Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 31

With pure stupid jealousy coursing through my veins, I hold the door for her. "I'll walk you down to reception. It's a big office."

"Not that big, thanks. I remember the way."

"Miss Hopper, I insist." I glower at Archer, annoyed with the curious gleam in his eye as he watches us.

"Don't go anywhere," I tell him. "I need to discuss a few things with you."

"Whatever, man. I'm not like you, jumping all over the city. I've got plenty of real work right here." He retreats behind his desk.

Dickwad.

Isn't that just like old Arch? Always slinging little comments that come back to bite you straight in the ass.

Usually, I'd lay into him—and remind him who pushed so hard for The Cardinal after we were up the creek when the Haute deal fell through—but not with Salem in the room, watching intently.

"Let's move," I growl, taking her hand and leading her back downstairs to the front desk.

She trails behind me, still clutching her purse. I don't even realize she's stuck to me until I feel her little nails daggering the meat of my palm.

"Ow. What the hell was that—"

"You're my boss, not my chaperone. Hands off," she snaps, shaking her head until her dark hair flops. I smell something like cinnamon drifting off her. "Are you that angry? That I went to see the nicer brother?"

The nicer brother?

The guy whose idea of a lively Friday night is watching CNBC and taking his kid bowling once in a blue moon?

Fuck!

No one who knows anything about Archer Rory considers him the nice one. He's the sensible one, the boring one, the restrained one. The petrified piece of wood you trot out when you want to intimidate someone like you're holding a club.

Shit, if there was a ‘nice guy' competition, he'd lose the game by a mile. My nostrils flare.

"I'm not angry," I lie. "I just didn't expect you to be here, that's all." "Uh-huh. I figured if I was going to be a real part of this organization, I

needed to know everyone I'll be working with. Not just my ‘mentor.'" The sharpness in her voice could poke a man's eye out.

"You won't be working with Archer much. Not directly," I bite off. "The Cardinal's launch and daily operations are my responsibility."

She glares at me with eyes that hold the same intrigue Archer's did, although her gaze is less friendly.

I guess a few days apart haven't stopped her from wishing I'd drop dead.

"You took me around to see your other properties my first week here," she says. "Doesn't it make sense I should meet your brothers, too?"

For God's sake, you prick.

Archer waits in his office when I return, glowering at his computer screen. Even though he doesn't say one word, I know exactly what he's thinking.

"Don't go there," I say, throwing myself into the seat. "She's pretty." He looks at me.

"You were the one smiling at her like an idiot."

"Yeah, I've been keeping an eye on the situation and reading your reports." He brings up said reports with a single deafening click. I've been making them as I go, determined to do her justice as a capable manager while noting room for improvements.

It's never a surprise that Archer has been keeping track.

He always likes to feel like he's the one in charge while Dexter and I are just along for the ride, even when we all agreed I should be in charge.

"Nice to know you trust me to do a good job," I say sarcastically.

"She's gotten to you that much? Man, that's fucked." Now his eyebrows rise. "I didn't think having someone do their job would get under your skin."

"She hasn't gotten under my damn skin."

"Right." He leaves his papers to one side. "She's doing well from what I can see. Going above and beyond with her suggestions and the research summaries attached. That's the kind of attitude we should reward in management."