“Not your kind, apparently.”
“No. So I’ll be perfectly honest, Reyn. I want you. I want you by my side when I attend balls. I want you in my bed. I want to kiss you whenever I feel like it.”
Reyn wanted Velario, too. And while his declaration wasn’t exactly the heartfelt words that deep buried part of her wanted to hear, neither was it a casual admission that he enjoyed having sex with her. Not when he included her being at his side in balls and kissing anywhere.
“I want that, too,” she said and kissed him once more. For now, she could accept a more casual relationship. So long as she reminded herself not to fall in love with Velario, she had no reason to push him away. She would enjoy whatever part of himself he wanted to share. She could indulge in pleasure and still protect her heart.
Reyn pulled back. “Work before play?”
Velario groaned. “One more minute before you remind me that I have responsibilities. Please.”
“One more minute, then.”
Velario didn’t kiss Reyn, though. He simply tucked her closer to his body and held her.
She wrapped her arms around him and waited. She said nothing when a minute passed. After another, Velario sighed and loosened his grip.
“I suppose it is time to work.” He went back around the desk, tugging Reyn along with him. “I had them bring up all the most recent deposits. We’ll start there.”
He sat in his chair, and Reyn didn’t have a chance to wonder where she should sit, because he pulled her into his lap. Then he pulled out a lockbox, this one much larger than the two he had carried from the warehouse, and opened it. Velario handed her the money stacked inside.
She sorted through the banknotes. Velario said nothing, resting his chin on her shoulder with his arms around her waist. She wondered if he had gotten any sleep the night before.
She checked, out of the corner of her eye, several times, but he didn’t fall asleep, though he wasn’t far from it. Eventually she decided he wouldn’t fall asleep, and so she didn’t feel guilty asking him a question.
“What happened with Enzi and Lord Sablon?”
“An emergency session of the Cabinet convened to question them. And me.”
Reyn whipped around to look at him. “You were questioned?”
“Of course. They’ll want to question you eventually, too. They have to make sure we didn’t set Enzi up.”
“Did anyone think that?”
“No. And since Jianna was the one who brought up the possibility, then questioned me so thoroughly as to disprove it beyond a doubt, no one will believe it. She needs to be careful if she doesn’t want to end up the next queen of Lhanaperi.”
“I thought the Velassis don’t like taking the throne?”
“They don’t, which is why Jianna needs to be careful. She did an excellent job leading the Cabinet last night—they’re going to be thinking of what she could do as queen.”
“How mad would you be if she won the next election?”
Velario shrugged. “Honestly? I’d be disappointed if I didn’t become king after working toward that goal for so long. But I wouldn’t really mind losing to Jianna. If anyone else was elected? I’d be upset. But she is competent and smart. Lhanaperi would be in excellent hands, and that is the most important thing.”
“There isn’t a chance Enzi could still become king, is there?”
“No. Family Sablon will most likely lose their Elector rank. Not to mention any other punishments specifically for Enzi and Lord Sablon.”
“I didn’t realize the punishment would be so severe.”
“Counterfeiting threatens the stability of the entire economy. It is considered treason for a reason.”
“Have the Elector Families ever changed before?”
“No. Which will make things extra interesting, because we can’t have an even number of Electors. No doubt there will be a huge debate when the time comes as to whether we should replace the Sablons and maintain five Elector Families or if a few Families should be elevated at the same time. Either way, Lisca and Khiran are in for a surprise.”
“Oh?”
