Jim crossed his arms over his chest as Eddie knelt down and showed love to Dog. Given the way the animal reacted, it was hard to believe the bikers were playing on Devina’s team, but just because they weren’t pally-pally with her didn’t mean they were legit: All Jim had to do was think of the shadows he hadn’t seen and the confusion in Chuck the foreman’s voice when he’d been asked about the pair.

Made a guy wonder just what the fuck was standing on his doorstep.

“You two are liars,” Jim said. “So that makes talking kind of pointless, doesn’t it.”

As Dog rolled over onto his back so Eddie could do some serious belly rubbing, Adrian shrugged. “We’re angels, not saints. What do you want from us.”

“So you do know those four English whack jobs?”

“Yeah, we do.” Adrian glanced pointedly at the refrigerator. “Listen, this is going to be a long conversation. You mind beering us?”

“Do you exist?”

“Beer. Then talk.”

As Eddie got to his feet with Dog in his heavy arms, Jim held up his palm. “Why did you lie.”

Adrian glanced over at his roommate; then looked back. “I didn’t know whether you could handle shit.”

“And what’s changed your mind.”

“The fact that you figured out what Devina is and you didn’t bolt. You believed what you saw on that pavement on the hospital.”

“Or didn’t see, as was the case.”

Jim stared at the two of them, thinking that clearly they’d been following him—and maybe Devina had sensed them instead of him in the parking lot of the hospital.

“No,” Adrian said, “we masked you so she didn’t see you. That’s what she was picking up on when she looked around. There are advantages to her thinking you’re on your own and you’re clueless.”

“You guys read minds, too?”

“And I’m full aware of how much you don’t like me at this moment.”

“Can’t be a new thing for you,” Jim said, wondering if he was ever going to work with people who weren’t assholes. “So…you two are here to help me.”

“Yup. Just like Devina’s going to have people helping her.”

“I don’t like liars. I have too much experience with them.”

“Won’t happen again.” Adrian ran a hand through his ridiculously gorgeous hair. “Look, this isn’t easy on us…. To be honest, I had my doubts from the beginning that bringing you on was a good idea, but that’s my damage. Bottom line is, you’re here and that’s that, so either we work together or she has a serious advantage.”

Well, hell…that logic was pretty damn unassailable.

“I kicked all the Corona the other night so I only got Bud,” Jim said after a moment. “In cans.”