“Thank you,” I said. “Although I will admit to a more pressing problem than my future.”
“What could be more pressing than that?”
I glanced at the door, knowing the knock would come at any moment. “Marek.”
“Ahh, I see.” She followed my gaze. “He is coming here?”
I nodded. “He asked to speak with me about something.”
“That couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
“My thoughts precisely.”
Mev stood. “I’m probably not one to give relationship advice, being I’m married… or partnered or whatever… to a guy who kidnapped me. Literally. And I don’t blame you for being cautious. What Marek did was really shitty. But…”
“But?” I asked, anxious to hear what she had to say.
“Sometimes, people make mistakes.”
I sighed. “I swore never to let myself get hurt like that again. Especially by the same person who did it the first time.”
“I get it. But I also see the way he looks at you. There’s something there, Issa.”
I didn’t deny it.
But whatever else she might have added would have to wait. A knock meant our time was up. I stood, heart racing, and walked Mev to the door.
“There always has been with us,” I admitted, “which is the problem.”
“Only if you let it be one,” she said, pulling the door open. “Oh look. Marek. Who would have guessed?”
Laughing at her own jest, Mev pushed past him, waving a hand in the air and calling out, “Goodnight,” leaving me standing there alone.
With Marek.
Against my better judgment, I stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter. We’d been in closer quarters than this, and would be again tomorrow. But somehow, him being here felt… different. More meaningful.
“You wanted to talk?”
He took my lead, came into the chamber and closed the door behind him, smiling.
“Among other things.”
21
MAREK
I had nothing to tell her.
Truth was, I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to see her again.
“Pardon me?”
I swept past her, assessing her chamber and its balcony. Striding toward it, I gestured outside.
“I’m jesting, of course,” I said. “May I?”
She didn’t believe me, likely because I was not jesting at all.
