It was as if she was some kind of social chameleon. At the beach, when they first met, she’d been snappy and belligerent. When she entered the Bolvana studio, she turned into a stubborn, driven artist. At Tiger Lily’s, she became a seductress, a woman used to wrapping men around her little finger. And now? Now he didn’t know what he was looking at. Some kind of old-fashioned, demure, conservative foil; a person who didn’t make waves but helped smooth them out. It was uncanny. She changed her name, brushed her hair, and took off her glasses, and it was like he was looking at a different person. “She seems lovely.” Emilio grunted as Alix disappeared into the house. “How long have you two been dating?” Ryker turned to Emilio. “Is it too much to ask for a little privacy?” he said evenly. “You brought her. It didn’t seem an unusual question to ask.” “Actually, she just came to town,” Ryker replied. “We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks.” Emilio pursed his lips disapprovingly.
