[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 Yeah. We still need to finalize the adjustment to the contract --
His door beeped.  Dinah s here. I ll catch up with you later.
Ending transmission, he went to open the door, hearing the scan of the bioFilter.
A beep of agreement and the door parted, allowing Dinah entrance.
Her gaze landed on something beyond his shoulder.
 You motherfucking asshole! She shoved past him and made her way half into
the room before turning around, as if unsure what to do with the naked female huddled
against the wall.  What the hell are you doing? You keep her naked as some sort of --
She searched for the right word.  Some sort of fuck slave?
He really wasn t in the mood to deal.  You jealous, sweetheart?
Gold eyes furious, Dinah clenched a small fist.  I ll show you jealous --
Chuckling despite the bone deep weight in his chest, Duke covered her fist with
a gentle palm.  Don t. I won t fight you and Brenner would kill me if you hurt yourself
beating on my sorry ass.
 Sorry ass is right. Eyes blazing, she snatched a sheet off his bed and threw it at
Kara.  Here.
He watched Kara grab the sheet and cover herself with it. Head bent. Slow.
Silent. As if he d beaten her, for God s sake.
 Allow me to make the introductions. He hardened his voice, when all he
wanted to do was lie down, drag her to him and sleep for a few hours.
 Dinah Burns -- Kara Dillon. Dinah hacked into the NewKremlin mainframe and
managed to change Brenner s and my threat status before they executed us. And this
one -- He jerked his chin in Kara s general direction.  This one is responsible for us
ending up there in the first place.
Fiona Jayde GrimJustin 2: DisArmed - 44 -
A part of him hoped Kara would protest, would start the same song and dance.
Her silence somehow weighed on him.  Her manners must have shorted when she
tried to blow up the shuttle.
Dinah s eyes hardened, though her face retained a neutral expression.  She gave
Kremlin your intel?
 The one and only.
Duke thought he heard a soft bitter chuckle. A quick glance told him Kara hadn t
moved.
 All right. Dinah sighed.  Let s get you cleared. I can prepare quarters for --
 No.
 What? Why?
Duke curled his lip.  Let s just say she needs me. She stays here. I ll passkey the
comm unit. Besides, Lil would hate to have another place to decontaminate.
 Well, let s not upset her then. Sugar-sweet sarcasm dripped.  At least get your
friend clothed.
 She s not my friend. He bit it out, as if the word left a dirty taste in his mouth.
 I had to get her out of her suit. She has all sorts of nasty toys in there. Besides, it was
torn.
 I m sure. I ll get her one of mine, and I would prefer it stays untorn.
If he wasn t mistaken, Kara shuddered. So he smiled.  I m sure she ll try.
Chapter Seven
 I d have thought regular sex would improve your disposition. Lil s voice, the
mocking drawl of it, cut through the general misery of his mood.
Determined not to give a fuck, Duke slopped more soup. As if that little bitch
Kara was doing him a favor by eating.
 And you think I have regular sex? he finally asked, keeping his voice bland.
Lil shrugged.  I heard you have a little love slave chained to your bed.
His love slave sat against a wall every time he came in. Every time he asked if
she had need of him, he would get a  no thank you in that chillingly polite tone as if
he was offering her tea.
 Dinah discussing my sex life again?
Lil peered into his face long enough for him to be uncomfortable.  There s bags
under your eyes. You haven t slept. I put two and two together.
He hadn t slept because for the past three nights he would have to physically
pick Kara up from whatever corner she d wedged herself into and drop her on the bed.
Did she need him? Of course not. He d spent each night in his console chair -- horny,
frustrated and pissed as all hell.
 I haven t been sleeping much. But not from what you re thinking. Duke
buttered a hunk of bread, adding it to the tray. Maybe Kara would eat it. She d always
liked buttered sweet bread.
 Your love slave getting tired of you?
 Kara, he emphasized her name,  no longer needs me.
 What makes you think that?
 Trust me.
Lil frowned.  How long since you two --
Fiona Jayde GrimJustin 2: DisArmed - 46 -
 Really not your business. He was done discussing it.
She placed a hand on his arm.  Seriously. She can t be without your DNA. Not
comfortably. Are you sure she doesn t need& anything?
He inhaled, thought back. She had been looking pale. Duke assumed it was
because she was too stubborn to eat properly. There were circles under her eyes. He
figured she wasn t getting much sleep either. But&  What would happen?
 If she went without?
Duke nodded.
Lil pursed her lips, thinking.  I would imagine it would be very unpleasant. It
manifests as a hormonal need. Similar to blue balls in the early stages.
 And in the late stage?
Lil laid down her plate.  How long?
 More than two days.
 Idiot. Leaving everything, Lil headed for the door, Duke at her heels.  Her
system could be going into shock.
* * *
Lil and Duke barreled into his quarters at a run. On the bed, Kara was curled into
a tight ball, fisted hands pressed against her belly. They rushed toward her, Lil
whipping out her scanner, checking her pulse, her eyelids.
Then laughed softly.  She s sleeping. Quite deeply.
Undisturbed, Kara softly breathed.
Duke concentrated on slowing the pounding in his chest. He wanted to punch
something. He wanted to lift Kara up and shake her and hug her and fuck her until they
were both brain-dead. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]