Page 88 of Queen of Volts

“I meant for someone who keeps finding themselves in life-or-death situations, I think it’s normal to always feel like you’re in one.”

Levi supposed that made sense. “Meanwhile, Enne has me putting on this charade where we act like we’re in love and flaunt it everywhere. She thinks that will make the city love her, but...” He reached over and grabbed the magazine from where it lay on the duvet. “Just look at this.”

Tock whistled. “Am I old enough to read this?”

Levi covered his face in his hands. “How did I go from being the man who negotiated the end of the state of emergency to...to...”

“I don’t recall you feeling so torn up when this same magazine named you one of the most eligible persons of the North Side.”

“This is different, and you know it,” he shot back. When he tried to shuffle the deck of cards, they accidentally spilled all across his shirt. “And what’s worse is that Enne thought I staged the whole thing. But—”

“But you didn’t.” Tock squeezed his shoulder supportively. “I thought you didn’t still have feelings for her after what happened to Jac.”

“I didn’t—I mean, I don’t know. I couldn’t just make those feelings disappear, even if I was angry. But I can’t stop thinking about how Enne didn’t think it was staged before the reporters showed up, that she kissed me back. And that means we could go back to how we used to be. Ever since Bryce’s game began, I feel like I’m playing against her, not with her. It was never like that before.”

“And that’s what you want?” Tock pursed her lips. “To have her back?”

Levi hadn’t been well when he’d kissed her. He’d been stressed and in need of an outlet. Or maybe it had been that he missed her, that she’d always been the person he leaned against. Habit.

He thought again about Lola’s revelation. Though he struggled to process that Enne was the daughter of the man Levi had once idolized, it didn’t change the way he felt. If anything, it made him more afraid. One more reason for the Republic to turn on them.

“I don’t know if I want her back,” he groaned. “But I don’t think I can keep up this performance.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’ll have to,” Tock said, pointing at lines from the article that followed the photograph. “‘The City of Sin’s favorite couple caught in a passionate tryst.’ ‘A scandal of royal proportions sends the city swooning.’ ‘Enne Scordata has just been crowned New Reynes’ most interesting sweetheart.’ Enne’s plan seems like it’s working exactly as she hoped it would. If you called Harrison now, I bet you could get her that pardon.”

Levi’s heart swelled. Tock was right. He could end this, right now.

“You didn’t answer my question,” she said. “Do you want her back?”

Did you hint to those reporters to follow us?

The question had only been a simple mistake on Enne’s part, but the words still haunted him. It was like Enne couldn’t even sense the desire he’d put into that kiss. Like she couldn’t realize how much the past few weeks of staging a relationship had hurt him.

Levi tossed the tabloid aside. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to feel cheap. He didn’t want to feel scared every moment of every day.

“I don’t,” Levi answered.

Tock nodded seriously. “Then I’ll support you.”

Despite all the terrible things that had happened to him, Levi still counted himself lucky he had Tock through it all. He didn’t know where he’d be without her.

“You can be my best friend without being a replacement,” he murmured, feeling a bit sheepish as soon as he said it.

She shoved him off her lap. “Gross.”

He smirked and sat up. “If anyone is gross right now, it’s you. You smell like a Tropps Street pisshole.”

Tock sniffed her armpit and grimaced. “Well, you’ve worn worse cologne.”

He shook his head and walked to the phone in the room’s corner, set atop the bookcase. He dialed the number for the direct line to Harrison’s office.

“’Lo, Pop,” Levi said.

“I told you to stop calling me that,” Harrison growled. “And I missed you at the inauguration ball. I thought it was because you were busy with your casino. But this morning I got to read the real reason why.”

Levi buried his embarrassment behind his poker face, even if Harrison wasn’t present to see it. “Good, then you’ve read the article. Is it enough for Fenice?”

“Is it all real? Because Enne’s friends might confront you afterward, and you’ll have to start carrying shades on your person because it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve been caught.” His voice drawled.