Havoc Read Online Free PDF Page B

you'd ask me."
    "But I'll win, and we'll have the Nova back, and we can fly to the Zone, get our pay, and be back in business."
    "Why's it have to be my ass on the line?"
    Sayal glanced from him to Kels and back. “What? What's he going to put on the line?"
    "His ass.” Kels gestured at Elion. “Literally. Ulvik's always wanted to fuck him."
    Elion groaned and scrubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms.
    Sayal said, “No, that's unacceptable. I couldn't allow you to take such a risk."
    "Thank you,” Elion remarked.
    "I wouldn't let it get that far,” Kels hedged. “We could drug Ulvik or something, make him think he'd got a piece of you.” He reached over and clapped a big hand on Elion's shoulder. “You think I'd let anyone violate my first mate? Least not without your permission."
    He really could be insufferable sometimes. “Even Ulvik wouldn't see my ass "—he stressed the distasteful words—"in the same lane as the Nova . Be real."
    "I don't know.” Kels took his coffee back from Sayal and finished it, like they were some old couple out for fifth-day brunch. “Not like he's done much with the ship ‘cept let her rot in his back lot. You and I both know he just wanted to humiliate me."
    "He had his reasons,” Elion reminded him.
    Kels pulled a face and waved him off. “How was I supposed to know she was his daughter? In any case, she came on to me."
    Sayal watched this exchange wide-eyed. They lapsed into silence. Kels, Elion knew, waited for him to break, as he so often did. Oh, saints. Now he gave Elion the dew-puppy eyes, the look he couldn't resist.
    "Stop looking at me that way,” he snapped.
    "Like what?” Kels tipped his head, half-joking, half-pleading. It wouldn't work this time. Even the Nova wasn't worth risking a fuck with the scraggin’ inkman.
    "Why don't you offer him your ass?” Elion suggested politely. “I've seen him give you a look or two. He's probably got quite an interesting dick, with all the inkwork he does."
    "Maybe I will.” Kels shrugged.
    From bad to worse. Elion sighed and scratched his fingers over his scalp.
    "Truly,” Sayal cut in, “I don't mean to cause this friction between you. Believe me when I say this will be worth your while."
    Elion said, “What's so important that you need to get to the high games, sweetheart? That's another thing. You need creds to gain invite. The high gamesmasters don't let just any bird or bloke into their Dome. It's exclusive. Very."
    She withered in her seat. “I have reason to believe I will be admitted."
    "Inside contact?” Kels asked hopefully.
    She barely nodded.
    "But why?” Elion pressed. “You still haven't given a reason. You could fuck out a living here or on the Rim. Anywhere's safer than the Zone, and I'm sure you'd have no trouble getting a partner."
    Her gaze dropped. “I cannot answer that now. Only know that my goal demands I reach the high games. I promise, if there were any other way, I would not be here now."
    "See?” Kels said, as if that explained it all.
    Thinking with his other head again, apparently. He wanted to grab Kels and shake him. If Elion could see she lied, Kels could too. He couldn't be that smitten with her, not after one meeting. “I still say no."
    Sayal pressed her hands together and looked at Kels. He frowned at her, then at Elion, but Elion knew, when push came to shove, Kels would respect his decision. Feeling vaguely guilty at having denied his captain his joy, Elion said, “Look, we don't know if this patch will work, and even if it does, there are too many other unanswered questions. Like whether you'll even mesh in the games.” He raised an eyebrow at them. “You haven't fucked yet, have you?"
    Like scolded children, they shook their heads. “Then,” Elion continued, “we could go through all that bother and have you burn out in the arena."
    Sayal reached across the table and touched her fingers to his wrist. “What if...” she began. “What if I give you the patch as a