“How naughty,” Susan laughed in a voice that made Marina’s pelvis clamp
down. “I wouldn’t have thought you had it in you. I’ll bet Francesca is
royally pissed.”

“Oh yeah,” Marina said miserably. “She’s about to take her pound of flesh.”

“Really? How so?” Susan’s interest was piqued. She and Francesca had a
long history, an unpleasant one. Francesca had owned her. Briefly. And
then, inexplicably, she simply dumped her, without reason or rhyme.
Susan had never forgotten that betrayal. And she’d very nearly gotten
her revenge when she met Marina, knowing that Francesca was courting
her, she’d courted harder. She’d wanted Marina so badly she could taste
her blood. But Francesca was an older, more experienced Dominant. Susan
had lost to her a second time. Now she tasted revenge in Marina’s pain.

“She’s selling her half of The Planet.”

“To you?” Susan asked with enough concern in her voice to make Marina believe she actually cared.

Marina shook her head. “I couldn’t raise the money.”

“Who, then?”

“I don’t know. She’ll be here Friday to do the deal. If the buyer has
enough money, I suppose she could probably try to force me to sell my
half too.”

Susan stroked Marina’s hand. “That’s terrible!” She allowed sympathy to shade her words. “Isn’t there something you can do?”

“No,” Marina’s eyes glistened. “I’ve tried everything, every source. It’s just too much money.”

“How much?” Susan kept the eagerness out of her voice.

Marina told her. “That IS a pretty hefty price.”

“Yes, it is the price of my freedom.” Marina sighed.

Susan moistened her fingertips on the outside of her glass, spread
Marina’s fingers, and began stroking the web between two fingers,
slowly, back and forth, parting Marina’s fingers, letting the wetness
of her fingertips arouse her. “I might,” she said, wetting her
fingertips again and resuming the seduction, “be able to help you.”

Marina swallowed. What could Susan possibly want that would be worth that much money. “How?”

“I’ve seen your girl. She’s quitesomething,” Susan ran her tongue
slowly across her upper lip. “I have a proposition for you, if you are
interested.” Susan said with her cool as ice voice and Marina knew this
wasn’t going to be good, but she couldn’t not listen.

“Yes, she is,” Marina said, her voice almost a whisper.