Chapter 29 #2
"Even then." He smiled at her to prove he meant it. "We're also working on a safe house to get you out. It might be a while, though."
"Why?" Her question held no judgement.
"Because of this hearing," he explained. "And because Davis needs to make some adjustments so we can use it. Still, I wanted you to know I am not going to leave you there."
"It's a nice thought," she told him.
"But you're not going to hold me to it," Sin grumbled, having heard her say that line before. "Well, I'm holding me to it. Now c'mon. Let's clean up your head, Riss."
She nodded, and together they left the garden behind. Dhatri Pharmaceuticals was only a few doors down, directly across from the garden, but each step closer made her hand close tighter on his arm. He knew she didn't want to do this.
"Is the transfer going to be bad?" he asked.
"I think so." She looked up at him, and offered a tentative smile. "It's not a solution I want to give."
"Is it too large for the problem?"
"No," she admitted. "This is a valid problem. It's just…" A small crease appeared between her brows, as if she was struggling. "Sorry. My programming makes it difficult to speak of client work."
"What does that mean?"
Rissa turned, meeting his eyes. "You know the originator, I believe. The…" She pulled in a breath. "It's…" And she swallowed hard. "...related."
Sin nodded, pulling in a deep breath to keep himself calm. She meant this was related to the illegal data. Likely it was tied back to the Legion somehow as well, but her downloaded training was designed to keep these things confidential. Clearly, that wasn't something she'd fixed in her mind yet.
So he asked, "Can I do anything to make it easier?"
"Pray for me?" she asked, her eyes holding his just a moment too long.
And now he was sure of what she'd been trying to tell him. "I will," he promised as they stepped through the door.
The entire time she was behind the closed door, Sin prayed, begging his God to ease her suffering and watch over the innocent girl who knew too much.
She was definitely stronger than anyone thought, but he wanted her pride to be spared as much as her mind and body.
She'd asked for none of this, and yet here she was, dragged into it regardless.
The seconds ticked by, and he began to pace, his ears straining for a sound from the room beyond.
His hands brushed the grips of his weapons, wishing he could find a target for the anxiety growing inside him.
He prayed again, hoping she hadn't collapsed.
He wouldn't embarrass her by storming in, though.
He knew maintaining her composure was the only defiance she had, and while he wanted to protect her, he wouldn't take that from her.
Then the door opened and a technician waved him in. "I think she could use your help."
That was all it took. Sin marched in, daring any executives to speak against him. The look on his face held them silent, but a few monitors were tilted and holoscreens were turned off. In the middle of it all, Rissa knelt on a large cushion, her hands clasped in her lap.
"Ingénue?" he asked, lowering himself to a bended knee.
"The download is complete," she replied. "The data is being verified."
He rested his palm against her shoulder. "How do I help?"
She lifted her eyes to his. "I will need to be unplugged."
And the back of her robe closed, he realized. But everyone in the room was focused on their screens, all searching for something as if their lives—or at least their jobs—depended on it. Evidently, they needed a little nudge.
"Is the transfer verified?" he asked. He said it loud enough they couldn't ignore him.
"I'm sorry," a woman said. "This is going to take a moment longer. Our instructions were very specific."
"How specific?" he demanded. "My client is all but shackled here until you let me release her."
The woman barely glanced up. "Legate, I promise I am not wasting your time. The Censor was adamant we match this piece."
Censor. Piece. A pharmaceutical company. Yeah, those things could only fit together one way in Sin's mind, so he looked down at Rissa. She was looking back, and in those grey eyes of hers, he could see she was on the same page.
Then, across the room, a man confirmed his match. A few moments later, another woman did the same. The spokesman for the group raised her eyes from the screen and smiled at him. "Brother Sinclair, we have what we need. Do you need assistance disconnecting the Ingénue?"
"No," he assured her. "I can manage that part. Does this mean it's ready?" He smiled at her as if they were sharing a secret.
Her eyes flicked back to the screen, then to him. "Production starts tomorrow," she assured him. "Tell Joshua everything is as he asked."
He nodded, then turned to Rissa. Gently, he unlocked the cable and withdrew it, careful not to bang it against the chrome rings of her port.
Her body relaxed almost immediately, and she sighed out her relief.
Next, he pulled the sides of her robe together, buttoning it closed so she wouldn't be exposed when she moved.
"Is your assignment complete?" he asked professionally.
"Yes, Legate," she said.
He lifted her to her feet and tucked her arm in his, nodding again to the woman who'd been so very helpful, then Sin escorted her from the building. Rissa trembled in his grasp, but he wouldn't know if he wasn't touching her. Like always, she tried to mask her weakness as much as possible.
Outside, they walked only a few feet before she gave up the act. "Sin, let me lean on something?" she begged.
He moved her to a bare section of wall, and she rested her back against it. With a smile, he stepped a bit closer to keep their conversation private. "I think you're getting better at faking it."
"Some." She looked up at him. "Mostly, it's because I got to catch my breath while they verified everything. I only need a few minutes."
He laughed. "Yeah, then you're ready to go again, huh?"
She laughed and looked away. "Didn't think you were into porn," she teased.
"Anymore," he corrected with a devilish grin. "Didn't think you were either."
Those tiny creases around her eyes appeared, making it clear she was smiling. "I have never said that."
Standing there, so close to this amazing woman, those words felt like fingers trailing down his spine. "Do I even want to know what you do in there at night?" he asked softly.
"No," she said. "Unless you needed some fulfilling material."
He pulled in a breath, and glanced over his shoulder to break the intensity of their eye contact. "Going to have to pass on that," he said with a chuckle.
A man to his left had been leaning against the balcony railing for too long. His hands were empty, he wasn't eating, drinking, or smoking, yet he looked at them a few times too many. Behind him, another was watching them, but that guy had looked at the first man twice now.
"Answer me something?" he asked Rissa, leaning close to speak into her ear. "Without causing a scene, how do I lose the interest of both men watching us? They seem to be working together."
"Walk me out of here very publicly, staying in the middle of the most populous areas. If they follow, I would recommend having Zan bring the car as close as he can."
"And they just gave me the excuse to hide you for a few minutes," Sin said. "Because I have a problem for you to solve. This one's from the Praetor. I just didn't want it in your head while you were hooked up to some big corporation."
She eased herself away from the wall and back onto her feet. "You're starting to think like an Ingénue, Brother Sin. Now I need to learn how to think like a Legate."
"It's easy," he assured her as he offered his arm. "Just pray a whole lot. It's pretty much how I get through most things."
"Sounds more like you refuse to take credit for being a good man," she muttered as they headed into the middle of the walkway.
Thankfully, the men decided not to follow.