Rysa held up one finger, stopping Vernox in
midsentence. She sat behind her secretary’s desk, playing with the velvety
leaves of an African violet while she spoke on the phone, and old hand held,
plug into the wall type phone. The lighting was always kept dim in her suite of
rooms and Vernox was shirtless. As such, the candle light made his skin glow. It
was a delightful visual.
“Yeah, ok, so let me know anything you hear.” She was disheartened
as she disconnected the call.
“Sorry, didn’t realize you were busy.
Everything okay?” He came over to her side of the desk, leaned back on it and
took her hand in his, resting both against his thigh.
The simple motion threw a spotlight on her
concerns. Ordinarily, touch made her uneasy, but lately, she was craving it. Even
the slight contact now was like nourishment for her soul. Vernox was one of the
few people she trusted enough to allow him, so she took advantage. Letting him
feed her need, but she couldn’t push away the fear that something more was
going on with her than she understood.
“I’m looking for Drago. I haven’t heard from
him for a few days, and Santiago even longer.” Internally she cringed at how
overly protective and maternal she just sounded.
“He’s disappeared for longer, sweetheart. I
know you have taken on the mother hen role with them both, and Ana, but…”
“I’ve heard rumors that Tallon is back on the
Key.” She cut him off because she knew the information she held would stop his
protest flat.
“Oh.”
And it did.
She saw concern slowly fill his eyes.
“It’s just a rumor.” She was the one suddenly
reassuring him.
“Right.” He seemed openly distracted now.
“I hate it when you go down to one word
responses, means you’re thinking.” She pressed her lips into a thin
disapproving line.
He squeezed her hand, stood and pulled her
into his arms. He was
