And then a dark thought hits me. What if he’s married or already in a relationship? What if he already has a family? And just as my mind begins to spiral, he speaks, pulling me from my darkening thoughts.

“Rhys, about earlier, downstairs…” He sighs, dragging a shaky hand down his neck.

“About what Aileen and the others said, about me trying to take the protection artifact from Sector Three…” He hesitates for a brief moment, glancing toward me.

“I did try to take it, but not for myself,” he rushes out all at once. “It was for my sister. She got in with a bad crowd because of some asshole. The dick racked up a debt and ran off and left her with it.” He shakes his head, anger seeping through his voice.

“And they came after her, telling her she had to pay the debt or they’d take her as collateral.” His face scrunches up, his brows furrowed, as he turns to me. “She’s only twenty-three.”

“After our parents passed, I raised her as best I could. At the start, we had a pack behind us, but…she’s made a few mistakes, and we had to leave. She’s the only family I have left.” His eyes look to me, a deep sadness to them. And that’s when I realized I didn’t know any of this about him. But I wanted to learn, to know more about him and his life, his likes and dislikes, everything, and I would when everything was done here with the Interitus.

I step toward him. “So this is everything that you needed to tell me?”

His brows pull together in question as he looks at me. “Of course. I just didn’t want you thinking I do this regularly. I’m no thief or criminal.”

A small smirk spreads across my lips before I school it. “Pity, thieves are kind of hot.”

He narrows his eyes toward me, his hands reaching for me. “I’m not saying I couldn’t.”

I dodge his hand, stepping to the side and raising a brow. “I wouldn’t quit my day job if I were you…you did get caught.”

A small chuckle leaves his lips before it falters. He takes a deep breath, his eyes on the floor before he looks back toward me. “It doesn’t bother you? What I did? Tried to do?”

I guess he did try to steal something, and in a Sector Library, no less. But it was to help his family, and he didn’t actually take it.

I shake my head. “Not really. You were trying to help your family. I get it.” I would do the same for my family and then some.

His eyes widen a fraction, a slow smile spreading on his lips as he releases the breath he was holding.

“But,” I continue, stepping closer to him, “I need more information.”

His eyes scrunch together cutely, a confused look on his face.

“Okay. What do you want to know? How I got into the Library, or why I was caught?”