Page 85 of Auctioned to the Convicts
“Way to give me up,” she chastised, inwardly smiling at how quickly the tension faded.
“You too, sha’vi?” Ky asked, with a definite pouty face. This was so very un-Ky like. Playful—in front of the others. It warmed her heart.
“Would it help to know I won the bet?”
He considered that. “That depends on the prize.”
“Winner gets to choose where to sit at the table for a week.”
Ky pushed out the bench he was sitting on, practically knocking Sersie off. “Move,” he ordered Sersie, before indicating Hannah should take the botanist’s seat. “Sha’vi, have a seat and enjoy the rest of the meal. Sersie will clean up.”
“I didn’t volunteer,” Sersie said from where he now leaned against the counter, holding his bowl as he ate.
“House rules. Penalty for being late to third meal,” Ky’Li said.
“Since when did we agree on that rule?” Sersie asked.
“Since I decided it. Now.”
Hannah was standing next to Ren, who looked like he’d reached his limit with this group. If he left now, he’d disappear back into the jungle even though he was off next shift. Ky meanwhile was about to start a fight with Sersie, which was really hard to do, and Vaughn had fallen into a funk.
Against all wisdom—and praying she knew what she was doing—Hannah plopped her backside on Ren’s lap and threw her arms around his neck. “I choose here.”
Ky’s eyes narrowed as they locked on Ren.
“What?” Sersie said, confused.
“I won the bet. I get to choose where to sit. I choose here.”
“Vacate the seat, asshole, so Hannah can sit there,” Ky’Li warned, gray eyes swirling.
Hannah shook her head. “I didn’t choose the chair. I chose Ren’s lap. That’s where I’m sitting for the next week. And if you have any complaints, Ky’Li, I suppose I can make a trade.”
“Trade what?”
“I can sit on your lap—”
“I accept,” Ky said.
“And sleep in his bed.”
“Krike, no!”
Hannah looked at Ren, who was grinning like a barkothi male in a den of females. “Can you manage putting up with me on your lap for the next week even though Ky’Li will be throwing daggers at you, possibly real ones?”
Vaughn cracked up laughing, the first emotion she’d seen from him in a while. Sersie retook his seat next to Ky’Li, looking amused, and Ky was shaking his head, but he wasn’t threatening to kill Ren who sat there open-mouthed, without a word coming out.
Progress indeed.
Chapter Fifteen
VAUGHN
Third meal last night had certainly been interesting, to say the least. Hannah had proven quite a force when it came to handling Ky’Li. As for Sersie, he handled the stress—and Ky’Li—like a pro. Granted, it was only three weeks since he’d last used, but he appeared strong, in control of himself, but mostly. . . happy. In fact, this was the happiest Vaughn had ever seen Sersie in the seven years the man had been on Narkos. Hannah’s influence, maybe even having a unit around him, had given Sersie the stability he needed.
To Vaughn’s surprise, the unit was finally starting to work as a team. Hannah was the reason. She was the heart of their group. The unit as a whole washealthy—physically and mentally.
Hannah, too, appeared more relaxed. She’d been smiling more, regaining much of her confidence since the attacks on the railcar and at the house. Even with the self-defense Ky’Li had been teaching her, Vaughn was reluctant to let her return to work. She was too vulnerable at the port, and he wasn’t convinced she’d tell him if anything else happened there. His Hannah was guarded most of the time. It was as if she was afraid of worrying them, relying on them. . . She didn’t understand what she meant to them, to each and every one of them.
