They’d appropriated one of the hotel’s conference rooms for this debrief. Derrick and Jacey needed some time with their family without them all hovering around.
“I got held up,” she muttered.
“Can I get you a coffee?” Gray asked.
“She can get it herself,” Hunter said. “Her legs aren’t broken.”
Gray stared at him for a long moment. Yeah, he knew he was acting like an asshole. He didn’t know what was wrong with him.
“I’m fine, thanks.” She gave them both a wary look.
Hunter took a deep breath. He needed to get things back on track. This was why he didn’t like working with women. They were a distraction. A weakness. They should always be protected, never placed in harm’s way.
He’d been against bringing Cady into their operation, but they’d needed a woman to pretend to be Jacey. Cady and Jacey were friends. On the outside they looked similar, but they were two completely different people. Where Jacey was sweet and fragile, Cady was tough, abrasive, untrusting.
Hunter wondered about her past. Why was she homeless? How long had she been living on the streets?
Since the moment he’d met her he’d had problems putting her from his mind. He found himself awake at night thinking about her, worrying about her. He knew he had a soft spot when it came to women. It was his belief that women were to be taken care of and never, ever put in harm’s way. Which is why he’d been resisting Gray’s demands that they hire a female on.
Up until now that was.
Hunter turned his mind back to the issue at hand. “I don’t care that everything worked out; none of you will ever risk a client’s safety like that again, especially a female, pregnant client. It happens again and whoever fucked up is gone, got me?”
He looked around at each of his men. They were good guys and he didn’t want to let any of them go, but he wouldn’t stand for any fuck-ups.
All of them nodded.
“Are we going after Worthington now?” Connor asked.
Cady had remained silent, only speaking when she was asked a question. She sat up now and looked directly at him.
“You can’t let him get away,” she said. “He’ll keep coming after Jacey. She’ll never be safe.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” he drawled. “Worthington won’t get away with anything he’s done.”
She stared at him for a long moment, those big brown eyes watching him carefully. Then she nodded.
“If Jacey went to the police and told them that she saw Worthington and Sanders murder Worthington’s assistant, he’d be toast,” Connor pointed out.
“She’s scared,” Hunter asked. “If she goes to the police then Worthington has nothing to lose, he’ll become more dangerous. At the moment Derrick just wants her safe and relaxed. All this stress isn’t good for her or the baby. Which is why he’s taking her with him to Rarotonga. Until they leave, Jaron, Tiny and I will remain here to watch over her. Worthington would be an idiot to make a move right now, but we still have to be on guard.”
“Are you sure they don’t need anyone to go to Rarotonga with them?” Jaron asked with a grin. “My tan needs some work.”
Hunter sent him a quelling look and shook his head. “The rest of you will head back to Dallas. Connor, I want you to keep watch on all of Worthington’s communications and bank accounts.”
“Think he’s going to run?” Connor asked.
“No. He’s too arrogant. At the moment he thinks he’s safe. He claims that Sanders was working on his own. But I still want to be prepared. He’s not getting away with this.”
Not again.
Cady watched the men around the table surreptitiously. With the exception of Hunter, she’d only met the others briefly. She almost hadn’t come here today, until she realized she was letting fear dictate her actions.
There was no reason for her to be afraid. She wasn’t in danger. Plus, she’d told Hunter she would come; it was part of the payment he’d promised her.
But the main reason she’d come here was Jacey.
After losing Rusty, Cady had rejected all her friends, pushed them away. She’d been determined to keep herself apart. If she didn’t let anyone close then she didn’t have to care. So how the hell she’d ended up friends with Jacey, she didn’t know. The other woman just didn’t know when she was being pushed away. She’d kept coming back until Cady had caved in.