Page 41 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

“No food in the conference room!”Cal barks.

“Uh-huh,” I say, pushing aside two bags of chips and a banana to clear a place at the table.I sit next to Finn and across from Evander and Declan.A huge platter of Emma’s blueberry muffins is perched in the middle of the table.

Cal paces the room, agitated.Finally, he sits at the head of the table.“Snacks are fine.But not an entire takeout menu.”

I dip my batter-fried drumstick into a pool of maple syrup and take a bite, ignoring him.Cal’s in a foul mood, and I’m sure I’ll find out why during this meeting.No sense poking the bear or asking the bear to talk about his feelings.In my experience, no good comes from asking Cal to explain why he’s in a bad mood.

It just gives him an excuse to be in an even worse mood.

“Meeting doesn’t start for five whole minutes,” Finn says.“He’ll be done with his breakfast by then, so cut him some slack.”

I glare up at Finn.I don’t need him protecting me from Cal.It annoys me that he thinks I need shielding.I spear a large piece of waffle and a chunk of chicken and stuff it in my mouth.When I wash it down with the coffee, Evander chimes in.

“Harper still here?”

“Still here and gunning for a job with StellaR Tech,” I say with my mouth full.

Declan fumbles with his coffee cup and nearly spills all of it on the table.He grabs a napkin and tries to mop it up.

“That’s why there’s no food in the conference room!”Cal yells.“We’ve got three hundred grand worth of electronics in here!”

Evander’s mouth drops open as he stares at me.“What did you just say?”

I finish up my breakfast and push the plate away from me.I lean back in the chair and sip at my coffee before I answer.“Harper wants a piece of the private sector.She mentioned the great work Stella R Tech is doing and how impressed she was with your presentation in London,” I tell him.

“Well, she’s got the experience for it,” Finn says.

He’s right.She’s definitely got the resume.

“She’s got the tickets,” Declan adds.

He’s right about that, too.She probably has security clearances I haven’t even heard of.

“Not happening,” Cal says.“I’m giving that idea a full-frontal-fuck-no.Absolutely not.”

Everyone turns to look at me, but I keep my eyes on the remains of my coffee.

“We’ve got decisions to make today,” Cal barks.“It’s time to cut the shit and get to work.”He glances at me for a millisecond and then opens his laptop.

Oh.I now understand his bad mood.Harper already hit up Cal for the job.She sure doesn’t waste any time.

With the Harper conversation behind us, we slip into business mode.The meeting is mostly successful and even though we run it with our usual military precision, we don’t get out of the secured room until afternoon.

All I can think about is getting back to Washoe Ridge.

CHAPTER 21

Special K

I’m in the shed, unloading the last few things from my pickup into the trailer.When I begin tightening down the bungee cords, Cal steps through the double doors.He leans against the doorframe and takes a deep breath.

“Time for a chat, little brother.”

I nod.

“Let’s start with Harper.What the hell’s she up to?”

I shake my head.