Page 5 of Get Kraken

“Glad to hear it.” Jack took a moment to look at each of them, one after the other, before continuing. “This mate thing between Chase and Olivia presents a conflict of interest situation, but the higher-ups have okayed us to continue. If I swapped teams and had someone else with Olivia that would just leave Chase distracted, worrying about her, so this is our best option, as long as all three of you are sure you won’t let it get in the way of this investigation. Do you understand?”

They all spoke together. "Yes.”

“Good, so Chase? If I even get so much as ahintthat you’re affected in any way that hinders this mission, then Iwillreplace you. No leaving your post because you feel like you have to protect her. While she’s in the water with Mike, acting as bait for the AILE, you do what you’re assigned to do so you don’t put her life, or Mike’s, in danger. Got it?”

Chase stood a little taller. "I understand perfectly. I would be the first one wanting me to be reassigned if I was in any way going to be less than professional or do anything to put either of their lives in danger." He sounded as though he meant it, as though the whole dick measuring thing had never even happened.

And when he looked at her, Olivia believed it. “You’re going to be safe.”

A shy heat welled up within her in response to his confident statement. “Thank you.” If he was able to hold himself back from her, then she could follow in his example.

She hoped.

Maybe.

Fuck. She doubted it.

“Right.” Jack stood, signaling the end to the meeting. “The three of you can get the hell out of my office now. Go. And Chase, remember, don’t let your dick get in the way of this mission."

Olivia wanted to die. Her chest, neck, cheeks, and ears blew up as though someone had put a furnace on full blast just beneath her skin.

Why would he say something like that with her standing right there? Was this just the way they talked in this office?

Maybe not, because Chase seemed about as pleased with his boss’ choice of words as Olivia did. "Great. Thank you so much forthat."

Chase did not do anything so obvious as take her by the hand and lead her out the door, but Olivia still sensed a certain protection from him as they left together.

She walked ahead of her two mates, both men flanked behind her like they were bodyguards to some she was a high-priority client. She didn’t like the feeling. She was here to help with the job. Sure, she wasn’t going to be an equal partner to them, but at least she wasn’t going to let them treat her like her protection was the mission, or like she was made of glass.

"I can't believe you just let him say that,” Mike muttered under his breath.

“You want me to start a fight with Jack? Don't think that would go so well for me, but thanks for your opinion."

She stopped and turned to face them, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I wasn't offended, you don't have to come to my rescue."

Mike wasn’t willing to let it go so easily. "Something we need to get clear right now, we know you can defend yourself, in the water and out. You’re a kraken shifter, which means you’re powerful as fuck. You’re also someone strong enough and motivated enough to come in as a volunteer for a case like this. You wouldn't exactly be doing any of this if you were some kind of delicate princess."

Olivia heard his words, but there was something lacking in them. Despite Mike saying he trusted her to hold her own, something about him screamed “protector.” It made Olivia feel like she needed to do more to convey a sense of strength. To shout from the rooftops that she was independent and self-sufficient.

But actions spoke louder than words, so no matter how much she wanted to insist that she did not need to be coddled, she would have to wait it out till she could show them what she was capable of.

“I don’t know why you’re both following me. I don’t know where I’m going. Do you have an office or a cubicle, we’re heading to? Or another meeting room to go over the files? They call that a war room, right?” She’d seen plenty of movies that had meeting rooms set up with photos pinned to the walls, and maps marked up with all the victim’s locations and reports of other suspicious activity that could be tied to the suspect.

“You can wait in this room for us.” He motioned her to follow and opened a door into a small room with a little table and a few chairs. It looked like a room she’d seen on TV, all right, but not the war room she’d thought of. This one looked like the kind of room where witnesses and suspects were questioned. Where someone tried to pull a confession out of a perp.

She looked at both men. “Where are you going?" She was pretty positive, looking at the way they tried not to glare at each other, that they were going to have a talk about her.

"I just want to go over parts of the case with him," Mike said.

Chase nodded, going along with the garbage excuse. They acted as though Olivia was an idiot. “Go over the case?”

“Right,” Chase said. “And I want to grab some of my notes I left behind at my desk."

Olivia wasn’t about to put up with that. "No.”

They both kept it up with their fake smiles. Chase cocked his head a little. “No?”

“That's what I said. No.” If she was going to be stuck in the weird position of having two mates, then Olivia was going to get a few things straight from the start.

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