“I don’t think so,” she said quietly. Having her hair down helped enormously. In the course of her normal life, she would have pulled it all up for an elegant look, but the mass of hair around her shoulders not only sheltered the earpiece, it also hid her face from the multitude of security cameras. “He should be able to deal with the problem with ease. Any luck on your end?”
“She’s asking if Fain’s been able to cut into the feed,” Hutch said in a quiet voice. There was no way to mistake his irritation. Apparently her partner preferred to be behind the scenes. “I told him what to do.”
“It’s not as easy as you made it sound, asshole.” Ezra sounded frustrated. “I’m not a tech guy. I might have pointed that out.”
“I could get it done in five minutes if you let me,” Hutch said, his mouth tight. “I can probably figure out how to hack the internal systems here, too. I think we should come in.”
“Hutch, I know this isn’t your thing.” Case was the calm voice of reason. “But I’m going to need you to do your job. Get in, download the system, and get out. We can’t be sure what kind of security they have. Getting in and putting physical hands on the system is our best shot. You agreed with me earlier today.”
“Earlier today I didn’t get the feeling that someone was watching me,” Hutch admitted. “Something’s wrong with this place. I can feel it.”
“No,” Case said, his voice steady. “What you feel is PTSD. This is the first time you’ve been back out in the field, brother. I promise, it’s normal to be afraid. It’s time to shut that fear down and do your job. A lot of people are depending on you. Theo is depending on you.”
Mia didn’t like the way Hutch paled. She held out her hand. “I can do it. I certainly know how to download a system. Give me the drive.”
He stood straighter, his shoulders going back. “I’m fine. If I get caught in the hallway, I’ll say I was looking for the bathroom. Could you distract the big guy who’s obviously carrying a gun while I slip back there? The other two are moving around outside, but the one to your left is doing an inner perimeter sweep and he keeps looking that way. I need about thirty seconds.”
She wasn’t sure he was up to it, but she nodded because she was done arguing with the men in her life.
Case might be telling her the truth. He might fully intend to see her again. Hell, she’d proven to be very open when it came to his sexual proclivities, but he’d proven he didn’t truly want her. He wanted her body, maybe her submissive side. But he didn’t want her in his life. Not in any real way. She had a serious chance to help him find his brother. Tony was still looking into the situation, but it didn’t matter to Case.
This was the most important moment of his life and he wouldn’t allow her to help him, not even to sit in a shitty motel room and wait for him to return. It didn’t make sense. She’d followed all of his rules. She’d kept a bodyguard with her.
I can’t work with you.
She knew damn well the other men in his family worked with their wives. Liam took his wife and child with him at times when he was investigating. Ian took Charlotte as his backup many times. Alex and Eve worked together every day. Mia might not have served in the military, but she would put herself up against any of the women and some of the men when it came to self-defense. She was proficient in Krav Maga and had used a gun more than once in her life. She’d never had to actively shoot anyone, but she’d certainly had to fight her way out of bad situations before.
Mia began making her way across the room, trying to keep a serene smile on her face as she walked away from Hutch.
Case trusted her to do the one thing he couldn’t do himself, but he didn’t trust her to sit her ass in a motel room with a bodyguard?
It was ridiculous. She had to face the fact that she felt more for him than he did for her. She was in love with him, but all she was to him was a convenient lay. He might check in with her from time to time when he was at loose ends. He might even offer to play with her, but he wasn’t ever going to be serious about a woman he could dismiss so easily.
No matter what he said, his actions spoke volumes. He was so eager to get rid of her, he was actively putting his brother’s investigation in jeopardy.
And still she had to acknowledge if he’d said anything about loving her, she would have hopped on the plane and been the good little girl, waiting for her man to come home. If he’d said a damn thing about needing her, she would have kissed him good-bye.
He’d just said she was a distraction and he didn’t need one of those.
He’d been cold. Not at all the warm lover she’d quickly grown addicted to.