This is a test.
Holding back her need to wipe her palm on her suit, she clasped his hand. His fingers wrapped tightly around hers, and his thumb pressed down into the back of her hand, trapping it so thoroughly that fear zipped up her spine.
Their hands shook once before she jerked it out of his grasp.
“Nice to…meet you, Captain,” she managed, pressing her nails into her palm. “Are you okay?”
Hysterian’s head cocked.
Alexa wished she could read his expression, but his mouth was covered.
She didn’t even know what Hysterian truly looked like. It bothered her. She liked to imagine he was the ugliest motherfucker there ever was, but she knew that wasn’t true. She had a picture of him facing away, looking at something outside the frame, in the lining of her bag. Just the contour of his face proved he was handsome.
All Cyborgs were uncannily attractive.
Fuck them. A lot of people are attractive and are evil.
“I run hot, Dear.”
“Is that why you cover yourself up?” she asked before she could think better of it.
“Do you always ask so many idiotic questions of your superiors?”
Her lips pursed. “No, sir. I apologize. You startled me, that’s all. I’ll get out of your way and head for the menagerie.” She needed to get out of here before she asked or did something really dumb. Getting fired before they even took off would hurt her chances of success.
She couldn’t let her dad down, not after everything she’d been through, everything she risked.
She tried to leave, but he stepped in front of her, blocking the exit again.
“I am teasing,” he said, further confusing her. “I don’t mind questions. Raul told you I was a shifter, and he’s right. I just run hotter than most, but it’s not why I cover myself, Dear.”
The way he said her name made her uncomfortable. “You were listening to Raul and me?”
“Yes.”
She was suddenly very thankful she didn’t grill her coworker for information.
“I’m sorry,” she said, hoping he’d finally move out of her way.
He didn’t.
He took a step toward her. “Why are you sorry?”
“I—” Her mouth snapped closed as she craned her neck to meet his gaze.
“You’re not sorry, are you?”
“No…”
“Don’t ever lie to me, I will know. It’s my job to know.”
Tension filled the space, and the ability to breathe left her. She was afraid of him, she realized, truly afraid. This was her dad’s murderer. She’d never been afraid of him before. Only the ending…
He now knows I exist.
“Yes, sir,” she said, keeping her voice level. “I won’t do it again.”
“Good to know.” He moved out of her way.
