“I don’t want to go tonight,” he groaned. “We need to figure out an excuse to skip it.”
“No way, I’ve got plans, and you have to help me.”
Caution made Dade slow to reply. “With what?”
Clarissa looked at him from under the thick fringe of her bangs where they cut straight across her forehead in an unwavering line. Her eyes glittered, and her lip twisted at the corner fractionally, warning that he wouldn’t like what she was about to say. Yet her glossy red lips stayed sealed.
The women finished with his makeup and hair. Clarissa waited until they’d packed up their things and walked away before she leaned toward him. “You know I wouldn’t ask you for a favor if I didn’t really need it. And in this case, it benefits you too. It’s a win-win.”
Groaning, he made a “get on with it” gesture. She was already selling him the outcome without divulging her plan. Never a good sign. “What horrible idea are we enacting for this evening’s entertainment?”
“I need to tag Chief Nakomzer.” By “tag,” Clarissa meant that she needed some kind of device planted without the chief’s knowledge.
“Of course you do,” he said with a sigh. Tag the head of the govies in front of his family and hers, as well as any number of politically involved Solizen. They might as well hang a sign saying that they wanted to be caught and charged with treason.
He didn’t bother asking why. She would tell him, but then he’d have to get involved in her plotting. To be honest, his own conspiracies were enough. He didn’t also need to worry about hers. The unspoken tenet of their relationship was: “Help when requested, keep your mouth shut otherwise, and don’t ask questions.” It had been that way since they were kids. There was no reason to change it now, even if this might get him arrested.
“He’ll be there tonight,” she confirmed, then gave him a sly look. “I’ll take care of him, but I need you to tag Sophia.”
“No way.” He considered Nakomzer’s assistant to be a monster, and she hated him equally.
“I won’t be able to get near her, not like I can with Nakomzer. You, on the other hand . . .” She bit her lip and tried not to laugh. “She likes you.”
Dade gagged. “Stop.”
Clarissa clapped her hands together in delight. “Fine, she hates you enough that she’ll ignore you, which makes you perfect for the job.”
He couldn’t help but admire her enthusiasm. Dade was decisive about things, but he didn’t have quite as much fun. She enjoyed everything about the destruction of social order.
The photographer walked over, interrupting their conversation. He stopped in front of them, looking them over critically, as if they were a painting or a work of art. His hands pressed together in front of his mouth as though he were in prayer as he stared at them.
The entire process was extremely uncomfortable. Dade didn’t know if he should say something. Wasn’t that common courtesy?
The scrutiny didn’t seem to bother Clarissa. If anything, she slipped easily into her society persona, the one that was perpetually bored with everything.
“Yes, this I can work with,” the photographer finally said, more to himself than to them, and then he hummed a little happy sound under his breath. His accent was heavy, he was obviously from another of the planet cities, and the dark skin of his bald head reflected in the harsh overhead lights. “You are such a lovely engaged couple. I’m going to make you look amazing.”
Clarissa gave the photographer a dazzling smile. “We’re so pleased you were available. When I heard you might not be in the city, I didn’t know what we’d do.”
“Who else could take these pictures but me?” he agreed, clearly pleased with the praise. He stepped forward to grip her hand, giving it a squeeze as he pulled her from the chair.
“No one, of course.” She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm as they walked through the apartment toward one of the bedrooms where the set had been constructed.
Dade inspected himself one last time in the mirror. He looked ridiculous, rich, vapid, with way too much money and zero common sense. It was probably exactly the look they wanted. Dade sighed, getting up out of the chair to follow.
When he reached Clarissa and the photographer, they had stopped in the middle of what had once been an empty bedroom. They had their heads together while they discussed poses. The photographer gestured with his hands. Dade didn’t know the guy’s name or his work. With the way Clarissa was cooing, Dade supposed he was famous.
Dade stopped at the edge of the bright lights. He didn’t know where to look first. At the red walls that reflected an unattractive glare, the gold-painted chairs that screamed gaudy and uncomfortable, or the random colored throw pillows stacked up in piles.
Clarissa beckoned him over. She patted his back reassuringly as the photographer described his vision.
But honestly, the whole thing gave Dade a headache. He nodded where appropriate and was thankful when the crew piled into the room and business finally got under way.
The photographer directed them. “Hips together.” His hands gently steered them closer. “Wrap your arm around her back,” he instructed Dade, then placed Dade’s other hand on Clarissa’s waist.
They knew what they were supposed to do. How they were supposed to act in public. So it wasn’t a big deal to stand close together now and act like a couple.
Clarissa leaned into the pose. Her hands found the exact spot on Dade’s chest that the photographer wanted, because he began to murmur, “Yes, exactly that.”
Then the photographer stepped back to look them over with a wider view. He made a pleased noise while taking the camera from his assistant. “Okay, kids, forget the camera. Focus on each other. Let your love ooze.”
Forgetting the cameras would be next to impossible. And oozing love? That sounded like an industrial accident. Plus, Dade didn’t know how to pretend he was in love with Clarissa in the first place. He figured that if he wasn’t frowning, that would be good enough.
Awkward did not begin to describe the next few minutes. The lights were hot. He felt the caked-on makeup melting off his face. The popping of the flash blinded him with each click of the shutter. And the stares from the crew tightened his shoulders.
Clarissa, on the other hand, looked in her element. She twisted for the camera, parting her lips slightly so that her face appeared relaxed. She offered sultry expressions.
All while Dade moved robotically beside her.
It must have been bad, because the photographer lowered his camera and frowned. “Let’s try for a different look.”