Page 32 of For Your Consideration

Sutton watched me walk up and took the keys from my outstretched hand. “Thanks, Asher, you really didn’t have to—” The look I sent her cut her off.

“Are you distracting my employee?” Quinn asked as she walked up to Sutton's desk. She must have just gotten back from her meeting.

“I’m sorry,” Sutton started, sitting up straight. “He wasn’t—”

“I was kidding, Sutton.” Quinn smiled as she came up to me and gave me a hug. I’d tried fighting her the first time she’d done it but she wouldn’t relent, and I was used to them now even though I preferred not to be touched. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the airport?” she asked as she pulled back, her eyes bouncing between Sutton and me.

She knew damn well Jaxson was already at the airport and was waiting for me since he’d been texting the group complaining that I was late. I was never late.

I’d been ignoring them all as I got the coffee and detoured here.

“On my way,” I replied as Sutton looked up at me.

“You should have said something. You did not need to come and clean my car off and then let me ramble on.” She shook her head and I felt Quinn’s eyes on me.

“Do you want my keys next, Ash?” Quinn asked with a smirk on her face.

“No,” I shot back at her. She and I both knew she hadn’t driven into work today, and if she had, Knight would’ve had someone here every hour cleaning off her car.

I looked back at Sutton and found her eyes on me. “The engine needed time to warm up anyway.” I noticed Quinn step toward her office to give us some privacy. “I’m heading to Toronto, but I’ll be back on Wednesday.”

It felt wrong leaving her, but at least I knew she had a brand-new set of winter tires so she could drive safely. One less thing for me to worry about. She had a lot on her plate that she shouldered all alone. That shit didn’t sit right with me. So I would do what I could to take some of that weight on for her.

“Okay.” She looked like she was trying to figure out why I was telling her this.

“I’m going to text you.” I raised an eyebrow as she smiled.

“Says the man who hates texting,” I heard Quinn mutter. Guess she hadn’t given us that much privacy. I shot her a look over my shoulder before focusing back on Sutton.

“Why do you say that like it’s a threat?” she asked. I shook my head at her but she was right; my tone had been rather threatening. “Okay,” she said when she realized I wasn’t going to say anything.

I held her eyes for another moment so she knew that I was serious and then nodded at her and forced myself to turn around.

“Safe flight, Ash,” Quinn said as she gave me another hug. “Getting quite chatty there, grump number one,” she whispered in my ear as she pulled back with laughter dancing in her eyes.

“Don’t start,” I grumbled before I headed out of the office to get to the airfield.

Knight

How’d it go?

Me

Jaxson wants to bring them on.

Jaxson

Their security staff is top notch. Most are ex-military and are intimidating as fuck.

But also…

Well trained and very professional. They’ve made good money in the five years they’ve been open and would be a good addition to the team. They don’t like the business side so they’re happy to sell so we can manage that part.

Oli

Any major issues when you looked through their files?

Me