Page 12 of Vex
She pulled her equipment out of her bag and set it up at the makeup table outside the bathroom. Her main interface looked like an expensive compact mirror, its surface reflecting her face until she activated the hidden screen. The signal boosters could pass for jewelry, delicate silver pieces that would blend seamlessly with the accessories of a wealthy mistress. Her most powerful hacking tools were disguised as cosmetics, their sleek cases indistinguishable from high-end makeup.
The Mountain had too many eyes.
Cameras tracked every movement in the public spaces, and she'd bet there were sensors monitoring everything from heat signatures to electromagnetic emissions. The casino's security was legendary, layers upon layers of protection designed to keep their clients safe and their secrets secure.
Luisa started the careful process of hacking her way into that system.
The initial probes were gentle, testing the edges of the Mountain's digital defenses. The casino's firewalls were impressive, military-grade encryption wrapped around layers of redundant security protocols.
The first barrier fell after twenty minutes of careful work, giving her access to the resort's basic operational systems. Environmental controls, elevator schedules, routine maintenance logs. Nothing sensitive, but it was a foothold.
She was good at this. Better than good. The familiar rhythm of the work settled her nerves, pushing thoughts of Vex and beds and naked lords to the back of her mind where they belonged.
She was going to find this blackmailer and end this job with her dignity intact.
Even if it killed her.
6
Vex had always been good at cards. Tonight, he was exceptional. The high-stakes table was a battlefield disguised as entertainment. The Uldorian ambassador touched his jeweled lapel pin when he bluffed. The mining heiress drummed her fingers when she held a strong hand. Maera Daxkar, some kind of philanthropist, smiled nervously.
Vex catalogued each weakness with the same attention he'd once used in the Vemion military academy. This was warfare fought with cards instead of weapons.
And he was winning.
The chips stacked higher with each hand. He'd earned glares from the other high rollers. No one liked having their winnings stolen.
Or their women.
A seductress slid onto the chair beside him, leaning so close she was practically in his lap. "I haven't seen you around here." Blonde, expensive, and calculated. Her perfume was cloying, her smile sharp as a blade.
"I already have a woman," Vex said without looking at her.
She laughed, a sound like crystal breaking. "She's not here."
The words should have been an invitation for the dissolute lord to take what was offered. Any self-respecting rake would have accepted her proposition, especially when his mistress was safely upstairs. It would have been perfect cover, proving to anyone watching that he was exactly the kind of man who would cheat without a second thought.
But the idea of touching anyone other than Luisa made his skin crawl. The reaction was visceral and completely irrational. He'd known her less than twenty-four hours. She was his partner, nothing more. A professional colleague whose safety he was responsible for.
His dragon stirred restlessly beneath his human facade, possessive and territorial in a way that had nothing to do with logic.
"Neither are you," he said coldly, gathering his chips.
She made a sound of affront as he stood, practically shoving her away.
The blonde's mask slipped for an instant, revealing genuine surprise beneath the practiced seduction. She clearly wasn't used to rejection.
He filed the reaction away as he moved from the table, his winnings secure in his jacket.
The pit boss had been watching him for the last hour. Vex could feel those eyes crawling over him as he moved to another table.
His dossier said the man's name was Brant Tallyer, confirmed by the nametag on his chest. He had the look of a man hunting for a mark. The question was, what was he selling? Tallyer was about forty. His suit was expensive but not ostentatious, his smile warm but never reaching his eyes. Everything about him screamed middle management with ambitions, the kind of man who knew where bodies were buried and wasn't above selling maps.
Tallyer had been evaluating him all evening, watching his play style, his reactions, how he handled both winning and the blonde's advances. Was he looking to sell something to Vex? Or scam him?
He hated the Mountain. There wasn’t a single honest person to be found there.
But Vex could use that to his advantage.
