Page 31 of Zayrik

Zayrik’s fingers flexed against his crossed arms. “Who?”

I hesitated.

He noticed.

His voice dipped lower. “Who, Nyla?”

The way he said my name sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.

I licked my lips, gaze flicking away for just a second. “Vask.”

The airtightened.

Not much. Not loud. But Zayrik went very, very still.

And stillness, from a man like him?That was worse than anger.

Slowly, Zayrik inhaled.

Then—his voice was calm.

A muscle in his jaw flexed. “I had a feeling you were going to say that. Did you steal from him?”

I swallowed.“Borrowed.”

He nodded once. “Right.”

I sighed. “Look, I didn’t have a choice—”

“No,” he cut me off, stepping closer. The movement pressed me further against the wall, his body almost flush with mine. “You had a choice. And you chosethis.”

I bristled, placing my hands on his chest to create distance—but the contact only made my pulse skip. “If I’d hadbetteroptions, I would’ve taken them.”

Nav’s voice chimed in softly. “To be fair, your previous employment options were limited after the incident onNova Prime.”

“Not helping, Nav,” I muttered.

Zayrik exhaled, dragging a slow hand over his jaw. His eyes never left mine, even as his voice remained calm. Still even.

But there was something else now.

Somethingcalculating.

Something dangerous.

“How long,” he asked quietly, “before they come looking?”

I hesitated.

Becausethat answer?

Was the worst one yet.

“They already are.”

His fingers wrapped around my wrist, not painfully, but firmly. The touch sent a jolt of heat through my system that had nothing to do with fear.

“What exactly did you take from him?” he demanded.

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