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He gave her a cool smile, with just a hint of polite surprise in his expression

“I thought you’d stick by hied you, Giselle”

Her sto show on her face Prick

“I’matic in my affairs,” she replied softly “I believe that a woman owes it to herself to make the most of what coood to ood… Whatever is it you wantto do with this, does it?”

He started laughing, and she thought for a enuine amusement on his face It was hard to tell

“No, I’m not interested in sex with you,” he said “Please don’t be offended, you’re a lovely wos, however I want so else from you”

“What?”

“Jerred, of course,” he said, his voice low and intense “The man is crazy for you I have no idea why, and I can’t see that there’s any kind of future in it for either of you He’s a Saurellian, and they can only take life enetically incapable of having a ful relationship with you”

She nodded her head slowly, forcing herself to breathe as the knowledge hit her She’d had no idea, and up to this ht have sworn she didn’t care

She cared, all right The thought of him with another woman made her feel sick Still, she’d rather he be with another woman than be dead No question

“That’s not my concern,” she said “I’m more interested in what you can offer me”

“Survival,” he said “Perhaps some credits to take with you, and a ride to another space station? I iine that would be all you could expect at the end of your affair with Jerred”

“So what do I need to do?” she asked

“I’ to send you to him” he replied softly “I want you to tell him that you’ve stayed faithful to him, and that you’ve chosen prison to stay with him”

“He’ll never believe that,” she exclai”

“Of course he will,” Josiah replied “But he’ll want to believe He cares about you, and he wants to be with you That’s obvious to me All you need to do is feed his little fantasy”

“And what’s the point of this gaot my station plans,” Josiah said “I have a traitor on board I could try and get it out of hih torture, but I doubt I’d succeed His kind of have special training and other safeguards to protect theht,” she said softly “Hoill I report to you, though?”

“I’ll bring you out for questioning, of course Let ot a deal,” she replied, shtly at him She had no idea what she’d do when she reached Jerred, but at least she was going to see hiood news as she could iine at this point