‘Why do you want me?’
‘You’re ambitious and money-oriented.’
‘I don’t do private security and it’s live-in.’
‘I’ll promote you whenever I can.This place has enormous potential.’
‘So call Voss or one of the others you served with in RB.’Lachlan tries to think how best to say what he needs to but she catches him in the hesitation.‘Or do you not want to drag someone you care about into a scenario like this?’
‘I like you.’
She snorts.‘A one-time fuck behind the munitions shed doesn’t mean shit.’
‘That’s not why.’
‘Then be honest.’
‘I know you can handle yourself.’
‘And?’
He sighs.‘I need someone to help me do things my way.The father is never there.Yes, he supervises.Yes, he has people, eyes in the sky, all of that but he’s not interested in his son’s wellbeing beyond no scars or damage and ensuring that he’s isolated and confined.’
‘What about the little girl?’
‘She’s terrified of me,’ Lachlan admits.‘I’m hoping you can form a better impression than I did.’
‘Because I’m a woman.’
‘Essentially, yeah.’
‘From what you told me, the boy didn’t help much.’
‘He’s been through fifteen bodyguards and those are just the ones I know about.He’s not teaching her to stay away to punish me.It’s because he’s scared.’
‘Of what?’
Lachlan looks away, holds back what hesuspectsand sticks to facts.‘Look, I can’t get out of this contract and if I’m replaced, it could be someone worse who takes over.’
‘So what?Break now.’
‘I just said—’
‘Who cares who takes over?My instincts say better to break now and face the legalities than stay and get deeper.’
‘I know I can build a bubble.Make it safe, do it my way, keep the old man in the dark for what needs to be done.’
‘Bubblesburst.’
‘This one just has to last four years and ten months.’
She considers.‘You’re talking at least twelve more people onside.’
‘I know.’
‘Odds are good that one will defect, especially if money is the motivator.’
‘I know that too, which is why,’ he says, sighing, ‘for the first month I need you to run loyalty checks to weed out who we bring into the bubble and who gets frozen.’
