She slapped a hand on the table and leaned inward. “He cares nothing for my brother.”
This time, their host picked up his wine and swirled the ruby liquid. They weren’t offered refreshments, an obvious snub after Zaxe’s earlier comment. “Men always want sons.” Again, it was a slam against her, but she took it without giving any indication of her thoughts or feelings. The only way to get that good at something was if you’d had years of practice and training.
“I wish to find Helldrick,” Zaxe interjected. Reman was enjoying his subtle mental torture. Another mark against him.
“What you wish is of no matter.” He took a sip of wine and set the goblet aside. “Who you are? Now that is of interest.” He picked up a linen napkin and pressed it to his lips. “Remove your hood.”
“And if I don’t?” He needed to test the man. See how far he would go.
This smile reminded him of a predator waiting to take down a prey. “It’s your choice, but every time you refuse, I’ll simply have my men remove a piece of Jamaeh’s clothing. It will be interesting to see which of you breaks first.”
****
Jamaeh flushed hot and then cold. Her shirt was stuck to her back. She counted backward from one hundred. Something she’d always done to help center herself in times of stress. If she could go back to this morning, she’d roll over and stay in bed.
It was odd how one decision could change the course of your life. She’d almost put off the market until tomorrow. If she had, she’d never have met Zaxe, not ended up on the wrong side of Samar, and certainly wouldn’t be in this situation.
This was the most dangerous spot she’d ever been in, and that was saying something, considering who her father was. Her previous dealings with Reman had been over small things, and she’d always led with flattery and small gifts, feeding his ego. She’d heard rumors of his temper but had never seen it in action until tonight. It was cold and biting, his tongue able to flay with little effort.
What have I done?
The life she’d painstakingly built one slow piece at a time was crumbling around her. If Reman blacklisted her, no one in the city would trade with her for fear of retaliation. And that was the least of her worries. Her life itself was now in jeopardy because of some stranger she’d met only hours before. If she ever wanted proof that her instincts sucked, that she’d been born under an unlucky cloud, she had definitive proof.
Men were all alike. Women were nothing but pawns in the games they played. Disposable pieces, cast aside when no longer useful.
She’d rather die than be stripped by Reman’s men. The knife strapped to her belt was within easy reach. Her fingers flexed, but she kept her hands in her lap. Let them think she was nervous rather than preparing to fight.
The silenced stretched, each second an hour. It was Reman who finally broke it. “Our new guest needs some incentive.” He jerked his head to the man behind her. “Remove her cloak.”
It’s only a cloak. It’s only a cloak.
But it was so much more. It was her badge of independence. Unlike most women who favored gauzy, colorful ones, hers was white and heavier like the men’s.
Fear tickled her throat. She bit down on the inside of her mouth, swallowing back her scream of rage. Fuck this!
She flowed to her feet, undid the clasp, and tossed the garment at her feet. “Is this what you want?” She held her arms out by her sides, still respectably clad in pants and a shirt. Her breasts were bound to make them appear smaller than they were. It was something she’d done since she’d entered her teenage years and it became harder to hide her gender.
Reman’s mouth tightened, his nostrils flared. Fire flashed in his eyes. He didn’t like being thwarted. “If you’re so eager, take off another layer.”
Why hadn’t she kept her temper? The gods knew she’d been forced to do so her entire life, ignoring snubs and taunts meant to hurt, pretending the shoves and pinches of other children didn’t hurt.
Tears of fury burned in her eyes, but she blinked them back. Crossing her arms over her chest, she shook her head. “I just met this man this afternoon. He hired me to bring him to you for information. I’m not paying for his sins.” There’d been enough of that