Page 27 of The Hunter's Empire

"He approached me." I say carefully. "The arrangement benefits both of us."

"And you trust him?"

The question catches me slightly off guard. Not because of the words themselves, but because of the way he asks them.

"I trust mutual interest." I say after a moment. "That's usually more reliable."

A quiet hum sounds through the line, thoughtful in a way I can't quite explain.

"Smart answer."

I ignore the strange flicker of satisfaction those two words give me.

"So?" I ask instead. "Are you interested?"

His response doesn't come immediately. Somewhere in the background, something metallic shifts before the silence returns.

"I don't discuss work over the phone." He says finally.

"Convenient."

I turn the pen resting beside my keyboard slowly between my fingers. "Then I assume this is the part where you disappear mysteriously and leave me waiting for a week."

That earns a quiet laugh from him.

"You expected me to be dramatic?"

"I expected you to be difficult."

"I am difficult."

"At least you admit it."

A faint pause follows before he says, "I’ll meet you tonight. We’ll discuss the details properly."

I straighten slightly in my chair. "Location?"

"I’ll send it."

"Very secretive."

"You attended an illegal auction last night, Ms. Krogen. Surely secrecy isn’t surprising anymore."

Fair.

My gaze drifts unconsciously toward the black envelope resting beside me on the desk.

"And if I decide not to come?"

A brief silence follows before he answers. "You won't."

The certainty in his voice should annoy me more than it does.

"I haven't agreed yet."

"But you're curious enough to consider it." He replies smoothly.

Before he can say anything else, I force my attention back to the reason for this call.