Or maybe they were just on the lookout for an opportunity.
She pulled a set of keys out of her pants pocket and unlocked an outer door. The vestibule was large enough for only one of them at a time. The inner door was opened and they followed her inside. The stairs were narrow. They single-filed it up to the top floor where she unlocked a door painted a shocking purple.
“You stay outside,” he told Baraj.
“I’m to watch you.”
“And you can. From out here. You’ll hear it if we try to leave. Better yet, watch from the street. You can see all the windows from here.” Jamaeh’s apartment faced the street.
Baraj shook his head. “Might be a back door.”
“Call in another man to help. You’re not coming inside.”
When he shifted his weight in preparation to walk forward, Zaxe held up his hand. “Fifty thousand Alliance credits are on the line. You contact Reman. You step one foot inside this home and the deal is off.” Zaxe allowed himself a smile. “And then I’ll kill you.”
Baraj grunted, a sound of disbelief and disagreement, but he did pull out his communicator. This was the type who followed instructions to the letter. How had he come to be in Reman’s employ? It might have no bearing on his mission, but you never knew what information might come in handy.
The conversation was short. “More men are coming. I’ll be outside.”
That battle easily won, he stepped over the threshold to Jamaeh’s home. This war was just beginning.
****
Jamaeh stopped just inside the door and shamelessly eavesdropped on the conversation. Zaxe had found a way to keep Reman’s killer out of her home. That was one intrusion she wouldn’t have to deal with. Bad enough that Zaxe would invade her home.
Baraj would taint it. Zaxe would leave an indelible mark.
There was a huge difference. It would be easier if Baraj was the one coming into her home. She knew what to expect from him. Zaxe was an enigma. There were layers to this man she might never uncover.
The man was dangerous to her on so many levels.
When he stepped inside and secured the door, she hurried to the kitchen area a few steps away. The place wasn’t exactly large. What would he think of her home? Not that she really cared, but it was a reflection of her, the person she truly was, not the one she’d been forced to be by circumstance.
She tried to see it from his perspective. The walls had been painted a pale teal, the perfect backdrop for the low purple sofa and the rainbow of colorful pillows that doubled as extra seating when necessary. The two-seater table, which separated the kitchen from the living area, was a deeper blue. The matching chairs had been hand-painted with flowers and vines. There were privacy screens on the windows, but colorful scarves draped over them. The lighting was muted, and something she only used when absolutely necessary. In the daytime, the sunlight poured in from outside, making the room glow like a jewel. It was a sharp contrast from the world outside. It was her home, her haven.
Zaxe stood, hands on his hips, and made a slow study of the place. She fought the urge to fidget. “I’m making tea.” She’d really like something stronger but needed her head clear. After filling the kettle and setting it on the two-burner cooker, she took down two pottery mugs. Anything to keep busy so she wouldn’t have to look at him.
Leaning against the counter, she lowered her head and took a deep breath. He’d stepped in to keep Reman from having his men strip her. But only because he wants me to guide him, a more cynical part of her responded. But guides could be had for a small payment.
He trusts me.
Or maybe he figures I’ll be easier to dispose of when this is done.
Her thoughts kept circling. Trying to figure things out was going to drive her mad. She didn’t know him, couldn’t and shouldn’t assign motives to his actions. People looked out for themselves. It was always best to assume that so you didn’t get hurt.
The silence was fraying her nerves. She jerked when the kettle began to whistle. Painstakingly, she added dried mint leaves to the mesh diffusers and deposited one into each mug before adding water. Usually, she would have taken more care, enjoyed the ritual of making tea. Tonight, it was simply something to do with her hands.
Cradling her mug in her hands, she went into the living area and sat on the sofa. Zaxe was still just inside the door, watching. “What are you waiting for?” she snapped.
“An invitation.” The deep baritone sent a shiver down her spine.
“You’re already in my home.”
He lowered his hood and nodded in agreement. “That is a necessity. You’re not obligated to offer me hospitality.”
“Your hovering is getting on my nerves.” She slammed her mug down on the low wooden coffee table. “I made tea.” Not exactly the most welcoming of greetings, but she was tired and past caring about customs.
Zaxe detoured to the kitchen and retrieved the remaining mug from the counter before joining her. He lowered himself onto one of the cushions and set his drink before him. “I apologize for getting you involved in this.”
She’d expected him to launch right into his plans. What was he doing? “My fault for accepting money to guide you.” Steam rose from her mug, dancing in the faintest air current flowing through the space.
“It should have ended with Samar.”
He was right about that. “Easier to see in hindsight. And I’ve dealt with Reman before.” But tonight, a veil had been lifted. Oh, she’d known he was deadly, but it had never been focused on her before. She looked around her home, wondering if she’d see it again once they left for the Edowan Desert. Anything could happen on a normal trading trip. The desert was not a forgiving place. She usually avoided the outcasts, and now she was going in search of them. If she made it back, Reman would demand payment for what he perceived as a slight.
She wrapped her hands around her tea, chilled in spite of the stifling heat. Even with the sun gone down, the city hadn’t cooled much. It would get better in the coming hours.
“Did you know Helldrick was my father before tonight?” He hadn’t seemed shocked when Reman had thrown it out there.
“Yes.”
“Did you know before you hired me?” She couldn’t accuse him of seeking her out as she was the one who’d gone after him. Maybe it was fate their paths had crossed.
“Yes.”
“Why do you want Helldrick?” Even though she was certain she knew the reason, she wanted confirmation. Mouth dry, she sipped some tea. Zaxe made her nervous, and not just because he was a big, dangerous man. She should be trying to figure some way to slip away and run, but a part of her wanted to get closer, to try to understand exactly who he was.
Was that how her mother had felt about her father? That path led to destruction.
“Your father has made enemies.”
Her snort had the corners of his lips turning up slightly and the corners of his eyes crinkling. She wished he’d kept his hood up. The man revved her up, forcing her to acknowledge the sexual sizzle she experienced around him.
That was the problem, one of the reasons she hadn’t walked away when common sense dictated she should have.
Now look where I am.
“That’s an understatement. No one likes Helldrick.”
“Not even you?”