“Please don’t call me Sully.”
“But I like it.”
“I like it too,” Liam said. “How come I never thought of that myself?”
I shrugged. “You must not be too smart.”
Sully chuckled, and the sound made me smile. I’d made him laugh!
Down, boy. That’s not the job they’re paying you to do.
“It’s time to get down to business,” Sully said. He dug into his pocket and came up with a wallet. He thumbed through it, then placed a bank card before me. “That’s a credit card in my name. It will be at your disposal as long as you work for me.”
“Wow. Are you sure you want to give me a credit card?”
“Now I’m having second thoughts.”
I nodded. “You should. How much do I have access to? A hundred dollars? Two hundred dollars?”
I gasped at the figure he stated. “You’re fucking with me, right? What am I to do with so much money?”
“What is he going to do with so much money he asks,” Liam said, staring up at the ceiling. “You could get yourself a new phone, laptop, buy yourself a car, go to a fancy hotel—”
“For god’s sake, Liam, don’t give him any ideas.” Sully tilted his head in my direction. “You have a wide budget, but it doesn’t mean you should spend it all. There are some things you will need. A new phone and laptop, for starters. Lose the ones you currently have. We need to upgrade your wardrobe extensively, but first, let’s go visit your new house.”
I swallowed the last bite of my sandwich. “House?” He’d said something about a house earlier, but I’d been too fixated on getting my coffee to pay attention. “I’m not staying here?”
“We need to maintain two separate residences. Other than when we work together, your life will be your own to live the way you choose. Of course, there’s a need for secrecy, and no one must ever know you work with us or what kind of job you do. Your safety depends on it.”
Well, fuck me sideways, but shit was about to get real.
“Let’s go to this house, then.”
Sully grabbed my bag from the guest room while I finished my coffee. Liam didn’t come along with us but promised I would see him soon. My heart pounding in my chest, I followed Sully toward the sleek, silver sedan. This was a different car from the one he’d used to pick me up.
“Wow, how many cars do you own?”
“A few,” he replied. “Last night’s was a rental.”
“Why rent a car if you own several?” He opened the car door for me again. He was such a gentleman.
“In case anyone marked the vehicle you disappeared in. Buckle up.” He walked around the hood and got in the driver’s side.
I did as he instructed, wiggling my butt in the comfortable seat. “I forgot to ask. How did you get my things?”
“Two girls packed the bag for me.”
“Aaaaaand?”
“And what?”
“How did Nolan take it?”
“He wasn’t too keen about losing you, but don’t worry about it. I paid him a good sum for transfer of ownership.”
“You don’t own me!” I glared at him.
“No, I don’t. You’re free to choose the way you live from hereon.”