Page 52 of Throwing Fire

“Mmm-hmm. Acker called. He wants to talk with you. I let Tiancha know what had happened, and that you were okay after Doc Gray finished.”

“Doc Gray was here?”

“Yup. He put you backtogether.”

“Not that Tyngaling doc?”

Kez snorts. “Doc Gray wouldn’t let him touch you, not after he got here. I’ve never heard him shout before, have you?”

“No.” I smile, thinking of the normally unflappable, impeccably-polite fish-doc.

“He really kicked off about what kind of drip they’d put you on. Something about needing a hypotonic solution because of your modifications. He went wild about it. And the type of newskin they were using. Insufficient elasticity or something. I didn’t even know there was more than one kind, did you? How are you feeling?”

“Better now.” And that’s the truth. Every ache has faded now that I have Kez in my arms.

“Good. You were so fucked up.” She runs her hand over my head. “It hurt to look at you. Doc Gray says all his best work is on you, but he wishes you’d stop giving him so many opportunities to shine.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, well, keepin’ you safe’s a hazardous profession.”

“Hale,” she whispers, pressing her forehead into mine.

“No gettin’ serious on me, kitten. Look who I found in my clothes again.” I reach over and snag the baby bunny, who is nosing her way down into the couch cushions. Probably sniffing for crumbs.

Kez takes Mingle from me, cups the bunny in both hands and lifts her up to eye-level. I pick up a bunny and it kicks like a fucking superboxer. Kez picks up a bunny and it goes so limp it could have had a three-minute orgasm. She has a real knack.

Mingle sniffs her, nose wiggling. Kez rubs the bunny’s face against hers, letting the bunny scent-mark her and pretending to scent-mark the bunny, although Kez lacks the essential equipment. The bunnies absolutely love that. When Kez does it. If I tried it, I’d get my nose bitten off.

After a little cuddle, Kez leans over and puts the bunny on the floor. Curls back into me. “I know you don’t want to get serious, but I have a message from Myhre that you should probably hear.”

“Better start with an apology,” I say.

“An apology? Why?”

“Nothin’.” Myhre probably thinks I was over-reacting. But she wasn’t the one who got shot outta the fucking sky. Maybe next time I tell her to jump, she’ll jump instead of arguing with me about the direction for five minutes.

“O-kay. Her message was that she’s traced some big transfers to the NoBos. She thinks she knows where the money is coming from.” Kez looks up into my face. Bites her lower lip. “You’re not going to like it.”

“Hit me anyway.” I settle deeper into the couch.

“The Clouds. That’s the way she found it. You know how restricted transfers to the mainland are.” Kez pauses for a moment. “They’ve got to be from Payton. She lied to us. She’s dirty.”

Not in a million years. “You believe that?” I ask her.

“I believe Myhre on something like this. Following the money. You know what she’s like.”

“Yeah, I do. I also know she threw the first bitchfit I’ve seen her throw when I mentioned Payton. She’s found a way to finger Payton. Don’t mean Payton’s dirty.” Nothing in me believes it. If I hadn’t met Payton, maybe I could. But I looked into those eyes. “What’s your gut say?”

“Hale, I don’t know. She slept with Jaxon. Maybe... I don’t know.”

I tilt my head like I’m listening to my stomach. “My gut says fuck no.”

Kez giggles. “Are you sure that isn’t just gas?”

I flick her ear lightly. “Maybe Payton was funding Jaxon, kitten. Maybe Kimpler was. But Daddy’s dead now, and Payton’s making her own decisions. One of those was not to give Jaxon any more creds when he knocked on her door. I don’t think she gave us up, and I don’t think she’s fundin’ Jaxon anymore.”

“Myhre wants her brought in. Security risk.”

Now Myhre’s trying to play me. “Nope, we’re not doin’ that, either. We told Payton she was free to go, remember?”