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“By guiding you, of course.” She folded her hands on the pages again. “They’re both very, very good at what they do.”
My neck prickled. I’d worked around the fae far too long not to be suspicious of everything they said or did. Every bit of subtext they could tuck into body language, expressions, and intonation. I had no idea what her angle was, only that I could see—couldfeel—that trickster spark in her eyes.
Even more than the temptation to knock Andras off Matt’s shoulder, the temptation was almost irresistible to nudge Matt’s foot with mine, or to find a way to interrupt this meeting, or…something. Anything to hit the pause button and get a sidebar with him. I had to warn him that—
“I’m not interested in playing games, Bridget,” he said coolly. “The whole point is to find a companion or get laid or… whatever.” Matt waved a hand. “But that isn’t going to happen when I havethem.”
Bridget gave one of those weird trickster smiles that said she was absolutely up to something. “Well, you’ll have them to guide you. That’s what they’re there for.”
“Right, and they kind of defeat the purpose when any man who looks my way is going to turn tail and runbecauseof them.”
I half-expected Andras and Raziel to get offended by that, but Andras shrugged as if, yeah, he got it. Raziel said something that sounded like “He’s got a point.” This apparently wasn’t their first rodeo, after all.
Bridget’s features hardened, and she touched her chest. “Mr. Russo. Are you telling me I don’t know how to do my job?”
Oh, fuck. Danger. Danger! Don’t insult the fae, Matt!
Matt’s expression stayed neutral, though his voice took on a sharper edge. “I’m saying that I have unique circumstances that warrant further negotiation to make sure this agreement is truly beneficial to me.”
My heart pounded. He was treading on dangerous ground without flinching. Completely cool and confident.
Holy shit, that’s hot.
Bridget glared at Matt. “And what unique circumstances are those?”
He glared right back. “Well, as you pointed out during our conversation last night, I’m a successful attorney. That’s something a partner would find attractive, is it not?”
Oh, the look on her face now—as if she already knew she were cornered by her own words—so dangerous, and yet so satisfying. I had to fight hard not to squirm in my chair, especially since it would probably squeak and give me away.
Bridget exhaled through her nose. “A partner would certainly—”
“Yes or no, Bridget.” Ice on his words. A little shiver went up my spine, but it wasn’t that usual dread I got in a fae’s crosshairs. No, this was something else entirely. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Matt as he stared down the trickster. Maybe it was because she was a client, or maybe it was because she was trying to put Matt’s balls in a vise, but this conversation was bringing out the bulldog lawyer in him, and… Jesus, the frisson it gave me to watch him in action.
Oblivious to me trying not to drool, Bridget pressed her lips into a thin line so bleached it nearly matched her office décor. “Aye. Yes.”
“Right.” Matt nodded sharply. “So you understand that jeopardizing my career will make me less desirable, and will therefore make it more difficult for me to find a mate. Correct?”
She narrowed her eyes. “It would—”
“Yes or no,” he snapped.
The way her jaw worked, it was a wonder I didn’t hear her teeth grinding. A mix of fear and excitement swirled in my stomach. He was playing with fire, cross examining a fae like this, but he was also sexy as hell while he did it. Be still my heart.
Bridget sat back in her chair, crossing her arms. Drumming her white-painted nails on her upper arm, she gritted out, “Aye.”
“And as you’ve admitted under oath at least twice in my presence, you are well aware of the stigma associated with demonstrable use of magic for personal or professional gains. Correct?”
She gave a reluctant nod.
Matt smiled the smile of a chess player who’d just moved his opponent into checkmate. “So we agree there’s…” He gestured at Andras and Raziel. “A problem?”
I would never in a million years want to be in the crosshairs of a fae who was snared in her own trap, but watching Matt navigate this was… fuuuck.
Her voice was frosty as she asked, “What is it you want, Mr. Russo?” Some of that trickster spark came back to her narrowed eyes, and one corner of her mouth rose as she added, “Would you like to be released from our agreement? Because, as I’ve also said under oath in your presence, the fae take it as a grave insult when someone backs out of such an agreement.”
The only hint that she’d found a chink in his armor was his hard swallow, but he rallied quickly. “I’d like toamendour agreement.” He smiled. “You know, clarify a few things and compromise on a few details so that it’s as fair and mutually beneficial as I know the fae prefer.”
I almost whistled at the brass balls it took to say that to her face. Would the sudden red in her cheeks be that obvious if she hadn’t been against such a bright white backdrop? No idea, but she was clearly not pleased.
