“Because I haven’t been home! But you have been living with her.”
“It doesn’t matter. You lied by omission. You dared judge me because I had a parbot, while all along you, ‘Miss Defender of Human Relationships’, were fucking a parbot, too!” His voice rose with every word. He was angrier than he could remember being in a long time.
In a distant part of his mind, he knew he was making things worse. Perhaps ruining all his chances. But reason couldn’t hold him back.
Kalli gasped, and then her face shuttered. “I see it was a mistake calling you. Goodbye, Dariux.”
She disconnected before he could get another word in.
He frantically tried to call back, but she had blocked her number. He tried tracking the location of the server. But she was using a cloaking device to hide her location, too.
“Fuck!” he yelled as he threw the communication device against the wall.
CHAPTER 41
Her footsteps echoingthrough the cavernous lobby of the government building were a counterpoint to the staccato beat of her heart. Today was the deposition in front of the Parliamentary Commission for Time-Travel Evaluation and Implementation. Such a mouthful.
But her nervousness was not because of the presentation. Not even for the grilling she knew she would receive from the self-important prigs on the commission. She was ready with her research and could answer all their questions. Whether they liked her answers was unimportant to her.
What had her nerves thrumming just beneath her skin was the awareness that today she would have to face Dariux. The impact of his presence alone could obliterate the delicate balance she had achieved in her emotions since that last disastrous phone call.
She would like to believe she had got over him. That seeing him would mean nothing to her. But she was not in the habit of lying to herself and was not about to start now, and with such an important issue.
The lift doors opened as she neared. She stepped inside and the car flew up to the correct floor without her having to give any instructions. Of course not. They already knew who she was and where she was going. Nobody else would even get past the front doors of the building without authorization.
The doors opened to an oppressive meeting room done in dark wood and devoid of natural light. In front of her, a long podium was on a dais set with seven chairs. Four of which were already occupied. The other three remained vacant. On each side of the windowless room, there were more seats, all occupied by unknown people. All facing the center of the room.
And right there in the center, in front of the dais, a small desk with only two chairs. Dariux sat in one of those chairs, and she assumed the other one was for her. It looked like a courtroom. What a lovely set up. No doubt designed to make them feel as if they were on trial. To intimidate.
Dariux turned and looked straight at her. A thousand emotions seemed to run through his eyes, finding an echo in hers. Her heart responded to the call without permission and stumbled inside her chest. Her steps faltered. He stood up and took a step towards her, then stopped and waited for her to approach.
“Kalli, how are you?” he murmured for her ears only as she reached his side.
“Great. How are you?” she replied, injecting cheer into her voice, although she felt anything but. God, but the impact of his nearness was worse than she had expected.
He didn’t reply, only pulled her chair. She sat, then he resumed his seat. She studied him from the corner of her eye. His face was inscrutable as he looked forward, back straight, resting against the back of the chair, his arms on the chair’s armrests, fingers interlaced across his midriff. To a casual observer, he looked relaxed. Still. Immutable.
