Page 69 of Auctioned to the Convicts
“Had?” she asked, her question turning into a strangled laugh. “I haven’t figured him out yet. But this. . .” Her hand smoothed over the leather case. “It’s really sweet. Andfrustrating, Sersie.”
“Now, I’m confused.”
“You, Ren, and Vaughn. . . I feel like I’m dead weight around here. I’ll never have any credits to pay everyone back.”
“Pay us back? For what?”
“The clothing, the nanites. Everything. I hate that I haven’t contributed anything to this unit. And at the rate I’m going, it seems I never will.”
He gripped her chin, hard, shocking her.
“I don’t want to hear any more about credits. As for this time away from the port, I’m inclined to ask Ren to make it permanent. You’re too valuable to risk out there.”
She averted her eyes. He’d said something wrong again.
“You can’t keep covering my quota,” she said, though he suspected there was more to her objection.
“You’re mad,” he said, releasing her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll still sleep with you.”
Sersie’s mouth fell open. “You think that’s the reason I want you to stay here in the house where it’s safe?”
“Protecting your asset. I get it.”
She’d always be a target here, always be thought of as a toy for men to use. He and the rest of their unit had to find a way of keeping her safe without making her a prisoner within the electrified fence. They were already prisoners, but he and the others didn’t have to fear walking through the jungle, or West Side, or the fucking railcar like she did.
“We’re trying to protect you, but you’re not making it easy.”
“God, I’ve been an idiot! I thought you were all pulling extra hours because your supervisors required it. At least that’s what Ky’Li told me. Extra shifts in the mine because of mechanical issues with some of the ventilation equipment. And he askedmenever to lie tohim!”
She was livid. This was not the woman who had run into the house five days ago with a broken hand and a shattered spirit.
“I’m confused,” he confessed. “Why are you mad?”
She opened her mouth then shut it.
She often hesitated when it came to talking to him. Vaughn and Ren thought he was fragile. Did she think that as well? It made sense, considering he’d taken Flight her second day here.
He wasn’t going to use again. Not now when he had someone depending on him. More than one person. Vaughn and Ren had risked their own positions to keep him from getting marked as Level 5 more than once, even when they were solitaries. He owed them. And more importantly, Hannah was safer with all of them in peak condition and working together.
“Nothing’s changed since that day Dresden auctioned me off. I’m still only a fuck toy to all of you.”
“No one here ever said that.”
“You didn’t have to. You can take me when and as often as you want. I have no choice in the matter. But that job is something I need, to feel like I’m not the whore everyone thinks I am. I was a respected Level 1 on Argus, and now I’m a—” She cut herself off, but he could see more than anger in her face. Hurt. Shame. Confusion.
“Is this because we didn’t tell you about the scheduling? Did she really think they were excluding her, keeping secrets because she thought she held no value beyond sex?
“I don’t have a voice here, Sersie,” she said, doing her best to hold in her anger.
He set his arms on the counter to either side of her, trapping her. “No one wanted to lie to you, but you needed to heal, more than physically. But I see it was wrong of us to exclude you. You wanted us to come together as a unit. We have, at least on this issue. You’re not going back to work until we find out who attacked you.”
“Killing him won’t solve anything.”
“It would send a message.”
“You’ll be punished, all of you.”
