian. Braden did not like Derek all right.

She stopped walking and stared straight up Braden’s 6’5”. “Derek is one of my closest friends, Braden. I can tell he’s not your favorite person. I hope it has nothing to do with Sophie. Are you interested in her too?”

Braden’s eyes widened. “No, of course not.”

“So is there another reason?”

Braden stared at Maia for a beat then shook his head. “I’ll try to be better around him.”

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