Page 27 of Protecting You
Her scowl turned to a glare. “And I don’t want to run away. I can’t. I’ve got a business to run. I promised I’d talk to you before I reached out to Char... Ghazi, so that’s what I’m doing. Unless you have an objection, I’m going to send him the name this morning.”
“Who is it?”
She disappeared into her bedroom and returned with her laptop, which she set on the table in front of Callan.
On her screen was a photo of a man called Yefim Lavrentiy.
“Guy’s name really rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?”
She didn’t smile.
“I’ve never heard of him.” Callan peered at the image. “He doesn’t look familiar.”
“Michael doesn’t know him either. He’s going to have his team look into him.”
“What does he think about your plan?”
Alyssa’s lips pressed together. She shrugged.
“He doesn’t think it’ll work, either, does he?”
“You could both be wrong.”
“Possible.” Unlikely, but it seemed rude to say so. “I’m going to jump in the shower and then make a call. Hold off until I get out before you call him, okay?”
“All right, but I want to do it soon.” She closed her laptop.
“While you wait, could you order us some breakfast?”
Irritation crossed her features, and he braced himself for accusations of misogyny or chauvinism. But she forced her mouth into a smile he didn’t believe for a second. “What do you want?”
“Whatever, Paris. You choose.”
“Don’t call me that.”
He grinned, enjoying her ire. “Why not? It fits.”
“It absolutely does not?—”
“Breakfast,Alyssa.Please.”
At her curt nod, he returned to his bedroom. It was too early in the morning to navigate the minefield that was conversation with Alyssa Wright.
His phone rang before he made it to the bathroom.
He snatched it up and saw his boss’s number again.
Might as well get another unpleasant conversation under his belt. Or…elastic waistband, as it were. He swiped to answer. “Callan Templeton.”
“What the blazes are you doing?”
“Good morning, Malcolm.”
“Who is Alyssa Wright to you?”
Why did Malcolm’s question sound like an accusation?
Callan flicked on the light and pulled back a corner of the curtain. The sun was working its way up, the black-and-gray world starting to tinge with color.
