Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“So”—a deep voice, clear eyes of topaz brown rimmed with yellow-green, drawing her back from the past—“you’ve seen the proposal and since we’re here, you must like it. Shall we talk contracts?”
“That’s highly presumptuous of you,” she said, playing the game because it was expected, even though she was exhausted from maintaining her front for four endless days. “Your proposal is passable, but we need to negotiate more than a few matters.”
Remi’s eyes narrowed, his gaze skimming her face as if he could read her tiredness. His response when it came, however, was even. “Where do you want to start?”
An hour of vigorous debate later and they had a satisfactory-to-both-sides breakdown of contract terms. “Charisma,” she said, “please take charge of drafting this up and sending it to our future partners for review.” She winced. “I apologize. Ris, would you be able to get me a glass of nutrients?”
Remi looked like he was about to offer to rise, but she met his eyes with a silent no. He frowned. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” she said, as Charisma got up. “I just need an infusion of energy. Happens at times with my current status.”
The instant the other woman was out of the room, she turned the contract terms toward herself, went to an empty page of the physical pad on which they’d been working, and made a note. “I have an idea about point seven,” she said. “It’s minor, but it could prove profitable on both sides.”
Remi read the note before throwing back his head in a laugh that was a caress over her parched skin. “It would only be profitable for you,” he said, then ripped out the page and scrunched it up into a ball in his hand. “We’re new, Ms. Scott, but we’re not green.”
Though her pulse was racing, Auden lifted a shoulder in a mild shrug. “It was worth the attempt. You may have been more gullible than it appeared.”
She was conscious of Mliss Phan watching with an intense quiet, but the other woman didn’t interrupt, and they sat in silence the short time until Charisma’s return. “Here you go, sir.”
“Thank you.” Taking the drink, Auden lifted it to her lips and only then realized she was truly hungry.
Her mouth watered at the memory of the cinnamon roll and the croissant…and of Remi’s creased cheeks and brilliant eyes as he said, Next time.
The nutrients tasted like dust.
Remi spoke after she put down the glass. “We do have one more point to discuss,” he said. “We’d like you to tour our manufacturing facility, get agreement on the ground floor in terms of the processes used. I don’t want a costly disagreement down the road where you’re expecting handwork on a piece we consider better made via machine.”
He glanced at Charisma. “We can clear out the place so it’s only me and Mliss, and you and Ms. Scott. We can even do it at night if you prefer, so there’s less chance of her being seen—and you can drive a vehicle straight into our internal goods bay. Nothing to see from the outside.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Auden said, telepathing Charisma at the same time. I should do it as soon as possible, well before I get to full term.
Are you sure you want to come? I can do it on my own.
Charisma.
A slight flicker in the other woman’s eyes at the chilly reminder of the promise she’d made not to second-guess Auden. Yes, sir.
Auden didn’t interrupt while Charisma worked out the details with Mliss Phan; her attention was on Remi.
His gaze met hers, the leopard bright in them. A shiver rippled over her.
“That’s settled, then,” Mliss said. “We’ll see you at the facility in two days’ time.”
* * *
• • •
REMI’S leopard, its growl a low rumble only Mliss would pick up, paced inside his human skin as he left Auden behind in a situation that was clearly dangerous for her.
“What was all that about?” Mliss asked him once they were in their car and pulling out of the parking lot. “We don’t need them to tour the facility. I could’ve shown them the entire place onscreen.”
Reaching into his pocket after he’d turned the car to the left, Remi passed Mliss the note Auden had given to him under the guise of negotiation: Need to talk in unmonitored location.
“I see.” Folding the note up into neat quarters, she placed it back into the hand Remi had outstretched.
He put it safely back in his pocket.
“You know what’s going on?”
“No,” Remi admitted, his hands clenching on the steering wheel as his claws sliced out. “But your job on the day of the tour is to distract Charisma so I can talk to her.”
“Consider it done.” A pause. “She still just a business associate, Remi?”
He and Mliss, they weren’t friends the way he was friends with Angel or Aden, but he respected and trusted her. And she’d be his partner on this. So he told the truth. “That’s all she can be for now. She’s too vulnerable for anything else.”