Page 17 of Auctioned to the Convicts
“Ignore me, Hannah. I get lost in my head at times.”
She squeezed Sersie’s hand, starting to relax again. She’d made a good choice in Ky’Li and Sersie. Vaughn too, probably. Renzel made her hesitate, but the unit was registered. They’d have to learn to get along. In time, she’d end up sleeping with them. She hoped they’d give her a chance to get to know them first, to form an emotional bond, something that would help ensure they’d go easier on her.
The thought of men taking her against her will, before she was ready, scared her beyond belief. It would be less traumatic, she suspected, if she initiated or at least was a willing partner. She’d do whatever was necessary to meld this unit.
Vaughn placed his palm against the lock which failed to open.
“Why is the med-center locked?” she asked.
“Control of assets. No one goes in or out without getting scanned.”
Renzel passed Ky’Li to Vaughn and pulled a multi-tool from his pocket. As he removed the casing, an alarm went off, but that died a second later. The doors swung open.
“I guess it will be handy having an engineer at our disposal,” Sersie said.
That it would, but at what cost? The man was full of anger, and anger caused people to make bad decisions.
“Typical Sersie,” Vaughn said, his tone biting.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sersie asked, his voice as sharp as Vaughn’s.
“You’re always thinking about what others can do for you, Sersie,” Vaughn said as Ren retook his spot under Ky’Li’s other side. “Not giving a shit about how your behavior affects the other person.”
Sersie ground to a halt, letting Vaughn and Ren disappear with Ky’Li down a hall. “That man’s got a stick up his ass,” he said without looking at Hannah.
The small hairs on the back of her neck rose. These men. . . None of them liked one another. They were solitaries for a reason.
Hannah gathered her courage and her most supportive voice. “I’m sure he’s just not used to the idea of being in a unit yet. Vaughn or Renzel. And I’m guessing you too, Sersie,” she added, hoping to ease his tension.
“Let’s go.” Sersie headed away from the med-center. “They don’t need us in their way.”
“I have to stay with Ky’Li,” Hannah said.
“Then stay. The big guy did fight for you. He deserves to know someone cares about him.”
Hannah flinched at the bitterness in Sersie’s tone. He’d been so light-hearted and friendly until Vaughn had made that remark. She placed a hand on his shoulder. Eyes caught her as he turned into her, brushing the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “Been too long since I’ve touched anyone like this,” he said.
Damn, but there was something about the way Sersie’s eyes focused on her that made her pay attention to him, but it was his touch that captured her attention, and in a good way. He’d be gentle with her, she could tell that by the way he held her. She’d have to give herself to him eventually, but she wanted—hoped—for more from him, from each of them.
“I don’t know what to say to that,” she confessed.
Sersie forced a smile as he released her hand. “I need to pack up my stuff, anyway.”
“You’ll come back here?”
His smile morphed into a grin. “Worried about me, Hannah?”
She was, and she really wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she liked the idea of being with him, of getting to know him.
“I’m allowed to worry. You’re part of my unit, my family now, right?”
“You keep using that term. Family. There’s no family here on Narkos. But you’re right, we are a unit now, whether we like it or not. I don’t particularly care for the concept. It means being tied to. . . well, the likes of Vaughn and Ren. Both are brilliant in their respective fields, but Ren is Ren and Vaughn is heartless.”
Ren is Ren and Vaughn is heartless?These menhatedone another.
“It might take a while, but I think I’ll get used to the idea. At least having you will make it bearable.”
Having me? Bearable?“Oh.”
