“You did?”
“Oh yeah. Just the thought of them going into my vein gave me the creeps. I’d throw up before donating blood. I was awful. Anything to get out of it.”
Reyna glanced up at her face. At how animated she was as she talked.
“Then one day I said to myself, why do I fear this tiny little thing? It helps millions of people and saves lives and prevents diseases and keeps the population healthy. For some people, it even gets them high.”
Reyna laughed unexpectedly, then winced. Meghan had put the needle in, and Reyna hadn’t even been paying attention. She’d been so focused on Meghan’s story that she hadn’t noticed the prick.
“See, that wasn’t so bad.”
“Well, it’s the second needle that gets me high,” Reyna said. “Have another story up your sleeve?”
“Why don’t you tell me one?” Meghan suggested, moving to the other arm.
Reyna clammed up. What the hell could she tell her? Nothing about Beckham or her life before. Nothing Visage could use. Nothing incriminating.
She shrugged. “No story.”
“Guess we do it the old-fashioned way.”
Meghan started to count to three but stuck her with the needle when she got to two. Reyna winced, but it hadn’t been the worst she’d ever experienced.
They were almost finished with the blood when the door clicked. Reyna shuddered, but when Meghan raised an eyebrow, she straightened her spine and prepared herself for what was to come.
Harrington stepped into the room. His cane was under his arm again, and he surveyed Reyna in the same manner he’d looked at the crowd at the ball. Reyna could practically feel Meghan tense next to her. Well, at least she wasn’t immune to his presence. Reyna didn’t want her to do anything stupid to jeopardize herself.
“My little queen,” Harrington said with a feral grin, “how are we this morning?”
Reyna washed the glare from her face. “I’m being stuck with needles.”
“Ah, yes. Occupational hazard,” he said, sliding effortlessly into the chair. He crossed his legs and laced his fingers together in front of him. His eyes drifted to the chessboard, and then he tsked. “You exposed your queen.”
“I… What?”
Harrington moved a piece and collected her queen. He grinned. “Never leave your queen unguarded,” he said pointedly. “Check.”
Reyna gnashed her teeth together and focused on what Meghan was doing. It was better than seeing Harrington’s triumphant faceagain.
“Well, what did you think of the rest of the ball?” Harrington asked, smoothly changing the subject. “I regret that I wasn’t able to see you afterward.”
“If you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all,” Reyna said with nonchalance.
Harrington shot her an amused expression. His lips quirked up at the corners. “I’m certain that’s true. I wondered if you had thought more about my proposition.”
Reyna swallowed. “I thought about it.”
“And?”
“I don’t know.”
Lie.She definitely knew. She knew that she couldn’t stay here. That she wasn’t ready to give up all hope. Not when Beckham was still out there. Not when she could still work out a way to escape.
“My indecisive mouse,” he teased. She tried to ignore the bite in his voice. Her eyes flicked over to Meghan, who was dutifully ignoring the entire exchange. At least she’d gotten that part of the job correct.
“I need more time,” she finally blurted out.
“Was I not convincing enough?” He leaned his chin into his hand. A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, and his next words cut deep. “Perhaps there was something Beckham was providing that I am not offering.”
