Page 5 of Freedom Mine
“I know it’s not the most imaginative,” he said, feeling the need to apologize, “but I can’t spend all day sitting around here waiting for you to tell me your name. You’ll give it when you’re ready.” That certainly hadn’t come out right either. Had he always been so tongue-tied, more like brain tied, around women, or was it only around her?
Kayo took the steps that led to the attic three at a time, wanting nothing more than to get away from her and those beautiful blue eyes that despised him.
“Let’s go, Blue,” he called down to her, even as her eyes scrutinized the narrow staircase.
She probably thought it was a punishment room. He should give her the lecture, but he needed to get away from her as soon as possible. At least the attic would give her privacy.
He hadn’t even thought through where he would put her. Hells, he had gone to town for supplies, and maybe another male slave to work the mine, but certainly not a woman!
The moment he pushed open the banged-up attic door, his pulse raced. He forced himself to reach in and hit the control panel. Light flooded the attic. He hadn’t been up here in years and probably should have sent someone up long ago to clear out the old, useless furniture and boxes of who knows what, but there was always more important work to be done elsewhere on the property.
“You’ll sleep here,” he said, motioning her in.
She squeezed past him and entered the dusty attic. If he read her correctly, she had a thousand questions but feared opening her mouth.
The moment he stepped into the small room sweat formed on his brow. Lightheaded, he reached for the doorjamb to brace himself.
“Cleaning supplies. Bathroom downstairs.” He barely forced the words out as he raced out of the room, slammed the door shut, and fell back against the door for support. His lungs filled with air and his vision cleared, though the brief panic attack left him feeling antsy.
Kayo bounded down the stairs in search of a bottle. Despite the stacks of dishes everywhere in the kitchen, he had no trouble spotting the near-empty bottle by the sink. Not enough to get stinking drunk, but it would do.
“What’s this about?” Kayo asked as he slipped out the front door with a bottle in his hand. A group of men was waiting for him, and from the expression on their faces, they weren’t going to let him drink in peace.
Anger, betrayal. Their faces said it all. They’d seen Blue, and they knew better than most what it had cost to buy her. Women were scarce, especially in the auctions. That drove the price up five, six, even seven times the cost of a male slave. And these men had been waiting a long time for him to fulfill his promise.
“Thought you went in for supplies and another pair of hands to help in the mine,” Diggs said, his arms crossed over his wide chest. Fresh off a shift, he was covered in sweat and dust from the mine. Runner or Liet must have spread the word before he’d had a chance to talk to them.
“Got the supplies,” Kayo said.
“And a little something extra too,” Runner said.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly plan that part.”
“Got a birthday coming up Kayo? Don’t know why else you’d be treating yourself with such a fine present.”
Kayo glared at Diggs. The brawny man was only saying what the others were thinking, but he wasn’t challenging him, at least not yet.
Kayo slammed the bottle down on the small table between the two chairs. “It’s none of your business how I run things here, and if you have anything more to say on the subject, you know where the pylons are. Cross over anytime, but if you’re staying, either get back to work or get cleaned up and get some rest if you’re off shift. Is that clear?”
Yeah, he’d fucked up by buying Blue, but he couldn’t tell them that. Without waiting to hear more complaints, he walked back into the house. Ten days, maybe twelve, that’s how long before the money ran out. Damn! He’d left the bottle outside.
Kayo turned back toward the kitchen hoping to find another. Jace was sitting at the table, waiting for him.
“Drekk, Jace, not you too.”
“They have a right to be worried,” Jace said.
“Before you jump down my throat, think about what you would have done.”
Kayo searched under the dirty dish rags and behind the piles of dishes. No bottles. Damn.
“Drink’s right here,” Jace said, indicating a cup at the table. He wasn’t going to let this go.
Kayo slumped into the chair and took a swig from the cup. He nearly spewed the drink out. Laja root, a poor man’s coffee, and not what he needed right now.
“You’re too impulsive,” Jace said.
“I couldn’t leave her.”
