That gets a chuckle from Defne.
“Well, I’d feel better knowing his name,” Marcello grumbles. “In case anything—”
Defne slaps her husband’s arm. “Leave the poor girl alone. Don’t you remember how we’d sneak around behind our parents’ backs?”
I could kiss Defne. I actually do peck her cheek and whisper, “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” Defne removes her coin purse, but I tell her I’ll pick up my wages at the end of my shift and to deduct a canteen, a block of hardened cheese, and some dried fruit.
“Won’t this man feed you?” Marcello is tapping the flat edge of his butcher knife against his open palm as though ready to slaughter my fake lover.
Defne tsks. “I’m sure he will,mi cuori. Now set that knife down before you injure yourself and bleed all over Signore Guardano’s meal. Pigeon in blood sauce might be a delicacy in Nebba, but not in our civilized kingdom.”
When he doesn’t set the knife down, I say, “I’d rather leave prepared, in case it doesn’t work out and I must make my own way.”
“Smart girl.” Defne arches an eyebrow at her husband, who’s still grumbling into his beard about boys not being raised like in the olden days. “I’ll get your supplies ready before the night is through.”
Chanting a chorus ofthank yous, I pick up a tray of food that’s ready to be delivered and head back into the dining room. I’m crossing my fingers that the commander has downed his drink and left, but he’s still there. And worse, he watches me weave around tables.
When I slide back around the bar, I want to scour my skin to remove the slimy goosebumps he’s raised. Even though, technically, I’m not running away from anything, I won’t miss the obtrusive male.
Especially after Catriona slides into the seat in front of me and says, “That man is obsessed with you, micara. Are you sure you don’t want me to negotiate a tariff on your hymen’s behalf?”
I blush from the roots of my hair to the nails on my toes because she delivered those words loudly. Keeping my attention on the jug of water I’m wiping down, I murmur, “I’d rather move to Rax and abstain from sexual relations for the rest of my life.” I could’ve confessed I had no more hymen, but that’s really none of her or anyone’s business.
She blinks, even though it isn’t the first time I’ve hinted at my distaste for the man.
My firing nerves hurl a smile over my lips. “But thank you for thinking of me and my maidenhood.”
She sighs. “A shame. Such a shame.”
The exact opposite. The commander would probably wring my neck while fucking me to force a damning confession from my lips.
The rest of the evening, I silently will the man to leave before last call, but the stubborn ass doesn’t budge from his seat, and although he isn’t outright gawping, my neck prickles intermittently from his stare.
What if he waits for me until the end of my shift? How am I supposed to negotiate transport into Rax with a high-ranking officer on my tail?
When the penultimate customers leave, I finally head over to his table. “That’ll be one silver and fifteen coppers.”
He nods at his table companion, who seems more of a decoy than a live person considering how motionless he is. The younger man digs two coins out, both silver.
“I’ll be back with your change.” I whirl on my aching feet. To think my day isn’t over . . .
“Keep the change, Signorina Rossi.”
Over my shoulder, I toss, “I’ll be sure to tell the Amaris of your generosity.”
Before I can retreat, he calls out to me again. “Seducing the prince won’t help your case.”
I don’t want to engage this man. I have places to be, crows to find. But I cannot help loosing a dramatic sigh. “Oh no. There goes my ingenious plan. Do say, who should I seduce then? The king himself?You?”
I think, or rather hope, my snark will shut the male up once and for all, but he decides to needle me some more. “Do you know what your prince charming is doing at this very moment?” Silvius’s voice is so close that I spin around. He hovers over me, hands bound behind his back as per usual, lips fashioned into a smirk. “He’s dining with the Glacin princess.” Silvius slithers around me like a serpent. “I hear they dated when he was stationed up north.”
“Good for him.”
“I can tell you don’t believe he has any affection for her.”
“Because he doesn’t. Not romantically.”
