"I refuse."
For the first time since Hide had entered the office, Maddox went completely still.
The easy smile remained on his face, but only just. It looked thinner now. He leaned back into his chair, fingers loosely interlocked over his stomach, and regarded Hide with an expression that was almost curious.
"You know," Maddox murmured after a moment, "You should at least let me finish before rejecting one of the best offers most people ever receive in their lives."
Hide did not return the faint humor in his tone. "Then they probably need it more than I do."
Maddox's gaze sharpened by a hair.
"I'm not interested in becoming a government lap dog." Hide added.
For a second, the room seemed quieter than before.
Then Maddox chuckled, as if Hide had unexpectedly confirmed something. "That," he muttered, "sounds very much like her."
Hide's eyes narrowed instantly. "What did you say?"
