Chapter 23
Inej’s eyes flew open. She lay frozen on her side as she stared at the wall, afraid to move.
She had fallen asleep next to Manu. That was a first for her, since one of her rules was that she always slept alone.
She slowly rolled onto her back and looked at the spot next to her, only to discover it empty.
Her smile of relief vanished as she wondered why he had left. Had he slept beside her, or had he slipped from the bed as she usually did? She didn’t know why she was irritated that he had left. Which only made her angry at herself.
She stretched beneath the covers and felt the slight pull of a body used well. Flashes of their night played in her head. His lust-filled eyes. His gentle touch. The way he so easily wrung climaxes from her. Her nipples hardened as she recalled how his tongue had rasped against the tight buds.
Inej looked at the empty pillow again. Perhaps it was good that he wasn’t here. Otherwise, she likely would’ve had her way with him again. Except this wasn’t her usual bed partner. She needed him to return to her so she could get close.
Remembering why she was in Navara doused the embers of desire that had flared to life once more.
She had forgotten who he was in the moment, but she couldn’t do that again.
He had a fine face and fooled many people, including his own, but she knew.
It didn’t matter how much her body craved his touch, she was there to stop him—and everyone involved—if it was the last thing she did.
Inej threw off the covers and rose. She found a wrap to hide her nakedness and slowly opened the door so it wouldn’t make any noise.
When she didn’t hear anything, she walked from her room and checked the house.
She was alone, and it made her wonder if he had left to kidnap more unsuspecting individuals.
She wanted to get those he answered to, but if she couldn’t, she would at least put a wrinkle in their plans by taking him out.
That meant she had to maintain some sort of control over her body, so she wouldn’t get carried away again.
A look at the clock confirmed that it was past time for her to rise.
She quickly readied for the day and left before Chanda arrived.
Despite being busy baking, her mind randomly recalled parts of her night with Manu. Most times, she was able to shove them out of her head, but a few lingered, causing her thoughts to drift to relive their first kiss, the way he’d pressed her against the wall, or how well their bodies joined.
“Inej?”
She jerked out of her ruminating, hitting her elbow on a rack and dropping the spoon she held. She hastily picked it up and moved it to the sink, flustered and embarrassed to be caught thinking about Manu. “Aye?”
Daas was astute, his dark eyes seeing everything, but he didn’t ask what was wrong. Affable expression in place, he said, “You have a visitor.”
“Visitor?” she asked with a frown. Who would come to see her?
The beaded curtains moved, and Manu’s form filled the doorway.
The room shrank when he entered. Had her thoughts conjured him?
Unable to help herself, she looked at his mouth.
Just then, she remembered that he had whispered something to her as she’d fallen asleep, but she couldn’t remember what it was.
Inej became aware of Daas looking between them curiously. She cleared her throat, set the empty bowl she was supposed to have been cleaning aside, and wiped her hands on the apron. “Hello,” she said nervously.
Daas chuckled as he turned to go. “Call it a day, Inej. I’ll finish the rest of the cleanup.”
Manu stepped aside to allow Daas to exit, his gaze following the older elf out.
Then Manu’s eyes were on her, the dark pools searching, probing.
Her belly fluttered as she remembered the sounds of his raw, untamed groans as he kissed and touched her, how he had held his hard body over her as he thrust his hips.
Inej tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone dry. She turned, unable to hold his gaze for even a second longer. She saw the flour on her hands and wiped them, trying not to imagine where else the flour might be.
“You’ll have to look at me sometime.”
His voice was behind her, closer now. She closed her eyes, hating that she pictured him sliding his hands around her waist and drawing them closer, his lips on her neck as it had been last night—in that spot that drove her wild.
“I should finish.” She said the first thing she thought of, belatedly remembering what Daas had told her.
“Regretting last night, then?”
She jerked her head to the side, glancing at him over her shoulder. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then look at me, Inej.”
No one said her name like he did. It didn’t matter that he’d pleasured her or how much she enjoyed baking. This wasn’t a new start for her. She had a mission, and that meant she had to act the part.
She gripped her hands and turned to face Manu. She needed a reason for acting so strangely. “You left.”
Heat flared in his eyes as he took a step closer. “Not by choice.”
Had she been so relaxed and content that she hadn’t heard someone enter the house? Now, she sounded petulant, and she was never that. “I thought you might have had regrets.” That was better. She put it on him, which put her in a little better light.
“There are things I regret, but that will never be one of them.”
As odd as it sounded, she believed him. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him he would, but she swallowed her words.
“I thought we might take a walk,” he suggested.
“Let me get cleaned up,” she urged as she removed the apron.
He stepped aside, giving her room to maneuver to the tiny bathroom. She splashed water on her face, washed her hands, and got the flour out of her hair and the spots on her clothes. After one last look at her reflection, Inej walked out. She found Manu talking with Daas at the front of the shop.
Daas discreetly handed her another bag of coins when she reached them. “Good work today. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Inej tucked the bag into her pocket as she and Manu walked away. He turned them to the left, which was opposite of how she normally went home. She winced at calling Jalall’s house her home again. It was a temporary place for her to lay her head, and the sooner she remembered that, the better.
“Is everything all right?” she asked. Then added, “With whatever caused you to leave this morning?”
His lips flattened. “For the moment.”
They fell into an awkward silence—at least on her part.
This is why she only slept with her bed partners once and never saw them again.
She didn’t know how to act, and now she wished she had at least some idea of what to do.
Not only did she not know what to say, but they were surrounded by others walking past. Someone might overhear.
She looked ahead to the waterfall. “Are we going back to your spot?”
“I thought I’d show you my home.”
Her brows rose in surprise. She knew which one was his, even if he hadn’t pointed it out.
How could she not? It was the grandest place in all of Navara.
She looked at the stately home ahead with its grand turrets and columned entrance.
Why did he want to take her there now? Did he really want to show her where he lived, or was he taking her there to be kidnapped?
Her feet became heavy as she imagined walking to her own doom. How did other agents handle this kind of situation? She looked around. There was nowhere for her to hide, nowhere to escape. If this were to be her end, she would face it with her head up, doing everything she could.
Manu made small talk, but she barely paid attention the closer they got to his home. It was so large that it was actually a manor. Strangely, he hadn’t called it that, though. He brought her through the front door, letting everyone see them together. It was another surprise she hadn’t expected.
While the outside was imposing and daunting, the inside was warm and inviting.
He’d chosen a warmer palette than Jalall, with color everywhere.
Coral, burgundy, and yellow combined in the spacious rooms with their amber lighting gave it a warm feel.
She eyed the huge entrance and the high ceiling above her.
It was painted with a picture that she couldn’t quite make out.
A tall plant stood in a corner, its large leaves both elegant and soft. She caught a glimpse of a wall hanging to her left, but she didn’t have time to study it as she followed Manu.
He pointed out rooms as they walked—sitting room, parlor, office, library.
Some doors were closed, others open, but there was greenery everywhere her eyes touched.
Massive pots on the floor, smaller ones grouped together, more hanging, and little ones dotting shelves or tables.
It made her forget that they were essentially underground in a frozen, unforgiving wasteland.
She eyed the scattered sculptures, paintings, and wall hangings.
There wasn’t a show of great wealth like she had expected, especially coming from Gita’s place.
Instead, she saw a home, albeit a very large one.
It was just one more thing that went against what she knew of him.
Perhaps he hid his wealth. That made more sense.
Though it wasn’t as if his people lived in poverty.
Everything she had seen so far said they were better off than many in Belanore.
They passed a few servants, all of which had warm smiles, even for her.
He took her up a flight of stairs and then down a long corridor with doors on either side.
Manu didn’t tell her what they led to, and she didn’t ask.
Once they reached the end of the hallway, he paused. She stopped and looked at him.
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable, before he continued onward to yet another set of steps.
She swallowed past her growing fear and trailed him.
When she reached the top, she found they were in an outdoor alcove with a magnificent view of the waterfall.
It was also hidden from view. Inej pulled her gaze from the falls and looked at Manu, who was off to her right.
His neck moved as he swallowed. “Stay here tonight.”
She blinked, unsure if she’d heard him right. “You want me here?”
“Aye. In my bed. But only if you want to be.”
“And if I said I didn’t wish to be?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’d take you back to Jalall’s.”
“And if I say I do?”
“All I’ve thought about all day is you. It’s everything I can do to keep my hands off you now.” He drew in a ragged breath. “The choice is yours.”
She walked to him and laid her palms on his chest. “I want your hands on me.”