Page 8 of Vex (Dragon Brides #12)

This whole thing was a mess.

Luisa's back ached from clinging to the far edge of the massive bed all night.

The sheets were luxurious enough to make her feel guilty about her discomfort, but no thread count could make sharing space with Vex easier.

Every time she'd started to relax, she'd become hyperaware of his presence.

The rhythm of his breathing. The way the mattress dipped under his weight. The fact that he slept shirtless.

She'd discovered that detail around two in the morning when she'd risked a glance over her shoulder and found herself staring at an expanse of skin that looked far too warm and touchable.

The urge to reach out and trace the line of his spine had been so strong she'd gripped the mattress edge to keep her hands to herself.

Instead of sleeping, she'd analyzed her data. The computer did most of the work, but it still took a person's eye to pull out nuances no algorithm could catch.

One name kept coming up. Well, not exactly. Data was never that easy. But one name kept getting hinted at.

Maera Daxkar. Philanthropist. Socialite. And possibly shady underground data broker to the rich and reckless.

The woman held court at Galaxie, the spa inside the Mountain.

Her rooms would be difficult to access, but the spa was basically public.

Remote access would only get her so far.

The really sensitive data would be air-gapped, stored on devices that never touched a network.

She needed to get close enough to plant physical surveillance equipment.

It was a good place to start.

And Luisa needed to get out.

If she stayed in the suite that now smelled like Vex, she might do something stupid. Like kiss him.

Or more.

She bit back a groan. This job couldn't be over soon enough.

The Mountain's spa was a temple to wealth and vanity. All white marble and brass fixtures, with soft lighting that made everyone look ten years younger.

"Welcome to Galaxie," the receptionist said. "We're here to see to your every need."

At this place, who wasn't?

Luisa felt the weight of jewels hanging from her neck. What had Vex meant by giving her the piece? The emeralds were real. The kind of gift that spoke of serious money and serious intentions. Their operating budget couldn’t possibly afford a gift like this. What the hell was he thinking?

She didn't have time to examine his motives.

Time to play the spoiled mistress.

The receptionist guided her through opulent chambers designed to make visitors feel pampered and overwhelmed by casual displays of wealth. Luisa maintained her vacant, wide-eyed expression while cataloging security cameras and blind spots.

At the receptionist’s suggestion, she took a seat in the relaxation area that overlooked Galaxie’s courtyard. They were high in the mountains, but it somehow looked warm outside. That was rich people for you—they got whatever temperature they wanted, wherever they wanted it.

Luisa had just subtly stuck one of her bugs behind a grotesque abstract sculpture when Maera Daxkar swept into the room.

Right on time.

She took her tea there every morning, followed by some rejuvenation treatment, if the booking schedule Luisa had hacked was accurate.

"Good morning!" Maera’s voice was bright and welcoming, the kind that could easily extract donations with lots of zeros. "I didn't expect to see another early riser here. You are …" She gave Luisa a thorough look. "You are the dragon's woman, yes? I met him last night, quite the player."

Her information was good. No one but the concierge and room attendant had seen Luisa enter the casino beyond a passing glance. There had to be at least a hundred people staying there, so it wasn't a guess.

"Luisa," she said. She wished she'd been given a false name to go with this identity, but there was no point. Better a name she was sure to answer to.

Not that Luisa was a stranger to changing her name. It was the cost of doing business.

Or it had been. Once upon a time.

But now was not the time to dwell on the past.

"And is his lordship spoiling you like he should be?" Maera was all conspiratorial girl-talk.

Luisa laughed and stroked the necklace at her neck. "He's a dear."

"If you think that, you must be in love." It was a cutting remark, clearly something Maera didn't expect Luisa to understand.

Because mistresses just had to be dumb and pretty.

Luisa blinked innocently. "Of course! He buys me the most beautiful things and takes me everywhere. He even—" She bit her lip. "Oh, I shouldn't. He'd get in so much trouble."

Now Maera looked more intent. "Who's going to hear? It’s just us girls."

Us girls and half a dozen data scrapers that Luisa had planted.

Luisa leaned in like she was telling a secret. "He took me to Halaea. Said he had some business to deal with there, something about …" she waved a hand dismissively, "I don't know. But I'm not supposed to say because the king doesn't like it when his lords go there for some reason."

Halaea was a hub of slavery and worse. The Mountain catered to the vices of the rich. Halaea catered to the vices of everyone.

Maera's expression shifted, practiced warmth giving way to something sharper, more calculating. Her fingers drummed against her teacup. "Halaea is such an interesting place. So many … opportunities. He’s a man of vision, isn’t he?

" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.

"I imagine Lord Vex found exactly what he was looking for there. "

She was fishing, probing to see if Luisa knew more than she was letting on. The woman was definitely more than a simple philanthropist if she wasn’t disgusted by the mere mention of the cesspit of a planet.

"How long have you been with Lord Vex?" Maera asked.

"Awhile," Luisa said, reaching for her water glass. "He's very … generous."

"I'm sure he is. Though dragons can be so possessive, don't you find?"

Warning bells went off in Luisa's head. What did that have to do with anything?

"I wouldn't know," she said carefully. "I've never dated a dragon before."

Maera's laugh was like silver wind chimes. "Oh, my dear. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?"

The words hung in the air like a threat. Maera's smile was still perfectly pleasant, but there was something lurking beneath the surface that suggested she knew far more about Luisa's situation than she should.

What exactly did this woman know about dragons? Or was she just fishing?

That was when Vex appeared in the doorway.

His expression was thunderous. All controlled fury and aristocratic arrogance as he strode into the room like he owned it.

"There you are." His voice could have cut glass.

What was he doing here? This wasn't part of the plan.

He crossed the space between them in three swift strides, his hand closing around her wrist with unmistakable possessiveness. The touch sent heat racing up her arm, but his eyes were icy.

"I told you to wait for me." His voice carried the kind of authority that expected immediate obedience, the tone of someone accustomed to being the most dangerous thing in any room.

Luisa's shock was only half-acting. She hadn't expected him to appear, hadn't anticipated the way her body would respond to his sudden presence. The careful control she'd maintained during her conversation with Maera cracked slightly under the intensity of his gaze.

"I told you to be in the suite when I needed you." The grip on her wrist was firm but not painful. He was playing his role. For some reason.

And Luisa had to play along.

"You need reminding who you belong to."

The spa staff had taken several discrete steps backward, their professional training warring with obvious fascination at the display unfolding before them. Even Maera was transfixed, her calculating gaze moving between Luisa and Vex like she was watching a sporting match.

Heat flooded her cheeks. Part embarrassment, part something else entirely. The possessive edge in his voice did things to her that had nothing to do with their cover story.

"I was just getting to know Maera," she managed, looking towards the woman with a sorry glance.

Maera's expression was bland … or calculating.

Vex had no mercy. "You can get to know her later. We're leaving."

His hand slid from her wrist to her waist, his fingers splaying possessively across the silk of her dress. The gesture looked casual to anyone watching, but Luisa could feel the controlled strength in his touch, the way he held himself like a barely restrained predator.

As he guided her toward the exit, she caught Maera's expression in one of the mirrors.

The woman was no longer bothering to hide her interest, her gaze sharp and speculative as she watched them leave.

Whatever game they were playing, Luisa had the uncomfortable feeling that Maera was several moves ahead of them all.

When they reached the elevator, Luisa realized her hands were shaking.

She wasn't entirely sure why.