Confrontation

[Oriena]

It had been important to her to make sure he didn't offer charity. So consoled, she nodded. Not that she really understood the earnestness with which he offered his services. All because he found her attractive? He made no secret of his interest, but it still seemed a grand gesture with such sparse encouragement. Oriena would wring a man who showed such emotional weakness dry, but Carmen was not so inclined. There were no games here. She did not want him to mistake her acceptance of his aid as the promise of something else, nor lead him to think she would flirt just to get the security she so badly needed. No. She wouldn't cheapen the emotion. Thus she kept the two things very separate.

"Incognito, I suppose. No sense letting the enemy know we're ready for them."
Her hands clasped over the business card on the table, an option she would pass by Oriena when they spoke later. Having some measure of control over the situation eased her worries. The stiffness of her posture relaxed. Red haired pooled over her shoulders as she bowed her head to take a cleansing breath.

"This place means a lot to me Manix. I'm grateful for your help."
It was time to get back to work. The staff could cope without her, but she hated idling, and there were always jobs that needed doing. Despite it Carmen made no move to leave. Her gaze brushed over their surroundings, the decadent furniture and sultry lights. Nearly everyone was watching the stage show; only Raffe made no secret of his curiosity from his stance at the bar. Carmen wasn't exactly known for fraternising with patrons beyond her duties as hostess, and clearly he found it amusing. Eventually she turned back to Manix.

"What's it like? Being... what you are. How did you find out?"