Page 86 of Mercy Me

“My wish is that Axl would stop acting like the perfect ass that he is.” Reagan bared her teeth at him.

“My wish is that the two of you would find a room and settle this the biblical way,” Sawyer interjected.

Reagan blushed but Axl just ignored Sawyer’s provocative statement. He looked at Pippa. “So, Pippa, I hear that you can play pool. Want a game? I think that I’d be a bit more of a challenge than Kai. Or Sawyer.”

Kai exchanged a long look with Sawyer before letting his mouth curve into a wicked smile. “Want to bet on that, Turner?” he asked.

“Sure.” Axl looked cocky. “Anytime, anywhere. What’s the bet?”

‘I’ll make a bet with you.’ Reagan stated, her expression fierce. Oh boy, Flick thought. Here comes trouble.

Axl looked bored but Flick noticed the tension in his jaw, around his eyes. “Okay, hit me.”

Reagan cocked her head. “I’d love to but Jack doesn’t like violence in the bar. Oh, you were talking about the bet….” Reagan straightened her spine and turned serious. “If you lose, then you allow me to be a part of Morrigan’s.”

“Over my dead body.” Axl whipped the words back.

Flick winced, knowing that Reagan’s request would not go down well. Kai had explained Reagan’s desire to be a part of their rescue missions and she understood his reticence. None of them wanted Regan to get hurt; hell, she didn’t want any of them hurt.

Reagan opened her mouth to argue but Kai held up his hand and spoke. “You’re not going to be allowed automatic entry because you are you, Reags. But if you are serious about joining Morrigan’s—then you have to prove to us that you are up to the challenge. That you can cope with the mental and physical demands of the job.”

“And I am the only one who will determine that,” Axl growled. He pushed his hand into his air and looked thoroughly pissed off. “Okay, then! If I lose to Pippa—”

“Who still doesn’t know what Morrigan’s is—” Pippa hinted, looking for an explanation.

Axl ignored her interruption. “…if I lose, then you get a chance to prove that you are up to standard. And I willconsiderusing you.”

“I want Kai and Sawyer to be impartial judges,” Reagan stated, looking stubborn.

Flick looked at Kai and fanned herself. Kai grinned, instantly understanding her reference to the heat Axl and Reagan generated.

“My division, my responsibility so mine is the only opinion that counts. Take it or leave it,” Axl retorted, rocking on his heels.

Reagan shrugged. “I’ll take it.”

Flick quickly realized that Axl’s smile was anything but amused. “And what if I beat Pippa? What do I get?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Regan crossed her arms, looking completely unfazed. Good grief, the woman had a set of brass balls, Flick decided, mightily impressed.

“What do you want, Axl?" Regan drawled.

Axl didn’t hesitate. “For you to move out of Callow’s house and to be reassigned to work with another client.”

“Shit.” Reagan looked up at the ceiling, thinking. Eventually, she dropped her head and looked at Pippa. “You’d better whip his ass, girlfriend.”

Pippa sighed. “You’re risking your career on a pool game?”

Regan held Axl’s challenging look. “Yep.”

Pippa released a long, audible sigh. “So, no pressure then.”

Kai dropped a kiss on Flick’s temple and muttered in her ear. “Crap. This is not going to end well.”

Flick swiped her mouth across his and rested her hand on his cheek. “Or it might, like us, work out very well indeed.”