Page 19 of Freedom Mine
“It doesn’t matter what we do to her at this point. She’ll tell Kayo and he’ll sell us, both of us,” Tieg said. “Might as well have some fun with her while we can.”
“If Kayo gets rid of us, that’s his decision. This is mine. Last warning.”
Tieg released her, rubbing his wrist where Masher had held him.
“Go, back down the mountain, Sweetness,” Masher said to her. “Tieg and I need to have a little talk.”
Alli ran as fast as she could. Never had she been so scared, and she’d been punished many times, even choked unconscious by Harko on several occasions. But Tieg had sent a chill through her. Masher had too at first, but not like Tieg.
“Blue!” Kayo called when she reached the edge of the woods. Kayo was standing behind the stables. He hadn’t even been on the mountain. Gods, his face held such excitement to see her.
All thought left her as she flung herself into his embrace. She needed his promise of safety—even if he’d only protect her because she was his property.
Her entire body shook as his arms wrapped around her. She melted into Kayo, letting his calming scent wash over her.
It seemed like hours that they stood there in silence, with his arms around her. His hand smoothed her hair over her shoulders to her back.
Her mind was playing tricks on her. Kayo wasn’t really there making her feel safe. He was an owner,herowner. And owners didn’t care about the slaves, only what their slaves could do for them.
Warm brown eyes, heavy with concern, searched her face as he cupped her cheek. Gods, she should pull away, not let him touch her like this. Then again, he owned her. He could touch her however and whenever he wanted. She had no rights.
That realization allowed her to pull away. It felt like she had ripped a piece of her soul out and cast it aside. Her body wanted to lean forward again, to feel the hard planes of his chest against her, to feel the security of his arms around her. Why did he have to own her?
“What happened?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
“Nothing. I got scared.”
“I can see that. Did someone bother you?” he asked, his voice filled with anger, but not directed at her, not yet.
“No,” she said, careful to meet his eyes. If she looked away, he’d know she was lying.
She couldn’t let him know the truth. If he punished those men, she’d be responsible for them being whipped, shocked, or worse. She’d have to be more careful in the future, take her knife, and pay attention to her surroundings.
“Blue, if someone did something, I need to know.” his voice was heavy, serious. Part of her wished she could tell him, but it was over. One of the rules among slaves was not to cause trouble, ever.
“I thought I heard something, a growl of sorts,” she said, thinking up a story that might satisfy him. “I tried running, but I kept sliding in the mud.”
He glanced at her muddy feet and frowned. Mud clung to her sandals, hiding her feet.
“There are some hoonta hounds up there, but they don’t usually hunt during the day. Maybe you passed by a mother protecting her pups, and the growl was a warning.”
“I shouldn’t have left the house. I should have waited for you to return.”
“You were looking for me?” he asked, his voice edging upward. There it was again, that delicious smile of his, the one that confused her.
“Yes,” she admitted even as her cheeks heated. While she wanted to turn away from those large brown eyes that seemed to drink her in, she couldn’t. They held her, with some force she’d never encountered before and had yet to understand.
With the back of two fingers, he traced a slow, sensuous path down her cheek to her jaw. As he leaned closer, her tongue wet her lower lip. His hand drew down her arm, over the cuffed end of the short sleeve to her bare arm, awaking nerves throughout her entire body as he stepped closer.
* * *
KAYO
“Kayo,” she said as his hand slid down her bare arm. Never had his name sounded so lovely as when she spoke it.
“Hmm?” he didn’t want to take his hands off of her. The feel of her skin under his fingers. . . amazing.
“Thank you,” she said, her breath hitching in a way that stirred him.
