“I’ve been offered a lot more than that for the information about the den.”
All the oxygen rushed from the room.Ryland closed his eyes as the very real possibility he wouldn’t be there when Arslan expected him turned his blood cold.
Someone tugged at the money under his hand.
Ryland tightened his grip and met Kershaw’s eyes.
“This and the money you would have paid me for another night, that’s four thousand.Four thousand pounds that your employers will believe you’ve paid out.Money that you can keep for yourself, free and clear.”
Kershaw considered the equation for a little while.
Ryland swallowed down a bitter taste in the back of his mouth.He’d been willing to rent himself out for half that.The idea that the man in front of him wasn’t even willing to throw someone in a car for twice his price turned his stomach, but somehow, he managed to push his revulsion aside.
“I can get more money if I need to,” Ryland whispered.His tone of voice was little short of begging.As much as he hated to admit it, even inside his own head, he knew he would get down on his knees and beg if that was what it took.
Kershaw studied him very carefully.He looked back to the money.
“There might be a space available,” he mused.“Next week.”
Ryland held his breath.Arslan might understand the need to wait a week.Next week might feel like a lifetime away, but it didn’t feel like the same death sentence as an outright no had been.Ryland might survive another week.
Kershaw glanced up, then back to the money.
“How much more do you need?”Ryland asked.
“There’s two thousand here?”
Ryland nodded.
Kershaw stared at the money for a long time.“It’ll do.”
Ryland tightened his grip on the notes again.“No.When I get to the house, I’ll give the money to the driver.”
Kershaw’s lips twitched into a little smile.“Not as stupid as you look.”He nodded his dismissal.“Next Saturday.Meet me here, same time as before.If you’re late, you won’t get another shot.”
Ryland nodded.He had the horrible feeling he was stepping into some sort of trap, and an even worse feeling that, even knowing that it was a trap, he was going to keep right on going regardless.
“You’re obviously in love with one of them.Means I won’t get a bit of peace until I toss you to the kitty-cats again.”
Ryland dropped his gaze, but he didn’t bother to argue with that assessment of the situation.He’d never been a very good liar.He turned and walked away.
“Kid?”
Ryland stopped and looked back over his shoulder.
“You’re the one who didn’t get driven back here last weekend, right?”
Ryland nodded.
Kershaw studied him for a few more seconds before he nodded his dismissal.
Ryland shook his head as he walked out of the room.Peace and quiet?Right.More like Kershaw didn’t want to risk pissing off an entire pride full of lions if Ryland had been telling the truth about having an arrangement with one of them.
As Ryland stepped out of the pub, he stood on the pavement looking one way down the quiet road, then the other, as if a flashing neon sign might appear pointing out the way to the lions’ den.
No sign appeared, not even a little tiny unlit one.
Not knowing what else to do with himself, Ryland retraced his steps to the bus stop.As the battered old bus lurched away twenty minutes later, he tried closing his eyes and traveling blind in the hope it might jog some memory over which way his blindfolded ride to the lions had taken him.
