Chapter 39 #2
“I have to talk to you about something,” I forced myself to say. “Now. While I can.”
He frowned. “What is it?”
“It’s about my past. About something I did when I was younger.”
Marc’s frown deepened, and he opened his mouth to say something, but his words were cut off by the boom of male voices. They were far away but getting closer. Whoever it was, they were heading our way.
“Shit.” Marc looked past me, fear shining in his eyes. “We have to make this look innocent. Believable.” When he was once again focused on me, he said, “Just play along, all right?”
I couldn’t speak. My heart was pounding like mad, and for once I wasn’t thinking about what getting caught would mean for me, but what it would mean for him.
In the beginning, I’d only been focused on the consequences I would face, and I’d told myself it was worth it.
I would go to a prison hospital and maybe even jail, but I would go as myself, and that was what mattered.
Now, though, I realized that despite what Marc had said, he, too, could be facing jail time for what we’d been doing, and that terrified me more than anything.
Releasing my hand, he grabbed my forearm in a firm but not painful grip and started walking.
“You’re upset,” he said out of the corner of his mouth. “Pissed. Got it?”
I found talking impossible as the voices drew closer.
“You know I’m going to have to report you for this,” Marc said in a booming voice. “All you had to do was cooperate and we wouldn’t have had a problem.”
The male voices grew louder as we reached the end of the hall, and then we turned, and there they were. Four soldiers, all of them armed and all of them looking at us with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
“Problem, Ramirez?” a beefy black guy I recognized as Sergeant Miller asked.
Shit. He was a real hard-ass, always playing by the rules. Even worse, he knew who I was and wasn’t a fan. Like Hilary and Jane, Miller preferred the women who were happy to be here.
Marc let out a snort that made him sound only mildly irritated. “Found her up here wandering around and let her know this part of the hotel is off limits tonight, but she got mouthy.”
Miller’s lips twisted in disgust. “Causing problems again, I see, Miss Murphy.”
“Hormones, man,” muttered a soldier I didn’t know but whose name tag said Private Richards. “I’m telling you, these women are crazy.”
The soldier who hadn’t yet spoken chuckled, and, despite my terror, anger surged through me, and I spit out, “You’d be crazy too if the government kidnapped you.”
“See what I mean?” the same guy said, his mouth twisting into a sneer. “Hormones.”
Maybe it was hormones, because I suddenly had the urge to punch him in the face. Could this guy be any more of a misogynist?
“What are you going to do with her?” Miller asked, ignoring the other man’s outburst, and looking pretty pissed about mine. Great.
“Take her to the first floor and report her to her minder.” Marc glared at me. “Like I don’t have anything better to do.”
“The program would make a hell of a lot more sense if they just locked these chicks up,” Richards said.
“It would be even better if they let us do the inseminating,” the other soldier replied, elbowing Richards. “Am I right?”
The private grinned and looked me up and down. “Not gonna lie. I wouldn’t mind a taste.”
Marc’s grip on my arm tightened, and his entire body turned to stone. I could actually hear him grinding his teeth, and I was positive he was going to tell Richards to go to hell or possibly say something worse, but before he could, Miller spoke up.
“That’s enough, Private,” he barked. “The women here are a vital part of saving the human race and deserve your respect. Do you understand?”
Respect? Miller hadn’t shown an ounce of respect since the day I met him.
Richards’ mouth scrunched up like he wanted to spit, but instead said, “Yes, sir.”
He didn’t sound very repentant, but Miller let it go and focused on Marc. “Get Miss Murphy to the first floor then get your ass back up here. We have a whole other hall to get ready, and there isn’t a lot of time.”
“Sir,” Marc said, then started moving, pulling me past the soldiers.
When he was sure they were out of earshot, he said, “Sorry. It was the best lie I could think of, but I had no clue Miller was going to be there. Shit. If I don’t turn you in, he’s going to know something is up.”
“It’s okay, really,” I said, although I had a feeling Hilary wouldn’t think it was okay. She was going to be pissed.
We reached the staircase and Marc loosened his grip on my arm but didn’t let go. It was for looks, but I still felt like a kid being marched to the principal’s office. Detention wasn’t even that unlikely considering the consequences Hilary had listed during our first meeting.
“Do they say things like that a lot?” I asked as we descended.
Marc’s eyes darted my way. “Like what?”
“You know, wishing they were the ones doing the insemination.”
He winced. “It’s come up.”
“I bet,” I said. “It’s honestly not even that far-fetched.”
He shook his head like he didn’t believe it, but since we’d just reached the third floor and there were other people around, couldn’t comment. It also meant I couldn’t tell him about my past, which I was both pissed about and grateful for.
People shot us looks as Marc escorted me down the stairs, most of them sympathetic, but some smug.
Most of the women weren’t happy about being here, but there was a portion of the population that thought we should be grateful.
That group pretty much kept to themselves, eating together, and judging the rest of us.
They also got special privileges from the minders and soldiers like Miller, which made women in my shoes hate them even more.
When we reached the first floor, Marc glanced around and, deciding no one was paying attention, pulled me to the side of the staircase and said, “What did you want to talk to me about?”
Shit.
Was there time? I looked around, took in the other women, as well as the minders and soldiers and decided that no, there was not.
I had no idea how Marc would react to the news, and the last thing I wanted was for him to cause a scene and possibly let my secret slip.
I was risking enough by telling him in private.
“Later,” I said. “The next time we’re alone.”
He frowned. “I don’t know when that will be.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
He glanced at my lips like he wanted to kiss me, but not being alone, it was impossible. Instead, he pulled me from the shadows and led me to the front desk.
The soldier on duty eyed me warily. “Problem, Corporal?”
“I found her on four. She gave me attitude when I told her the floor is off limits tonight, but it really wasn’t a big deal. In fact, I’m not even sure it’s worth reporting her.”
I appreciated him trying to get me out of this but knew it wouldn’t work even before the soldier sighed and said, “Her minder will want to know. Go back to what you were doing. I’ll take care of it from here.”
Marc nodded, but it was stiff, and I could tell he wasn’t happy.
Not that I was either. It would have been nice if I could have gotten out of this without Hilary finding out, but I supposed it could have been worse.
Someone could have seen Marc and me together or found out my secret.
At least this would only lead to me losing privileges.