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“Because his suits are nicer than yours?”
He adjusted his cufflinks. “Impossible.”
“What are your dealings with him?”
Kane sipped his whisky. “Nonexistent. We have a gentlemen’s agreement to stay out of each other’s businesses. That’s the extent of it.” He gazed at me intently. “If you have a problem with him, however…”
I held up a hand. “I haven’t come here to be rescued. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m not a damsel in distress.”
“No,” he said quietly. “I haven’t forgotten.” Kane had seen me fight; he knew I could handle myself.
“It’s just lunch.” Not that it mattered. I could eat lunch with anyone I chose. Kane Sullivan had no power over me—and I bet that drove him nuts. A demon like him was accustomed to supernaturals bending the knee. The only reason I’d bend my knee would be to kick him in the balls.
“He’s invited you to dine at his house,” Kane practically growled. “What’s wrong with the lovely Italian bistro in town? Nice and public, and the seafood linguini is out of this world.”
“What do you think is going to happen at his house? I’m sitting in your house right now and nothing’s happening.”
Kane’s face hardened. He didn’t seem to appreciate the comparison. “Where Magnarella goes, trouble follows.”
“Then I guess he and I will have that much in common.”
Kane didn’t smile. If he didn’t like the truncated version of my story, hereallywouldn’t like the full one.
“I dislike the idea of your involvement with him,” he pressed.
“You can dislike it from now until kingdom come. That’s beside the point.” I rose to my feet. “If you don’t want to help me, I’ll find someone else.” I ignored the sound of the ticking clock in my head.
In one swift move, Kane shot from the chair and blocked my path to the door. “No need. I’ll tell you what I know. Perhaps it will change your mind. Please, sit.”
I returned to the sofa. “I’m listening.”
Kane shifted in his seat, as though trying to force himself to appear at ease. “Vincenzo handles multiple counties in the area, including ours.”
“Handles for whom?”
He waved a hand airily. “His organization.”
“So he leaves the Assassins Guild alone, and in turn, you leave his unnamed organization alone.”
“He occasionally hires one of our members when he needs outside assistance, so we don’t function in completely separate orbits.” His gaze intensified, causing a chill down my spine. “Make no mistake, though. He’s nothing like me.”
“In what way?”
“Despite our gentlemen’s agreement, he’s far from a gentleman.”
“Then why not sign an official contract to stay out of each other’s way?”
“It would be a sign of weakness.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and muttered, “Men.”
He swirled the remainder of the amber liquid in his glass. “Why come here to ask Josie and not me?”
“Because Josie is brutally honest.”
“And I’m not?”
“Josie’s made it clear she dislikes me. She’d be delighted to tell me the man I’m about to break bread with is a monster and all the reasons why.”
