Page 19 of Zayrik

My pulse stuttered. Bluff? Or truth?

“Is that so?” I managed, keeping my voice steady.

He was near enough I could make out the lighter blue flecks in his midnight eyes.

Close enough that I caught the scent of him. Something masculine and clean that shouldn’t have been so distracting.

“I know you’re running from someone powerful,” he said quietly. “I know this ship has connections you’re afraid of. And I know—” he paused, his gaze intensifying, “—that whatever you’re carrying is worth killing for.”

I swallowed hard.

Nav, unbothered by the sexual tension suffocating the room, cut in again through our neural link. “So just to be clear, your plan is to keep lying until heeitherfigures it outorthrows you out the airlock?”

I rolled my eyes.

Zayrik pushed off the console,still watching me.I didn’t like how muchhe watched me.

Because he wasn’t distracted by my words. He was watchingthe things I wasn’t saying.

And worst of all, I didn’t hate the way his eyes lingered.

“Since we’re stuck together,” he said, voice low and easy, “how about we try something new?”

I blinked. “What?”

He stepped closer.Not threatening. Just...close.

Close enough that I had to tilt my head to keep his gaze. Close enough that the heat coming off him curled into my skin.

“Honesty,” he said.

I scoffed. “That’s adorable.”

He grinned, flashing teeth.He liked this. He likedthe challenge.

“Think about it,” he said. “Before the engines die and I have to drag the truth out of you myself.”

The way he said it sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. Not from fear.

“And how exactly would you do that?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, my voice lower than intended.

He didn’t answer right away. Just looked at me. Like he was imagining it.

His eyes darkened for a fraction of a second. A moment of tension stretched between us. Something electric and dangerous.

Then he straightened, breaking the spell.

“I have my methods,” he said simply. Then he walked away.

Left me there. Thinking. Stewing.

And for the first time in a long time. I wasn’t sure how long I could keep this up.

And I wasn’t just talking about my secrets.

I WAS LOSING MY EDGE. I could feel it in the way my body sagged. The way my fingers ached from gripping controls too tightly. The way my ribs throbbed from the wound I wasn’t letting slow me down.

I’d held my own in our little power dance, but the truth? I was burning out. Fast.

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