"Did you see the look on his face? Did you see that?" Rick crowed for the tenth time.
"I saw it. Stop asking. I'm not blind."
Rick laughed again. "I never thought you'd turn him down like that." He never thought that hearing Ghost reject Viper would make him so happy.
Matthew frowned. His mind went back to the hallway lined with dim wall lamps. He had been busy checking his core when Viper stepped in front of them.
Viper's hand shot out and blocked the way. "Triple whatever Tian pays. Pick any number of stones. Any grade."
Rick had stepped between them at once, arm half-raised like a shield. "Back off, Viper. He works for me."
"Five times, then ten," Viper pressed, eyes on Matthew. "A mountain of spirit stones—yours to sort at leisure."
Matthew had shaken his head. "Unless that mountain is already stacked in your bedroom, I'm not interested." He had turned away. Rick's sudden bark of laughter had filled the hall as they walked off with the payout.
