Page 18 of Vex (Dragon Brides #12)

Another thousand credits lost.

The chips clattered against the felt as Vex pushed them forward. Around him, soft murmurs mixed with distant slot machine chimes from the main casino floor. This was the first time since arriving that he was actually losing.

He didn't care.

The cards might as well have been blank. Every number, every suit blurred as his mind replayed the confrontation in their suite. Luisa’s voice, small and defeated, admitting to a past she'd hidden. The way she'd looked when he'd told her she was done, like he'd struck her.

Luisa was a liar. A thief.

Rage and hurt clawed at his chest. The betrayal burned through every moment of trust they'd built. Every breathless sound she'd made beneath him—had any of it been real? Or had she been manipulating him the same way she manipulated security systems?

She'd used him, let him believe she was something she wasn't. The memory of her hands on his skin, the way she'd whispered his name, now felt tainted.

And why did he care so much?

He'd worked with dozens of operatives over the years. Professional partnerships were exactly that—professional. When they ended, he walked away without a backward glance.

She wasn't his first partner. She wasn't even the first one to betray him.

Did she really betray you? a voice in his head asked. It sounded suspiciously like his mother's calm tone.

Yes.

But had she?

His rational mind began picking apart his anger. He wasn't owed every detail of her past. She didn't know his details either—that he was an operative for his king. He'd never considered telling her.

Would he have said something if he'd met someone who might compromise the mission?

A player across the table laughed, the sound grating against his nerves. He shoved more chips forward.

He didn't know.

The cards were dealt, but Vex barely registered them. His thoughts churned, anger and guilt and longing fighting for dominance. Maybe she'd just been trying to survive, the same way he'd been trying to complete his mission.

She hadn't chosen her past any more than he'd chosen his noble blood. Yet the hurt remained, because, somewhere in the last few days, he'd started thinking of her as … more. Not just his partner or temporary lover, but as someone he wanted to keep.

Who was Luisa to him, anyway? They barely knew each other. Once he sent her home, he'd never see her again.

No.

The word echoed with absolute certainty. His dragon stirred beneath his skin at the thought of her facing danger alone. Whatever was between them, he couldn't just walk away. Couldn't send her back to a life where people like Tallyer could threaten her.

Damn it.

A cheer went up around the table as he lost again.

The celebration felt distant. His fingers drummed against the table, matching the agitation in his chest.

Maera Daxkar slid into the chair beside him, a pink drink in her hand. She gave him her shark's smile. "A bit of a losing streak, my lord?"

He folded. "The cards give, and the cards take away."

"That they do." She sipped her drink, eyes never leaving his face. Something flickered in her expression. "Now that you're away from your lovely companion, I thought we could talk. It's so hard to plan for your future when the past is sitting on your lap." Her smile sharpened.

Alarm bells sounded in his head. "She's in our rooms. My bed. Doing as she's told."

If only any of that were true.

"Is she?" Maera drained her glass and set it down with a soft clink.

Ice flooded Vex's veins. Maera's tone held the satisfied purr of someone who knew where all the pieces were positioned. She wouldn't be here making veiled threats unless she had leverage.

He didn’t have time for her games.

He gathered his chips with practiced efficiency. Nothing else mattered now. Not when his dragon was roaring for him to find her, protect her, regardless of what secrets she'd kept.

He cashed out and stood. "Duty calls, I'm afraid. Perhaps we can continue our conversation another time."

Maera's smile never wavered, but her gaze was hungry. "Of course, my lord. I'm sure we'll have plenty to discuss very soon."

The words followed him toward the elevators, each step controlled despite the urgency clawing at his chest. The casino floor blurred around him. His senses strained for any trace of her, but recycled air and mingled perfumes obscured everything.

Maera might have just been testing him, but Vex didn't care.

The elevator took forever to arrive. Tallyer could have found her. Maera's security could have taken her. She could be bleeding somewhere while he'd been nursing his wounded pride.

If there was even a chance that Luisa was in danger, he was going to protect her.

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped inside. For the first time since he'd stormed out of their suite, his purpose was crystal clear. Whatever had happened between them, none of it mattered as much as keeping her safe.

He couldn't do anything else.