Lace & Lead

At least she waited until they were safely inside the metal box before continuing, “You’re never late. I wasn’t sure if something had gone wrong. So when I heard steps in the hall, I went out because I thought it was you.”

“It wasn’t,” he deadpanned but a tiny part of him was flattered to know she had been worried.

She scowled. “I know that now. But once I got stuck outside I figured I shouldn’t try to use the scanner. I didn’t know if it would flag me.”

Begrudgingly, Peirce nodded. “At least you’re not stupid.”

She didn’t take it as a compliment, judging by the way she tilted her head and crossed her arms.

“What I mean is that you did good.” The headache was growing. He rubbed the back of his head, wishing it would loosen him up. “And so you know next time, I keep my security off the grid.”

“Oh.”

The elevator door opened with a ding and they stepped out into the hall. Peirce led the way, making sure to shield her as best he could until he was sure no one was around. After clearing his security measures, he ushered her inside, taking extra time to recheck the locks.

By the time he turned back, she’d already set out the Berkwan and had settled onto his couch, tucking her feet up underneath her and perching delicately. He shook his head. She looked a helluva lot younger that way and the way her fingers nervously fluttered over everything to double-check it was in the right place only solidified his observation.

“Thanks for getting it ready,” he said.

“Um…do you want me to get the dishes?”

He grabbed the container of dreelin noodles and one of the cheap forks thrown in with the take-out, picking out the vegetable chunks and throwing them onto the container’s lid. “Don’t bother with dishes. What’s the point of buying food if you’ve still got to wash a ton of crap?”

She contemplated that for a moment, then tentatively looked through the different boxes. “What’s good?” she finally asked.

“Want something sweet or something spicy?”

He could have sworn her eyes hadn’t been on the boxes, but if she’d run them down his body like he thought, it was too fast to catch. “Spicy,” she said.

He pointed at the container of carmak beef. She took it and looked at the food tentatively.

“What?” he asked. “Is the princess afraid of eating a commoner’s food?”

If looks could kill, he’d be rotting in the grave. She took out a piece of beef and took a tentative nibble. As surprise registered on her face, he couldn’t help chuckling.

“Yeah, even we poor idiots know what we’re doing occasionally.”

“I don’t think that,” she said quietly.

“What?”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot.”

He froze, fork mid-way to his mouth. She wouldn’t look at him, but continued, “And I don’t think that not having money makes a person less worthy than someone else.”

Shit. He’d offended her. Big time.

Now she looked up at him and, for some reason, meeting her gaze made him feel more than a little uncomfortable. “Why do you hate the aristocracy so much?”

I don’t want to answer this.

“I don’t give a shit about the aristocracy. Most of them are the reason I’m still in business.”

She continued to watch him as he ate the noodles. Damn things were like live worms going down now.

“I’m not stupid,” she said with quiet ferocity. “I know that’s not the reason.”

“Look…I don’t want to talk about it.”