Baited (Gladiators of the Gryn #2)

Izzy

IZZY

I sit on Riklinn’s bed feeling numb and staring at the floor.

“Here,” A cup of hot joh is pushed into my hands. “I took some Haalux whisky from behind the bar and added it. Don’t tell Madame,” Riklinn says, sitting down next to me.

“You know I won’t tell her anything,” I say dully, sipping the drink. The large shot of alcohol almost overwhelms the taste and burns as I swallow.

“He did offer to set you up somewhere while you wait for him, didn’t he?”

I raise my head and look at the wall. Being hustled out of the dome by a couple of Zarvu after Blayn left was the least of my problems.

“He’s indentured, Riklinn. He already owes far more than he can ever pay back. I wouldn’t want him to pay for me even if he could. Anyway, I’ve made a few credits here, so I’ll just use those, see if I can find a job and somewhere to live until he comes back.”

Riklinn puts her arm around me. “You’ve really fallen for him, haven’t you?”

“First rule of the pleasure house,” I say, doing my best impression of the madame. “The clients are here for pleasure, not mates.” I choke out a harsh laugh. “I never understood what she meant by that.

“You won’t be the first pleasure worker to fall for a client,” Riklinn says. “Or the last. And who says it doesn’t ever work out?” She dips her head. “Not the reason I came here or anything.”

“You came here looking for love?” I burst out. With the strong alcohol working its way into my system, my filters are falling away, just like Blayn.

Riklinn looks embarrassed and I feel terrible.

“I mean, that’s fine, honestly,” I add with a hand on her arm.

“It’s silly, I know. But you found it.”

“And look where it’s got me.” I sigh. “I’ve lost my job, my home…”

“But you negotiated a great deal with Madame, didn’t you?” Riklinn interrupts my maudlin monologue.

“Yes…but…”

“Then that’s what he left you with. I’m sure Madame will give you your old job back if you ask.”

Pride and embarrassment bloom in my chest.

“I couldn’t ask her,” I mutter. “And I’m not sure I could stay here.” I swallow down a sob.

Stupid as it may be, I don’t want to be reminded of the time Blayn and I had in the pleasure house. And my silly pride, which is pointless for a fragile human on this planet in this galaxy, is not going to allow me to ask Madame for anything.

“Let’s check your credit balance,” Riklinn says with purpose. “And we can also see what accommodation is available.”

“Thank you.” Tears hover in my eyes. “I don’t want to keep you from your duties or get the madame mad at you.”

Riklinn purses her lips and flaps her hand at me. “It’s been exciting here while you were living it up in the dome. Madame found out Yelii had been offering herself for additional credits to clients to take knots and she kicked her out, but not before Yelii had stolen her entire client list and left with threats of setting up on her own.” Riklinn imparts the gossip with sparkles in her eyes. “Madame has temporarily closed while she sorts out the damage. I don’t have anywhere to be today.”

“Wow,” I reply. “Not like I wouldn’t have expected something like that from Yelii, but I never quite got the no knots rule.”

Riklinn snorts into her hand, the whisky having an effect on her too.

“Because there’s a greater chance our birth control won’t work, especially if we go with a compatible client.”

The alcohol in my system vaporizes.

“ What ?”

“You did start the birth control before you…went with the Gryn, didn’t you?” Riklinn asks, eyes wide.

I nod because I can’t trust my voice.

“Here.” Riklinn shoves the pad at me which will allow access to my credit account. I put my hand on it as a reflex action, given I have to rely on her to read the symbols in it. “As long as you’re on birth control, at least that’s one less thing to worry about.”

“Do you think”—I swallow hard—“humans are compatible with Gryn?”

Riklinn is concentrated on her screen, but she shrugs. “It’s impossible to tell. That’s why we use the birth control and the madame forbids knots.” She’s frowning, but not at me, at the screen. “Speaking of the madame, she has paid you for the work you did with him, hasn’t she?”

Bile is already rising in my throat and its sourness fills my mouth as I think about Blayn and his secondary cock, and the way it swelled inside me…

“Yeah, she should have paid me,” I say robotically. The thought of being paid for my time spent with Blayn is abhorrent, but the credits are mine regardless.

“You don’t have anything in your account,” Riklinn says in hushed tones.

“What?” I grab the screen from her, looking at the symbols, the only one I recognize being the alien version of zero.

There are too many of them.

“She did pay you…” Riklinn points to some symbols higher on the pad, above the zeros. “Then all your credits were withdrawn…here.” She points to where the zero symbols appear. “Did you…?”

“No! I haven’t used my credit chip for at least a nova-week,” I respond, my stomach filling with ice. “Has someone… why would someone steal from me?”

I hear my voice break. I’ve lost Blayn to the dome and the procurator, I’ve completely thrown caution to all the solar winds when it comes to getting pregnant by a male I may never see again, and I’ve lost all my credits, my job, and a roof over my head.

I have no words. I’m not sure if I have any tears left for this shit show.