Saints, does she ever stop talking? Inej rolled her eyes, leaning back against the window frame where she was perched.
Annalise - the Heartrender Kaz had hired in place of Nina for this job - was chattering away again, throwing winks and flirtatious glances at the dark haired boy. Kaz was either oblivious or ignoring them, thought Inej thought she could see his endless patience wearing quite thin.
Annalise was going off about something that he'd said. She didn't really get his humor the way Inej did and Annalise was always trying to get under Kaz's skin and anger him to the point of attacking her. Inej recognized the eagerness in Annalise's voice and the way she tracked him with her eyes. The girl was always trying to get Kaz to touch her in any way possible and it irritated Inej almost as much as Kaz.
Inej knew Kaz hated being touched and Annalise did not seem able to take the hint. She wondered how long he could put up with her before he decided he could find another Heartrender and simply dispose of this one to save the trouble.
Inej watched as Annalise lay her hand on the table a little too close to where Kaz's arm lay. Kaz immediately withdrew his arm, keeping it a safe distance away from hers. Annalise was completely oblivious to Kaz's repulsion from touch and Inej doubted she'd care if she knew.
She doesn't know your story the way I do. She thought, rather crossly. Was she actually jealous?
Maybe Kaz would prefer to be with a girl who wasn't as shattered as her, who wasn't intending to sail off into the sunset and leave him. Maybe he would prefer a girl who would do anything for him in the blink of an eye, who could be happy with the little he was willing to offer.
But maybe he was content with Inej, who understood him, who'd been there all along.
Maybe he belonged with Inej.
Inej closed her eyes, remembering when it was just the two of them. No chatty Annalise, just Kaz in his dark suits and Inej by his side.
That's how it ought to be. Inej could feel herself frowning. It's so easy when it's just the two of us.
Inej remembered the first time she'd seen Kaz smile, really smile. Kaz's smile could light up the whole of dark, damp Ketterdam, and it made her soul feel light and warm.
She hadn't seen it since Annalise had arrived, only frowns of irritation and glares when the Grisha girl refused to follow orders.
Inej knew that if she asked him, he would say he was fine, but she knew him better than that.
What was he even doing with a girl like that?
Inej opened her eyes again as a door opened, closed, and a cheerful voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Hope you all didn't miss me too much."
"We missed you dreadfully." Inej shot back with a genuine smile. She would take Jesper's easy grin over Annalise's wolf-like one any day.
"At this rate, I think I even miss Zenik." Kaz drawled, leaning back in his chair in what appeared to be a bored, easy-going manner, but Inej knew was out of discomfort for the Grisha girl's closeness.
"I'm going to tell her you said that." Jesper said with a laugh. Inej didn't share his amusement. Annalise was bothering Kaz, and she was bothering Inej. Saints, she was so annoying.
"Right now I don't even care." Kaz complained. Annalise gave a light laugh and moved as if to out her hand on his shoulder.
"Who is Zenik?" Her tone was mildly interested but Inej saw the narrowed eyes and hardened smile.
