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closely, if the amount of contraband sought was any indication.  Here.
Karl looked at the tiny doorway, with nothing more than a simple flag hung over it.  This?
 Trust me. Raine pushed the door open.
Karl didn t get to answer before Raine opened the door, and he knew he d need the extra time to think
about whether or not he trusted Rick Raine.
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C.C. Bridges
Despite the narrow entrance, the room they stepped into was large and bustling, with terracotta walls
and dark wooden tables. Golden lights hung from the ceiling, decorated with bright beads that swung in the
breeze from the open door.
A girl carrying a tray stopped in the middle of the room as they entered. She set it on the nearest table
before coming over to welcome them.  Rick Raine, you son of a bitch.
 Good to see you too, Sophy. He squeezed her in a quick hug.  Didn t know if you were still
working here.
 It s better than my old job. She winked at him.  Come, I ll get you a table. And your friend?
Her dark amber eyes were suddenly fixed on him. Karl tried to smile.  Karl. I m, ah, working on
Raine s ship.
Sophy s eyebrows went up.  Is that so? Well, welcome to Neo Delhi. Drinks are on me tonight.
 Sophy, you don t have to&  Raine tried to stop her, but she just shook her head and showed them to
a table, a small one in the corner, half hidden from the rest of the room. A lamp in the center flickered and
threw strange shadows on the wall.
Karl sat stiffly, feeling uncomfortable and out of place. Raine seemed to have been everywhere and
known everyone, and that made Karl s ignorance about the Confed all the more apparent. That must be
why the girl rubbed him the wrong way. She didn t fit in here, too brash and assertive for this conservative
place, especially if she had been one of Raine s old lovers. Karl didn t say anything, just frowned down at
the menu scrolling on the table, the screens carefully concealed when they weren t in use.
 Let me order. Raine motioned over another server, one who wasn t Sophy, and placed an order in
another language, so quick that Karl couldn t catch enough to decipher what language it was.
He d never figure out Raine. But strangely, he felt content with that, almost as if he was looking
forward to the next surprise, whatever else Raine decided to spring on him. Karl wanted that revelation, to
learn something else about this man.
Although when Sophy came back with their drinks, he re-assessed that thought, realizing he could do
without learning more about Raine s past lovers.
Sophy smiled at him, setting down the cup of clear liquid, and he felt guilty. She had been nothing but
kind, and he had no reason to feel so contrary toward her. No reason for the spike of anger in his gut at the
sight of Raine grinning up at her.
Except. Oh no. Karl sat up straight, and the room seemed a bit too warm as his heart thumped wildly.
He shouldn t care about Raine flirting with some waitress they d never see again, but somehow he did. He
couldn t be crushing on the mysterious spacer. Fuck, he didn t have time for that.
 Do you like it? Sophy was asking and Karl took a quick drink. To his surprise, it went down
smooth, a rich almond flavor that woke up his taste buds.
 Yes, he told her.  Very much.
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Beyond Meridian
 Good. One last smile and then she was gone.
Raine waited until their lunch had been served a rich stew, spicy and thick with vegetables before
dropping his bombshell.  So, he said, dipping the warm flatbread into his bowl.  How long did you work
in the brothels?
Karl choked on his bite, unable to appreciate the flavor as it came up again. He wiped his mouth,
hoping he got it all.  Excuse me?
Using the bread as a prop, Raine pointed at him.  Your ID says you were born on Meridian. Back at
the port, you weren t surprised by me having two people in my bed. You were more upset about the
conditions of their employment.
 So that makes me a former whore? Karl dropped his fork, taking a long swallow of that almond
drink before responding. Raine kept those dark blue eyes on him, demanding an answer without having to
speak again. For some reason, Karl told him the truth.  My mother worked in a salon. I was born there.
Grew up with the workers instead of kids my own age.
 And somehow she got you out?
Karl looked away, unable to meet Raine s eyes as he spoke.  Something like that. It wasn t the
spacer s business that she had died giving birth to some client s child. Another child destined to be a whore
or sold into slavery. The Madam had refused to pay for a doctor to come, saying his mother was hardly
bringing in enough for their keep, never mind another mouth. Sam had known the truth, however. Madam
Rachel might just have wanted his mother incapacitated, to take the opportunity to demand Karl work for
his family s survival. But her actions had caused his mother s death instead. She wouldn t be the last, he
thought with a deep sigh. And there was nothing he could do about it.
 And that explains your crusade. Raine looked thoughtful, an expression Karl hadn t seen on his face
before.
 Crusade? Is that what you re calling it now? he said lightly.
 How long have you lived in the UPA?
Karl sucked in a breath, resisting the urge to look around and see if anyone else had heard.  I don t
know what you mean.
 Fine, if you won t answer that, then tell me at least what we re going to Mendhem for.
Karl finally had to answer that question did he trust Raine?
 I need to help a friend, he said, gazing down at his stew.  She was sold into slavery, and I need to
get her out. There, true enough without betraying the UPA.
Raine barked a laugh.  You re not serious. How the fuck do you think you re going to manage that?
 I ll buy her myself if I have to. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]