Kade’s lips curled. “He was some big-shot adviser to the council?”
She nodded. “My family got special privileges. We had our own kitchen, a cook.” Hudson’s voice softened. “Her name was Mary. She was sweet to me. I think it was because my mom was gone and I was the only girl in the – house.”
Connor didn’t miss the way she stumbled on the last word, but he wasn’t sure why it raised his guard.
“I would sit in the kitchen and watch her cook.” Hudson smiled. “Eventually she told me to make myself useful, and taught me everything she knew.” The smile faded rapidly. “I cooked for my father and brother a few times, but my dad thought my time was better spent out of the kitchen.”
An uneasy feeling tickled Connor’s gut. “You never mentioned a brother.”
Her expression went stricken. Pain and regret. Deep sorrow. “I didn’t mention him because he’s not in my life anymore. I left him behind when I escaped.” Her voice cracked. “I guess that means I have no right to miss him, huh?”
A choked sound came from Kade’s direction.
“Are you okay?” Hudson asked softly.
The other man cleared his throat before nodding. “Yeah. I’m fine.” He hesitated, his fingers tightening around his fork. “I left my brother behind too.”
Kade didn’t offer any more details, and everyone wisely kept their mouths shut.
Rylan broke the silence with an awkward cough. “Tamara’s making a run into the city next week.” He glanced at Connor. “She said to send a message to Lennox if there’s something we want her to grab for us.”
Connor shook his head. “There’s nothing the city has that we can’t find at the storage stations.”
“That’s what I told her.” Rylan grinned. “She looked mighty disappointed.”
Xander snorted. “Yeah, that’s ’cause she wants us to owe her. The bitch loves collecting favors.”
Hudson spoke up tentatively. “Tamara? I met her at the… at Lennox’s house.”
Connor hid a smile. For some reason he found it endearing that she still couldn’t say the word whorehouse.
“She’s interesting,” Hudson added.
It was Kade’s turn to snort. “That’s a nice way of putting it.”
“Seriously, don’t let that beautiful face fool you,” Rylan warned. “Tamara is deadly. She’s probably the most powerful person in the free land, actually.”
Hudson looked surprised. “How so?”
The men clammed up, and Connor stifled a sigh when everyone turned to look at him. Rylan’s gaze conveyed an unspoken question, seeking permission about how much to reveal. Connor understood the reason for it. For all intents and purposes, Hudson was still a stranger to them, and a former citizen to boot. It’d been the same way with Kade when he’d first joined them. The guy had to prove himself before he was privy to their secrets.
But Connor didn’t care about outing Tamara, mostly because the woman was a thorn in his side most of the time. Then again, she was also one of the few women who had no interest in sleeping with him, which he appreciated. He didn’t like having to worry whether the girl in his bed might cut his balls off.
Shrugging, he turned to Hudson. “She’s a smuggler.”
A frown puckered her brow. “What does she smuggle?”
“Everything. She’s got contacts all over the Colonies, and more than one Enforcer in her pocket.”
“She bribes the Enforcers? How? With what?”
“Sex. Money. Who knows what else? But she’s made a nice little reputation for herself. If you need something, Tamara can get it for you.”
“In exchange for what?”
He repeated himself with a grin. “Sex. Money. Who knows what else?”
“Favors,” Xander said glumly. “Every time I’ve hit her up she’s asked for a favor in return. And it’s always a pain in the ass. Last time, she forced me to make a three-day drive down south to pick some goddamn lavender for her.”
Hudson laughed. “What did she need with lavender?”
“Apparently she knows someone who uses it to make girly body lotion and shit.” Xander stabbed a roasted potato with his fork. “So yeah, I risked my neck just to pick her some flowers. Trust me, it’s not worth the hassle.”
Hudson still looked intrigued. “So there’s a whole – I don’t know – business side to this life? Smuggling networks, bars, places like Lennox’s.” She paused thoughtfully. “Are there any permanent settlements? Actual communities? Or does everyone hide underground and come out when they need something?”
“There are a few communities,” Xander told her. “And yeah, they’re usually in deserted bunkers, or up in the mountains, somewhere remote that the Enforcers can’t easily access. Well, unless you’re Reese, and then you’re ballsy enough to commandeer an entire town.”
“Who’s Reese?” Hudson asked curiously.
Kade piped up with, “The one woman Rylan can’t fuck.”