Chapter 11

"You okay?" Zyair asked with a sleepy look that made Layla's insides twist.

"Mmhm…" Layla mumbled with a big smile across her face.

The most surprising part of this interrogation was that she wanted it to continue. In hindsight, if she'd been asked if she would have the best sex of her life but would have to be suspected of a serious crime to have it, she might have hesitated.

Now that she was in the situation, at least she had the sex part of it. As long as the investigation continued with him, she felt safe. If it came to an end and the conclusion was not in her favor, that was another story. But for some reason, even if it was an illusion, when they were enjoying each other physically, she couldn't imagine him doing her any harm.

She knew it was a risky maneuver. But at this point, she didn't have a lot of options.

Zyair's body was a thing of perfection. His graceful, shapely form filled her mind with thoughts of how fully he had pleasured her just moments before. He knew what he was doing with a human woman, that was for sure.

More than just the sex, though, appealed to her. The first thing that struck her were his eyes, and as she got to know him better, she saw someone behind them—a sensitive, thoughtful soul, with strong opinions but even stronger loyalties.

She wanted to kick herself for thinking it, but she could see herself with someone like him.

Could she be falling for him? She just hoped he felt as conflicted about it as she did. If he did, it would be fine.

Okay, stay calm. Stay calm. Breathe.She lay against Zyair's side and took a few deep breaths, trying not to enjoy the feeling of being pressed against his warm skin too much. Oh, but she enjoyed it.

A question suddenly occurred to her: did she have to pretend she didn't enjoy it? She knew the answer as soon as she thought of it. She could enjoy it all she wanted. That was part of her pact with herself. Layla had a personal rule to do the things that made her happy. That was, after all, the reason she had left Earth. It wouldn't do her any good to deny her burgeoning feelings for him anyway.

Her decision was made, her mind settled. She almost wished she had stolen the Desolation Stone so she could stay with Zyair since the sex slave agreement was conditioned on her guilt. But she wasn't guilty. Whatever evidence he had was either falsified in some way or he was just jumping to conclusions.

She passed the time by entertaining a fantasy to frame herself for the crime since the sex was so good. So far, the investigation seemed to be heading in that direction anyway, so it shouldn't be too difficult to allow it to embroil her further.

Maybe the culprit was finding a way to frame her by placing the Desolation Stone in her possession at this very moment. Probably not. Layla knew wishful thinking when she saw it. When the evidence turned away from her and led to someone else, as it inevitably would if Zyair was a detective worth his salt, Layla would have to figure out a way to bring it back around to point to her.

Or in her alternate fantasy world, in which she'd live as his sex slave, she'd identify the thief, and then steal the Desolation Stone from the person who had stolen it in the first place. She could frame herself. Or she could present the solved case to Zyair on a silver platter and cover her tracks to make it look like she had framed the actual perpetrator of the crime.

Or something like that. Even she couldn't unravel it all, it was so convoluted.

Either way, he was on her mind, and she didn't see any signs that it would change anytime soon. Especially with him lying next to her, naked, his ripped body warm against her.

He was a card-carrying grouch, to be sure, but that had rather worked in her favor thus far. Refusing to believe she was anything but a low-down, dirty thief had only served to make him want to keep his enemies closer. And closer was exactly where she wanted to be.

She snuggled into him and listened to his deep, even breaths. Feeling her normal ebullient mood returning, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. When she opened them next, a strange, cold feeling traveled down the length of her body.

Zyair was gone. Layla was bereft. After what they had experienced together, after the amazing time they had had, how could he just go? She sat up to find him dressing.

"Where are you going?" She had tried to keep the desperate edge out of her voice, but it hadn't worked.

He eyed her warily. "I have new leads to track down," he gruffed.

"Let me come with you," she suggested too quickly.

Zyair scowled. "I don't think you understand how this works. The primary suspect doesn't normally tag along for this sort of thing."

Layla batted her eyelashes. "Yeah, but is the primary suspect normally this sexy?"

Zyair snorted and remained silent.

"Come on, I could help you!" Layla insisted.

"How?" he asked bluntly.

Stunned for a moment, she bit her lip. "I could talk to people for you."

"I think I've got that covered."

It was Layla's turn to snort.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"You're charming and everything, but you kind of have a people problem."

"People are a problem."

"Exactly," she pointed out.

Zyair narrowed his eyes at her, and she barreled on before he could protest further.

"I'm serious!" Layla insisted. "I have a talent for winning people over. Do you disagree?"

He thought for a minute and then shook his head. "No, but this isn't a game. I can't take you traipsing all over the galaxy looking for a weapon of this magnitude."

"You didn't say it was a weapon. You said it was a rock."

"It's called the Desolation Stone. The name implies weapon. Don't you think?"

"So, you're shutting me out on an implication?" Layla whined.

"I'm investigating you on an implication!"

"That doesn't sound like a solid foundation for a case. Does it? An implication," she charged, and for the first time, she saw his face fall. Maybe he was beginning to acknowledge that the accusations against her were a farce.

"Let me come with you!" she insisted. She held up her hand, palm out as if she were taking an oath. With the other hand, she crossed her fingers behind her back. Just in case.

Zyair was losing his patience. He rubbed his cheeks with his palms and released his breath in a huff. "Fine. Fine, fine, fine. But you have to do whatever I say and you cannot wander off!"

"Agreed!" Layla promised immediately. Whatever he said was fine with her. She was just happy to be going along for the ride. And if he fell for her along the way… well, that would just be icing on the cake.