"Seriously?" I shouted after him.

He turned to face me, eyes shining with annoyance. "Yes, seriously. I'm getting paid to take you to the safe house, nothing else!"

"You don't have to do everything just because you're getting paid for it!" I exclaimed.

"What other reason is there to do anything?"

"Maybe just because you're a nice guy."

He laughed aloud at that, the sound dry and raspy. "You obviously do not know me."

"Yeah," I said, "because you won't talk to me other than to insult me or tell me to stop talking!"

"You don't get it, do you, Princess? There are bad guys out there right now literally trying to find you and kill you."

"And why does that mean you have to be a jerk to me?"

He stared hard at me, and for the first time, I saw something strange in his eye. "Sometimes that can be the difference between life and death."