Hisso’s piercing gaze fixates on my hand, then his eyes dart to the duke. The room is filled with a tense silence, broken only by the soft hum of machinery I assume is keeping Hisso functioning.
Slowly, he speaks with an air of politeness. “I believe, Marta, it would be wise for you to retract your hand from my arm. I can sense the duke’s blood pressure rising to worrisome levels.”
I’m taken aback by his request and tilt my head to glare at Ra’fere. “Are you genuinely jealous of a robot?” Disbelief laces my words.
Raf’ere just glowers at me, his hands clenched at his sides.
“My dear, for future reference, I would prefer to be referred to as a synthetic.” With a delicate touch, he removes my hand from his arm, placing it neatly at my side.
“Oh, I apologize, Hisso—I didn’t know,” I stammer, angry that I’m so ignorant of this new world.
Turning to Raf’ere, I can’t help but ask again, “Are you really jealous of a synthetic? I don’t believe we would be verycompatible, if that’s what you're worried about.”
I try to be polite in my wording for Hisso’s sake. It’s bonkers to me that I’m now concerned about the emotions of a mechanical being.
“Once again, Marta, you misunderstand,” Hisso clarifies. “I have no intention of sweeping you off your feet. However, I have no doubt that a pleasure attachment could be procured. It could make us as compatible as you desire.”
A sense of embarrassment washes over me, and I can feel the blush spreading up from my neck. Surprises seem to lurk around every corner in space. I notice Raf’ere appears to be biting the inside of his cheek, and I can almost taste the tension.
Sex robots, check.
“On that note, I’m off,” Hisso says cooly.
As he nods to Raf’ere, the sound of his footsteps quickens. I stare at the jealous duke as the tailor leaves. Only when the door clicks closed behind him does Raf’ere release a breath.
“Oh calm down.” I dismiss his insane jealousy with a casual wave of my hand. “How was I supposed to know that you can fuck robots here?” I plop into one of the lush armchairs, still annoyed.
Raf’ere’s eyes darken, reflecting a dangerous glint.
“Raf’ere, honestly...” My voice trails off, leaving a lingering silence between us.
He moves to the nightstand, the sound of the drawer opening breaking the silence. Moments later, he retrieves four silver bangles, their metallic sheen catching the light.
“Are you apologizing with jewelry?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Arms out,” he says deviously, his voice mirroring the tone of the synthetic tailor from before. I let out an exasperated sigh, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement. I extend my wrists towards him.
If a man wants to give you jewelry, let him, and work out the specifics later.
With a gentle touch, he slides two of the bangles over my hands, their size comically large on my wrists.
“I think they’re a little small,” I say sarcastically, the corners of my lips curling upwards.
“Mmmhmm,” Raf’ere hums, unamused.
He retrieves his data pad from the inner pocket of his jewel-encrusted suit jacket, the fabric rustling softly. With a flick of his fingers, he navigates through its operating system, completely disregarding my presence.
The silver bangles encircling my wrists suddenly vibrate, causing a tingling sensation to dance across my skin. They shrink down effortlessly, conforming to the size of my wrists. I bring my hands up, turning them over to examine the now perfectly fitting adornments.
“What the heck?” I’m taken aback, but there’s a hint of bemusement in my tone. “I guess you don’t need jewelers here, do you?”
“Oh Marta, if I was going to give you jewelry...you’d know it,” he says, a genuine smile finally gracing his lips, erasing the tension that had lingered since Hisso’s arrival.
“So what are these bracelets for, then?” My voice is filled with genuine curiosity.
“They’re not bracelets at all,” he replies, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
With a flick of his finger on the tablet, my arms are suddenly lifted upward, the metallic cuffs clinking together with a loud snap. My arms pulled upright by a mysterious force, feeling weightless, my wrists dangling in mid air.
