Page 91 of Auctioned to the Convicts
“Who was it, Hannah?” he tried one last time as more men assembled on the platform, their eyes raking over her as if she were a prize to be won. . . taken.
She said nothing.
“Never mind. I’m memorizing every face here, and I’ll know who it is, eventually. He’ll give himself away.”
“Vaughn, please d—”
“We discussed this already.”
“Wedidn’t discuss anything. The four of you discussed, without me.”
“Yes, the majority of your unit decided this the night you came home injured. You were in no shape to discuss security or strategy. So, yes,wediscussed it without you. You wanted us to work as a unit. . . Now we are.”
“You can’t tell what I’m thinking about a person by how I look at them.”
Brave and stubborn, his Hannah. “I can and will. I watch faces. It’s usually how I can tell when Sersie’s doing okay, or not. Lately, I’d say he’s doing really well. Especially when he looks at you.”
That lush pink spread down her neck this time.
“I take it you enjoyed his attention this morning.”
“You’re not upset?” she asked. “About Sersie showing up?
“I’m not like Ky’Li. I was raised on Argus.”
“Then why do I sense you’re angry with me?”
“I’m worried about you going back to work.” Right now, he desperately wanted to stroke her cheek, to slip his hand over hers and let her know what he felt for her, but he was here to escort her, and to put the men at the port on notice that she was protected, even when she entered the port without him.
He knew their faces and in most cases their names. He’d treated every one of them over the years, most off the books. If they even thought of touching her, they’d never receive medical treatment again, or he’d make sure he used every medical equipment available to ensure they couldn’t pay their bill to The Company. They’d end up as Level 5s.
“Stay alert, Hannah,” Vaughn said as the railcar arrived and the men piled in. Vaughn ushered her to the corner where he wouldn’t have to watch his back.
The ride to the port was uneventful. Hannah barely spoke, except to say she’d be staying an extra hour today for additional training she missed while she was on sick leave.
“One of the others, probably Ren, will meet you at the railcar, port side.”
She nodded. “Can I kiss you goodbye?”
“No,” he said, too sharply. He hadn’t expected her question, but he would not give these men any ideas. “I will collect that kiss when you return home this evening. Two in fact.”
She smiled.
“Maybe three,” he said, unable to hide his grin.
The railcar ground to a halt, and the port workers filed out. Vaughn held her back.
“Don’t go anywhere that’s isolated. And don’t be afraid to use your pendant. It won’t kill, but it will buy you the time you need to get away, so there will be no fall out for you.”
She rolled the braided metal chain between two fingers. “You really do care about me,” she said, sounding surprised.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” He hated that he sounded so harsh, but leaving her here, unprotected except for a chemical spray that hadn’t been tested on a human, made him tense. He wanted to stay, to watch over her.
Her eyes scanned the empty car and then she gazed ahead to the other workers as they lined up single file to go through security.
“I’d like to get to know you better, Vaughn. Just the two of us. That walk you mentioned earlier, I hope you meant it.”
Now he really wanted to kiss her. He brushed the side of her hand with a single finger.
