that far.
Hubrecht glanced at her. “Ryder’s right, but I wasn’t thinking of sales.” His gaze shifted back to Ryder. “I need someone in production. Would you be interested in that?”
The only sign Bianca showed of her thrill at hearing that possibility was squeezing Ryder’s hand. She hoped he read hand squeezes better than eye messages.
“Maybe. What’d you have in mind?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow when we can talk more about this.”
She got where he was going. Hubrecht didn’t want to tell Ryder anything in front of her, which meant Ryder would be coming here without her. That couldn’t happen, but Ryder was barely getting his foot in the door. Would he ask for Hubrecht to give Bianca a position as well?
Nope. Ryder didn’t say a word about her.
She tried to look pleased when she said, “That is so nice of you, Hubrecht. I’m hoping I’ll have as easy a time finding a position.”
“I’m sure I could find a place for you here—”
Bianca jumped on it. “Really? That’s wonderful.”
“—if I could trust you,” he finished with unapologetic bluntness.
“What ...?” she sputtered, ready to demand Ryder pull out their wedding documents.
Instead, Ryder stood. “I don’t need a job here. Let’s go.”
He couldn’t be serious, could he? How had this fallen apart so quickly? “Wait, Ryder.”
“Why? So he can insult you again?”
Hubrecht stood. “I have no intention of insulting Bianca, but I didn’t build a company this successful without vetting every person who works for me. I’m only being cautious. She’s an FBI agent.”
Oh, crap . Bianca jumped up. “I was.”
“And you want me to believe you just walked away from the agency?”
Ryder pulled her to his side. Before Bianca could get in another word, Ryder ripped into Hubrecht. “Bianca lost everything when she stuck her neck out for me. As soon as she uncovered evidence that proved I couldn’t have been in position in time to make that shot, the FBI let her go on the lame excuse that she’d gotten involved with a murder suspect. She fought them and everyone else to get me released. It cost her a job and her friends. Her entire department treats her like a pariah because she proved their research was flawed, which embarrassed all of them. Besides that, she’s still the only one who believes I’m innocent.”
That sounded like the speech she’d practiced, thinking she would be the one expected to explain herself, but Ryder’s delivery was so spot on that even she believed him.
And he wasn’t done. “With my notoriety, Bianca is severely limited in her options, especially with her background. Her chances of getting a job in law enforcement are nil and, even if she could, I wouldn’t let her risk it because some law enforcement might retaliate against her for springing me. We come as a package deal. All or none.”
Well that threw down the gauntlet.
For all the anger pulsing from Ryder, not a flicker of emotion had surfaced in Hubrecht’s face. “I don’t want to fight with you, Ryder, and I do want you to stay. I was sincere when I invited both of you to reside at the family home, especially now when you’ll be hounded by the media. Family is everything to me. I trust you, because I know you. Bianca is welcome to enjoy doing anything she wants while you’re gone from home, but how can you expect me to trust someone I’ve just met with VDE information?”
Hubrecht sounded so rational when he put it that way.
Bianca stepped in before Ryder had a chance to bomb this fragile relationship. She held her hand up, requesting to be heard. “I expected this. We both did.”
She spared Ryder a glance then continued. “I do appreciate the offer to just take it easy, but I can’t sit around and do nothing. I spent the past three years pulling twelve, sometimes fifteen-hour workdays on the cyber espionage team. That’s why I was able to dig for so much on Ryder’s case. I’m sure I can find
Hubrecht glanced at her. “Ryder’s right, but I wasn’t thinking of sales.” His gaze shifted back to Ryder. “I need someone in production. Would you be interested in that?”
The only sign Bianca showed of her thrill at hearing that possibility was squeezing Ryder’s hand. She hoped he read hand squeezes better than eye messages.
“Maybe. What’d you have in mind?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow when we can talk more about this.”
She got where he was going. Hubrecht didn’t want to tell Ryder anything in front of her, which meant Ryder would be coming here without her. That couldn’t happen, but Ryder was barely getting his foot in the door. Would he ask for Hubrecht to give Bianca a position as well?
Nope. Ryder didn’t say a word about her.
She tried to look pleased when she said, “That is so nice of you, Hubrecht. I’m hoping I’ll have as easy a time finding a position.”
“I’m sure I could find a place for you here—”
Bianca jumped on it. “Really? That’s wonderful.”
“—if I could trust you,” he finished with unapologetic bluntness.
“What ...?” she sputtered, ready to demand Ryder pull out their wedding documents.
Instead, Ryder stood. “I don’t need a job here. Let’s go.”
He couldn’t be serious, could he? How had this fallen apart so quickly? “Wait, Ryder.”
“Why? So he can insult you again?”
Hubrecht stood. “I have no intention of insulting Bianca, but I didn’t build a company this successful without vetting every person who works for me. I’m only being cautious. She’s an FBI agent.”
Oh, crap . Bianca jumped up. “I was.”
“And you want me to believe you just walked away from the agency?”
Ryder pulled her to his side. Before Bianca could get in another word, Ryder ripped into Hubrecht. “Bianca lost everything when she stuck her neck out for me. As soon as she uncovered evidence that proved I couldn’t have been in position in time to make that shot, the FBI let her go on the lame excuse that she’d gotten involved with a murder suspect. She fought them and everyone else to get me released. It cost her a job and her friends. Her entire department treats her like a pariah because she proved their research was flawed, which embarrassed all of them. Besides that, she’s still the only one who believes I’m innocent.”
That sounded like the speech she’d practiced, thinking she would be the one expected to explain herself, but Ryder’s delivery was so spot on that even she believed him.
And he wasn’t done. “With my notoriety, Bianca is severely limited in her options, especially with her background. Her chances of getting a job in law enforcement are nil and, even if she could, I wouldn’t let her risk it because some law enforcement might retaliate against her for springing me. We come as a package deal. All or none.”
Well that threw down the gauntlet.
For all the anger pulsing from Ryder, not a flicker of emotion had surfaced in Hubrecht’s face. “I don’t want to fight with you, Ryder, and I do want you to stay. I was sincere when I invited both of you to reside at the family home, especially now when you’ll be hounded by the media. Family is everything to me. I trust you, because I know you. Bianca is welcome to enjoy doing anything she wants while you’re gone from home, but how can you expect me to trust someone I’ve just met with VDE information?”
Hubrecht sounded so rational when he put it that way.
Bianca stepped in before Ryder had a chance to bomb this fragile relationship. She held her hand up, requesting to be heard. “I expected this. We both did.”
She spared Ryder a glance then continued. “I do appreciate the offer to just take it easy, but I can’t sit around and do nothing. I spent the past three years pulling twelve, sometimes fifteen-hour workdays on the cyber espionage team. That’s why I was able to dig for so much on Ryder’s case. I’m sure I can find
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