The new addition to her wardrobe was the collar and leash. The former was wrapped snugly around Rona’s throat, the latter heldfirmly in Aeron’s hand. Whenever she started to fall behind, the Merc gave her a gentle tug to get her moving again.
“Do I really have to wear this thing?” she complained.
Aeron nodded. “You’re too much of a flight risk without it.”
“A flight risk? Seriously? Dude, this thing is uncomfortable as hell. If you take it off, I promise I won’t run.”
“I highly doubt that,” he said, “based on your defiance so far.”
“I thought youlikedmy defiance.”
“I do. I also like having you on a leash.” Another tug.
As they started to make their way toward the center of town, Rona noticed people casting curious looks in their direction. Even in a den of iniquity like Jeriko, it was strange to see a human on a leash. Still, nobody dared to speak up on her behalf. They obviously didn’t want any trouble with the Mercs.
The embarrassment of being led through town like a pet was only part of Rona’s concern. If it had been a different city, she might have been willing to put up with it. But this was Jeriko. She had history here. Bad history.
“Listen,” she pleaded. “Can’t you just take me back to the ship? Surely you don’t need to have me with you while you’re conducting your so-called business.”
“I don’t trust you alone on my ship,” Aeron said.
“You can lock me in the holding cell. Tie me up. Do whatever you want.”
Aeron stopped walking and stared at her hard.
“What’s with you?” he growled. “I thought you would have appreciated the opportunity to get out and stretch your legs. Why are you so nervous about being in this place?”
“It’sembarrassing,” Rona said, touching her leash.
Aeron just kept staring at her, and she felt herself withering beneath his intense, augmetic gaze.
“I used to live here,” she added in a low voice. “If someone I knew were to see me like this…”
Aeron thought for a second, then shook his head.
“No. You’re coming with.”
“But—”
“No buts. After I’m done with my business, we’re checking into a hotel here in town.”
“Ahotel?” Rona half shouted. “Excuse me, but don’t you guys have a job you’re supposed to be doing? You know, like clearing the raiders out of the mine?”
“As far as I can recall,” Aeron said, “we haven’t actually received any payment for that job yet. So yes, we’re going to do it, but we’re doing it onourtime. The people of your village can hold out for a few more days.”
“A few more days?”
This time, Rona really did shout, and not because she was worried about the villagers. As far as she was concerned, those jerkoffs could eat dirt after the way they had sold her out. She was thinking about herself, and the things that were going to happen to her at the aforementioned hotel. A single night wouldbe bad enough. Multiple days sounded like more than she could handle.
Aeron slid his hand up her leash until he was holding it by the clip where it connected to the collar. The front of his body pressed against Rona’s, and she had to tilt her head all the way back to look up into his piercing eyes.
“Listen woman, and listen well. I’m in charge of this mission, and we’re going to complete it on my terms, not yours. Now either you start behaving yourself like a good girl, or I strip off all your clothes and parade your defiant little ass through town stark naked. You want that?”
Rona glowered up at him.
“That’s what I thought,” he said. “Now come on, we’re wasting time.”
Aeron turned and started to walk again. Rona had no choice but to follow him. She didn’t know if he was bluffing about taking her clothes off in public, but she wasn’t about to test him on it. Besides, she didn’t want to get yanked by the leash again. That was one game of tug-of-war she knew she couldn’t win.
