Page 20 of Bela's Bounty
CHAPTEREIGHT
Treto
Imust have fallen asleep in my chair, because the insistent chime of the comm wakes me up. Rubbing my eyes, I squint up at the screen before hitting the button to accept Sone’s message.
The screen flickers to life, showing Sone leaning back in the captain’s chair. “Oh, hey, Treto,” he says, doing his best to look bored. “I was beginning to think you didn’t want to talk to me. You know, since you snuck away behind my back, and then jammed your signal,and thentold me you didn’t want me to follow you.”
I wonder offhandedly if he realizes how much he sounds like a jilted lover. Or maybe a stalker.
“So,” the Markatti says, kicking his feet up on the console, “Care to tell me why you’re going to Lux, of all places?”
The ridges over my eyes lift in surprise. That bit of information certainly got to him quickly. Who would have—
Igid.That female is an amazing mechanic, but she can’t keep anything to herself.
“You’ve never shown much interest in the females before, so what other reason would send you there?” Sone asks, thinking out loud while he examines his claws. “Did you decide you wanted a human like Rovos?”
Shit!“No,” I bark at him.
Sone looks up at me and smiles. “Oh, really.” He leans forward, narrowing his eyes. “So the human females the madame purchased at auction havenothingto do with why you’re heading there right now?”
Kurva!I run a hand over my face, realizing he knows everything now.
“It must be pretty important if you’re sneaking around, trying to avoid me.”
“Yes,” I finally agree with an exasperated sigh.
“And you’re going to need more backup than just theShade,won’t you?”
Most likely.
“Well, you’re just going to have to wait,” he tells me, pulling his lips back in a sneer. “I took a bounty. I’ll comm you as soon as I’ve bagged him though.”
I relax back into my seat, relieved he won’t be able to help after all. Then I frown, feeling guilty at that strange sense of relief.
“Why, Treto?” he asks when I don’t give him the reaction he was looking for. “You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to family. Why are you pushing me away like this?”
My hands cover my face, and I dig my palms into my eyes. “I. Don’t. Know,” I growl, sliding my hands across the smooth plate of my skull. The scales that cover my body are thicker here, offering extra protection.
“Tre,” Sone says quietly. “Please don’t push me away.”
“I’m not,” I tell him earnestly, even though that’s exactly what I’m doing. But it’s not for the reason he must think. Dropping my hands, I meet his pained gaze through the view screen. “I’m not. But my gut tells me you aren’t meant to help me with this.”
“Of course I’m meant to help you,” Sone snaps. “What kind of ridiculous thinking is this?”
“Sone…” I groan. Why can’t he just accept what I’m trying to tell him? And why can’t I tell him I don’t want his help because I’m afraid of what could happen to him?
“What? I’m just pointing out that your reasoning is stupid.”
I don’t know why I even try arguing with him. I’d have better luck trying to make a space rock see reason.
“So what’s your plan, once you get there?” Sone asks, breaking the silence that stretches between us.
“I—I have nothing planned for what to do once I get there.”
“You can’t storm a pleasure station half-cocked with no plan!” Sone chides me.
I know this.
