Phantom
“You—You are—”
I’m sure my smile doesn’t reach my eyes but I try anyway, “Pleased to meet you, Miss Ambrose.” I hold a hand out to her but I already know she won’t take it.
Since the incident, she has been careful not to let anyone touch her.
I can guess why… but I need to confirm for myself.
As expected, my hand hovers in the air and she watches it warily before turning her gaze away, pretending not to see it. “It is rare to see a man like yourself in the shopping district. How can I help you, Mr. Antonovna?”
To recognize me immediately is surely impressive in and of itself. But that makes this ten times easier for me.
“I know you must still be recovering from the shock of the heist,” I retract my hand to put it back into my pocket, “but in that, at least, we have something in common. I’m not sure if you know, but I lost my brother on the Millenium Star that night.”
The visible tension in her shoulders tells me she’s a very bad liar before she’s even begun.
“But they say he was found far away from the commotion,” I continue. “The lowest levels of the ship. One would think that is where he’d be safest.”
Her mouth has set into a firm line and her face has paled. Honestly speaking, it’s a wonder how she passed the police investigation.
“Might you know what it was he was doing down there?”
I have to fight to keep the smile off my face when she stiffens.
“How would I know what he was doing there?” Her reply is practiced. I can’t help but wonder who taught it to her. “I lost sight of a lot of people when the chaos broke out.”
“Oh. When he spoke of you I thought you both were in a more,” I’m still fighting to stop the smirk from breaking out onto my face, “intimate relationship.”
Her eyes snap towards me so quickly that for a moment I think she’ll hit me, but the fire and disgust in her eyes recede quickly.
It’s sad that she still caught herself too late.
“It appears I’ve been mistaken.” I retreat for now but not completely. “It just all seems so strange to me you know… Never mind that. I hear you’ve been close to one of Taiga’s men since the incident.”
This time, though her expression remains calm, her little hands have balled themselves into tight fists.
It’s information anyone can get through the grapevine.
How the Ambrose girl has been visiting one of Taiga’s men in the hospital almost every day.
A strange reaction considering how she refuses now to shake hands with any other man in the state.
“I suppose it’s true that the damsels are quick to fall for their saviour.” This time I can’t help the smile that lights my face, “He must have protected you very well.”
She steps back with wide eyes and I know immediately, I’ve hit the mark.
“Christian Adler, was it?” I step forward and she steps back again. This time the fear in her eyes is a much clearer thing. It puts a damper on my fun and makes my prodding so inanely boring. Though what else can I expect from a ruined woman who can no longer bear a man’s touch?
Interest lost, I can only fixate on the man in question.
Christian Adler. A name supposedly known to most in the state over.
So you’re the man who’s so bold.
This conversation at least, was good for confirming what I’d already pieced together.
“To know that he protected the woman my brother thought of so often…” I turn away, dismissing her with a polite wave goodbye.
“I’ll be sure to thank him personally.”