Ha. Another sign somebody was lying. “Are you kidding me? You were so hurt that I dumped you that you requested me for your team? Why? Just to make me miserable?” Which she would not let him do. “Good luck, buddy. That was a waste of your time.”

His face flushed and his arms uncrossed. “Fine. Yes, I did request you for this team, and yes, I’m going to teach you a lesson.”

“I believe I taught you a lesson before,” she mused, firing up.

His nostrils flared. “Oh, we’re just getting started. You almost ruined both of our careers and one of us has to leave the HDD. I vote for you.”

Her jaw almost dropped open. “You want me on your team to force me out?

“Yes. Want to bet I can do it?” Vaughn asked, his smile actually ugly.

A knock on the door had him moving to the side and opening it.

Bistle smiled and poked his head in. “The rest of the team is here and I’m sure they want to meet Nari.” He looked her over.

Was he making sure she was all right? Apparently Vaughn didn’t have the respect of his team that he imagined. He wasn’t nearly the leader Angus was, and that was a shame for the team. Nari smiled and stood. “Thank you for getting me.” Then she walked by Vaughn and kept walking as Bistle motioned her down the hallway.

Once in the main room, she nodded at two newcomers. “Hello. I’m Nari and I don’t work with this team.” Without waiting for a response, she kept walking right out the door and turned left, heading down to Quan’s office. The receptionist looked up and Nari ignored her, opening Quan’s door and walking inside. “I can’t believe you’d put me back on the same team as that megalomaniac,” she said instantly, halting at the sight of him sitting at the table with the administrator, both drinking coffee.

“Nari.” Quan set down his cup. “What are you doing?”

Opal’s hair was up in an intricate bun. “More importantly, what are you talking about?” she asked.

Yeah, that’s what Nari had figured. She rounded on Quan. “You’re a smart man and you know the only reason an asshat like Vaughn would want me back on his team after I dumped his butt is to make my life miserable.” The hurt behind her anger wanted to be let loose and she held on tight.

Quan stood. “We will discuss this at another time.”

She settled. “No. We will not. You suck as a father and you suck even bigger as a boss.” She dug into her purse and withdrew her weapon and badge. “I quit. Asshole.” Then she turned on her very nice shoe and walked out the door, her head held high.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight