Page 112 of Fractured Allegiance
He nods slowly, tapping one finger against his glass. "The delivery you made earlier. The client was... receptive."
"He understood the message."
"Good." He takes a sip. "That's what I value about you, Lydia. Clarity without mess."
Dom lingers by the wall like he’s waiting for a signal. One he’s been given before. One I’ve seen him carry out.
I stay standing.
Drazen finally smiles. Just enough to flash a sliver of white, like threat disguised as charm.
"You've always been observant," he says. "It's one of your better qualities."
I don't take the bait. "Observation is survival."
"True." He swirls his drink. "And what have you observed lately?"
The question sounds casual. It's not.
He's testing me. Seeing if I've noticed something I shouldn't have. Or if I'm about to become a problem he needs to manage.
"That your world is getting more crowded," I say carefully. "More players. More moving parts."
His gaze sharpens slightly. "And?"
"And crowded spaces make people nervous. Nervous people make mistakes."
That earns me a small huff of amusement.
He sips his drink. The first swallow. His mouth barely moves.
“I heard Silas spent some time in your apartment.”
There it is.
I meet his eyes, no pause.
“He left.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Did you ask a question at all? I must have missed the inflection at the end.”
Dom shifts slightly, like he’s getting bored again. Or like he’s waiting to enjoy this.
Drazen doesn’t raise his voice. He doesn’t need to.
“He’s not mine yet,” he says.
“Didn’t realize you were collecting.”
“I collect potential.”
I don’t say anything.
He sets his glass down.
“It’s not jealousy,” he adds, almost conversational. “It’s curiosity.”
