Chapter 11
He didn’t knowhow she did it. When Reyn joined Velario in the foyer, ready to accompany him to the bank for the first time, she was dressed in a gown that was almost winsome. It wasn’t the white favored in her homeland with its connotations of purity, rather a pale yellow that looked young and joyous. She wasn’t drowning in yards of lace or a sea of flounces, nor was her skirt any narrower than the strictest matrons deemed appropriate.
And though her gown should have made her look like a girl barely old enough to test the waters of flirting, she looked absolutely alluring. And not in a sweet, innocent way. No clothing could hide Lady Reyn’s sensuous nature.
Velario grimaced and redirected his thoughts. Now was not the time to appreciate Reyn’s physical charms. In fact, there would never be an appropriate time. He had to remember his purpose.
“Off to a wonderful start already, I see.” Reyn rolled her eyes and preceded him out to the street. She paused a few paces from the door, waiting for him to join her and offer his arm.
“Kindly sheathe your talons this time,” he said, before winging his elbow out toward her.
She smiled and dug her nails into his arm.
He made a show of inspecting her teeth. “No fangs? I am surprised.”
Her nails dug in a little deeper.
Even with her gloves providing an extra layer of padding, Velario could feel each distinct crescent of nail pressing against his arm. It actually hurt. It hadn’t the day before when they walked in the park. He supposed he might have misjudged, and her tight grip had, in fact, been a case of nerves. He found it difficult to imagine Lady Reyn nervous in such a situation, though.
“My fangs only come out at night,” Reyn said in a cheery voice. A moment later, her nails eased from his arm, and she flexed her fingers.
So he had probably been wrong about her doing it on purpose the previous afternoon. Oh well. She clearly wasn’t above such petty attacks. With Lady Reyn, Velario wasn’t above pettiness either. “I wonder how many men have had the misfortune of discovering them.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll never subject you to the terror of seeing me as I truly am.”
There was something in her voice that felt forced this time, and Velario felt a pang of what might have been guilt for needling her. If her tight grip the day before had really signaled nerves, then her words might hint at the true Reyn, a lady who doubted that her real self had value.
Velario wasn’t ready to concede that he had completely misjudged her, but he took pity on her, anyway. “When we reach the bank, we’ll go straight to my office. We’ll go through the latest deposits there, and if you spot anything, we’ll head out to whichever location received it.”
“Will anyone there know my true purpose?”
“No, and I want to keep it that way. The manager at that bank knows about the counterfeits, but I don’t want to tempt him with the gossip that you are tracking them down.”
“Instead, we’ll fill his head with how besotted you are?”
Velario grimaced again. This was going to be torture. “Yes. The more people focus on rumors about my love life, the less they will think about what else you may be up to.”
“How public are you with your affairs? Are we to be constantly wrapped in each other’s arms like Lisca and Khiran? Calm and sensible, but sneaking kisses like Del and Roena? I don’t think we can pull off composed but clearly in perfect tune like Princess Biatra and Master Petro. We’d honestly have to like each other for that.”
Velario couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of him and Reyn having that subtle, yet obviously strong, connection that his aunt and uncle shared. He wished he could say that he was the type to be calm and sensible. Overall, he was, but not because he hid his emotions until he couldn’t any more like Del. Velario didn’t have relationships with women. He had arrangements with them. Outside the bedroom, he didn’t interact with those women much at all.
“If we follow Del and Roena’s example, things won’t be as awkward, but we will have to be caught not being calm and sensible on a regular basis. I think emulating Lisca and Khiran—but without the constant kissing—is our best course. If we are physically cozy, people won’t look too closely at anything else.” And no one who knew Velario would believe he would hide his feelings if he actually fell for a woman. “Are you comfortable with that?”
In response Reyn eased her body closer to his. His arm brushed against the side of her breast with every step, her mantelet draping over his arm instead of adding an extra barrier. He swallowed. He could do this. She was just a woman. One he didn’t even like.
“I think I’ll manage,” Reyn said in a husky voice.
Five hells. That was worse than the proximity. The streets of Tryn disappeared when she spoke in that tone, and all Velario could think about was getting her alone.
He was going to be stuck in his office with her for who knew how long.
Velario snuck a glance at her and saw the hint of a smirk in the way her mouth tilted up at the corner and a dash of mischief in the brightness of her eyes. Five hells. She was doingthison purpose. And he suspected she’d delight in tormenting him while they were alone in his office, too. She knew exactly what effect she had on him. No doubt she considered it a victory.
He wouldn’t concede defeat, though.
Reyn was beginningto think she had a handle on her lure. With Velario, it was much easier to give in to instinct and send out her power than when she practiced with Khiran. No doubt Velario—if he knew—would think it was because she couldn’t stand to have a man not under her thumb. He thought the worst of her at every turn.
But that wasn’t what motivated her to use her lure and test his control. She didn’t need every man she met to lust after her. She didn’t even need them all to like her. But was a little politeness too much to ask? Not to mention how vexing it was to have someone always judging her and finding her lacking. If Velario wanted to think she was nothing but a flirt, she’d be the best flirt he’d ever seen. Watching him squirm and fight his attraction to her was worth reinforcing his opinion. It’s not like she’d be able to change it—he refused to alter his opinion.
