To Do or Die by Mike Shepherd

Author:Mike Shepherd [Mike Shepherd]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780425262528
Amazon: 0425262529
Publisher: Ace
Published: 2014-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-THREE

WHEN MARY FIRST walked in, she’d noticed three tables in the corner with RESERVED signs. Well, this was supposed to be a party night. Now those tables filled up with a lot of men Mary didn’t recognize.

There was one she couldn’t miss.

Milassi had come down with Ray to the car on the first day they landed. Now here he was, bigger than life. All Mary could hope for was that Milassi didn’t remember a certain woman in Explorer Corps grays and match her with the gal in the bright blue dress.

Whatever he might or might not remember from that day, he certainly liked what he saw every time he glanced in Mary’s direction.

Or was it the blond across from her?

Cyn rose precipitously from her chair. “Excuse me,” was all she said as she raced for the ladies’ room.

Mary stood, found that Milassi was eyeing her, and flashed him a distracted smile before she followed Cyn into the restroom

There, the young Marine was throwing up.

“What’s wrong?” Mary asked as she found a wash rag, dampened it, and put it to her subordinate’s forehead.

“I don’t know,” Cyn said, and heaved up more liquor and older supper. “I thought I was okay with things, but looking at that bastard eyeing me. I just don’t see how I could go through that again.”

She washed her mouth out. “Besides, I don’t have any more needles,” she whispered softly to Mary.

Mary glanced around. One of the working women exited the only occupied stall. She gave Mary and Cyn a knowing smile . . . and left without washing her hands.

Mary made up her mind. “We’re leaving as soon as I get ahold of Lek. You go straight out from here.”

“No. We’ve got to go back in there together,” Cyn said resolutely.

Mary frowned, but only for a second. The young woman was right. “Okay, we go back to get Lek and beat a slow retreat. But that doesn’t mean you have to look gorgeous.”

“Ma’am, I always look gorgeous to anything with a swinging dick between his legs.”

Mary mussed Cyn’s hair. Then she grabbed another washcloth and began cleaning the woman’s face of makeup and lip gloss. “No doubt there’s gorgeous, but there’s also sick and washed-out.”

Cyn stared at herself in the mirror, then got the dry heaves again. It was a while before she could weakly say, “Yeah, even my mom wouldn’t say I was pretty just now.”

A few other girls had passed through the restroom while they’d been busy. They cast them sad looks, but they hurried in and hurried out.

Working girls knew time was money.

Slowly, Mary got Cyn in good enough shape to challenge the parlor, if only long enough to connect with Lek and make their way out.

Still, they didn’t move fast enough.

As Mary settled Cyn at the table for the time it took to get them moving out, a dark man appeared at her arm. “President Milassi invites you to his table.”

“My friend is too sick to come,” Mary said.

“No doubt she is. But it is you the president would like to enjoy time with.

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