Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 30

"Why else?" I push back. "You must have another reason."

I'm leaning into this mentorship thing, wanting her to make her case as tight as she can.

For a second, I think she'll tear my throat out for hounding her, but she swallows hard.

Her throat tightens and I think she clasps hands under the table.

"This is a large building with balconies and several entrances. There are a lot of potential security risks here. Surely, our guests would feel safer with a little more security presence, and the guards wouldn't be stretched so thin. It will also save you from any bad PR out of the gates if it stops any incidents."

"Fair enough. And where would the money come from? This needs to work with our current budget. We're already near our limit for security costs."

"Well… if we streamline the cleaning schedule and make everything more efficient there, we wouldn't need to look further."

There's no point in fighting it when she's right—and we both know she is—but goddamn, I want to.

I stand up before she annoys me some more.

"Sounds like you have everything under control," I say, proud of myself for showing a little restraint. Dex and Archer, eat your fucking hearts out. "Well done, Salem."

"Miss Hopper," she says. "Please call me Miss Hopper, Mr. Rory." My ghost of a smile dies.

What the fuck?

No matter how much she calls me Mr. Rory, I hate it.

But this is a professional environment. If she wants to keep this so rigid and stale we can hardly breathe, that's fine and goddamned dandy.

"Miss Hopper, I read you loud and clear." I nod at her and leave the room before I can say anything too unprofessional.

Then I spend the entire week licking my wounds. I search for something I can critique, not to reprimand her, but to teach her.

Yes, she's whacked my inner asshole over the head and it's hard to restrain him.

Still, there must be something she's doing wrong—something I can improve.

That's my role as mentor, right? To identify her weaknesses and help her obliterate them. To make her stronger, smarter, and better than anything she'd be without me.

But when I show up early in the morning, she's already there, splitting her time between her office and walking the halls when she's not at the front desk.

From discussing issues with Bekah to ensuring the rooftop pool and bar are ready to go by eight a.m., she's perfectly hands-on.

There's nothing I can fault her for with operations. Not in good faith.

Not when she's so damn smiley with the guests, either, putting on this picturesque welcoming smile.

She's a human chameleon, I'm sure. Mostly because I've never seen her make that face with me since that night on the boat.

Obviously, it's personal.

—or Mom.

Miracles never cease, they say. I wish like hell this one would.

"Miss Hopper," I snap off. I check myself at the doorway because it feels like I've walked in on something scandalous. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Mr. Rory." She looks at me, her laughter tapering off.

"Mr. Rory?" Archer raises an eyebrow. "Don't you know he prefers Pat?"

Goddamned great.

Now everybody in the office is picking up on our weird-ass dynamic because Salem can't just be normal and get over a naked mistake from years ago.

"Um, sure. I just figured we should keep it more professional since he's the mentor and all." She flushes.

"Doesn't matter what I prefer," I say stiffly. "I can come back later, if I'm interrupting."

"No, no, I was just leaving." Salem collects her bag as Archer looks between us with a frown. "I just came to meet the other masterminds behind the company."

"A pleasure," Archer tells her. "My door's open anytime."

Your door, Bro, is about to slam your face hard enough to bruise.