Lucky Tair, getting it right from the source. Most people had a closet of dirty secrets, but Darren had an airplane hangar full of them. Before I could say a thing about him, he confessed everything he’s ever done wrong to Nagi. Cheating on his Helix testing. Killing off his competition to get the job. Everything. I blocked it out before the skuzzy details flashed back. Nagi owns him and Darren is crazy loyal. There’s no getting between them.

I’d tried to get him out of my life for years, but I’d never dug up a single thing that Nagi didn’t already know, and eventually I’d given up. Wading through Darren’s business made me want to shower for days.

Tair tapped a finger against his frames. I’ve met some awful people, but Darren… His lip curled. Hate isn’t a strong enough word.

I prefer loathe.

Exactly. Tair smiled and it felt like basking in sunlight. All thoughts of Darren scattered away.

Then a jolt of realization made me sit up straighter in my chair. The flirting had to stop.

I wasn’t even trying to flirt. It just kept happening. Like rolling down a hill.

Like gravity.

If this kept up?

I’d sacrificed the last few years of my life to protect people I’d never meet. Just distant strangers who needed a little clairvoyant assistance. If I fell for Tair…

I knew myself well enough to know I wouldn’t be able watch him get hurt, and my situation was already screwed. I didn’t have enough pieces left on the board. There was only so much I could sacrifice to protect what needed protecting.

I saw his next move written before he made it, and slid my knight to block his advance.

However my new powers worked, I’d figure them out and do my best to save him as many times as I had to.

But the determination burning in my chest was exactly the problem. We weren’t in love yet and I was already forgetting my mission.

What insanity would spin out if I fell all the way?

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

ALTAIR

Rage simmered under my skin, barely suppressed as I moved through the motions of the game. Only my connection to Quanta kept me grounded.

Calm. Level. I tried to lose myself in the chess pieces and my possible moves, but the more I learned about Darren, the more I wanted to bash the table through the holographic window.

But here was Quanta, worried I thought she’d revealed secrets to the Seligo.

Who gave a shit about that anymore?

We needed to get our information and then get out. As quickly as possible.

As Quanta squinted at the chessboard, she chewed the inside of her cheek and her cold toes pressed against my calf. The instinct to scoop her up and run held strong.