eyes were bright, though. Silvery when intense, glittering when angry, those eyes were the only thing she saw at night. If she let herself, she could get lost in them.
“Devlin,” he said curtly, shrugging out of his jacket. Power radiated from him as he strode farther into her quarters. She had a house on the outskirts of town, but it was barely used. She preferred to be close to work, and Lucian had funded the making of these quarters for his workers. Unless married, you were required to stay here.
Lucian made it clear that everyone was vital, and wanted them to be there right when he needed them.
It had taken a while, but after he had sent Levi away, Devlin had convinced him to meet her at her quarters. It had been a simple request, but the suspicion in them had been a revelation. He wasn’t going to give into her as he had so easily years before.
A smile curled her lips, the challenge he proposed making her smile. He wanted to be distant? Fine. She would just have to get closer.
She saddled up against him and drew him to the couch. “I can get you something to drink,” she said, smiling with her teeth. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, pushing at his shoulder, and then moving to the attached kitchen. Devlin bit her lip, almost going to the cupboard to get the pills they had given her. Except, that wouldn’t do, would it? He would know.
She filled the cup with tap water, disappointment washing through her. The things he found out always ruined her fun. Like that one time, with the coffee beans...
Lucian took a sip of the water, then set it down on the table next to the plain black couch. The room wasn’t lavish in the least. Lights were dim, the mood was calm, and he looked nice and yummy in those jeans that encased his long legs... Devlin smiled a Cheshire cat’s smile, sitting next to him.
“What did you want to talk about?” he asked, leaning back into the chair. The deepness of his voice had her shivering.
Devlin put her hand on his thigh, slowly rubbing. “Who said I wanted to talk?”
He gave her a hard stare. “I’m really not in the mood for that. I’ve told you enough — and after today I really thought you would drop it.” Lucian started to rise.
She grasped his arm, pulling him down. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” she said, voice thick with sincerity. She looked up at him with wide eyes, begging him not to leave.
He sat again, folding his arms over his chest and letting his head fall back. She stared at him, watching the long lashes fall against his cheeks, watching his thick neck move as he tensed and released a breath. Something funny happened in her chest, but she forced herself to ignore it.
“I have some information,” she said, standing and going over to her dresser. He looked at her through one eye, aware and dark. She ignored it.
Large and thick, the dresser made a soft scratching sound as she pulled it open. Inside, there were cases of weapons, knives, and throwing stars. She didn’t use them anymore, the age of them had passed long ago. A smile curled her lip as she returned to him with the thick manila envelope. They were still her favorite, though.
Lucian looked at the folder, realizing that she meant the real deal. She swallowed as she handed it to him, suddenly nervous. Would he be able to tell they were tainted with lies and danger? Once, someone had given him the wrong papers. Without even looking at it or the papers, he had fired the tech who had dared to try and betray them.
The information on those papers could have killed them all if Lucian had believed him.
Now, though, she prayed that her partner was smart enough to fabricate the papers with such secrecy, they wouldn’t give away anything damning. Devlin had been the one sent to do this years ago, and only because she was very good at hiding her aura and tracking others. If deceit surrounded her, no one knew it.
His hand was tight around the folder. Unopened. Debating, sensing. The back of her neck started to tingle before relief washed through her. His hands worked at undoing the folder while he looked at her with suspicion. She held in the nervous breath that she had wanted to release. Thank lord he was actually opening the