tresses back. “He has toffee undertones. If I can see them, you surely can.”
Kyros stood for a while, hands in his pockets. “What were you thanking me for earlier?”
Whoa, subject change much?
I tipped my head back to peruse him. “For reassuring my friend when I couldn’t.”
He nodded. “I see.”
“Good for you. Now get out of here. My boss is a vampire and has an attitude problem.”
“I was thinking we might get through one civil conversation too,” he said drily.
I opened the next file. “I hate to disappoint you.”
“Mmm, maybe that’s what I like about you, Miss Tetley. And thank you.”
Lifting my head, I stared at the spot where Kyros had stood a second earlier.
What for?
19
I swung my door open and studied Laurel—my guard, driving instructor, and paid friend. I spent most of the day with her guarding me while on prelim visits.
I grimaced at the Indebted’s get-up. “You can’t wear that. The only person who can pull that look off is Jessica Alba in Dark Angel.”
Kyros wasn’t wrong about Laurel—five minutes in her company had told me she was the most human Vissimo I’d met.
“What’s wrong with it?” she demanded, staring down at her black leather ensemble, complete with gloves.
I snatched up my second-choice outfit off the bed. “Put this on. Then people will know you’re not in the club to assassinate them.”
She smiled, showing many white, gleaming teeth. “But I am.”
I swallowed, reminding myself not to get too comfortable. Even though she watched Truth Ranges sometimes and ate sushi.
So far, there were only ticks next to her name.
“It’s blue,” she stated, surveying the outfit.
“Yeah, I was only given white and royal blue clothes.”
“Kyros’s favourite colours,” Laurel said, peering at the two racks.
I scowled. “They’re what?”
“Who gave them to you?”
Angelica.
Who had yet to apologise. Seeing as she’d delivered the clothing mere hours after her part in humiliating me, I had to conclude she wasn’t sorry whatsoever despite her sheepish act.
I wasn’t sure after the Level 66 stunt, but the colours of the clothing confirmed my suspicion.
Kyros’s aunt was playing matchmaker.
Which made zero sense. Kyros and I had mad lust. Nothing more. Actually, a lot less than nothing. So many walls sat between us after a week of knowing each other that I shuddered at the thought of how many would be there after two.
“Never mind who,” I replied, setting my jaw. “Change.”
Laurel erupted into a blurring flurry. Leather smacked me in the face, but when the vampire stopped, she was zipped inside the royal-blue tube dress. She pulled her long and dead-straight black hair forward over her shoulders.
“Respect. Changing that fast must be super handy.”
She surveyed me. “You look good. Blondes always look good in white. Brunettes look like demons trying to draw innocent people into their lair.”
My laughter was polite only—was that what she did though?
Beast chimed, and I leaped across the bed to reach him.
I hope you’re wearing sexy underwear for me.
I grinned extra wide at Tommy’s message, knowing Kyros would read these messages.
I typed back:
If underwear doesn’t cover me from belly button to mid-thigh, I’m not interested.
Ha! See how he liked that visual. I plugged Beast back in. I wouldn’t take the archaic device with me tonight. The fucker would just die.
“What’s so funny?”
Kyros would be imagining me in granny undies.
I cleared my throat. “Tommy’s here. Let’s go.”
I slipped into some nude heels. I couldn’t see a brand name, but quality heels were like walking on clouds. These were cloud shoes. Grabbing my one hundred bucks for the night, I tucked the cash into my bra like the classy woman I was.
The white number I had on was a cold-shoulder dress—a full tight sleeve covered one arm, while the other was bare. The garment ended slightly above mid-thigh—when I stood still, so it would be perfect club length when I hit the dance floor.
Laurel put her black combat boots back on—which looked pretty fucking good with the blue dress—so I remained silent, and we beelined for the elevator.
Ding!
“Do you go out to nightclubs all the time?” Laurel asked as we stepped inside.
I rearranged my bra. I was too poor for a stick-on bra these days, so I’d worn a normal bra and tucked the strap on the bare shoulder side of the dress away so it couldn’t be seen. “Used to. With Tommy.”
“Why has she got a man’s name?”
“Why don’t you ask her and see what she says?” I tipped my head back, letting the soft ends of my high ponytail tickle my back.
“That sounds like a