The image hit me like a splash of ice water. I felt a sudden, sharp spike of irritation, not at Cyan, but at myself. I grabbed Cyan's pink hair, not enough to hurt, but enough to firmly pull his head back and break the kiss.
Cyan blinked, slightly breathless, his eyes searching mine. He realized the shift instantly. "Wow. You're… you're not here, are you?"
"Yes," I said, my voice like gravel. "Because I'm here for work."
Cyan smirked, recovered. "I'll help you. But not without a little payback. I don't work for free, Cassie."
"What do you want?"
He leaned in again, kissing me one more time, deep and demanding, before pulling back with a wink. "This. Frequently. And maybe a few favors later."
I pushed him back slightly, my grip on his hair tightening just enough to make his eyes widen. "You won't get anything until you carry out your first assignment successfully. You find out about the Lorenzo shipments. Then we talk about payback."
