Page 32 of Smuggler's Beauty

Evelyn shot her a bemused grin. “Do you solve every problem with sugar?”

“Only the ones that can’t be solved with sex.”

Evelyn snorted and took a sip of the drink. She nearly choked when the liquor hit her mouth, Irish cream and vodka laced the smooth creamy drink. She arched an eyebrow at Veronique.

“It’s Vegas,” she said with a shrug. “It would have been harder to find a milkshake without booze in it.”

Veronique plopped down on the floor in front of Evelyn, a seductive guard dog sprawled at her feet. Tariel took thelast sofa spot, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle. Veselko lounged against the wall and started playing with the folding knife he perpetually kept in his pocket. Evelyn’s emotions threatened to overwhelm her. It had been one thing to know the crew had wanted her to be safe physically during the meeting with the mysterious Vinnie. But ensuring her emotional safety was as safeguarded as possible as well was too much. Evelyn didn’t deserve this. Aiden’s hand came to rest on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

Corvinia took it all in silently. Evelyn was well acquainted with the quality of her poker face. There was a slight flash of satisfaction in her eyes that Evelyn wasn’t sure she liked, but she wanted answers more than to call her aunt on it for the moment.

“As I said, most of the first year went as well as could be expected. The overt military threats stopped, the raiders cooled off once protection was back in place. We started to rebuild. The progress reports they sent regarding your physical health were satisfactory. Then, your father received the first photo. You were in your pod, and there was a hand holding a knife to your throat.”

Evelyn’s eyes bugged open. “Say that again?”

“A knife. To your throat. You and your father expected Emil to adhere to your agreement like a gentleman. He’s not, and never has been. He’s a ruthless dictator who knew exactly what he had: the ultimate bargaining chip. He knew your father would give him everything he wanted to keep you safe.”

Evelyn let out a huge sigh, the air blowing her hair around her face. “Well, shit. I’m glad I slept through that.” She took a pull of the milkshake. “So I really did just deliver myself off to be a hostage. Go me.”

“The photo arrived without any demands. Just a picture. Then suggestions started to be made. Changes to policy. Theimplication being that as soon as your father stepped out of line, you’d have your throat slit.”

“Wasn’t this an illogical threat?” Tariel asked. “If Emil killed Evelyn, he’d be out of his Amplifier. He’d be back where he started, and no one else would volunteer.”

Corvinia nodded. “That’s exactly what I said to Hubert, but he wouldn’t be reasoned with. He feared that if Emil killed Evelyn, the next step would be to wage all out war on Tanalia, kidnap his entire line and extended family.”

“So Papa started implementing changes,” Evelyn said. Hubert Alpertti may have been consumed by the responsibilities of his office, but he had always loved his daughters.

“Yes. More and more people ‘conveniently’ moved off planet to assist with projects on Bauder,” Corvinia said, making little quotation fingers. “Not to mention the ones that had suspicious accidents. Before we knew it, half our top scientists were gone. Bauder’s soldiers had a base built at the capital. They started holding mixers at the university, trying to promote relationships with the hopes children with... sensitivities would be the ultimate result.”

Evelyn heard Nannette gulp at Corrie’s latest revelation. She reached out and gave her knee a gentle pat. She wasn’t sure why that specific tidbit had spooked the knife-wielding beauty, but everyone had baggage they were hauling through life.

“Your family started to be seen less and less in public. First your sisters and their spouses, then your mother and finally, your father. I couldn’t get a straight answer out of Hubert as to their whereabouts. Then he stopped taking my communications. I was barred entry from the palace, the summer house, brushed off as new security protocols.”

At that, Evelyn frowned. “Papa would never not take your calls. You’re family.”

Corvinia sighed and uncrossed her legs, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. “I later discovered that they had all wound up in similar pods to the one you were being held in.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Her grip on the flimsy paper cup tightened, and she wanted to hurl her milkshake across the room. This was all her fault.

Aiden gingerly took the cup from her and placed it on the table.

“That’s exactly what I said when I tracked them down,” Corvinia said, holding out a hand in agreement. “It was bad enough that your father let you go through with your initial plan, but that he folded like a cheap card table. Well. It was frustrating to say the least. Tanalia was completely being run by a shadow government.”

“What about the other ministers?” Veronique asked from her spot on the floor. “Didn’t anyone else notice their orders were coming from a suspicious source?”

“Eventually, yes. For a while they all thought I was paranoid. Part and parcel of my job. Eventually they either fell in line or were replaced.”

“Part and parcel? What does paranoia have to do with the arts?” Evelyn asked. There was no need for Corvinia to worry about being replaced; worst-case scenario a dozen theaters would scoop her up to chair their programing committees. Her title would give her job security as long as she wanted to work in the theatre, not to mention her reputation on the stage.

“The better question,” Veselko said, “is why was Hubert taking political advice from an arts minister? Long standing relationship or not, why heed your warnings? Why not a defense minister?”

“We don’t really have a military presence on Tanalia. We’re a peaceful planet focused on personal development, scientificdiscovery, and artistic expression. There’s no need. We’re in the planetary and galactic alliances for protection,” Evelyn said.

“Seems a bit shortsighted,” Lillian said. “You should always watch your own six.”

Corvinia nodded at this. “And this is the part of the conversation I’ve been dreading.” She rose from the easy chair and went to the freezer to pull out a bottle of vodka. Then she grabbed an empty mug and poured herself a drink.

“This part?” Nannette asked,sotto voce. Tariel nudged her with his elbow. She shrugged.