Ririko walked around Talia and pushed open the office door.
Oswald was sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone.
The moment he saw Ririko, he hung up and spread his arms, ready to throw himself at her, calling out in a syrupy voice, "Darling~~ I knew you'd come~~"
Ririko raised a hand and planted her palm in front of his approaching head.
"Your situation first," she said coldly. "You're still a priority assassination target for the Court of Owls. For now, we have no choice but to let Talia protect you."
Oswald wriggled free of her palm and straightened his mussed hair.
"I don't want a girl protecting me. How embarrassing would it be if word got out? How am I supposed to show my face in Gotham after that?"
Ririko pointed toward Talia outside the door. "With her hair that short, no one will know she's a woman unless you tell them."
Oswald pouted and lowered his voice. "She suddenly started being so enthusiastic about me... how do I know she doesn't have ulterior motives? What if she has designs on me..."
He paused, tugged at the collar over his chest, and mumbled, "Anyway, you never know."
Ririko took in his heavy dark circles, his perpetually gloomy, distrustful expression, and his stingy, irritating personality. All of it was more than enough to kill any woman's sexual interest.
She decided to skip this pointless conversation.
"Aren't you overthinking it? Sleep in separate rooms and set clear hours for her shifts. What could she possibly want from you?"
Oswald's gaze flickered. He had already made up his mind. "I contacted the Kane Family. I'd rather hire their security staff to protect me."
Ririko's eyes instantly narrowed.
Jeremiah was with the Kane Family. Given how twisted and spiteful Jeremiah-or Jerome-could be,