Fletcher proved to be fantastic with researching. No sooner had I finished consulting the files than he had handed me the list of contacts that I had asked him to find. I then made call after call to conduct my own research on the recruits as part of my little plan, jotting down plenty of notes. Before lunch had even begun I had all the information I wanted and was feeling very optimistic and very pleased with myself. Until Jared teleported to the office.
“So you went through the files,” he observed, nodding toward the untidy pile on my desk.
“Yeah,” I replied simply. Oh he was looking way too gorgeous in that knee-length leather jacket. He knew that I thought so, going by the smug smirk he wore. God I had to get out of this room. “Fletch?” I called out while I gathered my notes together.
His adorable face popped through the door seconds later. “Yes, luv?”
“I’m off to get some NSTs. You want me to pick you up anything?”#p#分页标题#e#
Fletcher squinted. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“Yes or no, Fletch?”
“Honey flavoured ones please, luv. Oh and could you get me some snacks as well?”
“Yeah, course.” I folded my notes and tucked into the pocket of my khakis. Not that I thought I’d need them. I was reasonably sure that I had all the details memorised.
“You’re not going to ask me if I want anything?” griped Jared.
“Nope.”
He sighed. “Listen, if you want I can have a word with the guys and tell them to get their acts together and start listening to you.”
“No need. They will.” He heard the confidence in my voice and his eyes immediately narrowed.
“What plan are you cooking up?” he asked suspiciously but with a smile.
“It’s already cooked, and it’s crispy round the edges.”
Still going to pretend you don’t want me? he asked as I advanced toward the door. I just thought you should know it’s not working too well. You’re far from Hollywood material.
Damn. At least I don’t shag a twig!
Your interest in my sex life adds further support to my argument.
Well file this away with all the info: you’re a prick.
It was far from shocking to find that the recruits were not waiting for me in the arena. I found them five or ten minutes later all on the basketball court. Chico, Butch, David, Max, Stuart and Damien were playing basketball while Reuben was observing. Denny and Harvey were deep in conversation about something and Salem was moonlight-bathing on one of the benches.
Max noticed me first and signalled to the others that I was coming. Most of them shrugged, unaffected. The others were pretending they hadn’t heard Max.
“So, you still think you don’t need me.” I folded my arms across my chest, squashing my bust so that my cleavage was more prominent. As expected, they all gave me their full attention. I wanted to see their faces when I acted on my plan.
“It’s just that we think we are okay as we are,” said Reuben.
Max’s face beamed with a cheeky smile. “Come on now, Sam, it’s not you. We just -”
“Don’t want to take orders off some chick,” finished Harvey in an arrogant tone. Damien and Stuart nodded in agreement. Wow, Jared had really been to work on this lot.
“It’s like Max said, it’s not you,” repeated Denny in a very soft, sensitive voice. “Why don’t you come hang out with us?”
“Yeah, hang out with us.” David seemed to have an inability to keep still.
I smiled at them and jiggled my head as if considering their offer. “Well I would...but I’m not convinced you don’t need some coaching.”
“Look, you’ve seen me in combat at the tryout.” Chico sounded bored. “Did I look like I needed help?”
“Same here,” said Butch.
“Help? No. But do I think you could both be better? Yes.”
Chico sniggered. “I exhale thorns. How much better can you get?”
I puffed. “Oh I don’t know…Can you emit them from your palms?”
“The horns come from within me.” His tone was stressing his opinion that I was dumb.
“You really think little poisonous horns are embedded inside you? Wrong. Your body produces toxins. These toxins travel in your blood, your entire body. They harden into horns the second that they meet the outside air. You can emit the toxins from your pores in just the same way. Your palms can be an outlet just the same as your breath can. Try it.”#p#分页标题#e#
Chico sniggered again and waved a hand at me dismissively before going to collect the basketball.
“You won’t even try? You’re that scared to fail? No wonder you never made Sergeant when you were in the police force. Got passed down for your brother too, didn’t you?”