Page 100 of Theirs to Take

Ranger chuckled, “Well, can you take anything for it?” he asked.

“I can take Tums, but I’m out of them. I needed to make a run to the pharmacy, but with everything that’s been happening, I forgot,” she lied. She had an entire bottle stashed in her purse, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. Millie would need Ranger to go out for a bit if she was going to get her chance to call Wan to turn down his job offer.

“I can run to the pharmacy for you,” he offered. Ranger checked the clock to make sure that it was still early enough to go. “They’ll be open for about another hour.”

“Would you mind?” she asked, even batting her eyelashes at him for good measure. “I’d really appreciate it. I won’t be able to sleep tonight at this rate,” she said, rubbing her hands over her belly. She was really laying it on thick and Millie was surprised that he hadn’t caught onto her act yet.

“I don’t mind at all,” he agreed. He grabbed his truck keys and wallet from the kitchen counter. “Do you need anything besides Tums?” he asked. She shook her head and smiled up at him.

“Nothing else,” she said, “thank you.”

He gave her a quick kiss and turned to leave. “Be back in a flash,” he promised.

“Take your time,” she shouted back, “I’ll be in bed.” That part was true. She was going to behave herself and lay down to rest while she called Wan. Having sex had tired her out andshe needed to lay down. Millie just hoped like hell that she was making the right call here because she and her baby’s lives could be in danger if she was playing right into Wan’s hands. She’d just have to stand firm and let him know in no uncertain terms that she’s not interested in working for him.

Millie pulled her cell phone from the nightstand where she had laid it to charge. She put in the number that she had memorized and waited for someone to answer. She felt as though she was holding her breath while she waited, and her heart felt like it was racing at the possibility of this being a very bad idea.

“Hello,” a man’s voice answered.

“Um, hello,” Millie said. “I’m trying to reach Mr. Wan,” she breathed.

“Speaking,” he said. “And who might I have the pleasure of speaking with?” he asked. He was charming, Millie gave him that, but if she had to guess, he already knew who was calling him.

“This is Millie Jenkins,” she said. “I got a message that you wished to speak with me.”

“Yes, Miss Jenkins,” he said, “I’d like to offer you a job at my company.”

“A job,” she said, playing dumb, “I already have a job, Mr. Wan. Plus, if I’m not mistaken, you’re located in Korea.”

“South Korea,” he said as if that would make a difference to her.

“Right, and I’m American. I really don’t want to have to relocate to South Korea. I appreciate your job offer though.”

“You can work from America,” he assured. “I have buildings all over the world, actually, you can have your pick.”

“While I’m flattered, I just can’t take your offer. I’m about to have a baby and don’t want to start anything new right now.”

“You can start after your child is born,” he offered.

“I’m afraid that my answer has to remain a no. While I’m extremely flattered, I’m going to have to decline your offer,” she insisted. There, she was sticking to her guns, and hopefully, Wan would take the hint.

“And I’m going to have to insist that you do take my job offer,” he said. “Someone with your set of skills is too important to just let go, Miss Jenkins,” he said. “I won’t let you go so easily.”

“Are you threatening me?” she asked.

“You can take my offer as you will, but I won’t take no for an answer, Miss Jenkins.” Millie heard a noise at her bedroom door, and she looked up to find Ranger standing there staring her down. He crossed the room, took her phone from her, and ended the call.

“You just hung up on him?” she asked.

Ranger looked mad enough to tear something apart. Millie just hoped that it wouldn’t be her. “Do you have any idea what you have just done?” he asked. He tossed her cell phone to the floor and stomped on it as hard as he could with his boot. Pieces of it went flying everywhere. “You just alerted him as to where you are. He probably has your exact location and is sending his men here as we speak. God, Millie, why would you call him?”

She couldn’t help her tears, even though crying in front of Ranger right now was the last thing that she wanted to do. “I thought that I could reason with him,” she insisted.

“There is no reasoning with a man like Wan. He’s a criminal. I thought that you had picked that up when he tried to kill Luke and me by blowing up his house.” Yeah, she should have gotten the hint from that little stint, but she hadn’t.

“I was trying to keep you, Luke, and McTavish out of my problems,” she said.

He sat down on the edge of her bed, and she wondered if she shouldn’t give him some space. Instead, she held her ground, waiting him out.

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