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“The job.”
“Ah. Yes. The stakes. I have concluded that you have all the requisite qualities for my needs, Benjamin. When can you start?”
As Ben glanced at his ruined clothes, it was clear to both of them that this was an utterly redundant question.
They already had.
* * *
Chapter 17
Five Months Before April
Nikolas was fuming quietly inside.
There were many reasons for his anger, but the most obvious, the one he admitted most readily, was that Benjamin fucking Rider fucking Mikkelsen was disobeying him, and there wasn't a single thing he could actually do about it.
All he'd wanted was a quiet walk on his own—it was why he'd slipped out when he’d thought Ben was busy in the gym. He had no devious plan, no destination in mind. So why Ben Rider had insisted on accompanying him, and bringing both dogs, was an annoying mystery. It was intolerable.
For fourteen-something years, Ben had pretty much done what he was told, albeit with some devious manipulations and complex strategies on his part to get this constant obedience. But they were living where he wanted, with the people he wanted to be surrounded by and doing, day to day, what he wanted to do—which was pretty much nothing except for spending money and enjoying himself. Usually in bed. In Ben.
Ben rarely stood up to him, and if he did it was usually about totally inconsequential things that Nikolas pretended to care about but didn't—all part of the deceptions that kept Ben off balance and where he wanted him to be.
But now his presence was almost as bad as someone driving a nail into one of his teeth. It was that level of irritation. He wanted it to stop. He wanted Ben to fuck off, but he knew he couldn't make him. He couldn't outrun him, that was for sure. Ben would eat him for breakfast in any running contest. And despite his regime with Squeezy, which had inevitably slipped to a workout no more than once or twice a week, he knew Ben would beat him any other physical way too.
Because while he was out, walking anyway, he might just coincidentally drop in to see how the cottage renovations were going, have a chat. He was a civilised man. This was totally normal behaviour.
But he needed Ben to fuck off first.
It was a dilemma.
It wasn't helped by the devious, deceitful, disloyal fucking dogs either. Whose side were they on? Who paid for their bloody food and vet bills and collars and pure-wool blankets and toys? Yes. Exactly. Traitors. He could feel their glee drilling into his back as he slouched over the springy turf.
If he did make a move on Ben, which he'd thought about doing, as he would have the element of surprise on his side, the perfidious pair flanking him would likely dive in on Ben's side. The wolf, Nikolas suspected, was all bluff and bluster. He did a mean frown and an impressive snarl, but had yet to be put to the test. Rads, of course, was a different matter. Nikolas had the sneaking suspicion that the old boy might be relishing a Russian notch on his collar.
"Are we heading in any particular direction?"
Nikolas was tempted to reply, "Wearen't heading anywhere," but after an hour of not speaking it seemed a very weak rejoinder, even to him.
"Go home if you don't like it." Ack, even more pathetic.
Ben laughed and Nikolas wanted to hit him, but then he remembered he smoked, which was a much better outlet for his ire, so he fished one out and lit it. Normally, he'd have offered one to Rads, but the miserable critter was in his bad books, so didn't.
"Because it seems to me we're heading towards the cottage. Just an observation."
"I just felt in need of a walk."
"Okay. Shall I leave you then? To make your visit?"
"I am notvisitinganyone. What is wrong with you this morning?"
"’K. Well enjoy. See you later." Ben clicked to the dogs and spun on his heels and headed back the way they'd come. Nikolas could have sworn he heard sniggering from all three as they swaggered gleefully away.
* * *
Chapter 18
Fourteen Years Ago
