Silver Bound Read Online Free

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    After a quick check, he deemed the small room secure. He couldn’t delay longer. With a deep breath, he started the vid-call.
    From aboard Guy’s hopper, where he’d commanded the man to wait for the all clear, Quinn’s face filled the screen. Usually appearing young for his age despite his silver hair, the mayor still had the same chiseled features but they were strained, and dark circles formed under his eyes. “Have you found them?”
    “Yes. Well, I found Jewel but not her son.” He ran a hand through his short hair and fought to keep his features bland. “There’s no good way to say this, so I’ll just come right out with it. She’s in line to be silver-tipped. Already been wiped. I don’t have enough time to mount a rescue. She has a buyer. He’s due for the procedure in two hours so she’s in the clinic under strict guard. The only recourse I can see is to buy her myself.”
    “You have the funds for that?” The mayor’s face paled further, but he kept it together despite his visible shaking.
    “You’d let me buy her?”
    “I don’t think I’m in a position to give my permission.” Quinn’s face contorted as if he held back tears.
    “I could leave her to whoever her buyer is.”
    “No. You’re a good man. A decent man. If she could speak for herself, I’m sure she’d want you to take the place of whatever immoral piece of spacewaste buys human souls for his pleasure.”
    “Well, if you put it that way, I’m sure she would.” He blew out a long sigh.
    “I’ll transfer the funds to you.”
    “No. In a few hours I’ll own your daughter. Own her. You know this is irreversible. This isn’t like all the others I’ve rescued. I won’t take your money for disgracing your daughter that way.”
    “As I said. You’re an honorable man. Anything I can do to help?”
    Honor? He failed to disillusion the mayor, but he took his offer of help because he didn’t have time to explain to Hancock. “Get in touch with my foreman. Tell him to help you find the boy. Let him know I’ve had to deplete all my liquid funds for one of my projects. Have him put the south pasture up for sale. That damn Christoff has been after that land for years.”
    “I’ll buy it and hold it. You can get it back when you’re able.”
    “No—” He bit back the denial. “Wait, damn my pride to hell anyway. I appreciate the gesture.”
    He was about to take the woman he’d wanted to marry and make her his slave. He had no pride because deep down, whether or not he could admit it, he fully craved possessing her. He didn’t deserve her father’s help after all the lurid images he’d been experiencing, but he took it.
    “I may never make it home. Slavery is illegal on Grassland, and everyone will know she belongs to me with one glance.” Fighting a frown, he worked hard to keep his face immobile. He’d see his ranch again because he’d simply gone through too much for that chunk of pasture.
    “We’ll figure it out. Just save her. Where’s my grandson?”
    “She won’t remember. You’ll have to track him while I get Jewel away. Get in touch with Brice Levski. He’ll help. He’s a mounty on Taphgan now. At least, since she won’t remember her son, even to tell us where he is, she won’t remember enough to worry.”
    Small consolation, but he promised himself he’d reunite Jewel with her son if it was the last thing he did.
    The pain in Quinn’s face was unlike the staid politician. There was no love lost between them, but they would both miss the vivacious Jewel. They’d both do their best to find Jewel’s son. The mayor shook his head as his throat visibly worked. “I may have a way to rectify her memory wipe. I’ve heard of a man who’s said to have a cure. I’ll contact him to find out if he can do anything for her.”
    “I’ll be in touch.” He ended the vid-call and, before he could change his mind, walked back to the clinic’s office.
    The manager smiled at him, her welcome