Read Online Trapped: A SciFi Convict Romance (The Condemned Book 1) by Alison Aimes - Free Book Online
Authors: Alison Aimes
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shoulder. Yes, initiating touch with a Council member without permission was a
serious breach of protocol, but there was no reason Convict’s notion of
different rules for Dragath25 couldn’t hold true in this respect as well, and
Davies appeared to need more comfort than just words. “Don’t feel like that. It
isn’t what you think.”
“Don’t lie to me. I heard you. I know what he did to you.”
Davies’ eyes sank shut as she leaned in to Bella’s touch. “I hate myself for
letting it happen. For doing nothing while he hurt you. I–I know what that’s
like…and now….” Her hands twisted in her lap. “Now I’m letting it happen to
you. I’m a terrible coward. ”
“He didn’t hurt me.” Embarrassment had a tight grip on
Bella’s throat. Sorrow, too. Someone had
hurt Davies . Badly, if the way the woman’s hands shook was any indication.
Emboldened, Bella gripped those trembling hands.
Surprisingly, they gripped her right back.
“What you heard wasn’t pain, it…it was pleasure.” Bella took
a deep breath and confessed. “He made me feel good. Better than anything I ever
felt before. I–I didn’t expect it, but there it is.”
Davies’ shocked gaze didn’t help.
“He’s not what you think.” Bella felt oddly protective.
“He’s a Dragath25 prisoner. He’s forcing you to have sex with
him.” Davies’ voice cracked at the end.
“He’s not forcing me.” Bella kept her voice gentle. Her
colleague’s confession made this conversation even more delicate than she’d
expected. “We have a deal. And so far, he’s given far more than he’s taken.”
Davies remained silent.
Bella squeezed the woman’s hand. “I’m sorry someone hurt you.
Truth be told, I’d like to find the bastard and feed him to a tigos , but my situation isn’t the same. He’s brusque and
rough, but he’s not a monster. Even when he’s been angry, he hasn’t harmed me.
And he’s already done more for us than Pogue ever did. We’re alive because of
Convict.”
“Convict? Is—is that his name?”
“No, but it’s what he’s insisting I call him.”
One of Davies’ eyebrows shot up.
Bella shrugged. “He’s been here for eight years. I don’t
think he likes to remember the man he was.”
“Or maybe that man is gone for good,” warned her colleague.
“Don’t hang your hopes on someone who doesn’t exist. He couldn’t have been a
very good person to begin with anyway. Not if he ended up here.” Her eyes sank
shut. “Don’t…don’t let yourself be deceived. I—I know I’m not supposed to speak
of Council matters, but I thought my fiancé was a good man once. Then he turned
me into his personal punching bag.” She shook her head, her watery eyes
blinking open to survey the barren landscape. “All I wanted was freedom. Look
what I got instead.”
“This isn’t the end.” Bella tried to keep the shock from her
voice. There was far more to her fellow researcher than she’d ever realized.
And far less to her foolish presumption that being part of an elite Council
family line meant an end to all worries. “You can still have that freedom,
Ava.”
Ava’s small smile at the use of her first name assured Bella
she’d chosen correctly. After what they’d just admitted to each other, the
required use of last names for Council-members seemed overly stiff and
ridiculous. Different rules for Dragath25, just like Convict had said.
“Bella? Cadet Davies?” Winthrop’s thready croak cut into their conversation. “What’s going on?”
Bella sank back on her heels. Their commanding officer was
alive and awake. “Don’t try and get up.” Ignoring protocol once again, she
pressed gently down on his chest as he tried to rise. “There was a crash. You
were hurt.” She didn’t know how much he remembered of the last day and a half.
Winthrop scanned their faces, his eyes groggy, his handsome face tight with
pain and weariness, his skin so pale the dark Council designation
shoulder. Yes, initiating touch with a Council member without permission was a
serious breach of protocol, but there was no reason Convict’s notion of
different rules for Dragath25 couldn’t hold true in this respect as well, and
Davies appeared to need more comfort than just words. “Don’t feel like that. It
isn’t what you think.”
“Don’t lie to me. I heard you. I know what he did to you.”
Davies’ eyes sank shut as she leaned in to Bella’s touch. “I hate myself for
letting it happen. For doing nothing while he hurt you. I–I know what that’s
like…and now….” Her hands twisted in her lap. “Now I’m letting it happen to
you. I’m a terrible coward. ”
“He didn’t hurt me.” Embarrassment had a tight grip on
Bella’s throat. Sorrow, too. Someone had
hurt Davies . Badly, if the way the woman’s hands shook was any indication.
Emboldened, Bella gripped those trembling hands.
Surprisingly, they gripped her right back.
“What you heard wasn’t pain, it…it was pleasure.” Bella took
a deep breath and confessed. “He made me feel good. Better than anything I ever
felt before. I–I didn’t expect it, but there it is.”
Davies’ shocked gaze didn’t help.
“He’s not what you think.” Bella felt oddly protective.
“He’s a Dragath25 prisoner. He’s forcing you to have sex with
him.” Davies’ voice cracked at the end.
“He’s not forcing me.” Bella kept her voice gentle. Her
colleague’s confession made this conversation even more delicate than she’d
expected. “We have a deal. And so far, he’s given far more than he’s taken.”
Davies remained silent.
Bella squeezed the woman’s hand. “I’m sorry someone hurt you.
Truth be told, I’d like to find the bastard and feed him to a tigos , but my situation isn’t the same. He’s brusque and
rough, but he’s not a monster. Even when he’s been angry, he hasn’t harmed me.
And he’s already done more for us than Pogue ever did. We’re alive because of
Convict.”
“Convict? Is—is that his name?”
“No, but it’s what he’s insisting I call him.”
One of Davies’ eyebrows shot up.
Bella shrugged. “He’s been here for eight years. I don’t
think he likes to remember the man he was.”
“Or maybe that man is gone for good,” warned her colleague.
“Don’t hang your hopes on someone who doesn’t exist. He couldn’t have been a
very good person to begin with anyway. Not if he ended up here.” Her eyes sank
shut. “Don’t…don’t let yourself be deceived. I—I know I’m not supposed to speak
of Council matters, but I thought my fiancé was a good man once. Then he turned
me into his personal punching bag.” She shook her head, her watery eyes
blinking open to survey the barren landscape. “All I wanted was freedom. Look
what I got instead.”
“This isn’t the end.” Bella tried to keep the shock from her
voice. There was far more to her fellow researcher than she’d ever realized.
And far less to her foolish presumption that being part of an elite Council
family line meant an end to all worries. “You can still have that freedom,
Ava.”
Ava’s small smile at the use of her first name assured Bella
she’d chosen correctly. After what they’d just admitted to each other, the
required use of last names for Council-members seemed overly stiff and
ridiculous. Different rules for Dragath25, just like Convict had said.
“Bella? Cadet Davies?” Winthrop’s thready croak cut into their conversation. “What’s going on?”
Bella sank back on her heels. Their commanding officer was
alive and awake. “Don’t try and get up.” Ignoring protocol once again, she
pressed gently down on his chest as he tried to rise. “There was a crash. You
were hurt.” She didn’t know how much he remembered of the last day and a half.
Winthrop scanned their faces, his eyes groggy, his handsome face tight with
pain and weariness, his skin so pale the dark Council designation
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