Page 16 of Dustwalker

Her wary gaze darted between his face and the paper-wrapped item in his hand. Ronin extended his arm, holding it out to her. She didn’t look away from the bundle, didn’t move any closer. The rain pattered on the wrapper.

“If you’re hesitating because nothing’s free, I’ll barter with you for this.”

“I-I told you, I don’t trade with bots.” Her lower lip quivered.

Ronin shouldered his pack to free his other hand. Taking the corner of the paper between forefinger and thumb, he peeled it back, giving her a glimpse of the spiced, dried meat inside.

“I have a proposal to make,” he said, folding the paper closed. “This food in exchange for you hearing it out.”

“I…” She stared at the bundle, eyes gleaming.

“Just listen to what I have to say.” He glanced up at the dark sky and wiped water away from his optics with his sleeve. “After we return to your dwelling.”

“I don’t wa—” She snapped her mouth shut and dropped her gaze, brow furrowed. The hand holding the knife fell to her side. “Fine. But I’m not promising anything beyond that.”

Ronin nodded. “I only ask that you listen and give my offer fair consideration.” He tucked the food into a pocket inside his coat. Her eyes tracked it the entire way.

“I’ll assist you through the debris.” He held his open hand to her.

Glaring at his hand, she shoved the knife back into its holster, walked past him, and muttered, “Don’t need your help.”

Shoulders squared, she shuffled forward, struggling through water now up to her mid-shin. When she stumbled, she waved her arms inwild circles, somehow maintaining her balance. Grumbling, she bent down and yanked off one of her boots. The partially detached sole flopped.

Ronin frowned and scanned the road back to the human settlement. Rocks, chunks of concrete, and cracked asphalt were the least of her worries. The rising water hid countless hazards—wood splinters, rusted nails, and shards of glass. Another open wound, especially in this filthy water, was too great a risk.

“It’s safer if I carry you.”

“The hell you will.” She moved slowly, keeping her attention in front of her as she carefully set down her bare foot. “You’re not going to?—”

Ronin closed the distance between them in two strides, dipped into a crouch, and swept a forearm behind her knees.

“What the hell are you doing? I said no!” she shouted as he stood up and cradled her against his chest. She twisted and thrashed to escape his hold, but her struggles only resulted in her becoming tangled in her wet clothing.

“You made an agreement with me. You can’t listen to my proposal if you get killed on the way back.”

“Even if I get an infection, it’s not going to kill me right away!” She pounded on his chest three times before wincing and shaking her throbbing hand. “I’ve done well enough on my own. I can manage a mile walk home.”

“Probably could. I’m just making sure of it, so I get my end of the deal.”

With her eyebrows angled down over the bridge of her nose, she clutched her damaged boot to her chest, turned her head, and shifted her shoulders as far away from him as she could. “I haven’t gotten mine yet.”

“Soon.” Ronin walked, increasing his pace steadily as he passed the deepest floodwater. Though the air had cooled significantly with the storm and wind, the woman’s body was hot against his. He shifted from a slow jog to a run.

She blinked up at him, raindrops dripping from her lashes. “What are you doing?”

“Hold on.”

CHAPTER SIX

Lara was pissed by the time they reached her home. She didn’t wait for the bot to stop before leaping out of its arms, splashing fresh mud all over her legs when she landed. Her bare foot sank in the muck, but she marched on, refusing to acknowledge her discomfort. The water pouring over the edge of the roof landed on her already drenched head when she stopped at the door.

Swearing under her breath, she shoved the door aside and stomped into the shack. She threw her broken boot into a corner, dropped her bag beside her pallet, and spun toward the bot, thrusting a finger at it before it could enter. “Don’t youeverdo that again, you son of a bitch.”

It stopped abruptly, its vibrant green eyes meeting hers. “Not the son of anything.”

“Don’t get smart with me. You had no right to handle me that way.”

“I have every right to ensure our agreement is fulfilled.”