“One year. Firm. And you’re still mandated to abide by our normal screening procedures for each job.” Dad takes over.
At a minimum of twenty-five thousand dollars per job, that could be very expensive. Though I can’t imagine that Steffano has that many enemies he needs an outside hand to murder. Though, that’s not to say all mercenary jobs are killing either. Sometimes you just need the best in the business for surveillance and protection.
Steffano thinks about it, running his tongue across the front of his teeth. After a long moment, he answers. “Acceptable.” But he’s not done. “I also want access to your tech geek.” Steffano looks at me but pretends not to know my name. Or at least he thinks ‘tech geek’ is supposed to be offensive to me.
“For what?” I close the screen on my phone.
“I need a project done, setting up a new safehouse. My last contractor...” — Steffano chooses his words carefully — “met anuntimely end after using my upgrades as his new standard for all business.”
“Don’t I feel that,” Valor huffs, and I know he’s thinking about Paulie and the architecture for his own house.
“Where?” Dad clearly wants to keep this conversation moving.
“Undisclosed location.” Steffano snipes back.
“I’ll know when you get me there, you might as well tell me now.” I shrug.
Steffano crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Moldova.”
“You can’t have him full-time. He’s crucial to our business. I’ll give you two weeks.” Dad offers.
“Can you get a whole house done in two weeks?” Steffano drops his arms, and this is starting to feel more and more like a conversation rather than a negotiation.
“New build or a retrofit? Square footage? How many outbuildings? Am I fortifying the house or the attached land too?” I ask for as many specifics as I can off the top of my head.
“New build. One thousand one hundred square meters. One outbuilding, a garage. You’ll be integrating the existing land security into the system,” Steffano rapid-fire answers.
“Two weeks is doable. I’m guessing you want me to bring everything necessary.” I’m already trying to come up with a list.
“Yes, I’ll provide you with the specifications that I’m looking for, and you’ll provide all hardware, software, and supplemental materials.” He nods.
“I want the electric pre-wired before I arrive. I can mark out on blueprints where you —”
“Already done.” Steffano waves me off.
We’re leaving our mate for two weeks?My wolf practically riots.
Shhh.I console him. But there’s no way I’ll ever be able to explain the separation in a way he’ll find acceptable.It’s for the best. It’s for a short time to secure forever.
We just got her back.He protests.
Dad turns to get my consent, and I nod.
“Done, you can have Royal for two weeks, but he comes back in the same condition as we sent him to you. Any damage or harm that comes to him will nullify the agreement, and you’ll get none of the remaining contract of the mercenary or of the guns. Is thatunderstood?” Dad squares up to Steffano, making one of his henchmen twitch.
Valor sees it too, and he subtly rolls his shoulders back to accommodate a quick grab for his gun.
“I won’t harm your precious geek.” Steffano gives me a pitying look. “But I want him available for updates for a full year too. Those first-year ghosts in a system as they work themselves out.”
“While I’m appalled that you’d think I’d leave ghosts to pop up in the system, I accept one year of tech support. But it must be done remotely.”
“On-site.” Steffano shakes his head. “I don’t want this system accessed anywhere but locally.”
Paranoid much?My wolf scoffs.
“One trip a quarter, no more than three days at a time.” Valor cuts in. “We’re not flying him halfway around the world just because you can’t figure out how to turn on the security system.”
“Once a month.” Steffano tries to argue.
