Page 114 of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad World

After one last reassuring glance at Annabelle, he rejoined the group.

“What have you done now?” he asked Violet.

“Nothing.” But Violet couldn’t pull off innocent if she tried. She just wasn’t in the mood to confess to whatever it was. “I’m trying to get Rochelle to see that I’ve been working hard at this team thing. Tell her what I was like in London.” It was an order.

“A pain in the ass.” Noah pulled up a chair at the table and helped himself to some ice-cream. “That about sums it up.”

“See?” Violet said as though he’d made her point.

From the look on Rochelle’s face, it was clear he hadn’t. He decided to elaborate.

“She barely spoke, considered orders optional, took out her frustrations on any offender that crossed her path, and refused to participate in group events.” He frowned at Violet, realizing something. “She sure as hell never ate with any of us.”

“See?” Violet said again, waving her pizza slice. “I deserve credit for trying this hard.”

“Fine.” Rochelle seemed more confused than convinced. “I award you credit for trying.”

“Thank you.” Violet sat back in her seat, satisfied.

It was late, and she’d changed out of her usual severe black attire. It took Noah a second to realize she was wearing a Hello Kitty T-shirt instead. The color wasn’t fluorescent—it was a muddy green—but a complete change from her usual look.

“Gotta say,” he said, “I think she’s mellowing.”

Violet glared at him. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

The team laughed.

Team…

Noah rested his elbows on the desk in front of him as he caught Rochelle’s eye. “You were too hasty,” he repeated his comment from earlier that day.

“No.” She leaned back in her chair. Her suit jacket was off, her shirt sleeves rolled up, and she’d tied her hair in a topknot. She looked relaxed. “I was cautious. You know full well this office is a lawsuit waiting to happen.”

“Wait,” Harris said around a mouthful of ice-cream. “Is that a bad thing? I thought Americans liked suing each other. Isn’t it the national hobby or something?”

“Yes, it’s a bad thing,” Rochelle told him. “No insurance company on the planet would take a risk on this office.”

“Bull.” Abasi reached for his wallet and pulled out a card. He tossed it to Rochelle. “Call that number and tell them I referred you. They’ll insure the office.”

“Or what?” Rochelle said. “You’lltake them out?”

“My aunt would be unhappy if I did that. Her son runs the New York office.”

“You have family?” Harris’ jaw dropped. “Family that aren’t criminals?” It was clearly an alien concept.

“What can I say?” Abasi shrugged. “The English side of the family’s filled with black sheep.”

Harris gaped at Abasi as though he’d just realized the man didn’t hatch in a lab and walk out a fully formed mobster.

Noah turned to Rochelle. “Lack of insurance isn’t your only reason for disbanding the office, is it?”

She shrugged. “I’m just not sure we can work together.”

“What if we made a blood oath?” Violet asked, making everyone stare at her.

“I’d rather make a pinky promise,” Logan said.

“We worked as a team today,” Rodrigo pointed out. “No subordination, no rogue behavior—unless you count Noah shooting Hanson in the knee.”