Storm and Silence (Storm and Silence #1) - Robert Thier Page 0,126

not an overly emotional, silly female! I wasn’t! I wasn’t! ‘Why are you doing this? What have I done wrong?’

He cocked his head minutely. ‘Wrong?’

‘Bloody hell! Isn’t it sort of a rule that an employee can only be dismissed if they’ve done something wrong? What did I do? Didn’t I carry your files fast enough? Didn’t I dress male enough for you? Did I breathe too loud? Tell me, blast, what did I do?’

He shook his head, but his eyes didn’t go with the movement. They remained fixed on me. His gaze was disturbing. I had never met a man filled with so much silent concentration.

‘You don't understand, Mr Linton. You didn’t do anything wrong.’

‘What?’ I blinked the moisture out of my eyes before it could spill over. ‘Then what is the matter? Why are you trying to get rid of me?’

‘Don’t you see?’ His hands on the desk curled up into fists. I could see that behind his calm exterior a storm was brewing. But I wouldn’t be put off by that. I couldn’t leave this job! Not now of all times. Not now that he was in trouble and up against someone dangerous!

And since when have you started worrying about what he’s up against? Haven’t you got enough problems of your own?

No, I didn’t. Problems were fun. Problems were adventure. Besides, I’d be damned if I left before I got my first pay cheque out of that miser!

That miser was just now staring at me as if he’d like to strangle me instead of pay me. In a very low, controlled voice he said: ‘Mr Linton… I’m no run-of-the-mill businessman who sells tin cans at the market. I have my own empire and consequently must deal with my own espionage and fight my own wars, Mr Linton. Right now, a war is coming.’

‘A… war? Over one piece of paper?’

‘Yes. A war. Possibly the biggest I’ve ever fought. I don't want you to be caught in the crossfire.’

‘Why?’ My voice was trembling. My bloody stupid, unreliable voice was actually trembling! ‘What do you care?’

For a second I almost believed a muscle in his face twitched. But no, I was surely mistaken.

‘I…I cannot have a girl being in danger,’ he said, raising his chin determinedly. ‘Any girl. My honour as a gentleman forbids it.’

Out of all the possible answers, this wasn’t the one likely to go down well with me. I leant forward over the desk, my glare almost matching his.

‘I’m not some helpless maiden who needs to be protected! I am a free human being and can do whatever I wish. And if I wish to remain in your employ, then I will remain in your employ until such time as I give you a reason to dismiss me, Sir!’

Slowly, Mr Ambrose clenched and unclenched his fingers.

‘You know, Mr Linton, you have a way of saying “Sir” that makes it sound astonishingly like a synonym for “miserable chauvinist worm”.’

‘I wonder why that is.’

There were a few moments of silent brooding. Nobody could silently brood like Mr Ambrose. He seemed to fill the entire office with an utterly still, quiet, silent and dark disapproval that was so thick you could choke on it.

‘So you won’t go of your own free will?’ he finally asked.

‘No!’

‘You, Mr Linton, are stupid and reckless.’

‘Indeed, Mr Ambrose?’

‘Yes indeed, Mr Linton.’

Half a minute more of silent brooding followed. Oh yes, he could brood exceedingly well, and shoot sinister glances, too. But I wasn’t too bad myself.

‘Why won’t you go?’ he demanded.

‘You know why. This is the only chance I’ll ever get at a career, at independence.’

And I don't want to leave you in your hour of need.

The blasted thought was there, undoubtedly. But I couldn’t admit it out loud. I couldn’t even admit it to myself inside.

‘You could get killed.’ It wasn’t a threat. Not even a warning. It was simply a statement of fact.

‘I know, Sir. Would you pay for my burial?’

‘Are you completely mad?’

‘Not completely, no.’

‘Well, then you should leave right now!’

‘I won’t!’

‘I could make you leave,’ he threatened. ‘We both know that in reality there is no “Mister Victor Linton”. I could reveal you for what you are and make you leave so easily.’

‘You gave your word not to!’

A cold hiss rose from his throat. ‘I never felt more like breaking it! You have no place here. It is all just a mirage. A phantasm. An insane dream of yours.’

I leant forward some more, putting my hands on his desk.

‘What do you want?’