Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X, #1)(33)

Mae’s lovely face was full of scorn as she continued. “I know all about how well you can play people and how fast you go through women—”

“It wasn’t that fast—”

“—and if your goal was to bag a patrician soldier through lying and manipulation, well, then, congratulations. I’ll obey my orders to protect you. No one’ll lay a hand on you. But what happened in Panama is done and gone. It’s never happening again. Not. Ever.”

Justin was rendered speechless for a few reasons. One was that he was usually the person doing the breaking up. The other was that this conversation wasn’t going as expected. He’d wanted to make sure things were cut off, in order to reduce future temptation—but not this way. He wasn’t used to rejection. Hearing her so adamantly refusing him was a blow to his pride and made him want to bring her back to him.

I can’t, he reminded himself. If she is the one, I can’t risk finding out just how binding the bargain is. I’m not going to be able to dodge it again. It was time to deliver the killing blow. If she was pissed off at him, so much the better. He put on what he hoped was a rakish expression.

“Of course it won’t happen again,” he said loftily. “I don’t go out on second dates—although ‘date’ is kind of a generous term for last night. I didn’t have to buy you dinner. Or even ask.”

She didn’t blink. “I don’t go out on first dates with plebeians. You’re so curious about Nordic nines? They don’t give a second thought to fast backwoods flings.”

“It wasn’t that fast,” he repeated. “Unless you count how fast your clothes came off.” Her condescending tone and haughty expression were textbook castal debutante, triggering unexpected anger in him. She acted as though she’d been wronged by his deception, but he, of all people, was the one who’d been tricked. The charm, the grace, the wit…even that poignant sadness he thought he’d seen. It had been an act, a game for this bitchy ice princess to play with a plebeian.

“And,” Mae added, voice prim, “if you try to brag about this, no one’s going to believe you. No one will believe someone like me would sleep with someone like you.”

That was the gut punch. It was also the last word, because he couldn’t muster another response. If he’d wanted to make sure they never even held hands again, then he’d accomplished that mission brilliantly.

The technician finished Tessa’s profile and synched it to both a chip and the National Registry. Justin dragged his gaze from Mae and tried to make his spinning brain focus on the screen. It was about what he’d expected, containing Tessa’s citizenship, basic info, and visa details. After that, there was nothing left to do but insert the chip into the space between the thumb and forefinger of her left hand. Tessa winced as though it hurt, but he had a feeling it was more psychological than anything else. She flexed her fingers afterward and seemed surprised they still worked.

“Welcome to the civilized world,” Justin told her cheerfully. He gave no indication that he was bothered or even cared about his stinging conversation with Mae. After all, he had a nation of civilized—and far more reasonable—women at his fingertips now.

Mae was no longer hostile and had switched into what he was beginning to believe was her normal mode, formal and emotionless. “Well, then. It’s time for all of us to get home.”

She thanked the tech for working late and then headed for the door, assuming Justin and Tessa would follow. He did without question, suddenly feeling tired. The initial high of his return had faded, and the lack of sleep yesterday combined with today’s travel was starting to take its toll. Tessa was practically asleep on her feet, though that could have been lingering effects of the sedative he’d given her earlier as much as fatigue from the journey.

Mae led them back out to the subway, and the three rode in silence. Tessa leaned her head against Justin’s shoulder and slept while he looked out the window and tried not to openly study Mae. She was engrossed in reading something on her ego. He could tell it wasn’t faked this time because she was absentmindedly winding a strand of that marvelous pale gold hair around one finger. People who faked ignoring you didn’t display subconscious habits like that.

Well, said Horatio with a heavy sigh. You really messed that up.

Justin ignored the bird and forced himself to start thinking of the assignment that had bought him this ticket home: patrician murders and Cornelia’s shadow assassin. His mind was already spinning with ideas on how to solve the case. He knew what pertinent data to request and what questions to ask when he made on-site visits. Getting the footage to Leo was key. Proving the video had been altered would remove a good part of the mystery surrounding this.

If it is fake, they might not need your “unique perspective” anymore, Horatio warned him. At least he wasn’t harping on Mae anymore.

Yes, I know. But for now, I’m more concerned about the four-week deadline.

The train slowed at a station, and that was when Justin truly looked outside at their surroundings. They were in the suburbs. “Why are we here?”

Mae gave a vague answer as she led them off the train and hired a car at the station. The distance they ended up driving was actually pretty short and probably could’ve been walked, but Mae thought a car would be easier on Tessa. In reality, it just ended up freaking out the girl when she saw there was no driver. It dropped them off at an elegant house in what was clearly an affluent neighborhood. Scattered streetlights lit the darkness in a way that felt safe but wasn’t obtrusive to those trying to sleep. Well-established trees canopied the street, and Tessa looked much more at ease here as she took in the quiet homes and wide green lawns. It was only when they were walking up to the door that Justin finally gave up on the night’s mysteries and focused on what they were doing.