Page 26 of Villainous Intent

Secrecy. Exclusion. I hated it. I hated watching them exist in a private world where I couldn’t reach. I tapped the translation button, hungry for the data, but the software errored out. Havoc was using something that interfered with my program and I was absolutely shit at reading lips myself.

I watched Havoc argue with the Aegis in silence. He looked protective and righteous while Annie looked pale. Annie’s lips moved and Havoc and the Aegis stopped talking.

Annie directed something at Havoc. He scowled, but nodded at her words. Finally, she reached forward and unmuted herself. “Fine, I understand. I’ll find the rogue.”

Havoc looked like he wanted to argue, but he stayed silent.

I leaned forward, unable to resist. “So you want me to date the very Keeper who has tanked my ratings with you? How romantic.”

“I didn’t tank your ratings, and it isn’t dating,” she snapped, her eyes flashing. “It’s fake. Completely scripted. And I’ll still have my cuff. I’m sure you remember what it can do.”

“Keeper Bishop,” I purred, “please don’t threaten me with a good time.”

The flush that spread across Annie’s cheeks was immediate and devastating. It started at her neck and bloomed upward, a map of her blood heating under her skin.

“I’m sure we can generate similar sparks for the cameras,” I continued. “Though perhaps with less property damage next time.”

“Stop wasting our time,” one of the Aegis members snapped. “Every moment spent on this theatrical display is another moment our rogue has with the Hammer.”

“There are a few things I don’t understand.” I crossed my arms, keeping my posture relaxed, though every muscle was coiled. “First, I would still like to know how Keeper Bishop is supposed to find this rogue? And second, how does playing boyfriend to a Keeper make me more villainous?”

“The first question is none of your concern,” the distorted Syndicate voice said sharply. “And we strongly suggest you do not pursue that line of inquiry further. Any investigation into Keeper Bishop’s methods will result in immediate sanctions.”

I caught the slight narrowing of Annie’s eyes, the way her fingers twitched against the desk. She was hiding something. They all were. And the Syndicate had just made a fatal error. They had told me not to look. Which meant I was going to tear her life apart until I found exactly what they were trying to hide.

“As for your second question,” another Syndicate member drawled, “you’re a Villain. Be creative. I’m sure you can make this arrangement work to your advantage.”

“So you’re giving me carte blanche to corrupt a Keeper? To take the Alliance’s pristine little symbol and drag her down into the mud with me?”

“Like hell—” Annie started.

“None of that will be happening,” an Aegis member cut her off, sighing heavily. “The arrangement is for cooperation, not corruption. None of the camera angles captured Bishop’s face clearly. We’ve agreed that her identity will remain confidential. She’ll be masked during all public appearances with you. This protects both her and the integrity of the Alliance.”

A Syndicate member chimed in with a dismissive wave. “A masked lover fits your branding better anyway. Much better than being seen with an uptight, frigid Keeper.”

Annie’s face changed and her eyes dropped momentarily, her shoulders tensing, shrinking in on herself. She looked small.

I hated it. Their insult grated, not because it was cruel, the Syndicate didn’t deal in kindness. It grated because he was looking at her. Assessing her. Wondering what lay beneath her exterior.

A surge of anger flooded through me.

Get your eyes off her.

No one else got to map her edges. No one else got to speculate on her heat. She wasn’t theirs to judge. She was mine to consume.

Havoc leaned over Annie’s shoulder, placing a protective hand near her arm. “I think we’ve established the parameters of this arrangement. I assume we’ll be contacted with the details of her first public appearance with Cipher.”

“Looking forward to it,” I drawled.

“Just remember,” Annie said, her voice tight, “this is strictly for show. Don’t get any ideas about⁠—“

“About what? Worried you might actually enjoy playing pretend with me?”

“Never,” she hissed.

“Careful, Bishop. I love a challenge.”

“Enough.” An Aegis member’s voice cracked like a whip. “We will send a contract outlining the terms of this arrangement to both parties within the hour. We expect full compliance.”