Page 109 of Taken By the Convicts
“My Lina has learned the art of dealing,” Jayce said with a huge grin.
Melina rolled her eyes. “I bribed one of the men to send a message to Glasner and Kimber, asking for their help.”
“Bribed? With what?”
“He wanted me to. . .”
“Don’t fucking say you let him touch you,” Ivan said. “I don’t care if someone’s holding a blaster to my head, no one touches you, except us. Do you understand that, Melina?”
She couldn’t contain her smile at that moment. It felt nice, really nice to know how protective he was about her.
“I counteroffered, Ivan. My patient had a bone that healed wrong in his right hand, making it hard to hold things. And to fight, I guess, given how beat up he was. I told him I’d fix his hand. It was a simple procedure.”
That appeased Ivan somewhat, but he remained tense. “That doesn’t explain Glasner and Kimber. Even if they got your message, there’s no way they’d deal with you, not without a reason. You had to have offered them something in return. What?”
“The cure. I made enough for all of you.”
Ivan looked relieved andproud. “You made yourself invaluable to them. Smart.”
“I would have treated them, regardless.”
“But not if Hawke took you before you could give them the cure. You ensured their help.”
“I hated using them like that to get their help, but it was the only thing I could think of.”
“They’re soldiers. And good men. They’ll understand.”
“I have the medicine here, Ivan. I need to get it to them, but I don’t think I can go above yet.”
“I’ll see to it.” Ivan pulled her in to kiss her. “Thank you, Melina. It means a lot to me that you’re watching out for my men, past and present.”
“Close your eyes, Lina,” Jayce said.
She closed her eyes without hesitation. She was safe here, among her men.
Something soft rubbed against her left index finger. She opened her eyes to see Jayce wrapping a leather ring around her finger. Her heart raced.
Then Reece tore the leather from her finger before Jayce could tie it.
“What the fuck?” Jayce said, glaring at Reece. “She’s not just yours. This is between her and me.”
Reece shoved all the dishes off the table. They went flying, crashing everywhere, making the men jump from their chairs. Then Reece lifted Melina onto the table.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think you followed Bacculan custom,” Ivan said.
Melina laughed, finally understanding the problem. “It’s fine, Jayce. I love that you tried.”
“No, seriously, what did I do wrong? I wanted to ring you like Crusher did. I know what that ring means to you.”
“Oh, Jayce, it’s not the ring that means as much as the person giving it. But if you really want to know, Reece is trying to tell you there’s a custom that precedes giving me the ring. And then based on your performance, I keep the ring on or remove and return it to you.”
“Performance?” Jayce looked confused a moment before his eyes lit and his grin surfaced. “You mean. . .”
She ran her hand down his arm. “It’s just as well. You’re still healing.”
“Hold her down,” Jayce said to Ivan, who lifted a brow. “She’s not getting away until I ring her and I’m not one to buck tradition.”
Ivan held her down at the shoulders while Jayce pulled her pants off. “You need a performance, Lina? That, I can do.”
