Life inside the spheres, where most of the Alpha population lived, was tolerable, but water was scarce even there. Money was not allocated to plants or greenery for aesthetic reasons, at least not like on Earth.
As much as young Madelaine hated going to Alpha-Prime for familial visits, teen Madelaine hated it more.
The visit right before she turned eighteen had been more off-putting than all her previous visits.
An elderly aunt of some prominence in the social circles of Alpha-Prime made Madelaine uncomfortable with her constant staring. Every time she moved or did anything, Aunt Lucretia’s vivid glacially blue glare followed her, as if Madelaine was some prized brood mare up for auction. Aunt Lucretia, who was her father’s straight-laced aunt, constantly assessed Madelaine’s every breath and clearly found her wanting, if her tight, wrinkle-lined moue was any indication.
Madelaine made a personal vow during that visit that she would never return to Alpha-Prime ever again. She didn’t want to know these people any better than she already did.
Of course, that private oath went straight out into a vast and rotting space potato field in the sky because of what happened the week before she turned twenty-one.
The week her life changed forevermore.
She closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath and put her focus back on the issue at hand. Rehashing that time in her life was a useless endeavor.
She had been tasked with completing a very important…chore.
Well,chorewas a simplistic term for what she’d been asked to do.Urgent missionwas maybe more accurate. Words likedireandworld-endinghad been used in conjunction with this coming task.
A task she needed help with. Jack’s help.
Jack Grey. Love of her life.
The man who likely hated her for what she’d done.
And had every right to do so.
Jack followed Cyberpunk Chick, who had still not identified herself, across the courtyard toward the parking lot. He marched like a condemned man past Valene, Wyatt and their twin toddlers, along with Axel, Gage, Wheeler, Diesel and their wives.
Cam and his wife, Ria were the only ones missing this event because of the recent birth of their new baby boy, Theo Cam Grey.
Every one of the brothers who were in attendance had a big fat grin on his face as he passed by with the woman, proxy or not, who’d bought Jack’s butt. He was not surprised.
Sure. Fine.Theydidn’t have to do the stupid bachelor auction becausetheyhad wives.
“Who’s your date?” asked Axel, his arm draped around Lucy’s shoulders.
“Apparently, it’s a secret,” Jack said, continuing past his family.
Axel’s grin shifted to a smirk. “Way cool.”
“I don’t know about that.” Jack Grey had been in some strange situations in his life. This one was climbing the top ten list really fast.
None of his other brothers said anything, but their mock pitying looks were tiresome and Jack ignored them all.
The proxy stranger led him to a large, sleek black SUV that he definitely hadn’t noticed in the Starlight Old Folks Home parking lot when he went up on the stage. He climbed into the front passenger seat, hoping she didn’t expect him to sit in the back while she drove. Not happening.
If Cyberpunk Chick was unhappy that he was riding shotgun, she didn’t say anything. She focused on driving.
Arms crossed, boots stretched out like he owned the place—which he didn’t—Jack settled back to see if she’d reveal anything about where they were headed or the identity of her client. After a couple of minutes of silence, that seemed unlikely to happen.
Which Jack didn’t like one single bit.
Cyberpunk Chick drove like a woman who had somewhere very important to be and zero patience for conversation. Which, unfortunately for her, was exactly what Jack had. If she wouldn’t communicate, he felt obligated to do so.
“So,” he said, dragging the word out, “you planning to tell me why you just spent—what was it—eight thousand dollars on a date with me?”
