Page 69 of Bulletproof

“And honestly, I don’t think you need a liaison,” Pedro continued. “I think that’s how the last guy got confused. He thought he needed to take clients out, schmooze them, wine them, dine them, and that’s not the case. You have people waiting for months just to see you.”

“Yes, I do.” Dane all but yawned, and I got why. Dane knew he was in demand; he would have to be brain dead not to notice.

“Who would a liaison need to take out anywhere?”

I liked him more and more by the second, and I could tell Dane did too.

“So, why would you need one?”

“I don’t,” Dane agreed.

“I think your assistant could manage the liaison piece quite easily, schmoozing clients and taking care of whatever was needed outside the normal scope.”

Dane nodded.

“You do need your own dedicated typist though, without question.”

And because he thought just like I had, Dane got out his pad from his desk drawer and started talking about what working for him would pay and the benefits included.

The money was phenomenal, but just as important was the medical insurance, the dental, the vision, and the 401(k), which would have immediate vesting that Dane would match at a hundred percent on the first six percent of Pedro’s salary.

“I would like to start working for you now, please,” the young man said, standing up and offering Dane his hand.

Smiling, Dane stood as well, and they shook. He then promised Dane that he would be the best assistant he’d ever had, as well as the last.

It was my hope as well as his.

There were steps he had to take, like informing the temp agency that he was done working for them and ready to start working for Dane. They would send someone else to cover Celia, and that would be that. He was looking forward to seeing me the following day and having me run him through all the specifics of the job.

Dane was smiling when he left.

“He’ll do well, Dane.”

“Yeah, I feel the same way I did when I hired you.”

“See, I told you, you should have put me in charge of hiring a long time ago.”

“Yes, I should have.”

Agreement was good to hear.

I had declined Dane’s invitation to have dinner with him and Aja and some other friends because I wasn’t up for the company.

“We’re hangin’ out too much.” I chuckled, smiling at my brother.

“God, I couldn’t agree more.” He gave me a shadow of a smile before he patted my arm and turned for the parking garage.

So, I went home, had dinner, watched some TV, missed Sam, knowing that I would be alone in my bed that night, and was changed and ready to head back out for a run when I opened the door and Eddie Liron was there.

And he wasn’t alone.

“Hi,” I greeted him in my running shoes, joggers, and a long-sleeved shirt. “What’s going on?”

He cleared his throat, and I could tell right then that he was nervous.

“Jory,” he said, taking a breath, “I need you to come with me.”

“Why?”