Mickey’s shock must have been written all over his face because Cold laughed.
“I don’t belong to anyone except myself, Mr. Tamerlane. And that includes Alistair Star.” Cold tilted his head. “Is that a satisfactory response?”
“Good, Boss.” Mickey paused. “And you’re sure you don’t want me to kill him?”
“Focus on the job. I promise you’ll actually be able to kill someone soon enough.”
Mickey was happy with that and left the office. He shut the door behind him, scanning the bar for Jules and Duncan. As expected, Duncan was trying to disappear into a corner while Jules towered over him.
“You fuckin’ hear me?” Jules was snarling.
“Heard. Totally heard.” Duncan grinned nervously. “I also can’t help but notice, seeing as how you’re right in my face, but uh, did you start using a new mouthwash? ’Cause your breath is amazing right now. Very minty. Little orangey.”
“Yeah, it’s new.” Jules smiled. “Natural Citrus.”
“Good, good. I like it.”
“Now, we got an understandin’?”
“Absolutely.” Duncan slipped out from the corner and dashed over to Mickey’s side.
Jules looked to Mickey. “Muzzle him. You hear me?”
“Got it,” Mickey said. He watched Jules go back to the office and grabbed Duncan’s arm. “Outside. Now.”
“Oh, come on!” Duncan protested as Mickey dragged him out into the parking lot. “I was just asking a few fuckin’ questions!”
“You’ve gotta chill the fuck out.” Mickey didn’t stop until they were on the other side of the building, where he let go of Duncan with a shove. “You keep running your damn mouth like that—”
“None of this bothers you?” Duncan demanded. “He doesn’t even want us to tell the others? My gut is telling me there’s something up! Keeping all these secrets?”
“It’s the job. We’re not fucking Boy Scouts.”
“Whatever.” Duncan hung his head miserably. “You really trust him more than you trust me, don’t you?”
“Jesus Christ.” Mickey wasn’t going to justify that with a response. He hated to see his friend so upset, so he tried. “You’re not smarter than Cold.”
Duncan’s grimace deepened.
Shit.
“Let it go, okay? It’s gonna be fine. I trust you to set me up right for a job, and I trust Cold to make a plan that’s gonna work.”
Duncan frowned.
“Come on,” Mickey said gently. “Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“To check out that office building you were talking about before.” Mickey smiled. “We’re still partners, right?”
Duncan hesitated.
“What’s wrong?”
“How about we go tomorrow? I got some shit to go do.”
Mickey scoffed. “What shit could you possibly have to do?”
