Only Mine (Honey Mountain #5)(4)

Well, I had to give her props. She didn’t fall apart the way I’d expected. She’d actually doubled down and spun her crazy antics in her favor.

The girl had bigger balls than some of the guys I’d gone into battle with.

“Clever,” I said dryly. “Sometimes, you don’t pick a fight when it’s not worth losing blood over.”

And that was the fucking truth. She shouldn’t have confronted us. She didn’t know who we were. She could have been hurt.

You don’t go picking fights just for kicks. There are plenty of battles that need to be fought.

“I never mind getting dirty when it comes to my integrity. If you cut me off at the gas station tomorrow, I’d do the same damn thing again.”

She was reckless.

A loose cannon.

Unfortunately, I knew the other man that my father had as his second choice, Jordan Marks. He was a kiss-ass and always had been. My family had a shit ton of money, and people wanted a piece of the pie. Jordan had grown up in my neighborhood, and I’d never cared for him. He told you what you wanted to hear, what would advance his intentions—not what he actually thought.

I didn’t respect that. And as the company’s lawyer, I didn’t think he’d do the best job representing us for that reason.

But this woman—she was a risk in a different way.

“Sometimes, we need to stop and think. Assess the situation. Not react to everything that bothers us.”

“Is this an interview or a therapy session?” She raised her brow, and I leaned back in my chair.

“Miss Thomas, this position is challenging. You’re newly out of law school; you have little to no experience. You lost your temper at a gas pump. How do I know you won’t speak to the press and say something foolish because you can’t control your temper?”

“Oh, I assure you that I can control my temper. You don’t have a black eye, do you?” she said, the corners of her lips turning up, and I’ll be damned if my father and Roger weren’t completely dazzled by her as they both smiled.

I was not.

Sure, she was sexy as hell, and thoughts of bending her over this table were impossible to push away. But did that mean I wanted her to be the voice of reason for this team? Hell no. Hockey was a passionate sport. One I’d grown up playing before going into the Navy. The person we chose to be our chief legal needed to be someone who could handle the ups and downs of this business. Fans were outspoken. They got pissed when someone got traded. They got pissed when we lost games. Hell, they got pissed if they didn’t like the style of our uniforms.

We needed a spokesperson who could handle that with the utmost control.

“So, when we go to recruit new players—and I mean, these are cocky, confident assholes most of the time—are you going to punch every dude in the face who rubs you wrong?”

“Oddly, I’ve never punched anyone in the face. You are the first person I’ve ever considered hitting.”

I tipped my head back and closed my eyes for a second because I didn’t have time to argue with her. My father had a list of cities he wanted me to visit, and agents to meet with, so whomever we chose for this position would be joining me. This was Roger’s last year, and the season was about to kick off, so I’d be doing all the footwork for next season now.

“I’m honored.” My gaze was hard, and I turned to look at my dad and Roger. “You sure about this?”

“Yes,” Roger said. “You two will be working closely together these next few months. If it doesn’t work out, we can always change things. But my gut tells me that she’s going to be able to handle things just fine.”

“Agreed. She handled you pretty well,” Dad said, and he used his hand to cover his smile. “Most people would melt into a puddle on the floor when you come for them.”

“That’s the thing. This isn’t me coming for anyone. This is me telling you that I don’t think she’s right for the job.”

A little gasp escaped her, and she corrected herself. Her gaze locked with mine, and anger radiated from her small frame. “Who made you the judge and jury?”

“Birthright.” I shrugged.

My father looked between us. “We have Roger for one more year. I say we give this a try for ninety days. We can do a short-term contract and see how you two work together.”

Had he not been listening to the conversation?

“I think that’s a good plan,” Roger added.

“Is it wrong that I want to make sure this team is in good hands?” I asked, my voice staying completely even. I knew how to manage my anger unlike the little minx sitting across from me.

“It’s not wrong,” she said, tipping up her chin. “I have no problem with this plan. I’m happy to show you that I’m the right person for the job. If you don’t think I’m up to it after ninety days, you won’t have to ask me to leave. I’ll go willingly.”

“You’re that confident?” I asked, intertwining my fingers and placing my hands on the table.

“I am.”

“Fine. A ninety-day contract, and then we move forward with plan B.” I pushed to my feet. What was the point of bringing me in for the final say if they weren’t going to listen?

“So, you two will be leaving tomorrow morning for New York to meet with Braxton Jones first. He’s the agent of Juan Rivera, who happens to be the best defensive player in the league. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after this season. You need to be cautious about what you say because these guys are still in season, so keep it light, but we want to get our feelers out there, and talking to an agent isn’t a crime. We’ve got a couple of high school and college prospects that you’ll be meeting with, as well, so you’ve got a busy lineup ahead of you.