Ava wasn't sure which was worse—Lucas Bai being smug, or Lucas Bai being right.
Both were unbearable.
She sat rigidly in the corner of his office, arms crossed, as Lucas leaned back against the desk, watching her like she was something interesting. A predator playing with its food.
In his hands, the tactical watch she'd repaired gleamed under the dim light, fully functional now.
"So," he said lazily, golden eyes flicking up to her, "you're not just a scavenger after all."
Ava huffed, forcing herself to look unimpressed. "Never said I was."
Lucas smirked. "No, but you like pretending you are."
A flicker of something sharp cut through her chest. She narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Lucas just shrugged, tossing the watch once in his hand before securing it to his wrist. "That you're careful. You don't want people looking at you too closely."
Ava's spine went rigid. He noticed.
"That's not—" She clicked her mouth shut.
Lucas chuckled. "Relax, Zhang. I don't pry into business unless it concerns me."
Ava forced herself to look away, scowling. "Good. Keep it that way."
Lucas exhaled a soft laugh, then reached into his pocket and pulled something else out—a small, data chip no larger than a coin.
He flipped it between his fingers like a gambler toying with a lucky charm.
Ava frowned. "What's that?"
Lucas studied her for a moment, then smirked. "A test."
Ava's stomach twisted. "Excuse me?"
Lucas pushed off the desk and tossed the chip onto the table between them. "Decryption key. Military-grade encryption. I want to see if you can crack it."
Ava eyed the chip warily.
Military encryption was no joke. If she failed, Lucas would see her as replaceable. If she succeeded—
He'd know exactly how dangerous she was.
Ava forced her voice to remain steady. "Why should I do this for you?"
Lucas tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Because I'd owe you."
Her heart stuttered.
Lucas Bai—who never made deals where he wasn't in control—was offering to owe her?
She swallowed, suddenly way too aware of the heat in the room.
Ava scoffed, reaching for the chip. "Fine. But if I break this thing open, you'd better make it worth my time."
Lucas's gaze flickered with amusement. "Oh, I always make things worth it, Zhang."
Ava's fingers fumbled slightly on the chip. Her face burned.
She hated him.
She really, really hated him.
Hours later, Ava hunched over her workstation, glare locked onto the infuriating decryption key.
Her Blueprint System flickered in the corner of her vision, running rapid diagnostics.
[Encryption Type: Alpha-4 Military Lock]
[Data Protection Level: 92%]
[Estimated Decryption Time: 4 Hours]
Ava chewed the inside of her cheek. Four hours?
Too slow.
She could already feel Lucas's smugness from the other room.
Growling under her breath, she cracked her knuckles and got to work.
Two hours in, she was too focused to notice Lucas enter the room.
By the time she realized, he was already leaning over her shoulder, way too close, watching her fingers fly across the screen.
Ava nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Bai—!"
Lucas hummed, golden eyes gleaming as he peered at her work. "Huh. Faster than I expected."
Ava definitely didn't just shiver. "Don't—sneak up on me."
Lucas smirked. "I wasn't sneaking."
Ava clenched her jaw. Murder was still on the table.
She turned back to the screen, face burning. "It's almost done."
Lucas braced a hand against the table, looming slightly over her chair. "You work better when you're annoyed, don't you?"
Ava refused to look at him. "And you talk too much."
Lucas laughed. "That a blush I see, Zhang?"
Ava's ears went hot.
She slammed the enter key harder than necessary, muttering, "Shut up."
With a soft beep, the system flickered—
[DECRYPTION COMPLETE.]
Ava savagely ignored the way Lucas's eyes practically glowed with approval.
She pushed away from the desk, crossing her arms. "There. Now what?"
Lucas plucked the chip off the table, twirling it between his fingers, gaze unreadable.
Then, with the kind of satisfaction that made her want to throw something at him, he murmured, "I think you and I are going to make a very, very good team, Zhang."
Ava's throat went dry.
She hated the way those words made her stomach flip.
So, instead of acknowledging it, she grabbed the nearest wrench and threw it at his head.
Lucas dodged easily, chuckling. "Feisty."
"Get out," Ava snapped, face still burning.
Lucas winked. "Sweet dreams, Zhang."
Ava shoved a pile of spare parts at the door. "OUT!"
Lucas left laughing.
Ava collapsed into her chair, groaning.
She was doomed.