Dealers' Choice - Susan Hayes Page 0,1
our lives, Wolf.” Since being freed, they often used the nicknames they’d chosen for themselves instead of the names assigned to them by their former owners.
Ward gave him a half-smile and clapped him on the shoulder. “I think you deserve that.” He walked away before Vic could say anything. Not that he needed to. They’d had this conversation more than once, and so far, nothing had changed Ward’s mind. He hadn’t forgiven himself for the things he’d done while under the Gray’s control. Vic was almost ready to move on with his life. Ward wasn’t.
They reached the sim-pod section just as Xori and another of her patients, Tianna Astor, were saying goodbye, and he couldn’t help but note that the newly-minted head of Astek Corp looked tired and a little unsettled. He extended his senses slightly, confirming that her pulse was elevated, and she was manifesting signs of emotional distress. He caught the last bit of Tianna’s conversation, too.
“…harder than I thought it would be, but I’m glad I did it.”
“You did very well.” Xori’s soft words made his heart do a double beat.
Veth, he loved the sound of her voice. Hell, he liked everything about her. From the delicate tufts on the tips of her pointed ears to the way her blue-striped skin darkened when she laughed. Today she was wearing a simple blue top that left her arms bare, and a long, flowing skirt that fluttered slightly in the downdraft from an overhead vent.
Beside him, Ward exhaled with a barely audible whistle of appreciation. “She wore her hair down. Dammit, that’s not playing fair.”
One of his brother’s favorite ways to avoid answering the doctor’s questions was to try to change the subject. His preferred topic of late had been to ask Xori why she always wore her hair tied back. It had become something of an obsession.
Vic laughed. “Check and mate, Wolf.”
“Smug is not a good look for you.” Ward’s gaze was locked on Xori.
He couldn’t blame him. With her hair loose, the doctor looked softer somehow, the waves of blue falling past her shoulders in a silken tumble he itched to touch.
Xori turned toward them, smiling in greeting. “You’re right on time.”
Tianna grinned. “Since your next victims are here, I’ll get out of your way. There’s a large slice of cherry pie waiting for me upstairs.”
Tianna shifted to the internal comms channel all the cyborgs at the Nova Club shared. “It’s not easy, but I think she’s onto something. Good luck.”
“You too. The last time I saw your husbands they were headed for the gaming tables with a stack of chips and no supervision.”
“V’eth! That’s my money they’re playing with. The least they could do is wait for me.” She said the final bit out loud, then took off at inhuman speed.
“Did I miss something?” Xori asked, her silver eyes wide as Tianna streaked away.
Vic tapped his temple. “Royan was heading into the gaming area as I was coming off my shift. I gave her a heads up.”
“Ah.” Her soft mouth quirked into a brief smile. “Returning the favor, were you? And don’t try to deny that Tianna was giving you a warning of some kind about what’s in store for you today.”
“Guilty as charged.” He grinned at her. “Cyborg patients are a pain in the ass, huh?”
“You’ve been a collection of unique challenges, certainly.” She brushed a strand of hair away from her face and then gestured to the door. “Shall we go in?”
Vic glanced at Ward, who stood two paces back, his hand hovering over the spot where his blaster would be if they were armed. “Wolf? You good?”
His twin nodded stiffly.
Xori moved to stand in front of Ward and looked up at the big cyborg. From Vic’s position, he couldn’t see her face, but he didn’t need to. She’d be giving his brother one of her gentle smiles, her silver eyes full of warmth and compassion. He’d seen that expression often, both in reality and in his dreams.
“There will be nothing in that room but the three of us. I know you trust Vic with your life. Will you trust me, too?” she asked softly.
Ward nodded again, the motion a little looser this time. “I trust you.”
“Good.” She looked back at Vic. “Then it’s time to start the next stage of your treatment.”
After years of helping patients overcome their pasts, Dr. Xori Virness thought she’d seen it all. She’d treated victims of slavers, cults, and abusive mates from species and cultures all over the