A throat cleared behind her, and she turned. Layth was already at her side, so tense she could feel him vibrating in the air next to her. Collins, still on a lead, twined around his feet and demanded to be picked up.
The man at the mouth of the alley oozed wealth. The cut of his suit was perfect, clearly tailored, and in a pale-plum color unusual enough to make it clearly bespoke. She’d seen wealth before—some of their clients had come to Golden Ratio to see their cats prior to final delivery—so she could spot the difference between someone wearing fancy clothes and someone wearing them with the casual sense of ownership.
His bald head shone in the artificial lights, but his smile seemed genuine. He stroked his goatee and stepped forward, eyes on Collins. “You’re…really bad at this.”
She shook her head as the words coalesced into sense. “What?”
He gestured at the alley. “This. I could have been a trap. Hell, I’m pretty certain there are bounty hunters looking for you, if my sources are correct.”
She straightened her shoulders and forced herself to focus. “I don’t know who you’re used to dealing with, but I’m not susceptible to scare tactics, Mr.…”
“Really?” He scoffed and crossed his arms, one eyebrow quirked. “How about Smith.”
Behind her, Layth coughed a laugh into his fist. “It’s not like she’d know who you were if you said Pierce.”
The man’s gaze snapped up, noticing Layth for the first time. His dark eyes narrowed. “Have we met?”
“You came to my family’s house once, with your mother. She was negotiating something, though I have no idea what. We were all children.”
Pierce studied Layth. “Are you part of the Ali family?”
“By blood, if not by choice. Let’s say we don’t see eye to eye on much.” Layth’s arms folded across his chest defensively.
Meja recognized the hardness in his voice and hoped he wasn’t about to sour the whole deal for her. She quickly retrieved Collins from the ground and lifted him up. The cat responded by purring loudly. It made her glad she’d brought Collins versus one of the others. He might be more difficult to handle than his sisters, but he was far and away the most vocal of the trio. “Would you like a closer look, Mr. Pierce?”
His focus shifted from Layth to the cat as soon as the purring started, and he stepped forward, gaze fixed on Collins’s tortoiseshell fur. “He really is lovely. I can’t imagine you wanting to sell.” He stretched out a hand. “May I?”
Before she could answer, Collins craned his neck to bump his head against the man’s long fingers. She shrugged. “I guess so, then.”
Pierce smiled, shoulders relaxing. “Mother had a cat. I grew up with one. It hasn’t been the same not having one around the house.” He waggled his fingers, and Collins batted at his hand with one paw. It was so adorable that the moment practically sold the cat for her.
Behind her, Layth was a rigid wall, his head on a swivel as though he expected an attack at any second. She tried to ignore the way his anxiety accelerated her worries. “You could have one of your own for four hundred thousand.”
Another snort, and Pierce shook his head. “You really don’t get it do you.”
“Get what?”
“The only card you’re holding here is the cat itself.” He stood up, and this close she realized how tall he was. “You don’t have any advantages here. I’m reasonably certain you’re the same fugitive Golden Ratio Companions has a bounty on. Bringing even one cat out into the open in their backyard is a bold move, which is probably why they were taken off guard, but it won’t be long before someone turns you in, even here in the pit lanes. You’re lucky I’m legitimately interested, but there’s no way I’m paying full rate for a stolen cat.”
“Technically, he doesn’t exist at all. He was listed as terminated, so he’s not stolen.”
“You’re not improving the position. I’ll pay you one.”
A hundred thousand would barely cover her expenses at this point. Hell, it could be all of her expenses, depending on how much Captain Barnes decided to bill her for the transport. Not that she begrudged the payment, but to have traveled the breadth of the systems only to end up back on Burbidge was an irritating level of irony. “Two-fifty.”
“One-fifty, and I’ll forget I saw you if asked.” He checked his fingernails. “Or I can just walk.”
“Two hundred, and I can sell you a second.”
Pierce paused, a heartbeat of hesitation that might as well have been screaming his interest. “Why would I want a second cat?”
“Several reasons. First, this guy’s used to having his family around. Second, owning two means double the prestige—”
“Also double the hassle.”
“Perhaps,” she acknowledged. “But you’re also clearly busy. Two are better able to keep their brains entertained than one sitting lonesome.”
He thought about that for a long moment, stroking his fingers through his black goatee. “Where’s the other cat?”
“In orbit. I can have it sent down in the next two hours?” She glanced at Layth for confirmation, and he looked up from his omnidevice and nodded. “Two hours.”
“Fine.” Pierce tugged out his omni. “But it’s half now, and half when I receive the other cat. Is transfer okay, or do you want an actual chip?”
“Transfer is perfectly acceptable.” She held out her omni, and the money was exchanged between them. Before handing over the cat, she turned to Layth. “Do you need to say goodbye?”
“You be good, fluff.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Collins’s head before fixing Pierce with a glare. “Take good care of him, otherwise I’ll come find you.”
Pierce smiled. “I’m certainly not spending this kind of money to abuse him. He’ll have the best of everything.”
Meja stepped forward and handed the cat to him. “His sister will be here in a couple hours. Meet us at the spaceport? Bay…” She let it trail off, hoping Layth could help her out.
He didn’t disappoint. “Bay ten.”
Pierce nodded and stepped out of the alleyway, the cat curling across his shoulders like a living stole. “See you then.”
As soon as Pierce was out of earshot, Layth stepped up next to her. “Captain wants thirty thousand.”
It was exorbitant but less than she’d expected. Especially since the captain could have kept the whole third cat. “I can accept that. We should go so we have time to collect Austen and head back.” She tapped her omni to his and transferred the captain’s fee.
“I’ve already pinged Zion. He’s headed back to the Sentinel to collect both the other cats and drop off the cargo. He should be back in plenty of time for the handoff.” He walked toward the mouth of the alleyway.
“So that’s it?” The pain in her chest turned into heat, and then anger. “Everything from the last few weeks just goes away? You got your money and you’re gone?”
“It’s taken me a long time to feel like I belonged anywhere,” he said at last. His shoulders rolled forward, but he didn’t turn to face her. “The Sentinel is the only place where people don’t judge me for what I’ve done or who I am. I won’t turn my back on them.”