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Up by the front door, Emerson waited, not looking patient. I merely gave him a dry look in response to his annoyance. There were few people who could actually intimidate me. He opened the door and ushered us inside. Past the front entryway was a formal living room to the left and a dining room to the right. I could partially see into the kitchen beyond the dining room, but the sightline wasn’t straight through. A den opened past the living room and then a set of grand steps led up to the second floor.
Part of me wanted to take a moment to look around, but we didn’t have time for that. Emerson moved past me, tossing a jacket across a chair in the hallway. “Jack, keep watch of the door. Ezra, contact Reuben and see if he’s made any progress. Tell him to keep at it, and I’ll talk to him shortly.”
Both men nodded and disappeared, leaving the three of us in the hallway. Emerson eyed me for a long time. I met his gaze, though I was too tired to fight him and in too much pain to care who won. He simply shook his head and went towards the stairs. “Let’s go. Seems we need to have a conversation.”
Boy, do we ever.
Trudging up the stairs was going to be a feat, but I had no choice. I focused on one step at a time and didn’t rush. Ethan stayed patiently behind me, as though he was ready to catch me if I fell. The thought both pleased and annoyed me at the same time. I still refused to look at him.
Once we finally reached the top of the stairs, I stopped and leaned against the wall. Ethan frowned at me, concern in his eyes. He touched my elbow. “Are you okay?” He whispered.
I shoved his hand away. “I’m fine. Just go.” I motioned him in front of me, wanting him to go as far away as possible. He blinked and frowned as though he was hurt. He moved down the hallway, but not before sending me another concerned look. I tried to clamp down on my emotions, to shove them away so they wouldn’t affect my decisions, but it was hard. I couldn’t believe Ethan was part of Goliath’s gang. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. How did the climatology thing fit? That couldn’t have been a lie, not with all that scientific equipment. It wasn’t like he set the story up for me from the first second we met. That didn’t make sense.
Nothing made sense, so I tried to stop thinking. I followed the two down the hallway, and Emerson opened the door to an office. A desk sat opposite the door. It was made of dark mahogany and had an intricate pattern carved around the lip. Thick legs tapered down to clawed feet. It was an unusual design for a desk, but it worked surprisingly well. Dark brown curtains lined the windows and complimented the cream-colored walls. A low sofa sat against the wall to the left, and a bookcase filled with wood carvings stood to the right, close to the desk.
Emerson walked straight to the window behind the desk and peered through the curtains. Ethan stopped in front of the desk. I only stepped a few feet inside the door before stopping. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to go any farther.
“Nice place.” I tried to insert sarcasm in my voice, but I didn’t quite manage it. The place reallywasnice. He had better taste than I had given him credit for. Although, in my defense, his quarters on theHawkwere a lot more masculine and stereotypical of a mercenary captain than his personal home appeared to be.
“Thank you.” Emerson sounded tired and less friendly than I was hoping. “What are you doing here?”
“Gee, nice to see you too, Emerson. No pleasantries here.” I ran a hand distractedly through my hair.
Emerson sounded as annoyed as I felt. He turned around and gave me an exasperated look. “I thought last time we parted ways we both agreed if we saw each other again we’d kill each other.”
I shrugged, but it hurt, and I stopped halfway through the motion. “What can I say? You’re the only mercenary I know. No other options. Trust me; I don’t want to be here anymore than you want me to be.”
My instincts burned, and I went completely still. I must have felt movement behind me. I didn’t hear anything, certainly didn’t see anything, but I felt it. The softest rustle against the carpet under my feet. A hand moving against a gun. I could have imagined it, but my instincts were rarely wrong.
Emerson glanced discreetly behind me, but he displayed no fear or any other emotion. He didn’t make a move for a weapon.He knows whoever is behind me.
I gave him a flat look, feeling even more irritated. “Call off your dog, Emerson.”
Ethan turned around at that, eyes wary and alert. I didn’t have to turn to know someone was behind me, but I looked anyway, needing to assess the threat. An imposing figure dressed in all black down to his boots stood with a gun aimed at the back of my head. Black hair was pulled back into a knot and hard eyes watched me, seeing every movement. He was lean and tall, and he’d obviously been trained in stealth. My guess was military training. He was too good-looking for his own good, but there was a look in his eyes that made me want to run from him. This was a serious opponent, someone even scarier than Lyle Archuleta. He was the kind of man who could slit your throat before you even knew he was there, and he had probably done so dozens of times before.
Fear was not an emotion to display, not in this situation, and never in front of this man. Whoever he was, he was the most dangerous man I’d ever laid my eyes on. I had no tangible evidence of that, of course, but I’d been around enough criminals to recognize the truly dangerous ones. This guy looked like he could kill me easily and painfully if he wanted.
Ethan responded first, reaching for a weapon. The man lifted his gun an inch or so, still keeping it aimed at my head. “I wouldn’t do that.” His voice sounded smooth, like rich honey, a contrast to his deadly appearance.
My stomach rolled, and I squashed the panic rising in my throat. Ethan paused, his eyes flickering over to me, and his hand dropped away from his weapon.Show no fear, Julia.I looked from him to Emerson, raising my eyebrow. “Well?”
With a sigh, Emerson folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “Put it down, Steel.”
Steel didn’t obey. “She’s a cop. Walks like a cop, talks like a cop, smells like a cop.”
The fact that he didn’t obey Emerson immediately was worrisome. Most of Emerson’s men listened to him without question. Since this guy didn’t drop his gun, it meant he wasn’t under Emerson’s control. But the fact that he could peg me as a cop in seconds was even more worrisome. It was terrifying. I swallowed, trying not to stare at the gun pointed at my face.
Emerson nodded. “I know she’s IPF. Put it down.”
Steel’s left eyebrow lifted, but this time he did as Emerson said and lowered his gun. He didn’t put it away, however. He and Ethan eyed each other, but neither made any threatening movements. Steel finally looked at Emerson. “I take it your meeting didn’t go as planned?”
“No. Not even slightly.”
“Your job isn’t over, then.”
Emerson rolled his eyes. “It was supposed to be easy money. In and out. Get the shipment and leave. But no. Someone betrayed us. I’m not sure if it was one of Archuleta’s men or one of his suppliers. Either way, I lost three men.”
Steel nodded and stepped forward, offering his hand to Emerson, who promptly shook it like they were old buddies. That was good, at least. If they were friends, then Emerson could hopefully keep Steel on a leash.
