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“That seems like cheating,” he commented as the main character executed a flawless jump from one rooftop to another. “We do not have this type of entertainment on Xalan. Any of our programs that involve physical activity depict the actual Xalanites who perform the actions. We do not have this concept of stunts or trick cameras.”
“Well, here our models and actors are kind of—how should I put it?—high value, I guess. Some of them even have insurance policies on their most popular body parts, in case of some kind of debilitating or scarring injury. They’re seen as valued for how much money they can bring a studio per film, so the studio execs don’t want to risk them getting hurt or killed. They pay the stunt people less, and stunt people are less known by the public. Nobody believes it’s actually the actor doing the stunts, we just … I don’t know. We just watch for fun.”
“And you pay money to see these stunts even knowing that those who perform them get less credit?”
Ouch. He’s got a point. “Well, I think they’re unionized, so they have good benefits.”
“Unionized?”
Oh, crap. Nanites must be backlogged with all this new information. “They, uh, form unions of workers who have people to negotiate their terms of service. They all agree on the best benefits for the stuntmen, and then the negotiators work to get those benefits. I guess it’s a favorable arrangement because I don’t see many strikes on the news.”
“They hit people when the arrangements aren’t favorable?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I was going to have a bruise there if this kept up. “No, not that kind of strike. Different meaning. It’s when the union workers stop working to get leverage for negotiations. If they feel like their arrangement isn’t fair, they halt all work until the negotiations go in their favor again.”
“Hm. Strange concept. On Xalan, our leaders determine terms of service for the different working castes. We do not have unions.”
“Yeah, well, leave it to humans to complicate things.”
On the screen, the actor drove a luxury car between two speeding semis, and the conversation turned to stunt driving and trick shots. Since Q’on was so interested, I paused the movie and searched the menu for the bonus behind-the-scenes footage, which explained it all much better than I could.
We were just about to restart the movie itself when the doorbell rang.
I wondered who could be coming up here this late in the winter. I had no deliveries planned for the day, and I rarely had visitors. I made sure Q’on was safely hidden back in the bedroom before opening it to see who was there.
My jaw dropped, and my fingers clenched the door frame so tightly I worried I’d break a nail when I saw who was there. “You …!”
Ryan slapped a fake grin on his bastard face. “Hey, baby. Thought I’d come pay my ex-wife a visit.”
Chapter 11
Q’on
Idid not recognize the voice of the male at Amber’s door, but from the tone of her response, it was not someone she desired to see.
Then the male used the words “ex-wife,” and rage filled me as realization hit.
This was the male who hurt Amber. Who made her doubt love and mating.
“I think you should leave,” she said in a brisque voice. “I don’t need any visitors.”
The male was not deterred by her words. “You’re dressed for company. That fine, short skirt and that thin blouse. I can see your fucking tits right through it. You got a man over, Amber?”
“No …” Hesitation filled her voice, and the door creaked as it was pushed further open. I crept down the hall to get a better view and saw Amber rush to prevent the male from opening the door all the way. She gripped it tightly and gritted her teeth. “Ryan, I said you should leave.”
The male’s tone changed, and Amber’s white-knuckled grip on the door got tighter.
“Just because you won this place in the divorce doesn’t mean I don’t get to come visit from time to time. I miss our old house. The old us. Just let me in if you don’t have a boytoy hidden away in there. Prove to me that you’re still washed up and alone.” He laughed, a cruel sound, and the door creaked again.
“Ryan, please leave. There’s no reason for you to be here right now. Besides, I think you’re drunk.”
A man’s hand appeared through the open door, taking Amber’s collar and jerking it to the side, exposing the bite mark I gave her. “You smell a few sheets to the wind yourself, baby. And what’s this? Got yourself a hickey. Fresh one.” The hand clenched around the fabric, pulling it tight across her throat. “Lie to me again and tell me you don’t have a man here.”
That was too much. No one should lay a hand on a woman, not even in anger. Before I realized what I was doing, I shot to the front foyer, reaching past the door and grabbing the man’s wrist. I clamped down so tightly with my fingers that I heard and felt bones crunch beneath them. Ryan screamed and let go of Amber.
“Q’on, no!”
Amber’s shout came too late. I was already in the throes of thep’nal bin kur, the killing frenzy that my people’s warriors were most feared for. This pathetic excuse for a human had made a move in anger against my mate, and I would not stand for it. One of us would not be leaving this place alive.
