Kissing Sin (Riley Jenson Guardian 2)

"Male someone, or female someone?"

"Male. The son of a business rival."

"Anyone I'd know?"

"Unlikely, though you've undoubtedly heard of the company - Sirius Airlines."

"They just won the contract for daily flights to the European Collective's Space Station, didn't they?"

"Yes."

The dark way he said that had me glancing at him. "Beating you out of the contract, I'm gathering?"

"Yes."

"Publicly thumping him is not going to get that contract back, you know."

He gave me his vampire face. "Beating him up wouldn't do any good, because it is not the son that runs the company. I merely wish to give him a warning."

The waiter stopped at an empty table near the corner of the room. I glanced at the window, not sure I liked being so close to it. I might be disguised, but Quinn wasn't, and we still hadn't figured out who or what was behind the recent attempts on his life.

"So, what is his name and what are you warning him about?" I took the seat opposite the window. We might be only eight floors up, but if I got too close and saw the drop, my stomach would react. And I doubt that would endear me to my tablemates.

"That's not your concern," Quinn said.

His reply was almost absent, and annoyance rose. Dammit, I was getting more than a little tired of our relationship - whatever the hell that actually was - being a one-way information street. And being old and set in his ways wasn't excuse enough.

I thrust to my feet, needing to get out of there before I said something daft or we got back to the same old argument, but he grabbed me, his fingers like iron around my wrist.

"I'm sorry, Riley."

"No, you're not." I glanced down at his fingers. "Take your hand off my arm."

"Only if you sit down so we can talk."

"Right now, I have work to do. And I'm over talking to you."

"Please."

"No."

"What if I said the man I was looking for was Kellen Sinclair?"

"Telling me his name now means little." And I had to hope his Kellen wasn't my Kellen - though given the curveballs fate was throwing, I wasn't about to bet on it. "I want to be able to ask a question and have it answered civilly."

"I said I'll try, Riley, but you can't expect - "

He stopped abruptly.

"Yeah," I said softly. "But apparently it's okay for you to expect me to change overnight."

I peeled his fingers off my arm and stepped back, out of his reach. "I'm going to scout the room. I'll let you know if I scent or see anyone familiar."

He almost looked relieved at the prospect. "You shouldn't be doing that alone."

"Liander has masked my spoor and my looks. I'm safe enough here tonight."

"Even so, we're here to get a line on General Hunt, nothing more."