Page 145 of Mud

I walked around him, and down the street.

“Youwilldie. These players are ruthless. Each and every one of them made peace with their deaths when they walked through those gates. You cannot fathom the things they’re ready to do for that money,” he continued anyway.

“Sure, I can.”

“You really can’t. You can’t even stand to look long enough,” the asshole insisted.

“I putyouin prison, didn’t I? I can handle this just fine.”

I regretted the words just as I said them, and I thought for sure they would drive him away from me finally. The stupid urge to turn around and apologize and say I didn’t mean it was so powerful I almost did it.

Thank Iris I was able to control myself in time.

“Baby, you almost threw up back there. Don’t lie to me—I always know.”

Baby,he called me.

I despised how much I loved it.

“So, you know when I’m telling you the truth—I want to be alone!”

Taland chuckled. “Just take the deal. Promise me something—anything in return.” He stepped in front of me again, and this time, when I tried to move around him, he grabbed me by the neck.

I stopped in my tracks, though he didn’t squeeze. Not at all, just held me there.

“I can’t protect you or help you with this challenge if you don’t promise me something, too.” Magic in the air—heavier than usual.

I shook my head. “Why are you here, Taland? You got the Blackfire key,howare you even here?”

“You can go back to the challenges you completed if you wish,” he simply said.

“So, go complete the rest!” Why was he wasting time with me still?!

Hetsk-ed me. Actuallytsk-ed me.

Then he brought his other hand to my face, and the magic became heavier—he was locking us up again, I thought. Away from prying eyes. And cameras.

He touched the tip of my nose first, then brought his thumb on my lower lip as he leaned closer to me—and like a damn fool, I didn’t move away.

“I am not here to win the game, sweetness.” He’d said so before, but how could I believe it?

“So, why did you break into the Roe?” You’d think he would have chosen a less deadly game in the City of Games if he wantedentertainment.

The way Taland smiled was almost sad. “Because I was bored.”

I flinched and didn’t even try to hide it—he was lying, and I hated that I knew.

But that only made him come closer. “Let me help you. This is not just a game. You won’t survive without magic.”

I saw my reflection in his eyes—he was that close. His hands were on me and I wished they were never anywhere else. My heart was in my throat, breaking with every beat, and it was so fucking exhausting to go againsteverything I wanted. Everything Ineededall the damn time.

Even so, instead of wrapping my arms around him, I grabbed his wrists and pushed his hands off me. Instead of kissing those lips that breathed life in me, I stepped away from him. Instead of telling him all that was on my mind, I raised my chin and said, “Watch me.”

Taland smiled again, but when I walked away, he didn’t stop me.

The plan was to go back to Vuvu’s, pay him my last coin and wait for the hailstorm. I had no idea how much time had passed—or if the game was even close to finished—but I decided it was too much bother to try to figure out. It wasn’t something I could control. I was only going to make this whole thing worse on myself, so I decided not to think about that at all.

I decided not to think, period—just focus on the asphalt, the sidewalk, the buildings, but not the players sneaking round, trying to find clever ways to bring the residents of Night City to their deaths in a way that was considerednatural. Not the residents, who refused to go inside and lock their damn doors, but who were perfectly aware of what was happening around them, and they looked terrified even as they danced.

---