Miles stares at him for a beat before asking, “Are you in a relationship?”
He blinks. “Oh—” The word escapes before he can stop it. His mouth clamps shut.
One wrong answer, and Rafael’s done. But delaying his response could draw more suspicion.
“Yes.” He wants to deny it, but his friends already know about Kane—or the Lux Systems version of Kane.
“His name?” Miles fires off.
He steadies his hand under the table, reminding himself they don’t suspect a thing.
Otherwise, Rafael wouldn’t be sitting here. Anthony faced worse for simply stealing. Besides, Lian and his friends bought his story. Maybe VitaCorp will too.
“Kane.” He keeps his tone neutral, praying Miles doesn’t ask for a last name.
“And how did you meet this Kane? How long have you two been seeing each other?”
“Um…” Sweat beads down his neck.
He’s lied a hundred times before. But this isn’t Lian asking if a boy can stay over or his mother prying about Maria’s weekend plans. This one could ruin him.
If only he had any other choice but to lie.
“Kane’s friend was injured,” he says. “He was dodging a low-flying HOV. I was heading home, saw it happen, and as a nurse, I reacted on instinct. I suggested they visit a VitaCorp clinic, but they were in a hurry. You see, Kane and his friend were visiting from Emerald Islands. On a work trip for LuxSystems. He came back a few times for business, and we started dating.”
Miles’s face remains impassive. He taps the pad, and a series of holo videos hover above.
First is Rafael laughing with Lian down their apartment hall. The second is him with Divya and Gavin entering the 4D theater.
Then the footage blurs to Rafael locked in a kiss with Kane outside his apartment door before slipping inside together.
His breath catches. The drones around the building, the sensors in the walls—they were supposed to keep them safe.
Not used against him.
“This is you and Kane, correct?” Miles points at the holo video.
This time, there’s no sense in lying. Rafael offers a silent nod.
Gaze never leaving his, Miles swipes across the holopad once more. The image shifts to an arrest photo of Kane in his usual Shreveport gear and armor.
Rafael’s pulse spikes. They know. Not just about him—they know Kane.
Yet, he’s here at work. No enforcers storming in. No alarms or cuffs. What are they waiting for?
Miles’s voice snaps him to the present. “Is this…” He gestures to the image of Kane. “The same man?”
A weight settles in his chest.
He could say no. Call him someone else.
But what if they already know? What if this is the test?
Everything could disappear in an instant.
“Yes,” he answers.
“This man doesn’t live in the Emerald Isles.” Miles’s tonestays flat. “He doesn’t work for Lux Systems either. In fact, no one named Kane works for Lux Systems anywhere in this country.” His eyebrow lifts, the first hint of emotion. “Are you aware of this, Rafael?”