For a heartbeat nobody moved. The only sound was the sea outside, a low hiss through the broken curtain.
The woman's chin lifted a fraction. "Oh, my, oh my. What a surprise. A king in my boyfriend's apartment. He really aimed higher than me." She flicked her hair back with one hand and gave a little huff. "Either he's dead or in your bed."
Dax didn't answer. He stepped once into the room and let the door ease shut behind him. Tyler stayed outside; at the smallest flick of Dax's fingers, the guards melted back into the stairwell, leaving only the sound of the latch clicking into place.
Clara gave a small, breathless laugh. "Oh, I think he's in your bed. Poor thing never knew what to do with someone like me. Never even touched me properly." She tilted her head, eyes glittering. "Maybe he can't. Maybe that's why he hides behind all those contracts and his pretty drawings. He's good at building walls, not much else."
