closer, glaring at the tattoo. She walked slowly around Mira but kept a few feet of distance between their bodies.

“You branded a human slave? When the hell did you buy one?” Arrion’s voice shook with fury.

Flint sighed. “I didn’t buy her. I took her off a shuttle we stopped for salvage. It was an easy target that happened to come within radar. If you read my reports when I transmitted them to you then you would know this already.”

Arrionspun, glaring at Flint. “You’re up to something. You don’t own slaves. You abhor that I own three. You think it’s cruel.”

Shock hit Mira as her eyes flew to Flint. If he didn’t believe in slavery then why had he kidnapped her off the ship to make her one? Flint glanced at Mira, met her stunned gaze, and then his eyes narrowed on Arrion .

“You own slaves to work for you without payment. That isn’t why I branded her.”

The woman walked to Flint, glaring at him. Mira saw the woman pale as she gasped. Her head jerked in Mira’s direction to stare at her. Arrion definitely looked stunned. Her head snapped back to Flint.

“You can’t be serious. A human? A slave? Property?” The woman snorted. “They won’t allow it. If you think you’re being smart to avoid the laws then you are wrong.”

Flint straightened his shoulders, his expression stoic. “I checked it out and it’s legal. They will allow it with a human.” He slowly gave the woman a cold smile. “I win. I am getting exactly what I want and I want her.”

The woman softly cursed, spun around and almost stumbled away from Flint. She walked around her desk to drop heavily into her seat. She still looked at Flint with shock.

“You can’t do this, Flint. What kind of result could come of it? Have you thought about it? Look at her.

She’s not good material. What I’m offering you is the best deal you’re ever going to get. Don’t do this. I won’t give you another chance if you don’t drop this crazy plan of yours immediately.”

“I won’t need another chance. I’ve come here, I’ve done my duty, and now I’m eager to get home. It’s been too damn long since I saw it.”

Flint turned his back on the woman. “Let’s go, Mira.”

He had called her by name without being formal. The woman cyborg looked pissed. Flint walked for the door and Mira was more than ready to go. She was pretty damn sure Flint had slept with Arrion . She definitely had the look of a woman who had just lost her favorite lover. The idea of Flint with the beautiful cyborg woman hurt, but Flint had chosen Mira, which soothed some of the jealousy that still resided in her.

Chapter Thirteen

“Flint?” Arrion shouted.

Flint froze at the threshold of the door. He turned his head to shoot Arrion a cold look. “What?”

“Did you tell your little slave there that you’re using her? That she’s just a way for you to circumvent the law you despise?” Arrion glared at Mira. “Did he tell you why he stole you from your shuttle?”

Mira looked at Flint. He turned fully, his bag hitting the floor, as he glared at Arrion . “I didn’t think you’d be so bitter. Are you done? Give your kind unit offer to someone else. I’m sure there are plenty of males who will love to take you up on it.”

The cyborg woman seethed, glaring at Flint, and then met Mira’s eyes. “On Garden, cyborg males outnumber the females five to one. A lot of our males work off planet, as Flint does, for months of the year. It is law on Garden that every cyborg female take three males into a family unit contact. We schedule our time carefully so that one of the males is always with the female. I offered Flint a unit with me and my two males but Flint isn’t a team player. Rather than share a woman he is f**king, he decided to grab you.”

Mira was taken aback. They had three husbands? She cringed at the thought. Handling one man would be tough enough.

“I offered him plenty of alone time. One of my unit partners is an ambassador who travels space extensively. My second unit partner has the same job Flint has only on a different ship.” She glared at Flint. “You could have plenty of alone time with me. Rethink this.”

“I thought long and hard about your offer, Arrion . I’m flattered, but as