Ransom (Whiskey Run Heroes 1)

I shrug and sit down on the edge of my desk in front of her. I’m tall, and my legs stick out, fitted between hers on the floor. “You’re worth more.”

She goes to back up, and I grab on to her, my hands on her hips. She gasps, and my fingers dig into the rough material of her jeans, holding her where she’s at.

“Walker?”

Her lips are puckered, her eyes hooded and questioning. I’d give anything to quit this farce and just tell her why I can’t let her go. Even if I can’t have her, I can’t lose her.

“Please, Brook. I’m begging you. I can’t lose you.”

Her eyes search mine. “Because I’m the best assistant you’ve ever had?”

She doesn’t know that she’s the only assistant I’d ever had. I never wanted one—hell, I didn’t even think I needed one. Then I saw her at the Distillery one day, and right before they hired her for the manager job, I had her brought here. From the first time I laid eyes on her I knew I needed her, wanted her, and would do anything to have her. I was going to make her mine—and then we had a rough mission and threats were made. I knew then I’d never be able to completely have her, not as my very own. But I couldn’t let her go. She’s proven her worth here. She really is great at her job and has made my life so much easier and yeah, I can’t lose her as an assistant, but it’s more than that. I can’t lose her, period.

“You are the best,” I tell her honestly.

She takes a deep breath and swallows. “I’m not happy, Walker.”

I rear back as if she’s hit me. I release my hold on her, and my hand goes over my thudding heart. “You’re not happy here... with me?”

She closes her eyes and shakes her head.

I stand up, knowing I need to put distance between us. I walk around the desk and back to my chair. I sit down because I’m afraid if I don’t, my legs are going to buckle. Can I really let her go?

“Sit down.”

She sits down in the chair across from me, looking at her hands in her lap. She’s fidgeting, which is not something she normally does. There’s something going on with her, but I don’t know what it is. I hate this feeling.

“A month.”

Her eyes raise. “You’re going to let me leave?”

I grip the sides of my chair. No, I’ll never let her leave me. She may quit this job, but I’ll never let her walk away from me. I’m just giving myself time to get her on board with it. “I don’t want you unhappy. That’s the last thing I want.”

She nods.

“But... you need to give me a month. You do a lot here, and I need you to train your replacement.” When she doesn’t answer me, I lean forward and put my arms on the desk. “Brook?”

She nods. “A month. Okay, I can do that.”

“You’ll leave here with a year’s severance; you will keep the company car, and your health insurance will be paid for the year.”

She’s shaking her head, confused. “No, that’s too much, Walker.”

I slam my fist down on the desk. “No, it’s not. You deserve more... you deserve everything. If you’re determined to leave me... to quit this job, those are the conditions.”

She shrugs and shakes her head. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

She gets up to leave, and I stop her again. “Who is the date with?”

She almost trips on her heeled shoes before turning around. “Uh, no one you’d know.”

I get up and lean across the table. This intimidating stance and stern voice has broken plenty of people in an interrogation, but it doesn’t even faze Brook.

She shrugs. “He’s not from Whiskey Run.”

I raise myself to my full height and walk quickly toward the door. I stop in front of her before she gets out. “Who are you going out with?”

Her face is blood red, and I know I’m not going to like what she’s about to say. “It’s none of your business, Walker. Why do you even care? You’ve never asked me one personal thing in the five years I’ve worked here. Why now?” She shakes her head and then her eyes jerk to mine. “What? Do you think I’m going to give away your secrets? Tell people what you do here?”

I’m shaking my head. I know she’d never do that, but before I can say that, her voice drops an octave, and her look turns fierce. “I would never betray you or the guys, Walker. Never. Even when I’m gone, I would never do anything that would put you or what you do here in danger.”

I put my hand on her shoulder, but she shrugs it off. “No, I’m leaving. I’ll be in tomorrow.”