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I chuckle. “Yeah, I’ve thought about it.

And yeah, if we’re still here a year from now, I can see us cuttin’ loose the Hex business.

” But if the saga of Kincaid’s replacement has taught me anything it’s that change needs to come slow.

“If we do it now, quick, we’ll kill the company’s profits.

” This is something I’ve looked at closely, as I’ve learned my way around Tyng’s business.

Because for all my teasing, I know how much Kez hates the fact that we’re now the biggest drug-dealers on the planet.

“No profits means no credits for the Tyngalings. No credits means no loyalty. No loyalty means we got no one working for us, and then we’re right back where we started, tryin’ to stay alive with a big fucking bullseye on our backs and no resources to cover our asses. ”

She sighs and cuddles down into my chest again. “I hate it.”

I smooth my hands down her sides, skimming the large, round scar that craters her lower back. Doc Gray’s been doing some regen work on it, and the new tissue is tender. “I know, kitten. All I can promise you is that it’s not forever.”

“Not even for two years.”

“That’s a deal.”

She shifts and I wince as her skin unglues from mine. “My legs are beginning to cramp,” she says.

“Yeah, up you get.” I hate giving her up after sex. No matter how raw I am, no matter how hard we’ve been going at it, I want to stay in her, stay with her, keep that amazing connection between us flowing. But beauty doesn’t last. Never has, never will. Sooner or later, I have to let her go.

She climbs off me awkwardly, flexing the long, taut, runner’s muscles in her legs.

She retrieves her pants from the floor. I admire her ass as she bends over.

She’s still marked from last night: four stipples of purple-pink across each cheek from the cane I used on her.

The cane’s a new toy, so I went easy. Next time we play with the cane, I’m going to give her a full set of cat’s whiskers.

“Dirty old man,” she says, when she catches me ogling.

“Pervert,” I respond fondly. “How’s your ass feelin’?”

“Tingly.” She gives me a little wiggle as she steps into her pants. “The first time I tried to sit down this morning, I nearly jumped out of my skin. It’s totally different than your hand.”

“Different bad or different good?” I ask lightly, but there’s serious intent behind the question. I’m still feeling my way around with the cane, and I want to make sure it wasn’t too much.

“Different good. Although I love how I feel after a spanking, don’t get me wrong.”

“An’ when I paddle you? ”

She scowls over her shoulder. “Not so much.”

I chuckle. Paddling is not my kitten’s favorite thing, although she gets off on it just like she does spanking, or caning, or any of the other pleasure-pain games we play.

But the pain of paddling is a little too much for her.

I thought that might be a problem with the cane, too, since it’s bite felt pretty fucking sharp when I tested it on my own skin.

But it’s clear from her expression that it’s not. “You heading back to the Warren?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She pulls on her tank, which got discarded while she was stretched across my desk. “I’ve got a run this afternoon.”

The Hemos-Nock run Reg Bale was going to use to snare her. The thought that the Bale brothers might not be the only people who know Kez has a regular run this afternoon does not make me happy.

“Do me a favor.” I take her hips in my hands and pull her back between my knees. “Send Duncan.”

She manages not to scowl but her face darkens all the same. “The client doesn’t like him.”

“Someone offered those idiots a hundred CeeBees for your head. That kinda money, the Bale brothers ain’t gonna be the only takers. You need to break your patterns for a while, until we trace those credits back to source.”

She grimaces, then leans over to wrap her arms around my shoulders. That puts her breasts in an interesting spot. “I know you’re just trying to protect me.”

“Yeah, I am.” I slide my hands up her sides, cup her breasts through her tank and plant a kiss on each soft swell. “’Sides, I miss these when you’re not around.”

“Pig.” She cuffs the back of my head. “Okay, I’ll send Duncan. This time. I’m not making any promises about next time. Particularly if the client complains. So hurry up and find out who’s trying to kill me, SecChief.”

“Yes, boss,” I say affectionately. Kez doesn’t have an official title, but if she did, it would be something like Power Behind the Throne.

What Kez doesn’t know about Kuseros’s underworld ain’t worth knowing.

She’s already steered Chiara Tyng, the nominal head of Tyng Enterprises, through a dozen major decisions without a mis-step.

“You still headin’ out?”

“Mmm-hmm. If I’m not doing the run, I can go to the clinic with Nev. She asked me earlier but I said I was busy.”

“How long you gonna be?”

“Two, maybe three hours. I can meet you at the ship for six. That’ll give us plenty of time, won’t it?”

More than enough. “Do me another favor.”

She leans in to rub the tip of her nose against mine. “Anything.”

I know she means that. She would do anything for me. Only person in the universe I know who would. “Keep your viewie on.”

She kisses my nose. “Will you talk dirty to me if I do?”

“If I get to bring a toy or two to the Clouds.”

“That’s a deal.”

“Kez.” I reach up and cup her face. Smile when she turns her head in my hands to press a kiss into my palm. “No fucking around now. Keep your eyes and ears open.”

“I will. And I’ll wear a couple of my little friends.”

“Good.” I pull her face to mine for a deep kiss. Then I let her go.