Page 121 of Bossy Hero

Perhaps being around him and the other Army vets at Redleg has influenced my language. Or maybe it’s another perk of the dreaded aging process. Manners and decorum don’t matter when you contemplate wearing a pad in case a sneeze comes out of nowhere.

Not that sneezes usually give you much notice.

But that’s not the fucking point.

The point is that this infuriating man has a daughter now, and he’s being an absolute dick nozzle about it. And don’t get me started about how he’s been snubbing poor Tomer.

After an obscenely long pause, Alan sputters, “As entertaining and oddly appealing as your offer sounds, let’s table that discussion. For now, can you please explain whatshitI need to get together?”

His little joke tempts me to giggle, but I’m too incensed to let him distract me with flirty talk. “You’re screwing the pooch with Lettie.” I lean forward, arching my brow at him. “And with Tomer. Stop being emotionally stunted and act like the man I know you are.”

For a second, I’m proud of myself for using that pooch expression correctly. At least I think I did. Alan says it often. Pretty sure I got it right. Nonetheless, he gets my meaning.

He flips his open palms to the sides. “I’m doing my best, Maddie. I can’t fucking fix everything at once. Safety must come first.”

I roll my eyes and scoff. “Safety? Is that what you’re going with? I’m not surprised.”

“Yeah. Lenkov won’t stop until?—”

“Yeah, I know. We all know. And I acknowledge how incredibly important keeping everyone safe is to you. I respect you for that.” I hold out my palms. “However. Lettie and Tomer are on the same floor of the same extremely safe building as you. Every day. For no less than eleven hours a day, often more.”

Alan’s handsome face crumples, eyes growing more severe.

My toes tap inside my ballet shoes. “Lettie’s right outside your damn office door, for goodness’ sake. They’ve been sleeping downstairs in the bunk room most nights. They arenotin grave danger. You’re using safety as an excuse to keep your distance.”

“Until we stop Lenkov,everyoneis in grave danger. So that’s why my top focus is on getting enough evidence to end him. Then I can figure out what to do about this personal bullshit.”

My gut twists at his dismissive words. This isn’t the man I know him to be.

“Alan, it’snotbullshit. Your attitude is precisely the problem. If you don’t adjust your mindset, you’ll never fix things with Tomer or get to know your daughter. It’ll be too late.”

“That isn’t true,” he insists. “I have to prioritize. They aren’t going anywhere. So what’s the rush?”

“Imagine how it feels to be that sweet girl. After everything she’s been through, she finally meets her father, and he essentially ignores her. You took what could be a beautiful part of her healing and shat on it. How do you think that makes her feel? And will she forgive you for it when you finally get all the way down to her on your list?”

“I’m not ignoring her. Lettie’s filling in for Peg, so I talk to her all the time.”

I skewer him with a glare. “If Peggy hadn’t suggested you offer the position to Lettie, you’d never have done it.”

“But I did do it. Lettie’s my assistant now. How the idea came doesn’t matter as much as the end result.”

Although he’s angry, he keeps his volume low. Impressive, considering the lack of coffee in his house this morning.

“Why did you give her the job, Alan? Be honest.”

He raises his pointer finger. “I needed someone to fill in for Peg.” His second and third fingers come up as he lists his reasons. “It’s an opportunity to get to know Lettie. And it also gives her something to take her mind off what happened to her.”

“Terrific. I’m so glad she can avoid thinking about her trauma by listening to your grumpy ass bark out a laundry list of shit she needs to do by the time you get into the office. All without so much as a kind word or thank you. I bet she loves that. You’re laying the foundation for a fantastic relationship.”

“I wasn’t grumpy.”

I glower and tut at him.

His face sags, and he rolls his eyes, knowing the truth. “Fine. Maybe it sounded gruff, but she knows how busy we are at Redleg. There’s no time for unnecessary pleasantries.”

Sticking my index finger in my ear, I wiggle it around dramatically. “Excuse me? Out loud, with your actual voice, did youreallyjust say you don’t have time forpleasantrieswith your own flesh and blood? Especially after missing the first twenty-five years of her life? And after the horrific trauma she’s suffered?”

He groans, massaging his nape aggressively. “That’s not what I meant, Maddie. When I’m at work with her, I’m nicer.”

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