Caution more than desire made Harper finally break the kiss. Making out with Maya in the hallway didn’t exactly match the instructions Patricia had just provided.
“What are you doing here?” Harper was only alittleout of breath. “And how did you know where I was?”
“I didn’t. I just had a feeling.” Maya glanced at the drapes leading to the main room, shifting her weight. “Can we talk? It’s important.”
That sounded serious. Important was basically synonymous withserious.
Harper shot a look over her shoulder. Then she took Maya’s hand and led her towards the stairs.
“We can talk upstairs,” Harper said. “Trish can’t see you. She says you’re not allowed to be here.”
“Why not?” Maya asked, clearly puzzled.
Harper’s face went hot. She took advantage of the fact that she was facing away to roll her eyes at herself.
“You just aren’t.”Yep.Fucking screwed. “Now hurry. Before she comes back.”
Chapter 23
The private rooms of the Lotus matched the high-end, luxurious air of the space below. There were plenty of them, too, of various sizes and with different décor. Since Lotus-eaters had varied tastes, this place would cater to as many of them as possible.
It would even be coed once it opened. Something Harper had been skeptical about at first, but since most of the employees here had an otherworldly edge on the customers, it might have more success than she expected.
But visually, she had no notes. The place looked marvelous, only, Patricia wouldn’t acceptjustmarvelous. She had spent the whole day going from room to room, leaving lists for herself about all the additions needed to make the private rooms go from good to splendid.
The room Harper had dragged Maya into resembled an expensive lounge, complete with dark walls, a stocked corner bar, and furniture made of warm wood and soft velvet.
It already looked perfect, but that might just be because the list Harper was folding and unfolding was old, and Patricia had already made her finishing touches.
“So you’re leaving,” Harper said.
Maya grimaced. But didn’t answer. Which made Harper want to tear at the paper rather than just fidget with it.
After they’d sat down on one of the room’s center couches, Maya had run through everything the Chains Regents had said, minimal as that was. The growth of Kieran’s following, the threatthey posed, the benefit of Maya and her fearsome reputation being near them.
But Harper had focused on all the information between the lines. That Maya would be gone. Would go back to a city they had barely escaped. To posture against a man who’d given her scars the last time they fought.
“You’re quiet,” Maya said.
“I’m thinking.” Harper looked down at the floor. “I mean, I get it. Why they want you to come. This is important, and you could help with everything, so… it’s a no-brainer that they’d ask you to go.”
“I’m still surprised by that,” Maya said. “That they asked, I mean.”
Her eyes drifted, focusing on something beyond the room. Perhaps a memory of some kind.
She turned to Harper. “I need to know if you’re okay with it.”
Harper frowned. “You care about what I think?”
“Right now, it’s the only thing I care about. It makes sense for me to go. That I should learn, but… I don’t know if I want to. I know what vampires are like, and I don’t want anything to do with it. It makes me sick just to think about.” Maya’s eyes lowered from Harper’s. Paused. Then flicked up again. “This isn’t an easy decision. If you don’t want me to go, it will be.”
“Oh, come on,” Harper said, chuckling. “It isn’t that simple. I’m just one person. Being around me isn’t as important as the safety of the whole Court.”
Maya stayed silent. For long enough that Harper’s disarming smile dropped.
It wasn’t that she didn’t get it. She obviously wanted Maya to stay. Wanted her to be as far away from danger as possible.
But she shouldn’t voice that desire. Harper knew how aggressive Kieran could be. How dangerous. Maya could keep people safe from him, just with her presence.
