Page 181 of Perfect Liar

Will managing me was one thing, but other men ordering me around was another. If my requests were sensible, then the security team needed to respect my damn wishes. Will’s safety was as important as mine—and for that reason alone, I had to assert myself.

Ben and Jess were sitting in the kitchen when I came down, and I made a beeline straight to them.

“No one else knows Will like you do, Ben, or how to predict an assassin’s movements like you can. Go back to him. And I won’t take no for an answer. Jess will help cover me.”

Ben straightened his back and raised his brows.

“Jess, show him your guns and tell him about your shooting skills. Will needs him out in the field, not here babysitting me.”

I turned away from them both, grabbed some water, and headed back upstairs to shower. But then I stopped for a second, hesitating, and looked back at them.

“Tell him I’m safe, that I’m well, and that I love him.”

I walked away with everyone quiet. Then, as they headed to Mr. Johnson’s library, my best friend teased Will’s best friend about taking orders.

I smiled.

Jessica knew guns pretty well. To get her father’s attention, she had learned to share his enthusiasm for shooting and hunting. One of the mounted deer antlers on his library wall belonged to her.

I found her there alone.

“Ben’s gone, right?” I asked.

“He left, but we’ll see what happens. Will might send him right back, you know.”

She continued loading a small revolver as she went on.

“He was out of line talking to you that way, Ells. I told him so. He seems like a decent guy, very straight forward and authentic, maybe just stressed out a little. I’m glad you stood up to him. Will might give you a hard time, but not his guys.”

I didn’t want her to have the wrong idea about my relationship with Will. I had to address it to be sure.

“Will doesn’t talk to me that way. And if I ask him for something, he gives it to me. Don’t get me wrong. He’s moody, and he can be a prick sometimes, but just not to me.”

One of her big laughs burst out of her.

“Ells, are you saying Thor is pussywhipped?”

I laughed at her laugh and her comparison to her favorite mythological hottie.

“He’s definitely not pussywhipped. God, no woman likes that in real life. It’s a mutual thing between us. You’ll just have to wait and see what I mean.”

“So,” —she cocked her head and lifted a brow— “he taught you to shoot.”

“Yeah, he did. It was necessary. You know how much things have changed.”

“Everything has changed, and I get that. Ben said you have a Glock 26 Gen-4.”

“True, but Will keeps it under lock and key.”

She handed me one of her pistols.

“Here, see how my Ruger feels. It’s similar in size and weight, but it has a manual safety.”

Her pistol was about the same as mine. I tested the sight.

“How’s the recoil?”

“Mid. A little more kickback than your baby Glock.”