Page 99 of The Last True Hero

That made him take a second look at her. He put the cigarette to his lips again, eyeing the pair of breasts that threatened to spill out of the black tank she wore. "What I want isn't the sort of thing you say out loud to a lady."

"Who's the lady around here?"

His smiled grew wider. "In that case, I'd be interested in getting you out of those leather pants. And getting into them."

Mia slid a hand up his chest, her nose wrinkling at the stench that came off him. She maintained her smile, the hilt of her knife sliding into her palm. "Maybe that can be arranged."

"That sounds...." The smile on his lips faltered as he caught a better look at Sage. "Hey, where's her leash?"

Whoops.

Mia swung a punch at him.

Her left was her weaker hand, but she needed to keep hold of her knife. Knuckles crunched as she connected with his nose.Jesus.This wasn't like hitting the wheat bag Jake had strung up for her at fifteen.

The reiver staggered back and Thea drove into his midriff, taking him down like a professional. Mia suffered a moment of surprise, and then she leapt in too. Grabbing a handful of his hair, she tried to stab him but he threw her off.

"Bitches."

A sharp knee sent Thea flying. Both she and Mia scrambled to their feet, but Sage stepped in, hammering a rock down on his head. The reiver’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he slumped to the concrete.

Sage stood there panting, holding the rock high.

"I think you got him," Mia said.

Sage lowered the rock with shaky hands. Then she drove her boot into his side. "Scum."

"Scum or not, we need to get him out of here." Mia checked under his eyelid. Out cold. She grabbed him by the vest and hauled him into the shrubby bushes near the gate, blisteringly aware of how loud that had been.

"Hey," someone called. "What's going on there?"

Shit.Her pulse jacked through her veins. Mia stepped forward, but three reivers paused in the street just outside the gates.

"What are you two doing out?" demanded the one in the front, eyeing both Bethany and Sara.

Mia took a menacing step forward, and something in her expression must have triggered the reivers. Their smiles faded and the leader's hand lowered to his hip and the gun there.

"That gun better not clear your holster, Eduardo." Zarina Cypher strode into view, scowling at the three reivers.

Eduardo yanked his hand away with a respectful nod. "Cypher. Found these four slaves down here, and this woman. They're not—"

"They're here to meet me," Zarina told him, and faced him with just enough aggression in her tone that he actually backed away. "Are you impeding my guest and her slaves?"

Guest?Mia's gaze shot to Zarina.

"Aren't you supposed to be guarding the armory?" Zarina pushed him firmly in the chest, so that he staggered back a step. "You want my mother to know you're in here trying to get your hands on one of the slaves before they go up for auction? You know soiled goods don't fetch a quality price, Eduardo."

"We weren't—"

She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and leaned close, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "You fucking lie to me and I will cut your tongue out myself. I know what you're doing here. I know what you planned. I can smell it all over you. And if I ever catch you anywhere near this place again, I'll cut your fucking balls off and feed them to the pigs." She shoved him back into the arms of his two companions. "But I'm feeling lenient today. All three of you get out of here, before I change my mind. Return to your post."

Eduardo shot them a panicked look, then turned on his heel and fled, with the other two reivers at his side.

"You going to use that pig-sticker?" Zarina asked, arching a brow in Mia's direction. "I'll just warn you that if you try, I'll do more than take it off you."

Mia tucked the knife back up her sleeve. "You're letting them go?" What if they said something to someone?

"Eduardo had his hand on his gun," Zarina replied, glancing at Ellie as she checked Thea over. "You want to try and take it off him, sure, be my guest. But Eduardo's not someone you mess with. He won't say anything. Not after I just threatened him. He'll be sweating buckets, hoping I don't mention this to Vex."