Page 57 of A Devious Arrangement

Chapter 28

Bash

Stasia’sred hair glints under the building’s exterior lights that line the entire front, and I tuck a wayward strand under her hat. I was amazed she’d been able to twist up her thick crimson mane and hide it in the first place. So no surprise it’s trying to escape now. The loose strands are giving her a wild, untamed beauty that has my heart railing against my ribs.

I want to grip her jaw and force her mouth against mine, but frustratingly, she’s not even paying attention to me. Instead, she’s biting the corner of her lip, which is already red from her teeth, as she looks toward tonight’s target.

This is just one of the many companies the Everette family owns, something to do with data and electronics. Whatever it is, it’s under Matthias’s control.

I’ve been here multiple times when my older brother needed help, but as for the business side, I try to stay out of it. I’m more interested in things I can feel than anything computer-based. Give me an engine, and I’ll tear it down and put it back together again. Computers? Not so much.

Stasia’s fingers fumble with the buttons of her uniform. I catch her hands in mine, stilling them.

“Let me help?”

She nods. This is the quietest I’ve seen her, and I fucking hate it. I move her fingers out of the way, taking my time closing her jacket. Her body’s pulled taut, and her shallow breaths are coming out between us. Was she this nervous when she snuck into the Vault? How did a girl like this end up in these kinds of situations if she’s this worried?

The borrowed jacket is loose around her shoulders, giving away her lithe frame. “You’re tall, but you’re narrow. How did you fill out your brother’s robe?”

I tug at the fabric, trying to see if it’ll stand up on its own. It flops back down as expected.

“Bulletproof vest.” She says it so simply, like it’s a completely common thing to say. Like replying “have a good day” after saying goodbye.

“Where did you get a vest, Stasia? No, why did you even have one?”

“Relax, it was my brother’s, and now that I think of it, he said he did stuff for you…” Her finger pokes my sternum, and I fight back a wince. After what happened to Misty and Scarlet, we may or may not have requested help from some of the Saints to make sure no one else had any bright ideas. Rage burns through my veins at the thought of my sisters being in danger. We’d cleaned the house after that, and nothing has come up since. Still, even remembering what went down a few years ago has my hair standing on end.

Stasia’s fingers curl into my jacket as if she’s holding me close, but she doesn’t seem to notice what she’s doing. I love that my girl subconsciously reaches out to me, even when she’s not ready to recognize she needs me to. I swear I’m going to find whoever made her guarded like this and crush the fucking life out of them.

It’s dark, but I can still make out the glint of blue in Stasia’s eyes as she watches around us. She’s not focused on me, instead watching everyone who enters and leaves the front doors.

I use her distraction to continue touching her. I fix her collar for the fifth time, letting my knuckles drag up the curve of her neck, and I’m rewarded by the goose bumps that erupt in the wake of my touch. She’s so sensitive, always responding to anything I do, no matter how small. She has no idea how close I am to dragging her back to our place to explore all the ways her body will respond to me.

My thumb brushes her ear, and her attention snaps to me.

“There’s something I don’t understand. Why am I still pretending to be a guy? Wouldn’t it be enough that I have an access card to get in? It’s not like I look like the man who owns this uniform.” Her brows are pushed together, creating a crease between them. I’m tempted to smooth it out, but I let it be.

I palm the back of her neck and use my thumb to tilt her chin up. “Have you looked at yourself, Stasia? If you go in there undisguised, there’s not a single person who won’t remember you.”

“I know I started this, but I don’t actually look like a guy.” Her cheeks flush pink, and she makes the mistake of glancing away.

I use the opening to lower my mouth to her ear and whisper, “No. You look delicious, no matter what.” I run my tongue along the shell, and she squeaks, shoving me. I hold on to her as she fights my grasp. I keep my voice low so only she can hear. “We need people to look past you. That’s all that matters.”

Her eyes are sharp, nostrils flared as she somehow manages to stare down at me from several inches below. “If you don’t back off, I’m going to cut off that sly tongue.”

“That would be a real loss to you, Princess.” Amusement fills my tone, along with promise.

I ready for her slap and catch her wrist easily. “I had no idea you were into that type of thing. You’ll have to be patient and wait until we’re home though.”

Her rage is practically steaming off her in palpable waves. I’m careful to keep my gaze averted. I want to push her, not start a fight. My attention pauses where there’s a man looking our way. “Too many people around.”

Stasia freezes, her eyes shooting wide, halting whatever plan she was crafting to murder me.

I nod at the man as he passes. He leaves, not looking back.

“I can’t do this.” Her voice is raspy and fast, each word climbing over the previous.

I give her arms a reassuring squeeze. “Just act like you belong here.”

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