That was the answer. That look. That was what made love worth the pain.
The woman talking to Morson crossed her arms, her booted foot tapping the floor in obvious annoyance.
“I expected to be patient and wait for another attempt, but twenty-seven years?” the woman said, thinking the same as me. “I have to wonder if the king is actually dead. It would be just like him to pull a stunt like this, although I never knew him to wait this long for anything.”
That had me stopping in my tracks. The king might be alive? That meant… Holy shit. If it had been him behind the attempted coup, why wait so long to try again?
Morson looked as stunned as I felt. “Did you know him well?”
“Oh yes. We grew up chasing each other through the citadel gardens. He was just a few years younger than I. Always a selfish bastard. A bully. I never did understand what the queen saw in him.”
With my feet like steel welded to the floor and my brain in overdrive, I turned to look for Nix, my mate, the only man in the universe I cared about right now. Well, Morson, too, but not in the same way. Duh. But once he was safely away from this exploding building, he could do whatever the hell he wanted and Nix would still be mine.
Nix’s gaze bored into mine as he moved closer. Intent. I saw the same anguish I’d been feeling moments before in his gaze. He didn’t want me here. He was only in this room for me. Because I asked it of him. Because he respected me enough to give me what I needed even if it placed me in danger, although I’d probably be handcuffed to my bed if he’d known a bomb was involved.
I hadn’t understood what it cost him, until now. What letting me be reckless and wild on Earth had cost my sisters and parents. Danger meant nothing to me. Pain meant nothing. Death? Well, I’d prefer not to rush toward my end, but even that held no true cost to me. Until now. Now, I understood.
Fuck me six ways to Sunday. I was in love. Head over heels, do anything to keep him safe, anything to make him happy, love. With the gorgeous, growly guy moving through the room like a wild animal hunting his prey.
“Your timing sucks, Des.” I was talking to myself as I moved toward Morson, but I tilted my head at Nix, this time clearly indicating that I’d found our target and to get moving. He didn’t take his eyes off me, but changed direction, heading for the closest exit, which was a good twenty paces away. And Morson was big. If he didn’t cooperate, I’d have a hell of a time getting him out of here before the bomb went off.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
“Excuse me?”
Morson looked down in shock as I looped my small hand under his elbow and tugged him toward me. I offered a brilliant fake smile to the older female with whom he’d been speaking. Who’d shared some interesting intel.
“Excuse us for a moment?” I said, using my Trinity-diplomat voice. “I really need to speak to Morson about a”—I ran my fingertip down the front of his uniform, over his chest. I could practically hear Nix growling—“a very personal matter.” I tugged at him, my cheeks starting to hurt from my ridiculously big smile. “If I could have a moment of your time before the meeting begins?”
He blinked, eyes rounded with a mix of suspicion and surprise. He glanced at the elder out of respect and that seemed to be enough to put her at ease.
If he was working undercover, he was good. I had to give him that. Very, very good. That one glance had preserved the woman’s trust, despite the fact that something unexpected and strange was happening. Mainly, me. Maybe he was nudging information out of her and I’d interrupted. Well, it was break up the gab fest or die.
Her head tilted to the side like a cobra about to strike, but she nodded. “Of course.”
Morson allowed me to pull him away, and I moved toward the exit doors a good five steps before he stopped me. Cold.
Damn my small size. Why wasn’t I six-foot-six and two-hundred-fifty pounds? Then I could just throw him over my shoulder and make a run for it. It wouldn’t be subtle, but it would work.
“Who are you and what do you want?” While he spoke softly so as not to draw attention, he was rigid and uncooperative. I flicked a glance over my shoulder. Nix was moving closer, but still not close enough to help. Not yet.
I turned back to find Morson’s gaze drifting over my face, the look in his eyes one I would have equated with desire, if not for the lack of a rise in his pants. These Alerans and their dormant cocks. Made them much more difficult to bullshit or seduce. False flattery and flirting was going to get me nowhere, except over Nix’s knee for a hot, toe-curling spanking.
Reaching up, I wrapped my hand around his neck, up to the back of his head, and pulled him down so my lips were pressed to his ear. He allowed my bold touch, but it felt wrong. Wrong man. Wrong scent. Wrong face too close to mine.
Whatever. This was the only way I could talk to him without fear that someone would overhear.
“My name is Destiny, and this building is going to explode in less than a minute. You need to leave with me. Now.” I grabbed his arm once more and pulled him toward the door.
He didn’t move. Not one freaking inch.
“Interesting claim from a beautiful woman,” he countered, not swayed. “How do I know you are speaking the truth? You could have an ambush set up outside those doors.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” I countered with a wave of my hand. “Move before we’re blown to bits.”
When he just stared, I took a deep breath and calmed the bitch rising inside. Tried to temper my need to flee. Tick. Tick. Tick. I could hear the bomb as clear as I could hear him.
“Fine,” I huffed, sounding like an annoyed teenager. “Stay here, get blown up. I’ll tell my sister I tried. She’s the one who told me you were one of the good guys and to save you.”