“No, that would be all right since you agreed to it. Ketturans don’t care about games between lovers.”
“I did consent, but only while we’re here on this space liner. I wouldn’t—I couldn’t be as free as I am here in other places.”
“You say so, but I think on Kettura you could be. Making a Ketturan woman a sex slave isn’t illegal as long as she agrees to it. People choose whatever path they want there. And others don’t judge.”
“As if any woman would choose that,” Giss said, laughing.
“Some do. Warriors’ wives especially.”
Her cheeks warmed, remembering the way she’d lain across the bars for him to spank for their company’s enjoyment and the hot ache inside her pussy at the thought of having sex with him after. “I suppose your wife might. If that’s what you demanded.”
“It’ll depend who she is,” he said, holding out a soft, simple night shift to her.
Another stab of rampant jealousy overwhelmed her. She pulled the gown over her head.
“Of course, you wouldn’t bring a wife here,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. “And show her body to strangers.”
“I would if she looked like you.”
She swallowed. “There are things on Orius I can’t lose. Could you ever live off Kettura, and just go back to visit?”
He shook his head.
“You travel with pirates. You said yourself you’re gone most of the time,” she challenged.
“True, but I wouldn’t abandon my free time on Kettura to go to Orius. Orius is a corrupt world. Like many others. When I have a wife and family, the only place I’ll ever leave them while I’m off-world working or fighting is Kettura.”
She swallowed, tears stinging her eyes. She knew he was right to hate Orius. She’d lied to try to protect herself from corrupt magistrates, and her lie had gotten him arrested and sentenced to a deadly wilderness penal colony for months.
“You don’t trust Orium people because of what I did, but the laws as a whole are in place to keep the planet powerful enough to prevent attacks and maintain its prosperity.” Guilt drove her to keep talking. “I made a mistake, but do you know why I lied? I thought they might kill you outright and force me—it doesn’t matter. But I did really believe that by lying I was protecting us both from a worse fate than we got. I understand that I got away and you didn’t. If it’s any consolation, we tried very hard to buy your freedom. I told Zawri to use my entire inheritance if necessary.”
“I know she tried.”
She blinked. “You do?”
“You and your sister should’ve guessed it wouldn’t work. Those bribes were wasted. When corruption goes unchecked, the entire population becomes untrustworthy. Look at your own life. First you try to kill yourself, then you betray the person who saves you. To be consumed with despair at your age? For fear to be so strong that you’d lie about a man you’d been intimate with? Orius isn’t a good place.”
“There are some very good things about it. My sister is very good. My father was very good. You should see what he built for us.” She knew she was too anxious to convince him, but couldn’t help herself. “I’d like to show you more—if it were safe.”
“It wouldn’t change my mind.” He stripped and climbed in bed.
She sighed, lying on her side to study his profile. “So we go back to separate lives? This is still just a short time of retribution? Nothing’s changed?”
He didn’t answer, only lowered the lights.
“What you’re doing to me is confusing,” she whispered.
“Acknowledged.”
* * *
Linc woke when the morning lights shone down. He rolled onto his side to look at her, but found her gone. Frowning, he rose immediately and pulled on clothes. Was she playing a game by disappearing, or had she been collected by her handler while he slept?
He would hunt her down and spend some hours stretching her little pink star. By tonight, he’d be able to come inside her body.
When he reached the door leading to the passage, a message alert sounded. The message had waited for some time, he realized as he opened it.
“Your pet was caught on an illicit stroll and was returned to her cage,” Eco’s voice said primly.
