VERA
Staring hard at Xander, I bit the inside of my cheek, praying he hadn't picked up on my slip but of course he had. I could see it in the sudden stiffness of his shoulders, the way his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared just slightly.
My heart sank.
"Why the hell did you say that out loud anyway?" Nina hissed in my head.
"Not my fault," I snapped inwardly, teeth clenched. "He barged in here! I wasn't ready for his questions!"
"Go on, Vera," Xander said at last, his voice a low, controlled murmur that barely hid the threat simmering underneath. "What was that you were saying about grudges? Did you do something to this man? Is he attacking you because of revenge?"
I pressed trembling fingers to my lips, feigning a sob. My eyes widened as if in helpless panic, and I forced a tremble into my voice.
"I—I don't know," I whispered. "I was just talking… trying to give you possible reasons why he was after me."
