Mated to the Wilde Bear novel Chapter 21

“What’s all your fault?” Laurel rounded the bottom of the stairs, and every one of them clammed up and stared back her as if they’d been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Xavier wanted to laugh, but damn if he didn’t feel the same.

“Nothing. We’re discussing a new hire for the crew,” he said.

Laurel reached for the resume and Harley snarled. Xavier silenced him with a look.

“Kyra Gold,” Laurel read aloud. “She sounds like a bad chick. She’s the new hire?”

Xavier shot a look at the guys and then answered, “Not yet. But she’s the best choice so far.”

“Or would be if she didn’t have a vagina,” Harley muttered.

“Dude,” Nash scolded him.

Laurel’s eyes widened, and she looked at Xavier. “You’re thinking of skipping over her because she’s a woman?” she demanded.

Her tone pricked at his temper, and he straightened, making sure to let the room know he was the boss here. “I’m talking to my crew about it,” he said pointedly.

Laurel glared right back at him. “Right. Because they’re much more important than anything I have to say.”

“Uh-oh. Alpha against alpha,” Jake said under his breath.

Laurel growled at him, spun on her heel, and headed for the stairs.

Xavier ran to catch up with her. “Wait,” he said, slipping in to block her path just before she could get away.

“Why? So you can list all the reasons women aren’t equals in the workplace? I can go to my own job to hear that,” she said. Underneath the flat tone, Xavier could hear the sting he’d caused.