The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

SAFFRON

Okay,I was nervous as shit.

Especially given what he’d said. We’re the problem.

God, how were we going to get around this tension? We needed to figure out a way around it or we wouldn’t make it.

As we stepped into Massimo Igno's party, I was hyper-aware of every move, every angle, what the job was. My comms had been hidden in my lipstick and when I’d gone to the loo, I’d slid it into my bra, pulling my braids forward to cover just in case. When I stepped out of the loo, Graciella was waiting for me. "Oh, there you are."

"Ha, sorry, I was just in the loo."

"Wow, you look gorgeous." She looped her arm through mine. “You must tell me what your hair stuff is. It smells divine."

"Um, it's pretty ordinary. It's shea moisturizing conditioner."

"Maybe it's not your hair stuff but your perfume. What do you wear?"

"Oh, it's this perfume my mother used to wear. She had it custom made."

"Of course, it's custom made. God, that's not even fair. Do you remember the perfumery? I have been trying to hunt that scent down since we met the other day."

"Trust me, I’ve tried. I just know she always wore it."

"Ugh, is it one of those things you can call her and ask?"

I cleared my throat. "No, unfortunately, my mother died a couple years ago."

Her face fell. "Oh gosh, I’m so sorry. Listen to me going on and on about perfume. I’m sorry, that was insensitive."

“It's okay, you couldn't know."

Except, it wasn't okay.

Why was she obsessed with my scent anyway?

Lock's obsessed with it too.

Yeah, but his obsession didn't annoy me at all. Hers, did.

"Why don't you come out to the balcony. This is quite a crush of people. You know Massimo… He loves to be social."

"Okay."

She led me to the side balcony, and I knew that if he'd been able to put his coms in by now, that Lock had me. I wasn't getting lost. Still, I couldn't help but feel uneasy. It was hotter out in the balcony that she led me to.

"So, why don't you tell me about your relationship with Lock? You two seem so in step. It must be that flush of honeymoon, right? He's hardly left your side since he walked in."

“Yeah, I mean, we do like each other a lot."

"And you met at a party, right?"

I was very careful to recite the exact story. I added a few slight embellishments as a normal person telling the story would, but I was careful. She was prodding, and I wanted to know why.

“I mean, he must have been one hell of a playboy before you caught him, right?"

"That's... You know, that’s what I hear. But with me, he's so different."

“Yeah, that's what I say about Massimo. I changed him."