“It doesn’t,” Lorcan says coldly. “You can fuck who you like.”
I look at him blankly.
Jude snorts a laugh and swigs his beer in the even bigger silence that follows.
It’s enough to make me down my own beer in one. I hate social situations. Unless I’m playing a part, I never know what I’m supposed to fucking say or do, and it takes way too much energy to figure out. People are confusing. Unless they’re shit scared, angry or horny, I’ve no idea what is going through their minds.
Add guys to that mix, and I’ve no fucking idea what’s going on.
“Look. Just tell us if he’s going to be a problem,” Dino sighs, coming to my rescue.
“Like I said earlier, I have it under control.”
“Like you have a tendency to kill people?” Dino retorts. “Because that’s far from under control. Five people. I’ve had to cover up five murders in the last two weeks.” Thanks for the rescue, dickhead.
“There are a lot of names on the list,” I explain. You want me to wait? For how long? I have other things to be doing.”
“Or other people,” Jude sniggers.
I turn my attention to the other fuckwit in the room. “Fuck off Jude,” I say.
“Not helping,” Dino says, shaking his head, glancing between us all. “Am I the only one who’s fucking worried that we’re going to get caught?”
“I stay within the lines,” I say.
“I don’t even know what that means.” Dino groans into his hand as he rubs it over his face.
“It means I have rules. I don’t break them and I don’t get caught. You’ll have to trust me.”
“Let her do what she wants to fucking do,” Lorcan says, suddenly.
Dino frowns. “But what about—”
“Who gives a fuck?” Lorcan drains his beer. “I’m going to bed.”
There’s a pause before Dino nods. “Fine, we’re done anyway.”
“Of course we’re done. I said we fucking were.” Lorcan gets to his feet and then strides out of the room.
“What’s got up his ass?” Jude asks, and he and Dino look at me like it’s somehow my fault.
“Is he upset that he didn’t get his money yet?”
Jude shakes his head. “For a shit hot assassin, you’re fucking dumb sometimes.”
Dino sighs. “He’s probably tired. He flew back today and got here just as we arrived.”
No he didn’t. He went to his family estate. The mud on his tires could only have come from the rain last night.
“Fuck it. I’m going for a piss and then I’m going to get laid,” Jude announces. He leaves me and Dino to go back into the main part of the house.
“I’m out too,” I say. I walk into the kitchen and grab my keys off the kitchen counter. I don’t have the energy to deal with Dino’s nerves right now, or Lorcan’s weird shitty mood.
“Out where?” Dino asks, following me through the house to the entryway.
“Wherever I want to go,” I say, throwing on a jacket that just happens to be there. It’s not mine. It smells of citrus and cinnamon.
“Don’t get blood on that,” Dino says.
“Don’t follow me, I fucking mean it,” I snap.
Outside, winter has brought with a frigid wind that gnaws at the insides of your bones. It’s perfect weather for stalking, or killing. Because the cold always keeps you wide awake.