Page 7 of Bound

“You have to let me go.” The words are not what I mean. They come out in a hoarse whisper.

His lips are a millimeter from mine, his wings curled around my fragile body. A body which sings out in anticipation.

“Rych!” Fenek barks. “What is going on? What are you doing out here with my songstress? Why are you not neutralizing the danger?”

Rych lifts his eyes from mine. “There is no danger. Your dwelling is too automated, and the system has decided to purge itself, all while Chrissie was inside. You should have it checked.”

Fenek stares at me. “Are you unwell?”

Like he cares.

“The smoke. It wasn’t good for my chest,” I say.

“But you’ll still be able to sing?” Fenek says with some considerable concern.

Because this is clearly his main concern.

“I can get the kitchen bot to make me a tonic,” I respond, pushing back from Rych. “I’ll be fine.”

He lets me go, lets me walk away from him, my mind swimming and my body only just functioning.

What just happened?

RYCH

“My dwelling has never purged itself,” Fenek growls. “Never.”

“Maybe it was about time it did,” I reply, watching Chrissie's slow progress back to the door, one leg dragging slightly.

I want to rush over and scoop her up, make sure she never has to walk again if it causes her pain. Anything as long as she is comfortable.

“I employed you for security, not to chase around after my songstress.” Fenek’s voice grates into my thoughts. “I’m well aware how you were treated in the dome, but it doesn’t mean you get to mate with the first female you come across. Chrissie is mine.”

If I had a sword in my hand, he’d have lost his head.

“She belongs to me,” he repeats at a slightly lower volume. “And she is proving extremely valuable. You will not touch her,” Fenek adds with an air of someone who actually thinks he can tell me what to do.

“I just saved her,” I growl.

“And I am grateful, but if you’re planning anything else”—he narrows his small eyes at me—“think again.” He turns away, stops, and turns back. “And you can check out the dwellingprogramming, find out why it did the purge. You’ll find the control center in the lower floor.”

I’m cursing my lack of weaponry as he walks away. I would very much like to teach him a lesson about what belongs to him. Because it’s certainly not Chrissie.

Except I let out a long breath and allow my wings to relax. He’s my employer, and I have zero other options available to me. The dome won’t have me back, and my fellow free gladiators have all gone to ground. This is all I have.

A female I can’t touch and a boss who I’d like to murder, providing his alleged assassin doesn’t get there first. Although it’s going to be my job to put myself in harm’s way for him.

And for my little spark of light. The female who has eyes which burn like fire and who I didn’t think I could let go, even when she asked me.

A female who is completely off limits.

I growl under my breath and stomp off back to the dwelling, making my way down to the control center. Just because I was a gladiator doesn’t mean I don’t understand tech. Just because I don’t like bots doesn’t mean I don’t understand them.

We had a lot of downtime at the dome. As I didn’t want to go roving the undercroft like some of my compatriots or off on various missions for other free species like some Gryn I could mention, I filled my nova-days with different pastimes.

The control center checks out. There’s nothing unusual about the purge. It was unscheduled, admittedly, but it doesn’t look like anyone has been in the place for a long time. I make a few security upgrades on the spot and then go looking for a console to order the rest of the items I need to install.

I want my Chrissie to be safe. I’d also rather Fenek didn’t get killed on my watch. If I want other work in the future, having my first employer assassinated isn’t going to go down well.

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