I remained sitting. “I always liked you, Peter Guskov, because I always thought you dealt true. And yet we’ve come to this.”
Ian tensed beside me, a tiny shift that I caught out of the corner of my eye. Whether it was because he knew I was on to him or because he thought Guskov might attack was anyone’s guess.
Realization dawned in Guskov’s expression and he dropped back into his seat. “You know.” He looked from me to Ian and back again, then anger reddened his cheekbones. “You were testing me?” A blaster appeared in his hand, pointing lazily at my chest. Ian moved closer to me. “I do not care to be tested.”
“No,” I said, the word sharp. “I am being betrayed from multiple directions tonight. I am just dealing with you first.”
I’d caught both men off guard. Ian was better at hiding the surprise, but I’d bet my fortune that he was furiously trying to figure out how I’d intercepted his messages.
Begrudging respect glowed in Guskov’s eyes, and he inclined his head. The blaster disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Point to me.
“Forgive me this error, Lady Bianca, and I will tell you what you want to know. But I keep the money already offered,” he said.
Ian started to object, but I spoke over him. “I am a very forgiving person—once,” I said. “The money is yours.”
Ian’s fists clenched, but he remained silent.
“The next Syndicate party is tomorrow,” Guskov said. He paused for a second to think, then continued, “Well, since it’s after midnight, I suppose it’s technically today. It’s being held in Matavara on Chi Cassiopeiae Dwarf Six.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to get me killed?”
Matavara had a well-earned reputation for being one of the most dangerous cities in the ’verse. It made Brava look like a pastoral resort town. Matavara had no good districts; it only had bad districts and worse districts.
“Silva is providing their own security, so the event will be safe enough. I can’t get you an invite, though, and I doubt gate crashers are going to be welcomed.”
“Depends on the gate. And the crasher.”
Chapter 11
Ian seethed in silence as the transport returned us to Brava, which suited me fine. The transport dropped us at the Jade hotel, where this ill-fated evening had begun. Ian wrapped his hand around my upper arm, his grip almost painfully tight.
“If you want to bruise me, there are easier ways,” I said.
He released me like I was on fire. “Do. Not. Move,” he ordered, biting off each word. “I have a transport on the way.”
“I must return to Aurora and prep it to meet us in Matavara. Or were you lying about that as well?”
Ian rounded on me so quickly that I couldn’t suppress my flinch. Fury suffused his face before he took a deep breath and hid it beneath a mask nearly as perfect as my own.
“Aurora isn’t going anywhere near Matavara,” he said.
“You’re breaking your word?” Disappointment, hot and heavy, pressed on my chest. I’d trusted him and he’d lied to me. Twice. Fool me once and all that, and I was indeed a fool.
The more I thought about the betrayal, the deeper the hurt stabbed, until my public facade was in danger of cracking. I shoved the feelings deep and locked the door.
I was done with people who lied to me. I turned on my heel and walked away.
But nothing was ever that easy when Ian was involved. He fell into step beside me. “I said Aurora wasn’t going near Matavara, not you, Lady Bianca. I know you want to paint me as the villain in your little drama, but if you would stop jumping to conclusions, you would realize we were on the same side.”
I stopped and spun to face him, anger blazing bright enough to shatter the ice surrounding me. “Oh, so we were on the same side when you were working a deal with Guskov that would send me home trapped in a prison of my own honor? Is that when we were on the same side? Or maybe it was when you were putting a bounty on me? We are many things, Ian Bishop, but we are not on the same side.”
“Are you finished?”
Anger spiked into rage, but I wrenched my emotions under control, until my voice came out cool and cutting. “With you? Yes, I am quite finished.” I started walking again, not sure where I was going except