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diddling. If there was one thing I’d learned after all these years, it was not to judge a person’s kink from their packaging. I’d seen the smallest woman dominate a room of huge men. Even watching that hadn’t worked for me. I’d been convinced that part of me had been destroyed, but here I was, escaping, making plans and thinking about people having sex.
    The stinging in my leg turned to a deep, aching stab of pain. I kept my expression clear, having mastered the art of hiding my suffering from a young age. When we reached the end of the last passageway, I didn’t hesitate this time. I shot out the camera.
    Anders put out an arm to stop us from opening the paneled door. “Clay, I got some crazy skitters crawlin’ up my back. This is too easy.”
    “Agreed.” Claybourne stepped close to Anders, spoke low. “I expected this part of the ship to be cleared out, but there should be an enforcer or two loitering to keep an eye on the rooms.”
    “The rooms are all locked,” I offered. “Only the top two decks have rooms for those who have paid to be here as entertainment. These are all people who were taken.”
    “Like you.” Anders wasn’t asking.
    I nodded.
    He clenched his jaw. “From here on out, no one is going to make you do anything against your will.”
    “I already told her that.” Claybourne put his ear to the door, listened for several long moments. He nearly fell through when the door swung open.
    I didn’t hesitate, lifting my gun to fire at the massive man in the doorway.
    “No!” Anders knocked the gun up, my shot taking out a couple of lights in the swing. “He’s with us.”
    Looking at the block of man filling the doorway, I decided I’d be keeping my gun with me at all times. Everything about him was wide, from his hips, to his shoulders to his bald head. Even his nose lay flattened and stretched across the center of his face.
    “Don’t let Juniper make you nervous. He’s a teddy bear.”
    I wouldn’t be taking their word on that one.
    “Thanks for clearing the way, Juni.” Anders slapped him on the shoulder as he passed him. I moved faster, staying close to the blond man. My gut had already told me I could trust him and the captain. I’d stick to them until I figured out where I’d go. And what I’d do when I got there.
    I’d been a slave most of my life and had no skills other than fixing myself up to look like a piece of art so I could kneel next to a man’s chair. Or maybe to keep perfectly quiet so he stayed relaxed and didn’t mark up my skin or break my bones.
    We finally reached a part of the ship teaming with noise. I stayed close to Anders, clutching the big shirt around my body with one hand while holding the gun under the material with the other.
    “Looks like we’re not getting out of here without talking to them first. This group is okay. It’s the one I called.” Claybourne strode up to someone he obviously knew and leaned in to speak quietly.
    The enforcer just behind the man smirked nastily when he got a good look at me. He must have made an even nastier comment because Claybourne suddenly moved and had the man by the throat. The much bigger man. Whipcord strength showed in the thick veins lining the captain’s wrist. It showed in the flexing muscles of his arm through the material of the shirt as he easily kept the man from getting away. He spoke loud enough for me to hear—for them all to hear.
    “She is a Gwinarian. We are returning to Kithra, so we’re taking her home.”
    Another enforcer stepped up, the blue lights reflecting on his white helmet, making it look polka-dotted. “Canfield, we believe this was the personal slave of Lashin himself. She must know things and will have to be questioned. According to our records, she’s been here for fourteen years. She was the slave of the person who ran this ship before Lashin changed his identity and took over eight years ago.”
    Anders turned and pulled my hand away from the front of the shirt.