Page 10 of Baited

“Having a bath.” I shrug. “He said he wanted one, and food too.”

Madame taps one of her fat fingers to her lips and looks sideways at me. “He wants food. From you.”

“Not from me exactly. I offered and he accepted.”

“You’ll be wanting your first customer, no doubt.” Her piggy eyes glitter. “How about this one?”

My insides go into free fall. Madame would absolutely do this to me, throw me to an alien predator without any compunction at all.

“He’s only here so he gets used to being touched, so you don’t have to perform any otherservice,” she says coldly. “That is if he doesn’t want to. An easy assignment for your first client. A gentle introduction if you will.”

I’ve seen his claws—this is no gentle introduction.

“I want fifty percent.” I put my hand on my hips.

Madame straightens and purses her lips. She wants the dome’s trade, that much is not in doubt, but does she want it enough?

“Agreed,” she says finally. “Fifty percent but his food comes out of your portion, not mine. Gryn eat a lot.”

“Done,” I reply.

“You have two nova-hours until they come to collect him.” She looks at her comm device. “And he’ll be returned here each day after the games.”

“How long?” I ask.

A vicious, nasty smile spreads over her lips. “For as long as it takes, or until he eats you, whichever comes sooner.”

IZZY

Iorder food the way Riklinn showed me using the console in the cubicle. I make my best guess at what the Gryn will eat and double the amount.

The food arrives in short order via the distribution hatch, and I set it out as nicely as I can on the low table in the corner where there are a couple of couches. Once that’s done, I take a seat on the bed and wait.

After a while, the bathroom door opens and my massive gladiator steps out.

He is completely, absolutely, one hundred percent naked. Defined muscles shine in the lights. I was NOT ready for this, not at all, especially not when I see what’s between his legs.

Good god, it is huge! Thick and covered in studded nodes, even in an unexcited form, the thing makes me wince and want to squeeze my thighs together.

I am beginning to regret my career choices and understand Riklinn a bit better.

“Pants!” I fling one of the cushions from the bed at him. It hits the side of his head, and he fires out an arm, catching it before it falls, with a quizzical expression on his face.

“Put some pants on!”

I throw another one at him and he beats a hasty retreat. I wonder if the no touching rule extends to cushions, or if it’s just skin on skin. But given I’m still alive, it looks like cushions are a go.

Process of elimination, Izzy.

The massive gladiator peeks through the door frame at me.

“Pants,” he says before stepping through, this time with clothing on his lower half.

Clean of the dirt from the dome, he is even more impressive, the tattoos covering his skin standing out in sharp relief, his dark hair tousled, making him look quite young. The rippling abs are still very much in evidence meaning I’m not sure where to look. Although at least I’m not having to look at thebeastbetween his legs.

I hop off the bed and walk to the seating area.

“Food.” I gesture to the feast I’ve laid out.

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