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"Life. Sex. The world. Take your pick," I say bitterly.
He strides to the door, gathering a dozen paper shopping bags I didn't notice before. He checks the closet before dropping them inside.
"I thought you said you weren't a virgin." His muffled voice floats from the space, and I wonder how large it is.
"I'm not, but missionary with a fumbling sixteen-year-old isn't exactly learning much about what I like. And this place clearly doesn't celebrate a woman's pleasure. Unless the client is a woman, of course."
I hate that every conversation I have with him revolves around the Guild. It's all I know, though. I can't even talk about the weather most of the time. It's night whenever I'm awake. Snow on the ground or rain pounding against the windows is the closest I get to experiencing the elements. As if the clouds heard my thoughts, rain starts pinging against the window next to the bed.
I swallow, remembering the alley. The fresh air was exhilarating, even though it was tainted with a metallic smell. It's probably why I ended up making out with Dante. Do people even say making out anymore? I'm so out of touch, only learning things from Jenkins or the conversations I overhear while serving.
Peeking at Dante as he strides from the closet, I shiver. I lied to him and it makes me want to throw up. I didthink about running when I stepped into the alley. And then I froze, unable to function. Ultimately, I wouldn't have made it very far. The Guild has perfected infiltrating a city, hiding their men in plain sight. I'm sure their men are stationed at most of the exits from the city.
"Is there an airport in Rima?" I ask. Not that I could take a plane out of here. I don't even have clothes of my own, much less money for a ticket.
"No, though there were talks of building one near Synd. The mafia leaders shut that down pretty quickly." He waves something through the air, covering each wall methodically.
"They're that powerful?"
He snorts, glancing over his shoulder at me and smirking. "You have no idea. Nothing happens in that city without them knowing."
"Except when the Guild came through," I murmur, picking at the comforter.
He nods, then sighs, turning to me. "But they pushed them out. The Guild is vulnerable because of them, Aelia."
I huff, tucking my knees close to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. He finishes whatever his task is and collapses next to me, throwing an arm over his eyes.
"How do you stay awake all night? This shit is killing me,” he mumbles.
"I've been doing this since I was nineteen, Dante. You get used to it. I haven't seen the sun past it rising and setting for almost a decade and that’s if I’m lucky to walk past a window that isn’t covered. I'm surprised the sun hasn't blown up yet."
He rolls on his side, propping his head in his hand. "Is that a real concern for you?"
"Ember read something about solar flares like a week before I went to Synd. Guess it just stuck with me." I shrug, kicking myself.
I'm not as worried about him betraying me anymore but talking about my best friend has my head spinning.
"You're pale," he murmurs, brushing a finger along my jaw. "So I'll ask you two questions and you only have to answer one. Who is Ember, and why were you going to Synd?"
Biting my lip, I contemplate which one will inflict the least amount of heartache. I study him, wishing I could just reveal everything and not have to deal with the aftermath of it all. I open my mouth, then snap it shut, shaking my head.
"Ember was my best friend when we moved to Westmont. Her parents weren't exactly involved in her life. In fact, I'm pretty sure they forgot they had a kid after a while." I take a deep breath, forging on. "And I went to Synd for a boy. Which was not the smartest decision since it eventually landed me here."
Confusion lines his eyes, but he merely nods and rolls onto his back once more. I expected more questions, but he doesn’t pry. Part of me wishes he’d keep asking and the other is grateful he doesn’t push me.
I gesture toward the machine he left on the nightstand, though his eyes are covered again. "What exactly were you doing with that device?"
"It detects cameras and microphones. This room is secure. Probably not soundproof, but at least they haven't bugged the place. I threatened Jenkins if he tried to pull something like that, but we both know we can't trust him to keep his word."
I gnaw on my lip, wondering what else I'm supposed to do. I'm never allowed a day off. Free time is not in my vocabulary these days. If I'm not in the office, I'm working one of the floors, or dancing, or any number of other things that make my skin crawl. Dante seems content to just be, and I don't know what to do with that.
"What else do you want to learn about?" he says, voice tinged with sleep.
"I don't know."
He peeks at me from under his arm. "Yes, you do."
"Everything, I guess. Seeing the world through the eyes of a teenager is probably a lot different from when you're an adult."
