liquor to deal with her nerves. She’d never be able to look at chocolate cake again, and certainly not as a comfort food.
Violet didn’t laugh in her face, at least, and instead her intense gaze turned thoughtful. “You mean when are they serious and not just playing around?”
“Yes,” EJ said. “I mean, do they typically sleep around? Could he be just... you know, into something casual?”
“Nothin’ casual about the way he was lookin’ at you earlier,” Gemma said under her breath, though her attention immediately diverted to the tray of food that arrived.
“What does that mean?” EJ glanced between them. It felt like she was having a conversation in two different languages, none of which she spoke particularly well, and she’d missed every piece of subtext.
Violet frowned. “In the loading bay, it was obvious he likes you. Purple in the scales is affection or love or lust or similar emotions.”
“But it could have been just lust,” EJ said. She needed to look out for her heart, and understanding where Nokx stood before she just proclaimed her love for him was key to surviving. “Maybe he’s just after a few nights of fun and then dropping me off somewhere else.”
“It’s possible,” Violet said, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
EJ’s heart sank.
But the lawyer raised a dark eyebrow and fixed her with a direct look. “But even if things started that way, it’s likely that Nokx’s feelings have evolved. The fact that he challenged Faros about keeping you on the Sraibur is a good sign that Nokx isn’t just chasing you for a little fun. I can’t speak for him, obviously, and you should ask him directly, but I don’t think his answer would upset you.”
“How did you know it was worth sticking around with Faros?”
“I still ask myself that every day,” Violet muttered. She groaned and stretched in the chair, staring up at the ceiling as she shook her head. “He acts like he doesn’t care about anything and it’s all about stealing valuable things in order to pay for his ship and deal with some debts, but in reality... He’s done really good things under the radar, but refuses to acknowledge them. Like it would taint his reputation. I was his defense attorney against some rebel charges, or was supposed to be, except he kidnapped me before the trial started.”
EJ blinked. “So the rebellion arrested him and charged him with something? And he’s sitting there judging me for being exiled on a gen ship?”
Gemma snorted and swallowed a large mouthful before adding, “He’s a peach, ain’t he?”
Violet’s mouth twisted. “I know. I’ve pointed out the hypocrisy and he doesn’t care. He eventually did something nice enough that showed me his true character, even if it’s usually buried under a lot of bluster and bullshit, and I had to admit that I care for him.”
“Had to admit?” Gemma laughed. “You’re such a romantic, Vi. Dragging any sort of definitive statement out of a lawyer is damn near impossible, EJ, so take that whole ‘had to admit’ thing as a resounding endorsement of being loved by a Xaravian.”
A bit of color rose in Violet’s cheeks, and she gave Gemma a dirty look before adding, “They are big idiots most of the time but they typically mean well and wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone around them.”
“Typically,” EJ said. She glanced between them. “But I’m not part of their group and...”
“Which is what I expect Nokx is telling Faros right now,” Violet said. She checked her comms unit again and propped her feet up on another chair so she could lean back and retrieve the ordering panel. “So we might as well have some drinks.”
EJ tapped her fingers on the metal puck that Violet handed over and accepted the liquor that the other Earther slid to her. The puck looked like a refined version of the comms devices the Information Ministry used, which raised all kinds of uncomfortable questions for EJ. There was no telling where the Earthers came across such a thing, or how they knew how to use it. She smiled and tried to focus as Gemma told the story of how she kidnapped Wyzak and tried to turn him over for a hell of a bounty, and figured Nokx would find her eventually—hopefully once he’d convinced the captain to let EJ stay on the ship.
Chapter 25
Nokx
He could have killed Harzt for interrupting his time with EJ, but Nokx limited his objections to mostly noise instead of decking the security chief.