CHAPTER 6
Sirin holds my hand as we leave and I catch the way the Trulavians watch us. They want him to be happy.
I do, too.
Outside, he kisses my hand and starts to say something, but the words are cut off by a chirping from his waist.
“It appears my spare moments are over. I have to go deal with this.”
“Don’t worry. I know what you do… I’m not mad when you have to run away from me.”
“Thank you.” He brushes his lips across mine. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
I don’t have any doubts.
He hurries away from me, talking with the person who called him, and I head back toward the lifts. I am going to go home, snuggle down in my comforter and wait for Kita to get off work.
My comm pings with an open booth slot, and I look at it for a moment before I decline.
I don’t know how long Phantom will keep me on “payroll” if I’m only seeing one client, but… we’re going to find out.
“Annika?”
I nearly flinch out of my skin when I look up and Agan is standing in front of me.
I’d forgotten I’d seen him before the bath.
“What the fuck are you doing down here?”
My hair is still damp, and I’ve never been more conscious of it in my life.
“Exploring,” I lie. “I’ve been on the station long enough, I figured I should have a better idea of what’s here outside of the levels I spend most of my time on.”
His eyes narrow, and he looks past me, then back. “Liar. You were prowling.”
“Prowling?” I don’t know what he means by that, but it feels like he means it as an insult.
He laughs and looks me up and down. “If you’re desperate to get laid, all you have to do is ask.”
“Uh. No. I’m not that desperate.”
His eyes narrow and his mouth twists into something unpleasant before he forces a smile. “Good, because I don’t think I’d have any easier of a time finding a willing sacrifice.”
Suddenly, I’m not self-conscious about my hair or the possibility that anyone might know I am heading home from getting fucked. “I don’t have an issue getting laid, Agan.”
“Sure you don’t. So, is this a walk of shame?”
“For it to be a walk of shame, I would have to be ashamed of him. I’m not.”
“Who is he?”
Even if I told him the truth—I don’t want to share Sirin with anyone else yet—he’d laugh in my face and call me a liar again. “That’s none of your business.”
His jaw twitches, and he moves, blocking my path. “I could make it my business.”
“Get out of my way.”
“I don’t want to.”
I take a deep breath. I could turn around and go to the other lift bank, but he’d probably just follow me.
“Let me through, or I’ll call station security.”
“For what?”
“Harassment.”
He snorts. “You’re being dramatic. Besides, what staffer in their right mind would look at the two of us and think you were the one who didn’t want my attention?”
He is so full of himself and he’s ruined what could have been a perfect day. My patience has left the station.
“Listen, Agan. You are a disgusting personality in an attractive body. The first part spoils the second. Get out of my way and leave me the fuck alone.”
His eyes narrow and for a moment, as he glares at me, I think he’s going to lean closer. Instead, he laughs, like I’ve just told him a joke.
“Remind me to recommend you for a psych assessment.”
Those words would make most people flinch. Phantom would never let them pull me in. Psych assessments are for people who might hurt themselves or others. If Agan put in a recommendation, he’d have to say why and honestly… I’d love to know what lie he’d tell.
“Try it. See what happens.”
For the first time since this odious interaction began, he doesn’t look sure of himself.
“Whatever.”
I watch him walk away before I head for the lift, feeling more and more unsettled by him.
Maybe Phantom knows where I could get a proximity sensor that can be coded for one specific person.