Kam is interested. Interested enough that he finds himself following Silo out of the bookstore and into his car, where they drive to the hotel where Nina is staying. Kam asks questions the entire ride to the hotel, but Silo keeps telling him to ask Nina.
Nina doesn't meet them in the lobby. Instead, she calls them up to her hotel suite. Kam whistles as they enter the room, partly because of how expensive everything looks (and Kam flips classic cars for a living, so he knows expensive) and partly to annoy the woman waiting in front of them.
Kam knows Nina in passing. That is, their dads had known each other--Wolf used to come into the dealership; and he and Kam's dad had talked a lot in his dad's office, about what, Kam had no idea--and later Kam and Nina ran into each other the first time she needed a "favor" from Silo (Kam put the word in air quotes because he doubted what Nina needed was as simple as the word made it sound).
He also knew that Nina and Silo dated on occasion. That was fine; if Silo was interested in Nina, and she happened to be in town, there was no reason for them not to date. Kam just--couldn't really see the appeal of someone like that. Nina seemed to have the wall built up around her. She let very few people in. Sometimes Kam saw the same wall around Silo, but for some reason that was different. Silo's wall had gaps that occasionally let Kam peek through; Nina didn't. Her wall seemed to be reinforced with extra concrete and steel. Kam had always seemed to rub Nina the wrong way, so he made an effort to avoid her whenever she was in town.
Except on occasions like this.
"This is who you had in mind?" Nina is looking at Kam, but she addresses Silo.
"What's wrong with him?" Silo asks.
Kam cocks an eyebrow at Nina.
"Still don't like me, huh?"
"I never said that." Nina looks defensive, and Kam presses his advantage.
"Never said it out loud, but it's true, right? What exactly is wrong with me?"
"Nothing," Nina purses her lips. "You still look like a biker."
"You still look like an ice queen with a pipe up your ass."
"If you two are done with the greetings, can we get to the part where Nina makes the offer and Kam accepts?" Silo is leaning against the wall of the hotel suite. His body language says he will be staying out of what should be a conversation between Kam and Nina, but that doesn't mean he won't contribute the odd comment or referee if needed.
Kam takes a seat, while Nina turns to Silo.
"Find someone else."
Silo's grin makes both Kam and Nina want to smack him. "There is no one else."
Kam is certain that isn't true, but he's come this far, so the least he can do is satisfy his curiosity.
"Silo said you had a job offer for me?"
"Not for you specifically, but yes." Nina also sits, probably figuring that she can tell him what he'll be doing and he won't be interested and leave. She's wrong, and Kam intends to make sure she knows it. He tosses the paper with the payment amount Silo gave him earlier on the table in front of her.
"Is this number real?"
Nina doesn't even glance at the paper. She raises her eyebrows and keeps her eyes on Kam.
"Yes."
"That's in American dollars, not baht."
"Yes."
"To babysit your brother."
"To keep him safe, yes."
"And that's all?"
