“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”
“Clearly.”
It took a minute to gather my thoughts, to filter what I knew about him, the Black Mage. Was Fin working for him? Was that why he had brought me here? A new flavor of fear suffused my system. The chief’s words about the Black Mage hunting me rang in my ears. I fought to keep my hand from shaking as I brought the wine to my lips again.
After a long drink, I answered, “Why do you want to know?”
We were playing a dangerous game here, trying to balance what we said to each other without giving something away and without withholding too much.
His face appeared carefully neutral save the solid edge to his jawline, telling me he was as tense as me. “I can’t tell you that without knowing something important.”
I waved him on. “Just get on with it.”
“I need to know why you are hunting him. From my research, I think I know why, but I need you to confirm it.”
Telling him meant an act of trust. And Fin was far down the list of men I would put my trust in. My history wasn’t exactly a secret. If he dug deep enough, it wouldn’t be hard to figure out.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly then locked my eyes to his. My hands shook, and I tucked them in my lap under the table. “The Black Mage killed my parents. I found their bodies.”
His shoulders, which had been tense and high, relaxed. Some tension bled from his jaw and down his neck. “I was correct in my inference then. I’m sorry for your loss.”
I didn’t respond with the usual ‘thank you’. Trust went both ways. He needed to show me I wouldn’t regret sharing something so personal about myself.
He sipped his wine in silence and then turned his chair so to face me completely. Why did I want to comfort him right now? Smooth away the lines stacked up on his forehead.
“I kidnapped you because I want you to help me hunt the Black Mage to whatever hole he hides himself in and drag him into the light of day.”
“And then? Are you going to kill him?” No one would take that right from me, not even this beautiful man with his sad eyes. Not even his magic could compete with the black hole inside my chest where my revenge lay.
It waited for the day I could stoke my rage from the dark embers to a full flaming glory and destroy the Black Mage for good.
“It’s not something I’m prepared to discuss right now. I could see you thinking maybe I’d brought you here because I work for him. My admission was more of an assurance of your safety than anything else.”
They said the enemy of my enemy was my friend. I didn’t prescribe to that philosophy. The enemy of my enemy was still my damn enemy, and if he got in my way, he would get mowed down too.
But even if I didn’t trust him, I could work with him. Hadn’t I just been considering a new set of eyes on my files? Maybe Fin would give me the ultimate pieces I needed to catch the Black Mage.
We had one last thing to settle between us. I sat back in the chair and levelled him my best no nonsense gaze.
“I get why you couldn’t lead with that, but why in the hell didn’t you hire me like a normal fucking person instead of kidnapping me? It’s hard to get past the fact that you controlled me. Really hard.”
He spread his hands in front of him. “I apologize for doing what I had to do.”
I plucked a green bean from my plate and threw it at his face. “Really, that wasn’t a fucking apology. Try again.”
His gaze darkened, and he leaned over the table, his hands flat in front of him now. “I apologized. It was a lot more than most people get from me.”
“Wow. So I’m supposed to be grateful you basically just told me sorry, but I kidnapped you for the greater good. Sorry I kidnapped you because I’m a dick who can’t pick up the phone and call like a normal person.” I threw another green bean at him. It hit his jacket and bounced down to the floor. “Sorry I can’t be an adult and use my words to get what I want.”
I could breathe fire right now with the anger boiling under my veins.
“You kidnapped me. You saw me naked without my permission. You controlled my mind and body. I can overlook a lot of things in favor of a mutually beneficial work arrangement, but I don’t know if you will survive us working together with that ego of yours.”
“My ego.” The chair hit the floor as he stood. “You think I’m the only one in this room with a massive ego. So all the cursing, sarcasm, and feigned disinterest is your way of expressing your oh-so-pure human heart?”
“I’m not the one who did anything wrong here. I don’t have to justify myself because I didn’t kidnap you.”
He ripped the button on his suit coat through the hole and stripped it off. It hit the floor with a woosh from the force of his throw. Then he started on the buttons of his dress shirt. “Fine. Will my own nudity help ease your delicate sensibilities? I highly doubt I’m the first one to see you naked.”