Sunset Rising Read Online Free

thought you could put one over on me?” Bailey asked.
    “No , ma’am. Traffic in the stairwell was heavier than usual, and it made us late. We were running to make up for lost time,” Summer said.
    Bailey snorted. “It makes no difference why you’re late. I should fire you, O’Donnell. You’ve been nothing but trouble lately.”
    Maybe it was just from the long climb, but my limbs suddenly felt weak and shaky. She couldn’t possibly fire us after we’d tried so hard to make it here on time. Summer caught her breath, and I knew she was trying to hold back tears. Then I realized that my own eyes had started to sting.
    “I can offer you an alternative to being fired,” Bailey said with a sly glint in her eyes. “The president is hosting the bachelor party tonight, and they’ve requested servers to entertain the gentlemen guests.”
    Her meaning was clear. Prostitute ourselves, and we could keep our jobs. That kind of request wasn’t unusual in the Pit. The supervisors who sent the prettiest girls were usually rewarded. She had been in the changing room, waiting for us. The fact that we were late only gave her the leverage she needed to force us into accepting.
    “No,” Summer said resolutely.
    “I’ll do it,” I said.
    “Sunny, no. ” Summer grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face her. “ No !”
    “I don’t think I have choice,” I said in a low voice, hoping that Bailey couldn’t hear me.
    Summer stood up taller and squared her shoulders. “I’ll do it, too.”
    “Summer, you don’t have to do this. If you’re fired, it’s okay. Your parents are still earning credits.”
    “I’m not going to let you do this alone.”
    Bailey cut in. “I don’t know why you’re arguing. Being asked to serve at a presidential party is a great honor. I’d do it myself if I was allowed.” She walked toward us and waved her scanner over our hands. “There. You’re both signed up. Be there or you’ll be punished.”
    She started to walk away but stopped before she left the room. “This is the second time you’ve both shown up for work filthy. You’re really starting to make me look bad. No lunch today and you both lose half a day’s credit. Now get to work.”

Chapter Two
     
     
    At the end of the day , I stripped off my kitchen uniform, taking great care not to tear or damage it because I would have to pay for any repairs. I placed it in the big hamper. The laundry staff would clean and fold it, and have it waiting for me in the morning.
    I tried to ignore the cramps in my stomach, but they were terrible after a full day of work without food. I wished I had time to eat supper before the party, but Bailey told us we needed a bath more than food.
    Summer moaned beside me. “I’m so hungry.”
    “Me , too.”
    “I heard that if you’re a good server , they give you a plateful of food.” Summer’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
    My mouth watered a t the mere mention of food. It had taken every bit of my will power not to eat the carrots I peeled at work. But if I had been caught eating even the peelings, I would have been beaten. Vegetable scraps were meant for the compost, which was far more important than a hungry urchin. In the Pit, our food was whatever was left over after the bourge and livestock had eaten their fill.
    “Maybe they’ll even give us dessert,” I said. I had never had dessert, but I’d heard it was heavenly.
    Summer licked her lips dreamily. “Mmmmm… I can only imagine how it will taste.” She sobered after a moment. “Come on. We better hurry up in case there’s a line at the bath. We don’t have a lot of time.”
    I laughed at the thought of a line at the bath. No self-respecting urchin went to the communal baths unless ordered. Next to oxygen, water was the most important resource in the entire Dome, and, like the food, we only got the leftovers. The bulk of the water supply went to the bourge and the agricultural sector. The Pit received the least, and what we