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Like whatever violence lived inside him had been trained so thoroughly it no longer needed to announce itself.
I tightened my grip on my bag. “What do you want?”
His silver eyes remained on mine. “You.”
The door locked behind me.
CHAPTER SIX
Veyr
“You.”
Her hand tightened around the strap of the bag hanging from her shoulder.
Fear changed humans in predictable ways. Breathing shortened. Pupils widened. Muscles prepared for movement before the mind decided whether movement would accomplish anything. Talia Mercer did all three.
She also looked toward the door behind her. Again.
Calculating.
I had watched her do it twice since she entered the docking bay. She was considering running, and I wondered how long it would take her to accept that there was nowhere to go.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“You know what it means.”
“No, actually, I don’t.” Her voice sharpened despite the increased beat of the pulse visible along her throat. “Because if this is some elaborate Zunatorian way of introducing yourself, I preferred when you wouldn’t tell me your name.”
I studied her.
The mission file had described a female who had knowingly accessed protected reproductive records, copied restricted data, and possibly made preparations to transfer it outside Zuna. It had not mentioned that she spoke when frightened.
Constantly.
She stood with her weight on one foot, ready to move, her shoulders angled toward the door even as she faced me. Her fingers flexed at her sides. Her pulse showed at the base of her throat — fast, but not yet ragged. She held my eyes without blinking.
Interesting.
I nodded toward the bag. “Give it to me.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “What about it?”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
I waited.
She seemed to expect more. Perhaps a threat. When none came, she shifted her weight backward.
“You can stare at me all you want,” she said. “I’m still not giving you my bag.”
“I can take it.”
“That was exactly the kind of thing I was hoping you wouldn’t say.”
Her gaze moved over me again, slower this time.
