Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade #6) - Lauren Dane Page 0,20
a message earlier stating she’d like to meet you for a meal after Clive goes to work. I guess she’ll like to be around daily. She seems the type,” David continued, a slight edge in his tone. It was still sort of adorable that he was jealous of Genevieve and her friendship with Rowan. A friendship Rowan found herself relying on. But she didn’t want him feeling unlistened to. Or that Genevieve being a regular part of Rowan’s life meant Rowan would choose anyone over him.
The old Rowan would have told him to suck it up and stop being paranoid. But the Rowan she was then understood things from a totally different perspective. Wanted to be patient more. Wanted to listen. “What’s up?” she asked.
He frowned a moment. “Nothing. It’s just going to take getting used to having another person around so much.”
“She’s got her own shit to shovel with the witches. Right now we’re working toward the same end and her help has been pretty immeasurable.” She held up a hand to keep him from interrupting.
“Not done. She’s my friend, which is something rare enough, but she’s not fragile. She can handle herself. She’s got her own life and her own path and when we hang out I don’t feel like I have to be defensive and constantly on guard. She understands me in ways pretty much no one else can. And that means a lot. It’s helped me try to figure my own shit out.”
He sighed, losing all his energy in the face of that. Because he wanted her to be happy. Good Goddess how did she get so many sweet puppies in her life all the sudden?
“That doesn’t impact you or where you are in our organization. Not Hunter Corp. and not as the valet to the Vessel to the Goddess. You, David, are now the manager of the Hunter Corp. in the United States. You’re going to need your own assistant. We’ll need someone on duty here even when I’m traveling for work and you’re with me. You’ll always be with me on my missions from now on.”
His eyes lit as his back straightened to its usual perfect posture. “I will?”
“You and I talked about this. You’ve graduated in your service to me. You’ll be part of my work though not always at my side in combat. You’re a steady hand to keep overwatch. You’re smart enough to anticipate my needs and also whatever stupid shit the criminals we’re tracking will do. You’re invaluable to me. Not just as my valet, but as my friend. There’s room for Genevieve because she’s not taking any of your space. Okay?”
He nodded, swallowing hard but holding it together.
“Good. As you look perfectly suited for real estate, I’ll let you call and check in with the Motherhouse in London while I get changed,” Rowan told him.
She had to be extra bitchy for the next few days to counteract all the schmoopy feelings stuff she’d done of late. If she wasn’t careful people would think she’d gone soft and no one would be scared of her, and she’d have to go to a lot of effort to build up that state of reverence and fear she enjoyed after so many years as a Hunter.
Satisfied with that promise, she headed to her closet.
Chapter Seven
It was the third building they’d looked at when Star showed up. Rowan had parked the car and when she opened her door, the dog was sitting there waiting. In a place that’d been empty just moments before.
She jumped and David rushed to her side, stopping when he caught sight of Star. “Well, aren’t you unexpected?”
Star licked David’s hand on her way over to Rowan. “I get the feeling unexpected is Star’s middle name.”
Star gave a yip-howl and trotted along as if she’d been there the whole time.
The real estate agent waiting for them inside didn’t seem bothered in any way that a dog had suddenly just shown up. This was rich people business and rich people did weird shit so Rowan figured the agent just rolled with it.
The office suite that took up the fourth and fifth floors was secure. The agent said it’d been a business dealing in rare coins and jewelry so the entries were monitored with bulletproof glass. A two-step control had the person buzzing in first, being held in a smaller, easily locked down space while that visitor was verified.
At the elevator bank on the fourth floor there was a reception area and