Page 11 of The Housebreaker's Assistant
“Penny Frey,” Greer said, glancing sideways at him with a warm smirk.
It was the very last thing Penny should allow himself to feel, but at the sound of Greer’s voice, a wave of ease softened him from the inside out. “Greer O’Toole,” he answered with equal heat. “Come to pay me what I’m worth for what you want at last?”
Greer huffed a laugh, his face flushing. “Not this time,” he said.
Penny swallowed his disappointment. He was still sore and anything he got up to with Greer would likely hurt, but the way his heart felt, the way bone-deep exhaustion pressed down on him, a little stretch and burn would be worth it for an hour or so in Greer’s arms.
“Pity,” Penny said with a shrug, like he didn’t care.
He expected Greer to make some sort of joke, but a strange sort of seriousness surrounded him instead. And it most definitely felt strange. Everything around them felt strange, like the crossroads was too quiet.
Greer’s expression shifted through half a dozen emotions, none of them taking precedence. Penny watched in fascination, trying to decipher what the man was thinking. Clearly, he wanted to say something.
“Might as well just spit it out,” Penny said at last, “since you’re chewing on it so hard and finding it sour.”
Greer smirked, then turned to face Penny. “I…have a job for you,” he said at last, like making the offer was the last thing he wanted to do.
“Do you?” Penny grinned, twisting to face him as well.
They both still partially leaned against the wall, which landed them in a proximity that was likely far too intimate even for the lax morals and general carelessness of that part of Whitechapel.
“I’ve been…handed a commission,” Greer went on, his voice low and sensuous. “An important housebreak.”
“Lucky you,” Penny said, a pinch of longing in his gut. “I’m sure special commissions such as that come with a handsome fee.”
Greer scrunched his face, almost as if he were angry, which made no sense. He pursed his lips, then blurted, “I’ve been told to recruit you for the job.”
Penny’s brow shot up and he pushed away from the wall, standing straighter. “How much does it pay?” he asked, heart suddenly beating fast. If it paid enough, perhaps his dreams of taking Helen somewhere safe wouldn’t be so far off after all.
“I don’t know,” Greer said. When Penny frowned, he went on with, “But the men who want to hire me have access to a great deal of wealth. And I suppose we’d be free to nick whatever baubles and trinkets we could take with us, as long as we steal the main prize.”
“And what’s the main prize?” Penny asked, picturing caskets of treasure or perhaps the famous painting Greer was purported to have once stolen.
Greer said nothing. “Tell me you’ll join me first.”
Penny couldn’t help himself. “You know I’ve wanted to join with you for ages now,” he said with a saucy look.
Greer laughed, low and deep. “There might be time.”
“Might there be?” Penny stroked a finger down the older man’s arm, looking up at him coquettishly.
“The mission comes first,” Greer said, one-upping Penny by brushing the backs of his fingers over the front of his trousers.
Damn him, but Penny reacted to that. “Is that all that’s in it for me?” he asked, leaning so close it would only take a quick dip to smash his mouth against Greer’s.
“I’m sure something could be arranged,” Greer said.
Penny bit his lip, staring at Greer’s mouth for a moment.
He was on the verge of agreeing to whatever Greer wanted, mostly for the money, but partially for the sex, when Greer said, “The job’s in Cornwall.”
Penny froze, then jerked back, gaping at him. “Cornwall?”
Greer nodded. “There’s something some friends of mine want me to retrieve from Trebarral Castle.”
“From a castle?” Penny’s jaw dropped even more.
“It’s the job of a lifetime,” Greer said.
