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Bethiah punches me in the shoulder. "Wake up, shit-for-brains."
I rub my shoulder, scowling at her. "Do you mind?"
"Yes," she hisses, an angry look on her face. "You're going to get your heart broken, you keffing moron. I'm worried about you."
It isn't like Bethiah to be so affected by…anything. My cousin prefers to keep her cool, and right now she is definitely bristling. "Why are you worried? You like Sophie."
Bethiah grabs my neck, marching me away like I'm some fussy youth back on the station. "You don't get it, Jerrok. She's human. Humans don't think like we do. They don't stay. They just…look around for a stronger master. Someone that can provide them more safety. Sophie's very sweet, but you do know that you're not going to be able to keep her, right?"
Just like that, my good mood vanishes. I can tell from the look on Bethiah's face that she's earnest, and I vaguely remember her hinting about an issue with a human in the past. Bethiah obviously has something she's not sharing. "Has Sophie said anything to you?"
"No, of course not. She's busy giving you sappy looks." Bethiah steers me away before I can check. "It's just that…I've got experience with humans, okay? You can't trust them. They're very sweet on the surface and they kef like beasts, but you can't expect much out of them. They'll just break your heart in the end." She pats my back. "I just feel like I need to warn you because you're family. I'm looking out for you."
"Thanks," I say flatly. I do know that I can't keep Sophie. She's made it very clear that she's leaving with the va Sithai brothers when they return, and a junk heap of a space station in the midst of an asteroid field isn't exactly any female's dream. I know I'm certainly not. Sophie and I are just…enjoying each other right now. Exploring. We both know it means nothing.
I ignore the ache in my chest. "Ooli green, right?"
Bethiah tilts her head back, staring affectionately at the stolen ship, her braids tink-ing as the beads clack against each other. "I think so. Make it good and ugly." She rubs her hands together. "Jamef's going to hate it."
"Thanks for bringing him to my station, by the way," I tell her sarcastically as I move to the control panel and start opening all the bays so I can begin the exterior paint. "You're going to kill him and dispose of his body somewhere, I hope? Because now he knows where I am."
"No, he doesn't," Bethiah says easily. "I haven't told him shit." At my furious glance, she continues. "I know the route is in the nav computer, but I assure you, he's not going to be able to access it."
"Because you're going to dispose of him," I emphasize again. "Right?"
She shrugs. "So…what are you going to spend this money on? That dark-matter drive will bring you a pretty pile of credits anywhere you take it."
"Dunno. I'll think of something." Actually, I already know.
"New limbs?"
"Dunno," I repeat, keeping my voice deliberately unwelcoming.
"You're going to buy something for Softie, aren't you?" she asks, leaning against the wall next to me. "It's written all over your face. You're such a sucker, Jerrok."
"Maybe so." I scowl over at her. "Are you going to talk this entire day, or can I get to work?"
Bethiah pushes off of the wall with a dramatic sigh. "Fine. I guess I'll go bug Jamef. Yell at me if you need anything."
I just grunt a response. I'm glad when she disappears farther into the ship, because our conversation has made me irritated. No, more than irritated…angry.
No matter what she thinks of Sophie, I know her better than anyone. I do. She's not looking to use me. She's not going to try to break my heart and keep me interested until she finds a new master. Sophie doesn't want any master. She wants to be her own creature. She wants her independence…and if I buy the carinoux for her, that'll help keep her safer than I ever could on my own.
Sucker, I hear Bethiah's voice in my head again.
Maybe I am. I might not be able to keep Sophie, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy every single moment I have with her in the meantime. I flip a few more switches, and as the rest of the panels on the ship slide open with a hiss, I lumber down the ramp again, looking over at Sophie. She's hard at work, my favorite pliers in her hand, her pink tongue between her lips as she concentrates on the task before her.
She looks so charming and determined that my heart keffing stutters again.
I really am a sucker.53JERROKBethiah makes little comments and jibes all day. Not much, just enough to needle me and to remind me that Sophie's not mine. That this is temporary. That she's just “looking for a good time, not a long time” in my cousin's words.
