her tripping over her tongue like some young girl. It wasn’t to be borne.
“Why do you want to find Helldrick?” The question had been nagging her. She’d changed her mind about coming here a dozen times. In the end, it had boiled down to one thing. They both wanted to find the same man and Zaxe could go places she couldn’t on her own. He also seemed to have an unlimited supply of resources. Better to use his than deplete her own meager savings.
“I have business with him.” His tone didn’t invite further inquiry. The sense of disappointment that swamped her made no sense. If he didn’t have business with him, Zaxe wouldn’t need to find the man. Having him confirm he was an associate of Helldrick left her feeling as though she’d lost something.
Ridiculous.
“Let’s go.” She straightened and made sure her hood was covering her face. Her height and the fact she dressed like a male helped her pass unhindered in the streets.
Before she took a step, he wrapped his hand around her upper arm. “Why are you helping me?”
“Money.” The word was as cold as her heart felt. She yanked her arm away and walked away. He could keep up or get left behind. She’d already been paid. Still, relief flashed through her when he fell into step beside her.
It had nothing to do with the man and everything to do with not being alone on the streets. Or at least that was what she tried to tell herself.
Like her, Zaxe had his hood up, obscuring most of his face. They moved easily around the jovial groups of men enjoying the balmy evening, the three couples out for an evening of fun. The men had a protective arm around their women. No one had ever protected her. Not even her mother had tried. Not really. “You have to face reality,” had been her mother’s often spoken refrain.
Reality sucked.
Casting one last envious eye on the gorgeous dresses the women wore, she turned down a side street. “There’s a coffeehouse not far from here.”
Zaxe had been silent since they’d started walking. “Not where I’d expect to find Helldrick.”
She gave a snort. “You’ve got that right. We don’t have bars, not like I’m told they do on other planets. Here we have coffeehouses. Many have backrooms.”
“Ah.” That was it. He asked no more questions, a silent shadow beside her. He made no sound as he moved. She couldn’t even hear his breathing. It was beginning to freak her out.
She rolled her shoulders, trying to relax the tense muscles. He’s paying you to guide him. That’s it. And if he’s tied up with Helldrick, you don’t want anything to do with him.
Logical advice. Sound advice. Too bad she couldn’t stop sneaking glances, even though his hood obscured his face. When her lips tingled, she resisted the urge to touch them. Some instinct warned that this was a man who missed nothing. Last thing she wanted was for him to think their earlier kiss had meant anything to her.
Light spilled out the front windows of the coffeehouse, the lanterns giving a welcome glow. Having been here several times before, Jamaeh pushed aside the curtained entrance and stepped inside. Male voices rose and fell in conversation. The rich scents of coffee and tea and sweet treats filled her nostrils, along with the more pungent scent from the pipes some of them smoked. There was a smattering of women, the wives or girlfriends of the men. This was a respectable establishment.
At least the front part was.
Snaking around the tables, she unerringly made her way to a heavy wooden door at the back. A large male stood before it, his arms crossed.
“I need to see Reman.”
The guard glanced at Zaxe before glaring at her. “He is not seeing visitors.”
It was the same song and dance every time she came, but she’d been haggling in the markets since she could talk. She shook her head and made a tsking sound. “That’s too bad. I have a client in need of information. Guess I’ll have to go elsewhere for it.”
The interaction with the guard was no surprise. It was his job to weed out the curiosity seekers from those who had real business with his boss. What was surprising was that Zaxe stayed silent, allowing her to handle the situation.
In her experience, that was very unusual. Most men would have felt the need to assert themselves into the discussion.
“Who’s your friend?” The guard nudged his head toward Zaxe.