Private Take Me Home Tonight

[Katarine Ryiah]

Take me home tonight​

Tags: Dean Walker

Katarine watched as his grey eyes slid over the mission brief. She saw the corners of his mouth twitch and felt his brief exasperation in the Force, presumably at the Grandmaster's shenanigans. Katarine knew that most honeymoon suites were on the top floor of the hotel, meaning they would have a direct line of sight for the office they were surveying, and that made the location ideal because they could spend a lot of time in the room watching, but this could have been done from a few floors down. Valery knew exactly what she was doing, and that was causing trouble. As a master of the task Katarine had to admit the grandmaster was talented in that area.

Her deep green eyes scanned her new partners face, waiting for his response, and he surprised her with the one she got.

"It'll do,"

He turned back to the controls, setting her datapad down without even hinting at the awkwardness of the situation. He was calm, focused and absolutely in control. Katarine was watching him in surprise at how effortlessly his stoic demeanor radiated. It took her a second to realize she was biting her lip and not breathing. She shook her head and took a deep breath, forcing her deep green eyes off his face. Instead she watched as the bright jewel of the planet Zeltros came into view. She was not remotely ready to set foot on this planet again, given her past here, but they had a job to do.

"Let's grab everything we need and head to our room first."

"You're the boss." She smiled at him, a playful glint in her eye and picked up her datapad. They grabbed the equipment they needed and headed down the ramp of the ship. The hotel lobby was beautiful and welcoming and the pheremones were already strong as they entered. They went up to the desk where a pink skinned female was checking guests in. When she looked up the name 'Smith' in her system she smiled widely at the pair of them.

"Welcome to our honeymooners! We are so pleased you've chosen Zeltros as your honeymoon destination!" Two hotel workers came to help them with their bags and a third came with glasses of champaign ready for them. Katarine raised her eyebrow at Dean while they were each handed a glass of the bubbly liquid.

Okay maybe Valery wasn't so bad.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean's gray eyes flicked to Katarine as the hotel staff's enthusiastic greeting washed over them. The corners of his mouth quirked upward ever so slightly, and for just a heartbeat, his calm, collected demeanor gave way to something sharper, something almost mischievous.

When the pink-skinned receptionist mentioned their "honeymoon," Dean didn't miss a beat. His arm slid smoothly around Katarine's waist, drawing her closer in one fluid motion. He turned his head just enough to brush a warm kiss against her cheek, his lips curving into a faint, alluring smile.

"Thank you," he said, his voice low and rich, with just the right amount of warmth to sell the act. "We've been looking forward to this for a long time." His words were smooth, deliberate, and perfectly convincing, as if this whole setup had been his idea all along.

Dean took the offered glass of champagne, raising it slightly as he turned his attention back to Katarine, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. "To us," he murmured, his tone soft but with a subtle edge that made the simple toast feel more intimate than it had any right to be.

As the champagne flutes clinked softly together, Dean's smirk deepened just a fraction. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a private murmur just for her. "Happy wife, happy life, right?"

With that, he turned his attention back to the staff, his arm still comfortably around Katarine as they were ushered toward their suite. Dean's calm confidence remained unshaken, but the subtle flicker of amusement in his expression suggested he was enjoying this far more than he'd admit.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

I don't want to let you go 'til you see the light​

​

Tags: Dean Walker

When he suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her to him Katarine felt her head spin, but she giggled in a realistic fashion. She blushed as he kissed her cheek, but she was beaming and glowing and the staff seemed to be eating up a young couple in love.

They toasted and brought the glasses to their mouths and Katarine couldn’t help but see the amusement in those gray eyes. He was enjoying this.

“Happy wife, happy life, right?”

Oh that’s how it was going to be. Well two could play this game. In fact Katarine loved games and she was damn good at them.

“That’s right.” She smiled dangerously at him before the staff consumed their attention once more. They followed their bags into the lift. The doors closed and they started to climb higher, with the three staff members standing behind them and Katarine hanging off Deans arm like a woman who was thrilled to be there with the love of her life. She smiled at him sweetly as her hand rubbed his broad back and then traveled lower and gave his firm backside a squeeze, partially to sell the illusion but mostly because she wanted to. She smiled innocently again, as the lift opened and they walked to the door of their suite.

The staff let them in and Kat gently untangled herself from Dean and looked around. The place was huge, with a living room area featuring a plushy sofa, a holo screen, a dining table and lots of low lights. The bedroom doors were open and showed a large lavish bed decorated with rose petals. She noted a hot tub in the room as well as a fully stocked bar.

She turned back and grinned. “Oh honey I love it!” She squeeled and bounced a little in excitement. The staff beamed, happy the room was to her liking.

“Sir room service is available any time. You have your own butler for the room who is only a call away. We will make sure to ....ahem …..knock before we disturb you.”

Katarine had walked to the window to enjoy the view while the staff told the details to Dean. Kat had to admit Valery knew what she was doing. Not only did they have a large uninterrupted view of the office in the next building, but being honeymooners meant anybody who entered the room would knock first, giving them plenty of time to hide the surveillance equipment.

When she heard the door close and they were alone she glanced over her shoulder at Dean.

“I’m guessing that’s our target.” She motioned with her chin towards the large man behind the desk in the building next to theirs.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean barely blinked as Katarine's hand ventured lower and grabbed his butt, though the faintest flicker of amusement danced in his stormy gray eyes. His smirk deepened just enough to let her know he'd noticed, and as the lift doors slid open, he cast her a sideways glance that lingered for a fraction longer than necessary. His expression was perfectly stoic, save for the teasing glint that betrayed him.

When they entered the suite, Dean's gaze swept over the space, cool and calculating despite the rose petals and lavish decor. The plush sofa, fully stocked bar, and hot tub barely registered — it was the king-sized bed, sitting alone in the center of the bedroom, that drew his attention.

"Well, well," Dean murmured as the staff explained the room's details. His smirk curled back into place, subtle but unmistakably teasing. "One bed. Figures."

Valery.

Alone now, Dean moved to the window beside her, his hands sliding into his pockets as he followed her gaze toward the building across the way. The large man behind the desk was unmistakable — their target, as she'd pointed out.

"That's him," Dean confirmed quietly, his voice low and even. "Position's perfect. Valery did her homework."

Straightening up, he turned his attention back to the scene outside. "We'll set up the equipment tonight, get what we need. But," he added, glancing back at her with a raised brow, "I'm curious how far you plan to take this act of ours." His smirk tugged deeper.

"You were good down there."

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Take me home tonight​

Tags: Dean Walker

"We'll set up the equipment tonight, get what we need. But," he added, glancing back at her with a raised brow, "I'm curious how far you plan to take this act of ours." His smirk tugged deeper.

Katarine glanced sideways at him, smiling in a slightly guilty fashion. She probably shouldn't have crossed the line like that before, after all they hardly knew each other and that was not the best way to win her new partners trust. Sometimes her impish nature got the better of her but realistically she and Dean were going to be spending a great amount of time together so she should do her best to reassure him that she would at least... try... to behave.

"We can draw a line down the middle of the bed and I'll keep my hands to myself. I promise." She raised her hands as if in surrender but her deep green eyes still held a small gleam of trouble in them, which no amount of discipline could extinguish.

"You were good down there."

"Thanks" She smiled at him and stepped away from the window. He was right that they could set up all of the equipment tonight and get things going. For now she figured they may as well get better acquainted. It would make this ruse a lot easier if she at least knew something about her pretend husband.

"I've been doing the undercover thing for a long time. You were great so I'm guessing you are no stranger to undercover work?"

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean let out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling in his chest as he turned back toward Katarine. His smirk lingered, playful and sharp, as he leaned casually against the edge of the window. "A line down the middle, huh?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest. The idea made sense but...

"I don't think that will be necessary."

He was great at keeping things professional. Usually.

His grin softened slightly, and he nodded toward her as she stepped away from the window. "Undercover isn't new to me," he admitted, his tone relaxed but with a tinge of pride. "I've spent plenty of time pretending to be someone else — blending in, playing the part, and getting what I need. Just not usually with a fake wife." He tilted his head, his grin widening.

"That's a first."

Dean pushed off the edge of the window and took a step closer, his demeanor cool but his curiosity genuine. "How about you? Is this just another Tuesday for you?" He gave her a teasing glance, his smirk never quite fading.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Listen, honey, just like Ronnie sang​

Tags: Dean Walker

"I don't think that will be necessary."

Katarine, who had been studying the room around them glanced over her shoulder to smirk at him, but the gesture stopped halfway when she saw him standing there with his arms across his powerful chest. She wished he'd stopped doing that. It was torture. She closed her eyes, as if praying for discipline and then she did smirk at him. The truth was Katarine hadn't shared a bed with a man in over nine hundred years and it was probably going to be an...interesting...experience. Damn Valery Noble.

She listened to how he described his undercover life and felt she could relate. Katarine spent most of her life undercover but she had to admit having a fake husband was a first.

"How about you? Is this just another Tuesday for you?"

She laughed and shook her head, her long brown and white hair fluttering in front of her face as she did so. She pushed the long strands behind her ear casually as she spoke. "Well I have spent the majority of my life undercover but having a fake husband is a first. When I worked with CorSec though they said a partnership was like a marriage so I guess it fits."

She took a seat on the plush sofa and smiled at him. She found herself wondering where he was from, how old he was, and all those details she would have read in his file if Valery hadn't sprung this mission on her last second. She seriously had to talk to the Grandmaster when they got back.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean lingered by the window for a moment, his stormy gray eyes scanning the skyline before drifting back toward Katarine. Her laugh had been soft, genuine, and it stuck with him more than he expected. He leaned a shoulder against the frame, his arms still crossed, but his smirk softened into something less teasing and more thoughtful.

"CorSec, huh?" he said, his voice carrying a faint note of curiosity. "Partnership like a marriage... well, I guess that makes me the husband of the year." He threw her a playful wink but didn't push further.

His gaze returned to the view outside, the target still visible but unmoving in his office. The calm before the inevitable storm, but calm didn't mean inactive. A mission like this was as much about patience as action, and they were just getting started.

"Hope you're not expecting fireworks right away," he said, turning back to her. "This could take hours, days — maybe longer." He pushed off the window frame and stepped toward the sofa, his demeanor shifting to something more practical. "You hungry?" he asked, a brow quirking as he glanced down at her. "Stakes or no stakes, we can't work on empty stomachs. Watching someone's about as exciting as watching paint dry if you're starving."

Dean's smirk returned, his tone light as he added, "And if we're stuck in here for a while, might as well make the most of it."

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Be my little baby, oh, ho, oh
​

Tags: Dean Walker

"Partnership like a marriage... well, I guess that makes me the husband of the year."

You can't be any worse than my last one, Katarine immediately thought and then frowned at the pain that brought up. Her deep green eyes watched Dean as he stared back out the window at their target and comemnted that they might be here a while. He was right that a stakeout was brutal on an empty stomach. She'd done it a few times and would highly recommend against it.

"Luckily this stakeout comes with it's own room service, and a list of restaurants nearby. Much better than sitting in a squad car with stale coffee."

She reached over to the table next to the sofa where the room service menu and local dining brochures were and handed them to him.

"Do you want to order room service or go out? Husbands choice." She grinned at him.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean took the menu and brochures from her with a smirk, his stormy gray eyes glinting as he flipped through them. "Room service, no contest," he said, his voice smooth. "We're here to keep things quiet, after all. Better to stay private." He tossed the menu onto the sofa beside her and glanced out the window again, confirming their target was still in place.

Turning back toward his bag, Dean knelt to unzip it and began unpacking some essentials with casual efficiency. "Might as well get comfortable if we're settling in for the long haul," he muttered, his tone light but focused. He set a comm device, a datapad, and a small compact blaster onto the desk, arranging everything within easy reach.

Then he reached into the bag for a fresh shirt, tugging it free in one smooth motion. Standing, he faced away from her, his muscular back rippling as he straightened. Without a word, he grabbed the hem of his current shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing a broad, chiseled frame dusted with faint scars — remnants of missions past that told silent stories of danger and survival.

The soft light from the room caught on his tanned skin as he paused for a moment, his shoulders shifting slightly. Dean didn't look back, but the barest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he felt the weight of her gaze.

He knew what he was doing.

"There, much better," he said after finally putting on a different shirt. Something casual but more fitting for the job, if they ended up having to move in.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

I get frightened in all this darkness​

Tags: Dean Walker

Katarine watched as he got up and started unloading his bag. She supposed she could do the same, though instead she sat on the sofa watching him with curiosity. That is until he took his shirt off and she felt her heart leap into her throat. She froze like a Nexu caught in headlights and simply watched him. She felt his amusement in the Force, even though his back was turned and her deep green eyes narrowed slightly. This was payback for that little squeeze in the lift. Delicious, sexy payback. She shook her head and reminded herself to breath.

"There, much better"

That was debatable. It seemed a shame to cover such a physique, though the way the soft cloth clung to him was also appealing. What was she thinking? Get a grip on yourself girl! Remember what happened last time! She felt like slapping herself, and Valery for good measure. When he turned around she tried to look innocent as if she'd barely noticed what he'd done but she was blushing deeply and wasn't meeting his eye.

"What do you want to naked? I mean... eat..." She closed her eyes in embarrassment at the vocal slip.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean blinked at her slip-up, his stormy gray eyes widening for just a fraction of a second before his trademark smirk returned, sharper and more amused than ever. He straightened, stepping much closer to her, his boots thudding softly against the carpet as he closed the gap.

"Naked, huh?" he repeated, his voice low and teasing, the words rolling off his tongue like a challenge. His smirk deepened as he leaned in slightly, his presence filling the space between them.

With deliberate ease, he reached out and brushed a loose strand of her hair away from her face, his fingers warm and gentle against her cheek. "That," he murmured, his gray eyes locking onto hers, "Would make it hard to focus."

The corner of his mouth twitched into a playful grin, and he winked before stepping back, leaving her space to breathe. Turning away, Dean reached for the comm unit on the desk and punched in the number for room service.

"Alright," he called over his shoulder, his tone light and laced with humor. "Let's see what's on the menu, hm?" he asked, as he focused on her.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

I get nightmares I hate to sleep alone​

Tags: Dean Walker

Katarine froze and tensed up as he walked closer to her. She backed up slightly, but her boots hit the sofa, stopping her in her tracks. Her deep green eyes were locked on his grey ones as he reached forward and softly brushed her hair out of her face. So many emotions welled up inside her it was almost paralyzing for someone who lived by the old code of suppressing them. She was timid and locked in, noting how much bigger he was. She felt tiny in his presence, forgetting for a second that she was a powerful Jedi Master. Her hormones were screaming at her to jump onto him and pacify the dull aching sensation of withdrawal every junkie knew so well. If she couldn't have a hit of her darkside drug of choice maybe she could find other ways to have fun and dull her senses. Her moral compass was screaming at her to put an end to this and her heart was begging her to run, while her brain was trying to remind her she had a job to do. It was overwhelming for someone like Katarine who was new to this world where Jedi were allowed to feel things.

He moved away from her but her rigid muscles did not immediately relax. Her mind was still deciding if the drug carvings were going to win or not. She bit her lip and dug her nails into her palms, willing her blood to stop pumping so fast and her muscles to relax.

"Let's see what's on the menu, hm?"

The comm unit beeped and the voice of the staff on the other side chirped through.

"Ah yes Mr. Smith? Did you need something? We have a fine assortment of room service to offer. For lunch we have an excellent salad and pasta dish served with a fine white wine"

Katarine nodded at Dean, indicating that would be fine for her and then finally convinced her muscles to move. She walked over to the fully stocked bar and poured herself a glad of water. She drank. half of it in one gulp and took a deep breath. She suddenly felt hot and took off her leather jacket, draping it casually over the chair. The white thin tank top underneath let her skin breath easier. She pushed her hair out of her face and took another sip of water, spilling some on her collar bone because her hands were trembling slightly. She sat the glass down and wiped the water away with her hand and walked back to the window, her eyes lingering on their mark, who was still just sitting behind his desk doing paperwork.

"Pasta sounds good." She glanced over her shoulder at her new partner to see if he was off the comm yet and hopping he hadn't noticed the effect he had on her.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean's smirk deepened slightly as he noticed Katarine's subtle reactions, her rigid posture, the slight tremble of her hands as she poured the water. He didn't miss the way she stripped off the leather jacket, revealing the thin white tank top beneath. The hint of her collarbone glistening with spilled water caused an unexpected warmth to rise in his chest, but he was practiced at hiding such things. He stayed cool, his stormy gray eyes giving nothing away.

"Yes," he spoke into the comm, his voice smooth. "We'll take two orders of the pasta with that wine. Thanks." He ended the call with a casual tap and turned back toward her.

His gaze followed her movements as she stood by the window, her profile illuminated by the soft glow of sunlight filtering through. For a moment, Dean allowed himself to notice the finer details: the curve of her face, the way her hair framed her sharp features, the quiet strength she carried, even in moments like this. She was beautiful — there was no denying that. But they had a job to do.

Right?

He cleared his throat softly, breaking the momentary silence. "You seem a bit tense," he said, his tone light but laced with subtle teasing. "Everything okay?"

Dean crossed his arms, leaning casually against the edge of the table, his smirk returning as he watched her. "The Pasta should be here soon." The playful glint in his eye betrayed his attempt to keep things professional, but his words carried just enough warmth to let her know he was paying attention. Too much attention.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

I need some company a guardian angel​

Tags: Dean Walker

"You seem a bit tense.... Everything okay?"

Darn those grey eyes didn't miss a thing did they? She could feel him watching her as she watched their mark out of the window. She turned around to face him, a slight smile on her face. She may as well tell the truth, though perhaps sarcastically as she so often did when she was nervous.

"Sure, I'm just in the honeymoon suite with a gorgeous man I know nothing about and the situation is laced with sexual tension, making the job all that more difficult. You know how it is. Just another Tuesday right?" She smirked at him and slid her hands inside the back pockets of her tight black pants.

"Nothing I can't handle." She grinned and shrugged slightly. "Tonight when he leaves we should go over there and bug that room."

Changing the subject. Smooth ... real smooth.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean's smirk deepened at her words, a playful glint flashing in his stormy gray eyes. "Sexual tension, huh?" he drawled, his voice low and teasing. Pushing off the edge of the table, he stepped toward her, his movements slow and deliberate. The soft thud of his boots against the carpet filled the charged silence between them.

"You're pretty hard to resist, you know," he added, his tone lighter but carrying an edge that made it clear he wasn't entirely joking. With each step, the space between them shrank, the air thickening with an unspoken challenge.

By the time he stopped, they were inches apart, close enough that he could see every subtle shift in her expression, the faint rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. His smirk lingered, sharp and playful, his gaze unwavering as it wandered over her shapely body, before settling on her eyes.

"But," he murmured, his voice dropping just enough to make the word stretch out, "We should probably stay professional, right?" His smirk tugged higher, his confidence as steady as ever, though there was an undeniable heat beneath it now.

"Though... we won't go after him until tonight."

Dean leaned ever so slightly closer, his stormy eyes flickering with something unreadable. The tension hung between them like a taut wire, humming with unspoken possibilities.

God, he wanted to kiss her.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

To keep me warm when the cold winds blow​

Tags: Dean Walker

"You're pretty hard to resist, you know,"

Katarine laughed a little embarrassed, noticing he was getting closer as he talked. "Well.. I'm no Valery Noble..." She teased, hopping that indicating the Grandmaster had hinted at the pairs past might stop him in his tracks. No such luck though, he kept getting closer. She backed up, bumping right into the window as she did so.

"We should probably stay professional, right?"

"Probably... yea... I mean..." She was babbling. Why did this always happen? Katarine could flirt all day long but when things got intense she got shy and timid and didn't know how to react. He was still moving closer to her, even though she had shrunk as far against the window as she could.

"Though... we won't go after him until tonight."

He leaned over her, and she watched him, uncertainty burning in her deep green eyes. She knew he was teasing her, probably still paying her back for her behavior in the lift. Part of her wanted to run screaming from the room, the other part wanted to say screw this assignment and have her way with him, but still there was another part that wanted to throw up a challenge of her own and see how he liked it. She hated acting like this babbling fool as he approached her, stripped of all her power and inwardly retreating into herself. She had to snap out of it. She watched him as he leaned in closer, pausing and gazing down at her. Out in the hallway she could sense the lift opening and the familiar staff from before coming their way. She smirked, realizing a perfect opportunity.

She leaned in closer to him, pushing herself up on her tip toes, closer to him when a knock sounded on the door.

"Pasta is here." She spoke the words softly, barely brushing her lips against his own and then she slipped under his arm, heading for the door, smirking at him over her shoulder as she went to answer.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean's grin widened into something wolfish as she brushed past him, her lips barely grazing his. His stormy gray eyes followed her as she slipped under his arm, his smirk now tinged with amusement and challenge. Oh, this is how it's going to be, huh? he thought, his chest rumbling softly with a chuckle.

In some ways, she was just like Valery Noble.

When the knock came again, he stayed where he was, leaning casually against the window, watching as she opened the door. "Mrs. Smith," the attendant greeted with a polite smile, handing over the trays of pasta and the accompanying wine. Dean couldn't help but let out a low laugh at the title, shaking his head.

As she closed the door and brought the food inside, Dean gestured toward the small, round table set by the window. "Come on, then. Let's eat." His voice was warm, playful, but there was still a flicker of heat beneath it — a challenge that hung in the air between them like a taut wire.

He sat down first, choosing a seat that placed him in the soft light filtering through the window. The posture he adopted was casual, but deliberately so — his arm rested along the back of the chair, the way his shirt stretched over his broad shoulders and defined chest making it impossible to ignore the strength beneath. He poured the wine with a smooth flick of his wrist, setting her glass in front of her with a confident smirk.

"Well," he began, his gray eyes locking onto hers as he twirled his fork through the pasta. "How's the pasta?" Dean's tone was teasing, but his gaze was intense, full of unspoken tension. He leaned slightly forward, the corner of his mouth tugging higher, as he maintained eye contact and had his first bite.

Katarine Ryiah​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

I can feel you breathe​

Tags: Dean Walker

Katarine practically danced to the doorway, pleased with herself and the trouble she had caused. She was in her element poking the beast, as she had done so many times as a child with her twin. The woman was trouble for sure but she was also insecure behind the facade and truthfully it was all a daring escape of a situation she was terrified of. James Terran had almost killed her when he left and though she might appear like a little flirty minx deep beneath Katarine was terrified and wasn't about to let that happen again, no matter how good looking Dean was.

She sat their food down and took a seat after he did. She held his gaze with mock humor, but there was caution simmering just underneath. His bold eye contact should have broken her but she refused to let it. She smiled at him, slipping the fork into her mouth with a smirk. The pasta was actually really good. She supposed the hotel had a good staff full of chefs for such occasions. It seemed like a classy place and she wondered how many credits it was costing the Alliance for them to place house together. The scum across the road must really be worth it.

"Delicious." She used the word almost mockingly but her eyes feigned innocence. She talked a pretty good game when there was a table between them it seemed.

"So.. since we are going to be here a while why don't you tell me about yourself? Who is Dean Walker?"

She picked up her glass and took a sip of wine, watching him over the brim.

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean's stormy gray eyes never left Katarine as she took her seat, the light catching the sharp angles of her face as she feigned innocence with her smirk. The way she wielded her confidence — a deliberate mix of playful defiance and guarded caution — made her all the more intriguing. He admired the curve of her lips as she spoke, the way her dark lashes framed those deep green eyes that seemed to dare him to push just a little further.

She's trouble, he thought, the corner of his mouth twitching into a broader smirk. Beautiful, infuriating trouble.

"Delicious, huh?" he echoed, his tone teasing as he leaned back in his chair, his arm draped casually along the backrest. He twirled his fork idly, his muscles shifting beneath his shirt as he shifted his weight. "Glad to see the honeymoon suite is living up to your expectations."

Her question drew a faint chuckle from him, low and rich, as he set his fork down and reached for his wine glass. "Who am I?" he repeated, his smirk softening slightly as he considered her for a moment. His stormy gaze met hers over the rim of his glass, the tension between them palpable.

"Just a man who gets the job done," he said finally, his tone light but with an edge of sincerity. "Spent most of my life learning how to read people, how to blend in, how to survive. Got pretty good at it." He tilted his head slightly, his smirk returning as he added, "Guess you could say I'm a man of many talents."

Dean leaned forward slightly, resting his forearm on the edge of the table, his gaze never wavering. "Your turn, Mrs. Smith. Who's Katarine Ryiah when she's not slipping away?" He raised a brow, his tone teasing but laced with genuine curiosity as he took a sip of wine, watching her reaction closely.

Katarine Ryiah​