Page 14 of How to Steal a Galaxy

I pick a cup this time, a little porcelain thing with gray mousse inside, a tiny silver spoon sticking out of the thick, sweet cream on top. Coffee-flavored with something sharper, some type of liquor. I’ve avoided the glasses of sparkling wine some of the servers offer, but this isn’t much. Not enough to impair me.

Rian starts listing out some of the items in the auction, pausing, eyeing me. Waiting for a reaction. I eat through four more small plates. Wish I had more of that gray stuff. Delicious. Or something with peaches. That would have been nice.

Too soon, the food’s gone.

“Have you heard anything I’ve said?” Rian asks.

“No.” I clap my hands on my knees as I stand, making the gems on my hem tinkle like bells. “I told you not to be boring.”

I take one step away, but Rian grabs my wrist, his fingers on the delicate bones under my palm, gently pressing into my pulse. His touch lingers, and my breath catches. I turn slowly, my eyes tracking his hand, up his arm, to his face, his eyes, their razor edge zeroed in on me.

I tug my hand, but rather than let me go, Rian stands, close enough for me to feel the warmth of his body even after he releases my wrist.

“What are you here for?” he asks.

“You,” I breathe, unable to stop myself.

His eyes widen slightly. I’ve said it twice now, and he almost believes me, I can tell.

Almost.

I toss him my best charming smile. “Seriously. Come with me right now. We’ll get onGloryand away from all these pretentious assholes and slip into a portal where no one can reach us.” I lean forward, enough to make the people near us titter, intrigued, watching us through lowered eyelashes.

Rian’s lips twist in disappointment, but his eyes sparkle.

He loves the game as much as I do.

He just doesn’t know he’s the one being played.

I slip my arm through his, tucking his elbow in tightly. “All right, come with me,” I tell him, striding across the hall.

There. The woman in red, the man by the door, the waitstaff member with a tray of empty glasses. They each glance at Rian, at me, away. They’re with him, his organization. My contact’s words clatter through my mind as I toss the woman in red a wink.Rian White is a high-up on intergalactic relations. He’s been tasked with the gala’s security, but he willnotbe working alone.

I dip past another member of the waitstaff, nabbing an extra dumpling right off the plate and stuffing it into my mouth before he even notices. I knew there would be more people with Rian here. It’s not just because of me—the gala is a huge function full of highly important people including, unfortunately, tonight’s guest of honor who’ll close the ceremonies. The man by the door may be a bodyguard for an attendee, not with Rian at all. I can’t be sure. I don’t know the roster.

But I’d be a fool to ignore the fact that I can trust no one here. Everyone in this entire gala is either a mark or a badge. At least, that’s how I have to treat them.

“What are you doing?” Rian asks as I pull him through the crowd.

“Having mercy on you.”

He chuckles, the sound low and rumbling, and allows me to guide him to the back of the museum.

A big black curtain blocks the huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. I noticed that earlier, but this area is far enough away from the bidding that it’s clear it’s been earmarked for a different purpose. As we get closer, I feel Rian tense.

“So, where are we going?” he asks, his tone trying just a little too hard to be casual.

This is where the closing ceremonies will be.

The black curtain extends across the breadth of the hall, but through gaps in the material I catch glimpses of flurried activity. As I suspected, the closing ceremony is going to be a bit of a production. I expect nothing less from the host’s reputation.

Rian clearly thinks that’s my target, so I veer abruptly left, toward the stairs. Most people take lifts; while these steps are stone and intended for guests, they rarely see use. They’re out of the way and close to the staff offices, which are somewhere beyond that black curtain.

“You need to ask yourself one thing,” I say, releasing Rian so I can focus on the smooth stone and my absolutely useless, traction-less high heels.

“And that is?”

“Do I know where I’m going because I’m a museum aficionado, or because I’ve studied the floor plans to this museum so much while casing the joint?” I pause and cast him a look. “If it’s the latter, does that make you an accomplice to my crimes?”

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