Then, slowly, Peter let anexpression reach his hard face, but it wasn’t surprise. It wasamusement. “Well, I’d throw you out of here if you weren’t such ahard find and your reputation speaks volumes.” He sat back in hisseat, opened a drawer on his right, and took out a stack of bandedbills tossing it on the desk in front of him. “That’s the firstmonth.”
Ryan glanced at the stackof money then back to the other man, “I never said I’d take thejob, Mr. Nickolov.” His voice was even and self-assured, likeeverything else about him.
“You don’t have a choice.”He reached in the drawer and pulled out another stack, flapping itback and forth, “I just upped your salary to thirty thousand amonth. You belong to me now.” He tossed it next to the other one.“And if you don’t take the job—” he leaned forward in his seatmaking eye contact “—I’ll have you killed. That’s how much I needyou.”
The man wasn’t kidding.There was no sense of humor in that cold soulless stare. Ryanactually smiled arrogantly not the least bit frightened. Peterthought that anyone could be bought with money or intimidated. Itwas never even a consideration that Ryan wasn’t there for thatreason. It would be his downfall. Conceited prick, he thought tohimself.
The other man shruggedthinking he knew what that smile meant. He didn’t have a man thatmatched Ryan’s talent so he wouldn’t be an easy man to kill. “Or Ican try,” he said finally smiling coldly. “Anyway, it’s importantto me. I’ve already lost one daughter. I can’t lose the other.She’s all I have left.” His expression pinched at the memory. Heabruptly stood up and walked to the window folding his hands behindhis broad back and looking out at nothing in particular. “This is afucked up world Mr. Casey. I’ve done some horrid things in my lifeand I don’t want my daughter to pay for it again.” He turned aroundand looked at him. “I don’t trust you. I don’t trust anyone, sodon’t take it personally.” He nodded toward the stack of money thatRyan had yet to touch, “but I trust money. That will make youloyal.” Peter already knew that Ryan liked money because he waswearing a three thousand dollar suit. That was the reason he uppedhis salary. He considered himself quite observant. He didn’t comefrom a poor one bedroom home in Chechnya to being rich by beingstupid. “I would consider this a personal favor.” He said that lastbit as if Ryan had a lot to gain from a favor.
Ryan already knew he wasgoing to take the job but he had to make this look good. He rubbedhis forefinger over the stubble on his chin and set his eyes on thestacks of cash. After a moment of mock consideration, he leanedforward, reached over and fanned his thumb through one of thestacks of crisp one hundred dollar bills as if it was normal toreceive a stack of untraceable unmarked bills. Then he took bothstacks and placed them inside his suit jacket pocket and metPeter’s eyes again. “When do you want me to start?”
“Today. Now.” Peter turnedback to him finally letting his expression soften a little. Theremay have been a hint of relief there also, but it was gonequickly.
Ryan remained seated. Petermay have been done, but he wasn’t. “First, we need to be clear on afew things.”
“Clear?”
“Yes. I’m not an assassin.No matter what that file says, or what I’ve done in the past. I’monly here to protect your daughter. I also do not take orders fromyour men—only you and only in regards to your daughter’ssafety—well, most of the time I’ll do my own thinganyway.”
“Is that right?” Peterobviously didn’t like someone telling him how things were. Hisexpression darkened.
“You wanted the best Mr.Nickolov. These are the reasons I’m good at what I do. I’ve alsodone my homework. I know what you do and I don’t care. I’ve workedfor more powerful men, but my terms are always consistent. I’m herefor your daughter. If you expect something else, I’ll walk.” Therewas no way in hell he was going to help this bastard run drugs orprotect shipments in any way. He had to be clear and he had to bein control of this job. There was a slight twist in the man’sexpression and Ryan knew it was anger, but he did his best to hideit well. He thought he might have blown it until Peterspoke.
“You’re hired as of rightnow. Ivan will get you settled upstairs.” He waved two fingerstoward one of the two sentinel men standing behind Ryan.
Well, apparently heaccepted his terms. “All right,” he said turning and looking atIvan, studying him with a quick expert glance like he did everyonehe met. His experience allowed him to sum up someone’s skills inthat short time. Ivan was a thick bodied man that looked to be inhis mid-forties. He already knew who Ivan was. In fact, he knew thenames of all the men in Peter’s employ.
Ivan Demetrev, was Peter’smost loyal and would do anything for him. Well, if Ivan was hisbest man, he certainly didn’t have anything to worry about. Ivanseemed more on the chubby side unlike him who was solidly built,but he still didn’t underestimate any of the men who Peter hadunder his employ because they had no limits on what they would dofor him. He was adamant only to hire those that were fiercelyloyal, preferably his own countrymen, and they usually had specifictalents. They were fearless. Not particularly smart though. TakeIvan for example. He could tell from the scarring on his knucklesthat he was familiar with busting facial bones. He was also the onethat patted him down when he first came into the office. Ryanhanded over his handguns he kept in his shoulder holsters without asecond thought. He didn’t need them to cause damage if needed. Yethe missed the knife he kept strapped on the inside calf, an easyfind. There was a look in the man’s eyes when he first came in too.It was a look that basically said he didn’t belong
