The Game by MacKenzie McKade Page B

like so many years ago. “I had just found out about my mother’s death. I was told that she died in a solar accident. Her body lost in space. A couple of friends suggested I go to a party, try to forget for a night. I didn’t want to go, but they insisted.”
    “He was there?”
    Chastity almost moaned aloud as the woman massaged the soreness from her buttocks.
    “No, not at first. The party was hosted by his cousin, Josh Allen.” She sighed, remembering how Josh had fawned all over her. “Then Seth walked into the room. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but it certainly was lust at first sight. One thing led to another, and we found ourselves in bed, in love, and walking down the aisle in less than three months.” Emotion hung tight in her throat. Memories assaulted her like the rapid fire of an Atmospheric gun.
    “And?”
    Reliving what happened so many years ago was harder than Chastity realized. She opened her mouth, at first with no sound, and then strangled words emerged, “I-I didn’t know it, but Josh was running a security check on me.” She picked at one of the static wrist bands.
    Tatiana’s hands paused. “Why?”
    “Josh was Seth’s manager. He ran checks on all of Seth’s associates. The day of the wedding I received an urgent call from Josh, fifteen minutes before I was to walk down 58
    The Game
    the aisle. He asked me to stop the wedding. When I asked him why, he refused to say over the trans-communicator. He said it was important. He begged me to wait.”
    Tatiana’s fingers pressed deeply into Chastity’s thighs. One of the woman’s fingers struck a spot that had Chastity flinching. “I’m so sorry.” Tatiana smoothed her palm over the offended area.
    “I guess I’m too out of shape to be kneeling on a full-time basis.”
    Tatiana laughed. “It does take time getting used to. So, what happened?”
    “I didn’t stop the wedding, but Josh did. He arrived just as we were exchanging vows. He asked to speak to me alone. He said that he had found my mother. She was alive.” The memory brought a tear to her eye. “She’d been arrested for murder and wanted me to believe her dead.”
    A gasp of disbelief left Tatiana’s lips.
    Chastity heard the desperation in her own voice as she continued, “Josh begged me not to marry Seth. He said the negative publicity of a murderer in the family would tarnish the Allen name. Seth is a proud man. My mother was alive—locked up. She needed me. I was so confused.”
    Tatiana’s hands stilled. “So you walked out on him without even an explanation?”
    Chastity nodded, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. “In time, Seth would have come to hate me.”
    “But you never even gave him a choice.”
    Chastity’s response was a single headshake.
    Again, gentle hands began to massage. “No wonder the man is livid.”
    “It’s even worse. Seth believes that Josh betrayed him, that I left him for his cousin.”
    “Turn over,” Tatiana said, and Chastity rolled on to her back. “Where is your mother now?”
    “Incarcerated on the moon.”
    A hand covered Tatiana’s mouth in surprise. Moisture softened her eyes. “No.”
    Rising on her elbows, Chastity explained, “I’ve been working these last two years to gather the money for her release. If I win the one hundred million dollars this contest promises I’ll be able to free her. Josh has been helping me keep in touch with the authorities. When I asked you earlier if you would help me use the transcommunicator, it was to call her. Josh received approval for the call.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without Josh these past few years.”
    Tatiana placed a gentle hand on Chastity’s knee. “I’ll help. But we’ll have to be careful. In this world it is our place to obey. There could be dire consequences if we’re caught.”
    Excited, Chastity sprung from the table. “Now, can we do it now?”
    “No, it’s time you dress. You will barely make