Page 11 of Vex
"Of course, ma'am."
"He doesn't like to be disturbed," she continued. "Only cleaning bots in the bedroom. If he catches you in there …" She shook her head. The words hung in the air, and she watched the attendant's face for any reaction. His expression remained perfectly neutral.
"Of course," the attendant repeated.
His voice was flat. She doubted this was the worst request he'd ever encountered.
The man's practiced invisibility was almost impressive. He'd perfected the art of being present but unnoticed, a living piece of furniture that anticipated needs without drawing attention. It was exactly the kind of skill that would make him invaluable to the Mountain's management, and exactly the kind of person who would hear everything and remember it all.
She wished she could dismiss him outright. But Vex hadn't done it earlier, and she suspected it was because it would just lead to subtler forms of surveillance. The Mountain catered to its guests' every need. And anticipating those needs meant watching closely.
There was a reason someone had chosen this place as a hub for blackmail.
The casino's reputation for discretion was legendary, but discretion was a double-edged sword. The same systems that protected their high-rolling clients' privacy could just as easily be turned against them. Information was currency here, more valuable than the credits flowing across the gaming tables downstairs.
Despite their early arrival, Vex and Luisa's things were already set up in the bedroom. She shut the door firmly behind her and paused to listen for the attendant.
Silence.
At least the place had decent soundproofing.
She pulled a bug scanner out of her pack and got to work. The device was no bigger than her palm, its surface smooth and featureless except for a small display screen. She moved methodically through the room, sweeping every surface, every piece of furniture, every decorative element that might conceal surveillance equipment.
The scanner remained silent. Clean.
A good sign.
At least there was one place in the suite they might have a little privacy.
And one bed.
She stared at it.
It was a monstrosity. The thing could easily accommodate a dragon lord and a handful of mistresses, draped in silk sheets the color of midnight and piled high with pillows that probably cost more than her monthly rent. The frame was carved from some kind of expensive and shiny wood, its posts rising toward the vaulted ceiling. With a bed that size, they could sleep on opposite sides and never even know the other person was there.
Yeah, she wasn't buying it.
There was no way to ignore Vex, no matter how big the bed.
His presence filled whatever space he occupied, commanding attention even when he was trying to blend in. The memory of his body pressed against hers during their flight was still too fresh, too vivid. She could still feel the corded muscle beneath her palms, the way his warmth had seeped through her clothes.
Sharing a bed with him would be an exercise in torture, no matter how much square footage they had to work with.
But with the ever-present attendant, they couldn't sleep in different rooms. Some couples might and not think twice about it. But those couples weren't at the casino under false pretenses.
They had to play this perfectly.
The Mountain's staff would notice everything. A couple wealthy enough to afford the penthouse suite who couldn't stand to share a bed would raise questions. Questions led to scrutiny, and scrutiny was the last thing they needed when she was planning to break into the casino's most secure systems.
Luisa shoved thoughts of the bed out of her mind. That was a problem for later when Vex got back.
Only my lord sees me naked.
What had possessed her to say that? Now she was going to be thinking of it all night.
The idea of Vex seeing her naked shouldn't have sent heat racing through her veins, but there she was, imagining his hands on her skin, his eyes dark with want.
Get it together. This is a job, not a fantasy.
