Dealers' Choice - Susan Hayes Page 0,32
did that to you.”
A pang of regret hit him square in the chest, then sank into his guts in a cold, gluey mass. “No, you saved me from doing something regrettable.” Like kill the sonofastarbeast that had hurt her. If he had, he wouldn’t be here now, with her.
“I won’t do it again. Not unless you want me to.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know if I want that. Giving you my pain…it’s not right.”
“And that’s why I’d do it for you. Because you care about the cost to me. Most Pherans who possess one of the Nazeela Ulo don’t. We’re tools, that’s all. A means to make their lives better.”
“You do that just by being here,” Vic said.
“Yeah. You do. So you don’t need to do the other thing.” No matter how good it felt to be free of that darkness.
“It’s hard to go back afterward, isn’t it?” she asked, her voice soft and sweet as warm honey.
He closed his eyes and nodded. That part had sucked vacuum. He’d been himself again, or an even better version, but it hadn’t lasted, and that sense of loss lingered in his mind.
“If either of you ever want me to do that, I will. You only have to ask. But I won’t do anything unless I have your permission.”
“Okay. If I want that, I’ll say so.” he leaned down and kissed her, craving another taste of her sweetness.
“Now, how can you tell us apart? Especially if you’re not reading us?” Vic asked.
She laughed, all wariness gone now. “That? It’s easy. Vic prefers gray or black, while Ward wears any color but black.”
She gestured out into the other room, where one of their shirts was lying on the carpet. It was his. And…it was blue.
“Well, fraxx,” he drawled, amusement melting away the ball of regret in the pit of his stomach.
“How did we never notice that?” Vic asked.
“How did everyone else miss it?”
Xori laughed. “I don’t know the answer to either question, but I’ll tell you a secret. Even naked, I can tell you apart.”
She reached out and place a hand on both their chests, and he leaned into her touch. “You are two different males who happen to look alike and have chosen to walk the same path.” She looked at Vic. “You’re Victor. The leader. The one who walks with confidence but secretly questions his choices.” She turned her gaze to him. “And you are Ward, the one who acts as if nothing is wrong, no matter how much you’re hurting.” Her silver eyes shimmered with something that might have been tears, but they were gone too quickly for him to be sure.
She knew them. She saw them. And suddenly he wondered if she already knew what he was planning. Not that it would change anything. Leaving was necessary.
He looked down at her in wonder, and released her hair to touch the tip of her ear. “You’re not wearing your matyri he said, changing the subject.
“I didn’t want to,” she admitted. “It’s a reminder of what happened. I thought I was safe on this station, but I’m not. And while those high caste Pherans are here, neither are any of the lower caste Pherans.”
“We let Corp-Sec know about our run-in with him. They’re keeping an eye out, making sure he doesn’t cause more trouble.”
“It’s not just him. He’s part of a trade delegation, and I learned today that they’re harassing some Pheran vendors, taking food and refusing to pay for it.”
“Fraxxing bullies, that’s all they are. We’ll give Corp-Sec another heads up.”
“Thank you. None of the Pherans will report what’s going on, for fear of reprisals, but maybe security can step in and stop it from escalating further.”
“It’s worth a try.” Ward had his doubts much would happen, though. Corp-Sec weren’t a police force, they were exactly what their name implied, corporate security. Their job was to keep the peace, not enforce the law. Hell, there wasn’t even a judge or court system on the Drift. Anything short of violence was handled with warnings, fines, or blacklisting. Corp-Sec were paid by the same corporations that had invited the Pheran delegation in the first place, which meant they were more or less safe from interference, and the assholes knew it.
Maybe there was something he and Vic could do, though. It’s not like they had much going on besides work and seeing Xori. They could watch over the vendors and make sure things didn’t get out of hand. They weren’t his people, but