Page 15 of The Night Firm

I sigh, letting her off the hook. I don't want her to get in trouble.

"Can you at least tell me if they're a good family to work for?"

She smiles broadly. "Oh, yes. Granny Night rescued me when I was little. I was practically raised with the Nights. The brothers are like my uncles. They can seem a bit gruff at first, but they each have a soft spot worth searching for. Don't give up on them."

It's good to hear someone speak well of them. It makes me feel less nervous about relocating my life into theirs with so little warning.

I resign myself to my own thoughts and wonder idly who Roger's next victim will be. A thought occurs to me, and I call Derek.

"Hello, Miss Oliver, I trust your driver is taking good care of you and that the movers were helpful?"

"Oh, yes, to both. And call me Eve. I… have another favor—and it's… unusual."

"Oh, I'm intrigued," Derek says.

"My former landlord is a sleaze to women. I'd hate to imagine another woman getting that apartment and being harassed by him. Is there anything you can do to…I don't know, make sure that doesn't happen?" I don't even know what I'm asking, and I feel like a moron. "Maybe somehow ensure it gets rented to a big, buff dude or something?"

Derek chuckles. "I like your style, Miss…Eve. You'll fit right in, I think. I can definitely handle that. Anything else?"

"Um, I don't think so. You've already been more than generous."

When we hang up, I check my bank account again to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me before, but the money is all there. I know the check I wrote will clear soon, but that still leaves a comfortable savings and a decent buffer fund should this job go south fast. That gives me a little room to breathe. I worked so hard to build a stable financial structure, never imagining that one year of medical expenses could wipe it all out so quickly.

Cancer kills in more ways than one.

It destroys everything about a person's life.

I shake my head, unwilling to dwell on that now. I'm turning things around. Making progress with my life. I think.

I hope.

I close my eyes and let myself try to doze until I feel the limo slowing.

"Are we there already?" I ask, surprised the drive went by so fast.

"Not exactly," Lily says. "We have one more passenger to pick up." She says this sheepishly, and I realize why when the door opens and Sebastian slides into the back, newspaper in hand.

The look of irritation doesn't appear on his face until he sees me.

Naturally.

Seriously though, what did I do to piss this guy off?

Chapter 4: The Drive

We grow accustomedto the Dark—

When Light is put away—

~ Emily Dickinson

I sighas he picks a seat as far from me as he possibly can. Fortunately, there's plenty of room back here, and we don't have to sit too close to each other.

Not that my body isn't craving being just a little bit closer to this insanely attractive man. But my brain knows better, and I'm sticking with my brain for now.

He gives me a curt nod. "I hope you do not mind, since we are both going to the same location."

"It's fine," I say. "I mean, obviously. This is your car and driver. I just appreciate the ride. And the job," I add, almost as an afterthought.