Page 30 of Vex
Her eyes softened. She gave him something almost like a real smile.
"But if there was some way to prevent my uncle's meddling …"
"I meet the most interesting people in my work," Maera said. "Perhaps one could help." She didn’t add more.
The conversation drifted to safer waters after that. Maera steered them through discussions of the casino, the latest scandal from other worlds, and which nobles were currently feuding over mining rights.
Luisa played her part perfectly, giggling at the right moments and making vapid observations about fashion and jewelry. But Vex could feel the tension radiating from her body where she pressed against his side. After another twenty minutes of careful verbal dancing, Maera finally released them with promises to meet again soon. The knowing gleam in her eyes suggested she thought she had them exactly where she wanted them.
In the elevator, Vex kept a firm grip on Luisa. "What was up in there?"
"Maera's buttering you up to sell a bride profile. I didn't think she'd work that hard just to resell data." She kept her gaze fixed on the display panel, watching floor numbers with striking intensity.
"That's not what I'm talking about." His jaw tightened. She was deflecting, giving him professional assessment when he needed truth.
"Then what?"
"You seemed distracted."
"Don't I have reason to be?" Her eyes flicked to his lips.
"You weren't distracted this morning." The memory hit him hard and fast. Her taste, the way she'd arched beneath his hands, the perfect heat of her body welcoming him home.
Now she was cold. Distant.
"Everything's fine, Vex. Don't worry."
The door opened, and she darted out before he could say more.
He watched her retreat, every instinct screaming that she was lying. Something had spooked her. She was running from more than just the intimacy between them. His dragon stirred restlessly, protective urge warring with the knowledge that she wouldn't welcome his interference. Not yet.
But he was going to find out what was wrong.
15
This was so freaking stupid.
Luisa slunk down the hallway outside of the suite and headed for the Frost Lounge at the appointed time. Vex was trying to make a secured call back to his IDA contact and hadn't paid her any mind when she said she was going out.
Good.
She was slipping. He already thought she was off her game, and she wanted to kill Brant Tallyer for putting her in this position. If Vex found out she'd screwed up the mission. If he found out about her past …
Why did she even care about that?
So she'd stolen? There was no such thing as crime on Aetis, not in the legal sense. You'd need a government for that. She'd grown up there, come up from the dankest slums, and survived. You couldn't ask for more.
The rationalization felt hollow.
She'd broken into personal systems, violated privacy, destroyed lives with the information she'd uncovered. The kind of work that left stains on your soul that no amount of justification could wash clean.
But she didn't think Vex would see it that way.
She was beginning to suspect the "lord" part of his backstory wasn't made up. He was too comfortable in the role. And the way he'd talked about the estate back on Vemion? That sounded real.
He came from a world of honor and nobility, where people followed codes that meant something. He'd look at her past and see exactly what she was: a gutter rat who'd clawed her way up by stepping on anyone who got in her way.
So what was a real lord doing on this job?
