Page 37 of Orlando
Orlando yowled, unable to give her another answer.He wasn’t surprised when Liam did, though.
“You could resign,” he offered.
Cynthia blinked at him as if he was crazy.“I worked too hard to resign.You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Orlando told me, so yes, I do know.I don’t know why you think that killing people for a living is the right thing to do, and frankly, I don’t care.You say this is your first assignment.Do you really want it to be killing an innocent man?And not only an innocent man, but the mate of a person you know?”
Cynthia looked like she wanted to argue, but she couldn’t.Liam hadn’t said anything wrong.Hewasinnocent, and hewasOrlando’s mate.
Liam seemed to realize that Cynthia was hesitating, and he continued.“Besides, Orlando and I are bonded.He’ll feel everything you do to me, including my pain and anger.You’ll have to kill him, too.He won’t stand by while you hurt me.Do you really think you can hurt someone you consider a friend?”
“I wouldn’t say he’s a friend,” she mumbled.
But Liam was right once again.Orlandowouldput himself between Liam and Cynthia.He didn’t care if he had to sacrifice his own life to do so.It wouldn’t be worth living if Liam wasn’t with him anymore.If Orlando had to choose one of them to sacrifice, it would be himself.Liam was human, so he would recover from losing Orlando, even though they were bonded.Orlando knew he’d never recover from losing Liam.
“Wouldn’t you?”Liam asked.“Because Orlando considers you a friend.He hates that both of you were put in this situation.”
“Do you thinkIlike it?”
“I don’t think anyone does.I certainly don’t.I don’t want to die.I don’t want to pay for someone else’s crimes.Even if you don’t consider Orlando a friend, do you want your first assignment to end with you killing an innocent man?”
Cynthia hadn’t answered Liam’s question the first time, but she did now.She lowered her knife, and while Orlando tensed in case she was acting, he didn’t have to move.She slid the knife out of sight, then held up both of her hands to show him she didn’t have a weapon.
“I hate both of you,” she said.
She didn’t sound like she hated them, thankfully.“Thank you,” Liam told her.
Orlando was startled when he felt a hand on top of his head.Liam scratched his fur, causing Orlando to close his eyes in pleasure.Cynthia made a disgusted sound and turned to move toward the window.
“I don’t know how I’m going to keep the council off my back,” she muttered.“They want results, and I don’t have any.If they fire me, I’m going to kick your ass, Orlando.”
Orlando wanted his mate to continue petting him, but he needed to say something to Cynthia.He shifted back, ignoring Liam’s surprised sound.He didn’t care that he was naked, and neither did Cynthia.They were both shifters, and they’d trained together.They’d seen each other in every dress and undress state they could have.
“If they fire you, I’ll talk to them myself.”
Cynthia snorted.“Because that’s been working so well for you.Have you managed to contact any of them?”
“You know that I haven’t.”
She reached up and pulled on a strand of her hair.She always did that when she was anxious.“I like you, but this can’t continue.I don’t want to kill an innocent man, but if those are my orders, I will.”She paused.“No matter how much I hate it.”
Orlando’s stomach dropped.Was she saying what he thought she was saying?He’d thought he’d managed to change her mind, but it didn’t sound like he had.
What the fuck was he supposed to do now?
* * * *
LIAM THOUGHT THEY WEREin the clear until Cynthia’s phone started ringing.For a moment, the three of them were silent.Cynthia had been leaving, but it was clear she wasn’t anymore.She slowly reached out into her pocket and took her phone out.Orlando snorted, which Liam didn’t think was a good idea.
“You kept your phone on?Really?”he asked.
“Shut up,” Cynthia snapped.
She checked the screen and paled.Liam didn’t know her well, but he could tell that whatever was happening wasn’t good.
Something told him he wasn’t going to like this.
“Yes?”she answered.
