Page 37 of Glimmer and Burn (Unity #1)

Chapter Ten

M iranda raced to get dressed. She searched for her chemise, dismayed when she noticed that it had been torn and stretched to the point of ruin.

She groaned, but she knew well enough how to dispose of evidence, and she had plenty of others.

For now, she had to make do. She hopped around stuffing her limbs back into her uniform and trying to undo the tangled mess Devin’s hands had left in the laces of her boots.

Color heated her cheeks and warmth fluttered in her belly.

She would happily relive every moment again later, when she had the time.

Or maybe she could orchestrate another moment?

And another. Her pulse raced as she calculated all the ways she might seek him out unnoticed.

She could go to his apartment in secret and—

Guilt crushed her excitement. She hadn’t even asked if his apartment survived.

And even if it had, he might be too busy salvaging his livelihood to indulge in clandestine meetings.

At least he hadn’t pushed her away this time, though he had been uncharacteristically quiet.

She would ask him about that later, for now she had to focus on why she was here in the first place.

Adjusted, composed, hair hastily thrown into a…

whatever her awkward fingers could manage—if she could use a blade to style her hair, then she’d be proficient, but she rarely dealt with the thick waves on her own.

Using whatever she could find in the storeroom to wash the sex from her body so she could be somewhat presentable when she talked with the Captain of the Watchmen.

Miranda eased the door open. While, logically, she knew that Devin had slipped away several minutes ahead of her and was unlikely to have drawn notice, it still felt like a spotlight followed her every move, screaming to the overfilled headquarters that she had debauched herself.

And every lesson of etiquette and decorum drilled into her said she should feel very ashamed, ruined beyond redemption.

Yet, her steps had never been lighter, almost a saunter, and a wicked grin alighted her features.

Perhaps, she was always meant to be a fallen woman.

Scorned and outcast from the society she was expected to serve.

And if she’d known how damned good it felt, she may not have resisted it so much.

Before, she had been too afraid to take any bold step away from the future she dreaded.

It had always felt an inevitable certainty.

Yet…maybe it wasn’t. Maybe all she had to do was choose to follow her heart.

It might devastate her parents, they might be pressured to cut communication with her if anyone found out about this indiscretion.

Would she still be able to speak to Cordelia?

Miranda pushed the uncertainty aside as she drew closer to the Captain’s office.

Two of the sides were entirely glass with curtains that could be drawn if needed, but allowed him to overlook the officers below.

She watched Captain Blair offer Devin some sort of liquid in a clear glass, liquor of some kind.

She huffed. Devin drank too much. While she sensed there was some dark reason, it seemed to her like he was trying to drown himself. She suspected it was the same reason he used to cover his ears.

Devin raised a hand to decline the offer, shocking her. She stopped for a moment. Why did he decline? She had never seen him without some hint of alcohol on his breath, what changed?

Me.

Miranda shook away the thought. It was the height of egoistical to assume she had anything to do with his choice. She continued forward, chewing her lip. But…maybe?

Something formed in her chest, something stronger than lust and desire. She walked a little faster, though she could hardly talk to him when she reached him, not when they weren’t alone, but the Something pushed her faster and she almost didn’t wait to be invited after she knocked on the door.

Her eyes were for Devin, focused on how all the doubt she’d been trying to bury evaporated, and so when Captain Blair swooped in to greet her, she nearly jumped.

“You must be Miss Wilde,” he said, voice deep and soothing, “Rachel mentioned you stopped by last night but neglected to mention your beauty.” She watched him with uncertainty as he took her hand to kiss it, which was technically the proper way to introduce himself, though he had missed a few steps that hinted he was not as practiced or had picked it up late in life, rather than born to those standards.

He was handsome, his athletic build perfectly displayed by the fit of his uniform.

Black hair trim and neat. His smile would have had many a debutante blushing and giggling, crawling over each other to be on the receiving end of that smile, but the over-the-top flattery and performance had her choking back a laugh.

“Captain Gideon Blair, at your service.”

Captain Blair had barely straightened when a hand descended on his shoulder and ripped him backward.

“She gets it,” Devin growled, jaw tense.

Devin met her eyes with an intensity that made her entire body shiver.

He was jealous. No one had ever been jealous of Miranda.

No man had ever wanted a second dance with her, let alone to seek her out in the middle of the night to apologize to her or fill an entire night unlocking her every wanton, improper desire she hadn’t known existed.

The Something grew ever stronger in her chest.

Devin cleared his throat and glanced away, as if he wasn’t sure if his actions were wanted, but the impulse had been too strong.

He spared one more glance before turning away from her to face Captain Blair again, though she noted his shoulder was positioned to block her from the flirtatious captain like a shield.

“Ah,” Captain Blair raised an eyebrow at Devin, “I wasn’t aware she was spoken for. My apologies.”

Devin shifted on his feet, head turning but not quite enough to look at her. He stayed silent.

“I speak for myself, actually,” Miranda said, crossing her arms and moving so she was shoulder to shoulder with Devin. She kept her eyes on the Captain, but made sure her arm brushed Devin’s as she moved. “But your apology is accepted.”

Captain Blair laughed, looking between them as if he were trying to get a read on the situation and found it amusing.

“Fair enough. But if you ever tire of his insipid melancholy my door is always open. I’m infinitely better humored.

” He winked, and Devin took a step like he might attack, though he never left her side.

“I think you mean laughable,” Miranda retorted, and she waited for the reprimand. For the scoff and disdain of the Captain that she dare show humor and wit or for her mother to somehow manage to scold her from halfway across the city.

Instead, Captain Blair nearly doubled over laughing.

Devin’s tone was unamused as he said, “He doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

“She is completely out of your league, Drake,” he said, wiping at his eyes, “And I’ve never known a society Lady to make jokes.” The Captain’s flirtation evaporated to genuine amusement.

“Maybe you just haven’t been listening,” Miranda quipped, fueled by his laughter.

“Ha, that’s putting it mildly,” Rachel’s voice carried into the room as she stomped through the open doorway without knocking, “If Gideon ever gave a woman true, genuine attention that would mean hell’s frozen over and he’d never give his mother the reprieve.”

She continued straight past Devin and Miranda, like they didn’t exist, to get to Captain Blair’s desk.

Devin’s hand caught Miranda’s back, gently guiding her out of the way.

He let his hand linger for a moment before removing it, balling his fingers into a fist. The gesture sent butterflies loose in her stomach.

“I’m not doing the briefing,” Rachel snapped as Captain Blair returned to his desk.

“Rachel, please, I’m in a meeting.” Captain Blair waved her away, when she didn’t budge, he added, “Look, you didn’t think I could show up on time, but I got here, didn’t I?

And I can hardly give the shift briefing when I’m otherwise occupied.

” He gestured at Devin. “Besides, you’re better at it than—”

She slammed a folder in front of him, sending papers flying like leaves in an autumn breeze, her stare just as chilled.

“You were supposed to sign off on this report weeks ago. Lottie can’t file the reports if you don’t. Sign. Them. And then it all stacks up here and no one can find their case files when they need to.”

The Captain rolled his eyes. “Nonsense. I have my own filing system.” He motioned to the papers still floating to the floor. “You just cost me months of careful organization, by the way. I won’t be able to find anything now.”

“Get a fucking drawer.” She set her hands on his desk, glaring down into his face with a ferocity that even Miranda would be hesitant to challenge.

“I have a secretary, I don’t need a drawer,” he countered casually, eyes narrowed, but they didn’t hold the same fire as Rachel’s.

Rachel crossed her arms. “And where is she? She’s supposed to be here even earlier than you, and somehow she’s conveniently absent, yet again.”

Captain Blair looked away, shrugging. “She asked for the day off.”

“She hasn’t shown up in two days. She missed half of last week and hasn’t stayed until the end of her shift since she started.

” Rachel pressed her face into her hands, clearly on the last shred of her patience.

“You hired her because she’s pretty. You always pick the pretty ones and they never work out.

They either don’t know what they’re doing, or you somehow manage to convince them they’re ‘not like the others’ and then they’re too heartbroken to stay.

She’s got you giving in to her every demand despite her being entirely unqualified for the position. ”