Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“Anything else you’d like to add?”
“Yes, in fact. I was offered five-thousand tickets last night—the going rate, if I understand correctly—if only I’d bend over the table and take it from some guy named Amos.” Crossing her arms under her breasts, she faced him, wet and sweaty, soap bubbles up her arms. “I’d like to think sex is worth more than a single plate. Not that I give a fuck about your ticket scale, but wouldn’t you consider your pricing a bit askew?”
“It was a very pretty plate.”
“You are an asshole.” One who liked to get her worked up each time he caught her alone. “Go away. I have chores. Also, I’m menstruating. According to your rules, I don’t have to be in the presence of men. Bye now.”
Rubbing his hand over the scruff on his cheek, the man’s eyes went down to her apron-covered belly. “Are you regular?”
“Keeping a calendar?” It could be exceptionally smart if he was. After all, when making the duties schedule, ovulation wouldn’t be the best time for his slaves to service the patrons. Pregnant whores were not as useful.
Reaching past her to grab an apple off the counter, it was like he could read her thoughts.
In her personal space. Much, much too close, a full head taller, he crunched that first bite of forbidden fruit and gave her a wink.
How the hell he even had apples was… something she didn’t want to know. How they had any of this bounty couldn’t be anything but bad.
“Are you really going to just stand there?” Inches away, so close she could smell him, all woodsy and leather. That she’d nudge him if she turned around and went back to scrubbing dishes.
He took a second bite of apple. Chewed and stared.
She gave it right back to him.
He ate that whole fruit down to the core, smiling as he snacked.
When she just couldn’t tolerate another moment of his antics, she groaned to the heavens and threw up her hands. “Fine, stay. I’ll leave. After all, it is your ship. I’m just an endentured guest here… trying to wash your pretty dishes, so your ugly men have something eat off of when they cash in their tickets to visit your sex slaves on Level 15.”
She hadn’t made it a step before he ended her retreat, grabbing her by the bicep and yanking her close. “The books in your pack. You a doctor?”
He knew just where to land a verbal blow. Her eye twitched when she stared toward the door and put her weight against his grip. “Do I look old enough to be a doctor?”
“No.”
Mimicking his drawl, she tugged against his hold. “Well, aren’t you smart?”
“Eugenia.” The way he said her name, it was as if he knew all her secrets. “You wrote your name on the inside cover of both books. They were wrapped in plastic to protect them from the elements. Weighed a ton, and you’ve carried them since the world started over.”
And he had them, and she wanted them back. “How many tickets do you want for them?”
His brow arched. “You’d fuck for those books?”
“Volumes, slaver. And no. But I give great foot rubs and I’m happy to bet on chess. Your idiot brigade has not been able to beat me yet. And believe it or not, I’ve found three whole tickets while sweeping up at the end of the night. I’m rich!”
“Foot rubs?”
“Your mistake is thinking that all these men want is to get their dick wet.” Of course they wanted that, but they needed so much more. Including verbal punishment she was happy to dole out.
Leaning closer, all lecher, he grinned. “Oh, I know what they want, sweetheart.”
“Eww.”
“Neil offered me three times your price. Came to my office with his hat in his hand. Fancies himself in love.”
That deserved another eww, but Eugenia wasn’t going to acknowledge how absurd the conversation had grown.
“And now I’m going to have to kill him for it.” He set her arm free, watching her scowl. “You can’t let these men fall in love with you. I don’t have enough women to go around, and you’re singlehandedly messing up the game by drawing them in with the virgin angle.”
She couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. But far more than proud, she felt disgusted. “So you’re going to kill a man for wanting a woman? He doesn’t even know me. And though he is handsome, he is not my type. Wait,”—maybe she had something to work with here—“could he afford me?”
“No. He’d be indentured for the next forty years.”
Frowning, she asked the question no one had answered for her yet. “Exactly how much do I cost?”
“Aren’t you going to beg for Neil’s life?”
The whole idea was ridiculous. “You’re not going to kill Neil. That would be stupid and a waste of a resource.”