Page 6 of Code Bound
Orion leans forward. “The pay is a basket of fruit.”
Dox’s eyes widen and she looks at me. “A whole basket? How many pieces?”
Orion gestures and a man comes from the back of the room with a basket overflowing with fruit. Unmarred, unbruised, and perfect. They’ll last longer than a day with them as fresh as they are. My mouth waters when I see the oranges and apples. And is that?—
“Is that a banana?” Dox rasps, staring at the basket.
Orion nods. “One of three our tree was able to produce.”
Dox’s eyes narrow. “Why such a high payment?”
“The purchaser is . . . motivated,” Orion offers as explanation. “Will you accept?”
Dox looks over at me and sees my expression, and she knows exactly what I’m going to say.
“We don’t move that sort of cargo,” I reply, tilting my chin up. “Not usually.”
“Please,” the mother starts to beg. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to sell him. I’ll give you your money back.”
Orion levels her with his hard stare. “The price has gone up actually. I’m being paid thirty credits for him. Are you willing to pay that?”
The mother’s eyes bug. “Thi-Thirty credits?” she gasps. “How could I . . . how would I ever be able to find that sort of money?”
“Then there’s no deal, I’m afraid,” Orion muses.
The mother starts to cry, her arms wrapped around her child protectively as the men move in. “No! Please! Don’t you have a heart? He’s just a baby!”
“That’s your mistake,” Orion says. “Thinking that anyone in this hellhole has a heart.”
My chest throbs at the scene of a mother desperate to keep her baby safe. So desperate, that she sold him thinking he would go to someone with more resources. I’ve seen this desperation time and time again. I’m no longer sensitive to it.
So why does it bother me so much now?
Dox presses closer to me, trying her hardest to keep herself together. She’s the bleeding heart between us. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s so bothered.
I clear my throat. “What I meant to say is that we don’t move cargo like this for anything less than a basket of fresh fruit and three credits.”
Dox jerks her head toward me in surprise. “What?” she whispers.
Orion laughs. “Anyone else would jump at the basket.”
“We’re not anyone else,” I remind him. “That’s why you’re trying to hire us.”
He raises his brow. “Touché, V.” He grins. “You know, I’vereallymissed you.”
“I bet you have,” I grumble under my breath, but toward him, I smile. I don’t take the bait, but I don’t rebuff him. “Where’s the meeting point?”
He stands and steps down from his throne, trailing over toward me slowly. I don’t tense, or show any sign of discomfort as he stops in front of me and reaches out toward my long black hair. His gaze heats and my stomach roils. I don’t know how I ever found him attractive. There’s too much brutality in his features, too much hatred. He might as well be another broken machine sitting on his throne of broken machines.
“District four,” he finally responds. “Payment up front to assure delivery.” He leans closer. “When you finish, come back. I’m taking you on a date.”
“And if I say no?” I ask, staring at him.
He smirks. “Don’t say no, V.” He chucks me on the chin. “See you soon.”
With a snap of his fingers, the mother is shoved toward us, her frantic crying tugging at my heart strings. When she hesitates to hand the baby over to me, one of the guards pulls out a blade made of recycled steel sharpened to a point. Understanding she’s about to die, she shakingly passes the baby into my arms, her tears falling silently. I take him gently.
“Walk with me,” I order her. “I’ll give you a chance to say good bye.”
