“Your main courses,” he informed us.
“Thank you,” I said as the server made to leave the table. Shock flashed in his eyes before he hurried away.
“I would be careful who hears you speak to them like that,” Collin said. “The Elite will take offense.”
“The Elite take offense to everything.”
I swore I saw a smirk flash across his face. My stomach fluttered despite myself, and I quickly looked at my plate, perplexed again at another different-looking food.
“It’s salmon,” Collin told me.
Digging my fork into the salmon, I placed a small piece in my mouth. A sound escaped me. I snapped up at Collin’s deep chuckle, his sapphire eyes sparkling.
“So we have moved on from scarfing down the food without breathing to—” He paused. “What would you call that indecent sound?”
I caught my lip between my teeth. He tracked the movement. I opened my mouth to reply, only to be interrupted once more.
“Why, Collin, how nice it is to see you this evening. Not locked away at work for once,” boomed a lean man with bright blond hair, pulling Collin’s searing gaze from my mouth, the glint in his eyes disappearing.
“Edward,” Collin said and nodded politely. “I took an evening off to attend to an important matter.”
“Forgive me. I do not know your friend,” Edward remarked. His eyes slid over me, marking my deep neckline and ample cleavage on display. My body recoiled.
“You wouldn’t.” Collin’s mouth was a tight line. “Emeline is my intended Mate and is not a member of high society.”
I whipped my head toward Collin. At the information he gave up unabashedly.
“A Defect,” Edward blurted, shocked, looking me over again. His gaze made me long for the showerheads from earlier. The so-called grime from life below was nothing compared to the filth I felt coating everywhere his eyes roamed.
“My intended Mate,” Collin corrected, his voice a lethal calm. I sat up straighter at the sound.
“Yes, of course, of course. I’m shocked that even you are made to stoop so low. To take a pet, forced to socialize with their kind. Barbaric, but it is for the Greater Good. And if they look like this, why not bring them out in public for some entertainment. A beauty, regardless of status.” My body locked up at his comment, as greasy as his gaze.
“I believe your Mate is waiting for you,” Collin said coldly. “Good evening, Edward.”
Edward bowed his head. “Of course, of course. Good evening, Collin. Sweet Emeline.” Edward slunk away to a gaggle of Elite standing by the lavender curtain. Gasps abounded and they glanced my way, and it was clear what news Edward had shared with them. Collin watched them with unnatural stillness.
“I apologize for his rudeness. The Elite are nosy and insufferable,” Collin said and began on his meal.
“You say that like you aren’t one of them,” I commented, following his lead, taking small bites and keeping my indecent noises to myself.
Collin glanced away from me. Confused, I placed my fork back on the table. He had referred to the Elite as an entity all night; he hadn’t once saidwe. “You are Elite, right?” I asked, my pulse quickening.
“No, I am not.” His handsome face yielded nothing.
You can’t be a—” I paused, not wanting to offend him. “You can’t be like me,” I finished lamely.
“No, I am not that either.” He took several more bites of his food. I just stared. Who was I to be Mated to? Glancing up, he noticed my hesitation. “After the Academy, I showed great promise for our cause.” He laid his fork on his plate, clasping his hands over his meal. “I am the youngest member of the Illum.”
The few bites I had eaten flopped in my stomach as my insides free-fell back to the ground. I had never heard of a Defect mating with an Illum. Come to think of it, I had never heard of an Illum mating at all, but then again I lived beneath this. I had spoken against everything the Illum taught us at the Academy—to one of them. Why hadn’t I already been eliminated? I should stay quiet and count my blessings. But I had never been good at acting appropriately.
“Surely—surely, you could have had your pick of the Elite. Of anyone. Why did you choose me?”
“The list of possible Mates was extensive.”
I should be thankful and say nothing, and yet . . . “So why me?”
“I have my reasons,” Collin said, his sapphire eyes on mine. “I had no intentions of taking a Mate at all. Tabitha advised I take one. There is hierarchy even among the Illum, and she is our leader. I have taken you. Therefore, I do not intend to reject you. My work is demanding. The Press is forever interested in my life. They will be watching us. Edward will have told the entire Elite community come sunrise. I do not have the time or patience to construct a trial for you. If that is what you desire, you will find yourself disappointed.” Collin straightened the front of his jacket as he leaned toward me. “We are tied together for the foreseeable future.” His eyes flickered over my shoulder for the space of a breath before finding mine once more. “For the Greater Good.”
