Blood Secrets-Valorian 1 by Vivi Anna Read Free Book Online Page A

issue working with him? We can’t afford any more liabilities on this case.”
    Standing, Eve straightened her shoulders and glared at him. “First of all, it’s none of your business if I’ve had a relationship with this man or not. You are not my boss, thank God for that.” She rounded the desk and stood directly in front of him, her hands on her hips.
    He could feel her anger float off her like heat waves. He could almost taste it in the air on the tip of his tongue. “Secondly, I am not a liability. The biggest problem with this case is the hostility here. I sense it with your team—and now with you.”
    Without waiting for him to comment, she stormed out of his office.
    That went well. Caine rubbed a hand over his mouth. He supposed he deserved that for assuming any impropriety on Eve’s part. It was just that they didn’t need any more problems on this case. He didn’t believe in engaging in anything romantic with coworkers. Nothing good ever came out of it. It was difficult enough without making things more complicated with strained working relationships.
    Ha! Talk about strained working relationships! Just having Eve here had put enough tension on his team, and on him, to break a tightrope. He could feel the high level of anxiety from both his people and from Eve. It was so palpable he felt like he was walking in quicksand.
    Jace popped his head through the doorway. “What did you do to the human? She looks like she could rip the universe a new black hole…with her teeth even.”
    “I probably owe her an apology.” He sighed. “Did you happen to see where she went?”
    “Women’s washroom. I heard some definite banging going on in there.” As quick as Jace was there, he was gone.
    Taking a deep breath, Caine smoothed a hand over his hair, then exited his office and walked down the hall toward the washrooms.
    He put his ear to the door, and heard some mumbling. The word jerk and a few choice swear words came through a little louder than normal. Yup, she was definitely in there.

    Without announcing his intentions, Caine pushed open the door and walked in. Eve was leaning on the counter, her head down, with the tap running. There were a few balled-up wads of tissue paper lined up on the Formica near her fisted hand.
    She glanced up when he walked in. Fumbling for the tap, she turned off the water, and then gathered all her tissues and shoved them into the garbage can.
    “What are you doing in here? This isn’t a coed facility, is it?” She looked around, obviously searching for any missed urinals.
    “I wanted to apologize.” He cleared his throat, and smoothed a hand over his shirt, pressing down on a wrinkle he just noticed. “You’re right that it is none of my business in how you handle your…affairs, and I’m sure, if handled properly, that it wouldn’t interfere with this investigation in any way.”
    When he was done, he noticed that she was staring at him, her brow wrinkled as if in deep thought.
    “Do all your apologies sound so forced and contrived?”
    “If by that, you mean I’m not used to apologizing, then you’d be correct. I suppose I’m not used to someone so emotional that I would need to make an apology.”
    Shaking her head, Eve turned back to the sink, turned on the tap and started to wash her hands. “You come in here all intent on apologizing to me, and end up insulting me again.” She sniffed. “Go figure.”
    Caine blew out a breath, and then tried again. He wasn’t used to having to coddle anyone.
    Everyone on his team did his or her job without complaint. He’d had to discipline both Lyra and Jace several times on their behavior, but neither one had displayed any emotion other than anger. He wasn’t used to having to explain himself or his behavior. It was uncomfortable and he didn’t like it much.
    “Eve, we are very different. The way we work, the way we think, and the obvious physical differences.” He took in a deep breath, trying to sort through his