from Mercedes and giving a deep and sweeping bow.
“They won’t train with the women.” He paused, considering all the ramifications. “That’s not good.”
“Depends on what you think is good, doesn’t it?” Begay took the rifle from Tracy’s hands. “We’ll resume tomorrow and arm you with a Raptor. Young gentlemen often think shooting from cover is cowardly, not sporting, but people like us—we’re not as
well bred
. You take my meaning?” Begay jerked his chin toward the mats. “Chief Deal will have you in his tender mercies next. I’d get over there now. Dismissed!”
Tracy walked quickly toward the martial arts area.
8
A LACK OF MANNERS
I wonder what instructions your father gave you and your brother before you arrived?
Mercedes thought as she stared at Arturo.
Undermine me at every opportunity, I’ll bet.
Impasse. The other three men stepped away from her ladies. Danica slumped in relief. Sumiko and Cipriana relaxed and they all drew together. Mercedes wanted to cry and knew she couldn’t. She swallowed several times trying to force aside the ache in her throat. Then a soft baritone voice said, “If the recruit commander will permit I’ll spar with my fellow cadet.”
She knew that voice. She had played it back during late nights so as not to forget her very first adventure. Tracy stood at her elbow, hands clasped behind his back, staring straight ahead. Not by so much as a glance did he acknowledge her.
“You’re not in this group.”
“No, sir. But Chief Begay saw your dilemma and thought I might be able to assist.”
“And why is that?”
Those grey eyes flicked briefly to her face then turned back to Deal. “He thought my manners probably wouldn’t be as nice as the young gentlemen’s in your group.”
“
Intitulado?
”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’d hit a woman?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All rightie then.” Deal turned back to the nobles. “You gonna let this one show you up?”
There were more glances and shuffles then three of the men stepped forward to confront her ladies. Sumiko looked resigned, Danica gave her a desperate look and Cipriana shot her a poisonous one. Then she and Tracy were facing each other.
He was pale. She could sense that she was flushed. “I keep waiting for the music to start,” she whispered.
“I don’t dance,” he muttered back. “Look, I’ll make it real clear when I’m going to swing. Just get your forearm up and block me. Or grab my hand with yours and push it away.”
“You know how to do this?”
“Studied a little martial arts. Been a while though—”
“Spar!” Deal shouted.
Tracy was true to his word. He would even glance down at which hand he was going to use, and then slowly raise his arm. Mercedes had plenty of time to react and also to sneak glances at her companions. Sumiko had her hands and arms up, trying to protect her face. Cipriana was dancing away from her attacker, keeping out of his reach.
Danica wasn’t even trying. She just stood, hands hanging at her sides, and cried. The boy facing her was dark-skinned and his dark red hair set an odd contrast to his pale brown eyes. Right now he was looking at the delicate blonde in frustration. Sanjay Favreau’s father had large holdings in banks and investment companies whose home offices were clustered on Kronos. He had been discussed as a potential match for her sister Estella.
Wedding money to the crown was always a good plan, Mercedes thought and realized she sounded like her father. Her mind was wandering and she missed Tracy’s windup. His fist connected with her cheekbone.
* * *
Tracy yanked his hand away. Horrified by the reddened mark on her cheek, aware of the softness of her skin against his knuckles. “Sorry, sorry,” he muttered.
“It’s okay. I got distracted,” Mercedes whispered back.
Then they were both distracted when Deal bellowed, “This dumb
punta
boo hoos and you stand there with your dick in your hand? She’s giving you a fucking
“They won’t train with the women.” He paused, considering all the ramifications. “That’s not good.”
“Depends on what you think is good, doesn’t it?” Begay took the rifle from Tracy’s hands. “We’ll resume tomorrow and arm you with a Raptor. Young gentlemen often think shooting from cover is cowardly, not sporting, but people like us—we’re not as
well bred
. You take my meaning?” Begay jerked his chin toward the mats. “Chief Deal will have you in his tender mercies next. I’d get over there now. Dismissed!”
Tracy walked quickly toward the martial arts area.
8
A LACK OF MANNERS
I wonder what instructions your father gave you and your brother before you arrived?
Mercedes thought as she stared at Arturo.
Undermine me at every opportunity, I’ll bet.
Impasse. The other three men stepped away from her ladies. Danica slumped in relief. Sumiko and Cipriana relaxed and they all drew together. Mercedes wanted to cry and knew she couldn’t. She swallowed several times trying to force aside the ache in her throat. Then a soft baritone voice said, “If the recruit commander will permit I’ll spar with my fellow cadet.”
She knew that voice. She had played it back during late nights so as not to forget her very first adventure. Tracy stood at her elbow, hands clasped behind his back, staring straight ahead. Not by so much as a glance did he acknowledge her.
“You’re not in this group.”
“No, sir. But Chief Begay saw your dilemma and thought I might be able to assist.”
“And why is that?”
Those grey eyes flicked briefly to her face then turned back to Deal. “He thought my manners probably wouldn’t be as nice as the young gentlemen’s in your group.”
“
Intitulado?
”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’d hit a woman?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All rightie then.” Deal turned back to the nobles. “You gonna let this one show you up?”
There were more glances and shuffles then three of the men stepped forward to confront her ladies. Sumiko looked resigned, Danica gave her a desperate look and Cipriana shot her a poisonous one. Then she and Tracy were facing each other.
He was pale. She could sense that she was flushed. “I keep waiting for the music to start,” she whispered.
“I don’t dance,” he muttered back. “Look, I’ll make it real clear when I’m going to swing. Just get your forearm up and block me. Or grab my hand with yours and push it away.”
“You know how to do this?”
“Studied a little martial arts. Been a while though—”
“Spar!” Deal shouted.
Tracy was true to his word. He would even glance down at which hand he was going to use, and then slowly raise his arm. Mercedes had plenty of time to react and also to sneak glances at her companions. Sumiko had her hands and arms up, trying to protect her face. Cipriana was dancing away from her attacker, keeping out of his reach.
Danica wasn’t even trying. She just stood, hands hanging at her sides, and cried. The boy facing her was dark-skinned and his dark red hair set an odd contrast to his pale brown eyes. Right now he was looking at the delicate blonde in frustration. Sanjay Favreau’s father had large holdings in banks and investment companies whose home offices were clustered on Kronos. He had been discussed as a potential match for her sister Estella.
Wedding money to the crown was always a good plan, Mercedes thought and realized she sounded like her father. Her mind was wandering and she missed Tracy’s windup. His fist connected with her cheekbone.
* * *
Tracy yanked his hand away. Horrified by the reddened mark on her cheek, aware of the softness of her skin against his knuckles. “Sorry, sorry,” he muttered.
“It’s okay. I got distracted,” Mercedes whispered back.
Then they were both distracted when Deal bellowed, “This dumb
punta
boo hoos and you stand there with your dick in your hand? She’s giving you a fucking
Similar Books
