Page 151 of Mud

“And maybe we should focus on the fact thatyou killed a guybefore you brought me here, right?” I continued to mutter because it was all too much—the embarrassment and the way he was looking at me right now was a dangerous combination.

“I sure did,” he said—again, like we were talking about the fucking weather.

I blinked at him. “You killed a player, Taland.” Because it seemed to me like he didn’t grasp the meaning of those words just yet.

“I remember, sweetness. I was there,” he said. “And your precious IDD can’t add that to my sentence—we are well within our rights to take lives in here. Murder is perfectly legal. Morals do not exist in the City of Games—or haven’t you heard?”

His voice was soft, low, easy as a breeze. I shook my head. “This is serious.” That I needed to even point it out to him blew me away.

“So is your health. Are you sure you want to get out of bed yet?” he said and raised his hand to touch my cheek like he owned me.

I had the good sense to step away—except that only made him come closer again.

So, I took another step back, and he took one forward.

So damn infuriating, but I closed my eyes and I breathed in deeply because I needed to get this out of the way so that I never had to think about it again.

“Look, Taland, thank you for?—”

“Saving your life?”

I gave him a look. “For taking care of me last night.”

“It’s only been an hour since you stopped throwing up.” And he shrugged. “Here. Have an apple.” He produced a small one from his pocket and brought it close to my face.

“No, I—” I stopped myself.

I most definitely didn’t need an apple, but the way it would cleanse my mouth of that funny-tasting mouthwash…

“Hmm? Not even a little bite?” He held it in front of me still, the skin of it green and glossy and perfect.

My mouth watered. I licked my lips.

Taland looked at them with an arched brow as if he thought I was doing it for his benefit.

Holding my breath, I reached for the apple, but he moved it away.

“Uh-uh. I hold, you bite.”

A twinkle in his eyes said he was enjoying himself immensely, just like always when he was making me suffer.

So, he held the apple in front of me again, and I bit.

At the same time, he bit the other side.

Damn himand that mischievous little grin he had on when I fell back and hit the wall. But the apple was in my mouth now, and it was so juicy, so flavored, sweet and sour at the same time, that it was worth it.

“Where do you even get those apples?” I asked becausefood seemed to be very hard to come by in Night City, and he’d had an apple last time I saw him, too.

“There’s an orchard close to the edge of the city,” was the answer he gave me. “Want another bite?”

“No, thanks. I’m going to go downstairs and eat the meal Vuvu promised me.”And be as far away from you as possible,was what I didn’t say out loud.

“You sure you want to go down there like this? You’re still weak.” Another step closer.

Now I had nowhere to go. “I’ll be stronger once I eat. I have to get out there soon.” Because Refiq might be done with the hailstorm, and I needed to be there to find a dead bird—ifit even worked.

“Why? What’s your plan?” He bit into the apple again, and the sound of it, the idea of how juicy it would be in his mouth…then the idea ofhis mouthon mine…

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