“We’re just tourists,” she said, and her voice came out lighter than she felt. “Passing through, seeing the sights.” She gave a small laugh, the kind that meant nothing.
The man looked at her for a moment. Then he looked at his men.
The laughter that broke out of him was loud and genuine, the kind that filled a room and made the walls feel closer. His men joined in, some shaking their heads, others leaning back in their chairs with grins that didn’t quite reach their eyes. Grace didn’t move. She sat very still, her hands folded on the table, waiting for it to end.
Alex exhaled slowly beside her.
The man wiped the corner of his eye and shook his head. “You should have seen your faces,” he said, still catching his breath. “Both of you, sitting here like you were about to be shot.” He chu
