“You’re friends with a bridge troll.”
It wasn’t quite a question. Liam stared at me in expectation.
I lifted one shoulder.“Of a sort. As much as you can be with a guy who never leaves his bridge.”
“Bridge trolls are rather rare in this country,” Liam said.“The American obsession with cars and metal make most bridges too full of iron and noise. How many other‘friends’ do you have around the city?”
“Enough.”
“Not so alone after all,” he said with a tiny tilt to his lips.
“Guess not.”
We fell back into a companionable silence.
Last night could have gone very differently for me if Liam and Nathan hadn’t been there—if they hadn’t bought us time to reach Hector and then kept some of the golems off me while I woke him.
I missed being part of a team, of knowing there were others out there to watch my back. I might have friends scattered around the city, some like Dahlia surprisingly powerful, but it was unlikely any of them would fight by my side.
“I’d like to take that job you were offering me, if it’s still available,” I finally said.
If I was the target,I’d need Liam’s help to keep myself alive. That was clear. If it was something he was involved in, I still wanted to be part of this, if only because the bastards had nearly killed me yesterday. Either way, working together could only benefit me.
I found myself holding my breath as I waited for his response.
I was very aware that he might tell me to pack sand; that after my last refusal, he’d changed his mind and decided my help was unnecessary. Or that the attack last night might have shifted things.
Still,I’d rather try. So many times, people gave up before they got to the starting point, defeating themselves before they’d even begun.
His expression remained calm as arrogance settled on his face.“What brought on this change of heart? Not thatI’m complaining.”
I kept my snort to myself. Yeah, right. He’d probably use this opportunity to twist the knife if he could.
“Let’s just say I take it rather personally when people try to kill me.” I thought about it.“And I can use the money.”
He tapped one finger on the arm of his chair, his thoughts hidden behind a calm expression as he considered me.“You’d have to stay here during the course of your employment.”
I couldn’t help my tiny flinch at that. I preferred to be surrounded by my own things, to retreat to my haven of safety every morning. It felt likeI’d just gotten back into my place and now I was leaving it again.
“Fine.” I gave him a strained smile.
“And you’d have to agree thatI’m your boss,” he said.
I nearly choked at that.
This was amusing him. The bastard.
“You’d have to obey all my orders.” He gave me a smug smile and arched an eyebrow, knowing exactly what I would think of that.
I bit back my instinctive response and choked out,“Fine. Sounds good.”
His laugh was husky.“Oh, this is going to be such fun.”
My smile turned into more of a baring of teeth. Glad one of us thought so.
“When do we start?” I asked, forcing myself to a modicum of professionalism. After being in the military for nearly four yearsI’d dealt with officers who didn’t know their ass from their head and NCOs on a power trip. I could deal with Liam ordering me around, even if he did make me want to ram my fist into his throat on occasion.
“Right now.” He slid out of his seat, moving across the room in a lethal glide.
