For a while, Noah leaned against the bar and simply observed Teresa and the representatives as they chatted and drank, the laughter from the semi-private corner reaching his ears even here. He took it as proof that Teresa was a great host despite her shortcomings, but even so, it didn’t excuse her pushy behavior towards him.
Deciding he’d been absent long enough, Noah got his mocktail refilled, grabbed a bowl of nuts for sharing, and weaved his way back to the table. He claimed theempty seat across from Reign, scooting between Abi and Teresa.
“So, Noah,” Trevor drawled in a deep and smooth baritone, fishing out a few of the pistachios. “How long have you been working with Teresa?”
Technically, Noah wasn’t workingwithTeresa since they were in different departments and she was the Vice Director as well as the Head of PR, but they still worked for the same company. “About a year and a half.”
“And you are in Tech, not PR?” Trevor followed up.
“Yeah… But I’m starting to think I should put in a transfer request despite the retraining I’d have to undergo,” Noah said, throwing an exaggerated wink Teresa’s way.
Nodding, the man leaned in, crossing his hands in his lap. “What do you do? Like, on a daily basis?” he asked in a serious tone, giving Noah the impression that he was genuinely interested.
Noah didn’t mind obliging, but before he opened his mouth to reply, Teresa swatted Trevor playfully on the back. “Trevor, your days as a Chief Technical Officer are over, last time I checked. You’re a diplomatic representative of the Asian Federation, and Noah is a subject of the Holy Empire. You can’t just snatch him from us!”
Damn.That would be perfect, actually. For some foreign tech giant to swoop in and save Noah from his suffering.
“What can I say? It’s a bad habit of mine to scout out the talented ones.” Trevor shrugged, looking not the least bit affected by her joke-disguised reprimand.
Everyone around the table laughed except Reign, who seemed more interested in studying Noah’s face, his intense gaze making Noah all too self-conscious aboutevery movement he made and every fake smile he offered. He didn’t dare meet those eyes, not after he’d allowed himself a glimpse and had almost lost himself in their garnet depths.
“The company you both work at is a direct subsidiary of the Church, is it not?” Reign said in his lilting tenor, but something in his tone raised the hairs on Noah’s nape.
“It is,” she clipped, furrowing her brow.
“And it handles diplomatic relations as well as the embargo on media and entertainment services throughout the Empire?”
This was a very… straightforward way to put it. Not wrong, but also not how Noah would’ve phrased things either, unless he wanted to put himself in the crosshairs of those he wanted to avoid at all costs. Then again, Reign wasn’t like Noah; he wasn’t stuck here. He was someone external to the Holy Empire and its ridiculous laws.
“Amongst other things,” Teresa agreed.
“I see.” Reign smiled and just like there was something hackles-raising in his voice, there was that same thing in the curve of his lips too, like he was challenging her—and by extension the Church—just by smiling and without the need for actual words or accusations.
While Reign said nothing further, Teresa didn’t seem done with the conversation. “I know our countries may differ in approach when it comes to certain practices, Mr. Lennox, but people need guidance or they will lose their way, don’t you agree? Which is precisely why the Church carries a responsibility for providing appropriate content.”
Reign’s eyes flicked to Noah, a fleeting glance too quick to be seen if Noah hadn’t already been focusing on the red-haired diplomat.
“Even if that guidance robs them of their freedom of not only expression but also choice?” Reign posed, tone and voice controlled yet still alluring to Noah, just as much as the words being said and the man saying them. The reckless way hewasopenly challenging Teresa, challenging the Church’s approach, caressed the deep and hidden part of Noah, spurring on his heart rate.
“Freedom of choice, Mr. Lennox,” Teresa clipped, not giving Noah the chance to order his own thoughts, “can be a dangerous thing. It can lead to one’s downfall and put those easily influenced on the wrong path. Especially in these trying times we live in. I’m sure you keep up with statistics, but despite our ‘old-fashioned’ ways, as your country calls them, since the end of WW3, the Holy Christian Empire has been seeing the highest rates of childbirth across the globe.”
Considering the laws in place and the pressure on young people to get married and have kids, it really wasn’t surprising. The fact that the power-hungry Empire had been the one to start the war probably had something to do with it as well, and so did the unsurmountable destruction it had caused to some parts of Europe. Not that any of its subjectsevervoiced that part aloud.
“I am well aware of that, yes,” Reign acknowledged, still as calm as a tranquil sea even if Teresa had allowed some bite in her tone.
The tension was starting to get to the rest though, Noah included, so he was grateful when Trevor stepped in. “Let’s agree to disagree, Reign. The Church knows best how to run their country, just like our government knows how to run ours.”
For a heartbeat, Reign’s eyes were on Noah again, imploring, captivating, breathtaking. “Madame Teresa,”he said, bowling his head slightly, “my apologies for overstepping. I think the long day and the wine might be getting to me.”
Teresa smiled, her features softening. “There is no need to apologize. We were simply expressing our own views in a friendly conversation. But… should I call a taxi to take you back to the hotel, Mr. Lennox?”
“That won’t be necessary. A stroll on the beach should suffice.” Reign inclined his head at Trevor and the other man stood up so he could slip past. Grabbing his overcoat from the nearby coat hanger, a deep burgundy with black lace accents, he excused himself.
Noah watched Reign disappear and felt a tingling sensation across his body. It originated at his fingertips and toes, then spread, pleasant and compelling. If he could excuse himself somehow, he could catch up to his fantasy demon’s human doppelganger and chat to him a bit more.
He wanted that, craved it, and saw no other option but to make it happen. Heart beating faster, he finished his drink in one go and turned to Teresa, finding she’d returned to her cheerful host persona.
“Ah, Teresa?” He leaned slightly into her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
