Soldier of Fortune (2nd ed) by Kathleen McClure

Author:Kathleen McClure
Language: eng
Format: epub

24

“I’m hurt,” Nahmin said to Gideon Quinn, moving away from the buxom blonde as he spoke.

He didn’t mind that she was a foot taller than he, or that she smelled as if she’d just bathed in a vat of vodka, but he did mind that she was blocking his view of the proceedings.

All of the proceedings—such as the way in which Quinn was planted so firmly in front of a curtain that, from the odor, he took to be covering a privy—and Rey’s predatory expression as she looked on Quinn.

“Did you bring the carriage?” Rey asked with the resentment he’d come to expect from her.

A ridiculous resentment, as Nahmin was not a rival to the twins.

His skill set barely overlapped theirs.

“It is outside,” he told her. “Though the street is so narrow, it is possible I left some paint on the wall of this charming bit of local color.” He gestured expansively around the room.

“Is not so bad,” one of the blonde males said, looking around. “A little paint, maybe some of Mama’s wall hangings, it could be nice, yes?” he asked, giving Quinn a clap on the back, so hard the man stumbled into Ronan’s injured arm.

Ronan cursed, then spun Quinn around with his good hand, allowing his sister to haul Quinn’s arms behind his back, where she proceeded to bind them.

At least she’d learned from her two previous encounters with the ex-soldier, Nahmin observed. Although, he further observed, those same previous encounters made Quinn’s complacence in his current circumstances somewhat curious.

The Gideon Quinn of Rey’s description would never have allowed himself to be taken so easily.

Admittedly, the odds were significantly against Quinn this time, but still…

Nahmin again looked at the privy curtain.

“I thought you were looking for a higher class of employer.” Quinn said, addressing one of the blonde giants.

“You’ve met one another?” Nahmin asked Quinn.

“I facilitated an understanding between the triplets and a young lady.”

“Nice girl,” Rolf agreed. “Friend of Mia the dodger.”

Nahmin watched Quinn’s expression blank at the mention of the dodger. And where, he thought, did this Mia the dodger disappear to? “Small world,” he observed, aloud.

“Things got off to a rough start,” Quinn admitted.

“Our new friend give us enough for many drinks,” another of the blonde oafs agreed, looking on happily at his brother and Quinn.

Apparently enough drinks to render them oblivious of their new friend’s predicament.

“Well,” Quinn replied, “I did cost you a job, so—”

“Enough!” Rey cut Quinn off with a blow to the head that had him staggering towards the curtain. He didn’t fall into it, but the expression on his face at the possibility told Nahmin he was worried about more than a whiff of privy air.

At the same time the triplets were beginning to look less oblivious.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Nahmin said to the three giants, before they came to any conclusions that were not in his, Nahmin’s, favor. “But we can take over, from here.”

The Ohmdahls, however, were not eager to shuffle off the stage. “We are happy to be helping,” one of the males said, and both his siblings nodded.

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