Sasha folded her arms. "And your cooperation? You're not giving that away until you're finished scoring my ring."
Alvaro cocked his head, amused. "You think I'm only here for the shiny thing? Call me shallow if you like. But yes — curiosity. Also, I can offer protection. Men, guns, storage, a bed that isn't squeaky." He added the last like an afterthought; the small absurdity broke the tension for a beat.
"You get the feeling you only want the ring because you want to poke it," Sasha said, blunt. "For your information: I'm the only one who can enter that space. I can't drag you in with me."
"Do you vanish when you go in?" he asked, businesslike.
She nodded. Saying the words made a cold prickle run down her spine. "Don't even think about killing me because the ring won't be transferred to you. It doesn't work that way. If I die, the ring dies with me."
