Alivia shook her head and snapped out of those morose thoughts. No, she didn’t want to die. Of course she didn’t! Her life might have been interrupted but she had it back now and she refused to let fear of the unknown rule.
“Hold on!” Ronan growled.
Alivia saw the space outside the view screen sort of blur. The gravity boosters pressed her back into her seat as Ronan rolled the ship up and over, completing a beautiful circle. A second later she was looking at the tail end of a pirate’s ship. Two blaster hits shot across and hit the vessel. Immediately it lost all power and began to drift.
“Get us the hell out of here, Noah,” Ronan ordered.
Alivia felt the ship take off but something felt wrong. The floor under her feet vibrated, radiating upward to shake the seat she sat in. All around her rattling commenced, filling the cockpit with small pinging sounds.
“That blast that got us hit the engine,” Noah informed them grimly. “It’s not going to last long without repairs.”
“Great,” Ronan muttered. He turned his chair sideways to study a monitor. “We’ll have to stop at Tortuga.”
Noah groaned.
“What’s Tortuga?” Alivia asked.
“A spaceport,” Ronan told her.
“For pirates, thieves, and lowlifes,” Noah added. “Oh, should be loads of fun.”
The tone of his voice suggested it was going to be anything but.
* * * *
By the time they made it to Tortuga, they were limping. Noah had contacted the port’s control tower and reported their run-in with the pirates. They were given permission to dock at a berth and to make arrangements with the station’s mechanics, but that was the extent of the hospitality. Tortuga operated under the protocols of space travel, but since they were in a section of space no one in authority cared about, it was up to the station’s leaders to patrol. The officers in command couldn’t give a shit about a lifeless pirate ship floating somewhere out there or about their near miss, so no law enforcers were there to greet them as they stepped foot onto the station.
Noah stood next to Alivia, his arms folded across his chest, watching the mechanic and Ronan inspect the damaged engine. This was one area he couldn’t help in. The logistics of a ship were slightly over his head in comprehension. Give him a computer and he was a pro, but give him a bunch of oily parts and it was like trying to understand gibberish.
Finally, Ronan walked back to them, wiping his hands on a rag.
“Verdict?” Noah asked.
“Not bad. A day at most. We can fly out of here tomorrow.”
Noah relaxed. “Thank the heavens!”
“While we’re here might as well see if we can sell the scrap we have in the cargo hold,” Ronan continued. “The money will come in handy. Why don’t you take Alivia to get something to eat?”
“You sure you won’t need me?”
Ronan shook his head. “This I’m used to. I’ll stick with the mechanic for a while before heading over to some buyers I know. Meet back here in a couple of hours?”
“Okay,” Noah told him. Then he shook his finger. “But you get in any trouble you com me immediately. Hear me?”
“I hear you,” Ronan murmured. He looked at Alivia. “Take care of him, eh?”
She nodded.
Noah took her hand, entwining their fingers. She sent him a surprised look but didn’t pull away and that made Noah very happy. He liked how her skin felt against his. His cock stirred to life and he had to will it back down.
Tortuga was designed as a safe haven marketplace for those living in the Cold Lands. It managed to keep part of its original intention, mainly a place to buy things. Staying safe was still questionable so Noah made sure to keep a tight hold on Alivia’s hand. Perhaps it would be safer to keep her on the ship and out of sight, but one look at the awe on her face had him wanting to explore the whole station.
People crammed through the corridors, moving at a snail’s pace to get where they wanted to go. The hallways led to various market places of the station. It took them a few minutes to actually get to the food gallery.
“So what would you like to eat?” he asked her, having to raise his voice a little to get over the din of the crowd.
“I don’t know!” she said, looking around. “I’ve not really had the opportunity to refine my palate.”
“Then let’s start with something simple,” he suggested, pointing to one of the stores. “Old-fashioned Earth food.”
“Okay,” she agreed, clearly excited and nervous at the same time. Her green eyes were wide and shining.
He led her to the counter and ordered various items, making sure to get enough for Ronan. Alivia helped carry the food as they maneuvered through tables and chairs to find a place to sit.
“We have hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries,” Noah told her, pointing to each dish. “Of course, they aren’t made with real meat but the synthetic stuff isn’t too bad. I love ancient Earth food.”
“Did the ancient Earth people really eat dogs?” she asked as she picked up a hot dog.
He shrugged and bit into a hamburger. “Gross to think about. Maybe they had a shortage of food.”
She took a tentative bite and he watched the myriad display of emotions filter across her face. After taking a few bites of her hot dog she set it aside and took the hamburger. Bit by bit she managed to dismantle it, taking a bite of each thing. First the bun, then the synthetic meat, then the pickles, tomatoes, onions and then licked the ketchup and mustard. From the expression on her face he knew the items she liked and what she didn’t. She was absolutely adorable.
After he finished his food, he wiped his face and fingers clean. Over her shoulder he saw some boys hanging by the trash alcove and narrowed his eyes. There were three of them, all very young, perhaps not even out of their teenage years. They were thin, almost to the point of gauntness, wearing revealing clothing. One of them, the leader Noah presumed, caught and held his stare.
“Who are they?” Alivia asked as she followed his gaze.
“Twinks.”
She turned back around. “What?”
He shook his head, his gaze swinging to her. “A derogatory name for boy prostitutes.”
“How do you know they’re prostitutes?” she asked him softly.
“It’s not hard to figure out,” he answered flatly.
She turned to look back at them. “They look awfully young.”
“They are,” he replied. “They always are. Until they get too old and undesirable to the sick pedophiles wanting a taste of young boy.”
“Isn’t that illegal?”
“Lots of things are illegal but this isn’t exactly a well-enforced station.”
She fell silent and turned back to stare at him. He could feel her gaze all the way to his soul and avoided looking at her directly.
“This happens in other places, doesn’t it?” she finally asked.
“Twinks are just like whores,” he answered. “You find ‘em everywhere.”
“Even Isaren?”
Something reached inside and squeezed his heart. He didn’t want to show the darkness in his soul. He’d hidden most of it from Ronan and he sure as hell didn’t want her exposed, but although he was showing more than he wanted to reveal, he was helpless to look away from her caring gaze.
Then someone moved into his line of sight, and when he focused on the man talking with the Twinks, his insides froze with fear. He grabbed Alivia’s hand and pulled her out of her seat, crouching below the table.
This can’t be happening! This just can’t be fucking happening!
“Max,” he whispered to himself.
They had to get to the ship. If he could get to the ship and hide, he’d be safe. Max would never know where to look for him and Ronan wouldn’t let the asshole near him.
“Noah?” Alivia whispered, her eyes wide with uncertainty.
“We have to get to the ship,” he told her.
“What’s wrong?”
&nbs
p; His heart was racing and he was having difficulty breathing. He realized he was going to need her help. “There’s a man over there I don’t want to see. He’s next to the Twinks. I don’t want him to see me.”
She hesitantly peeked over the tabletop toward the trash alcove. “No one is there. They’ve all gone.”
“We’ve got to get the fuck out of here,” he said harshly. “Come on.”
Keeping low, he maintained his hold on her hand, practically dragging her through the throng of people milling through the food gallery. In and out they weaved, bent over and causing more than one person to holler at them. Noah wasn’t averse to pushing people out of his way.
Just when he thought they were going to make it out the main entrance and back into the crowded corridor that offered anonymity, a blaster shot hit the bulkhead next to his ear. The sound reverberated extremely loudly and shut down his mechanical ear drum for a moment. It was a safety protocol to prevent damage to the delicate inner structure.
He clapped a hand over his ear.
“Noah!” Alivia cried.
He turned and saw Max and the Twinks heading for him. They were too close. He wouldn’t lose them in the corridor and he couldn’t lead Max straight back to the ship before it was done being repaired.
“Alivia, do you remember how to get back to the ship?”
“I think so.”
“Flight deck four, hangar seven. Got it?”
She nodded frantically so he let go of her hand. She tried grabbing it back. “What are you doing?”
“Tell Ronan it’s Max.”
“I’m not leaving you!”
“Baby, I can’t lead them back to the ship. And you need to be protected. I don’t want their hands on you.”
“Who are they?” she cried, trying to pull him with her.
“Please go. Tell Ronan it’s Max. He’ll know.” He cupped her face and kissed her on the mouth. When he pulled back he looked deep into her eyes, trying to memorize them. “Be safe.”
And then he was gone, turning and running to another exit, leading Max and his Twinks away from her, away from the ship. He heard Alivia scream his name but he never slowed down.
A second later, his body seized up as a stun blast shot into his back. He dimly heard the screams around him as he fell. As darkness descended he prayed Alivia had gotten away.
Chapter Twelve
Alivia pushed through the people who got in her way, not caring in the least about all the threats and swearing directed her way. Her heart was pumping fear into every cell. She’d seen Noah fall. She’d watched the big man, Max, lift him up and take him away. The Twinks had turned, as if searching for her, and she’d ducked out of sight, hurrying away to do as Noah had ordered. Her one thought was to reach Ronan. Ronan would know what to do.
Ronan would save Noah.
She found her way onto the flight deck and weaved in and out of people as she ran to hangar seven. When she saw Ronan, her adrenaline spiked and tears poured from her eyes.
“Ronan!” she screamed.
He turned and she saw everything register on his face in an instant. He dropped the tools he had in his hands and caught her as she collapsed. She threw her arms around his neck as she sobbed.
“Alivia!” he cried. “Where’s Noah? Honey, please, what happened?”
“He…he was taken!”
“What? Who?”
“He told me to tell you Max. It was some man named Max.”
She felt his body go rigid. “Max? Are you sure?”
She nodded frantically. “Big man. Mean looking. He had some boys, Twinks, around him.”
“Shit!”
“Ronan, we have to get him back!”
“Shh,” he murmured as he hugged her tight. “We will. Let me get some items.”
He dropped his arms from her and turned to head into the ship. She waited for a moment, wondering what he doing. A second later he walked out, adjusting the setting on a blaster gun while another one was stuck in the belt of his pants.
Her eyes widened.
“Come on,” he said, “take me back to where you last saw him.”
“Okay,” she replied, still staring at the gun in his hand. “It was the food gallery on the fifth level.”
He took her hand and retraced their steps. With Noah they had gone with the flow but Ronan was bigger, wider, with muscles bulging out of his shirt. He parted the masses with bulk alone, like a ship through water. Once they reached the area, she pointed to the two Twinks she saw in back.
“Those two were with Max,” she told him.
But as they headed in their direction, one of the boys hit the other and nodded toward them. A second later, they bolted.
“Stop!” Ronan yelled.
Ronan yanked on her arm, pulling her after him as he sprinted after the two boys. It was like running through molasses with the swarms of people that never seemed to abate. He had no compunction about pushing them out of the way, however, and with his bulk he made it quite easy.
The two boys didn’t go to the main corridor, however. They ran into a side door Alivia hadn’t seen earlier and, a moment later, she and Ronan ran though it as well. The door led to some type of workers’ access, with the floor an open grating and the walls bare to show the wiring conduits.
“Stop!” Ronan yelled, his voice echoing through the open area. He fired a warning shot but the boys ducked and kept running.
Ronan dropped her hand and kept running, pumping his arms. Alivia kept up as best as she could but her muscles still weren’t functioning one hundred percent. As they passed through one area into another, all of sudden, two beefy thugs came flying toward Ronan.
“Watch out!” she screamed. That was all the warning she could give as Ronan was smashed between the two men.
The blaster gun fell out of his hand, clattering onto the metal floor plates. Ronan staggered for a bit, clearly stunned by the force of the attack. He managed to gather his wits enough to counterattack, punching left and then right, his strikes hard and fierce. The two brutes stumbled back and Ronan pulled the other gun out of his waistband. Alivia felt helpless as she watched him shoot and stun one of the men but the other, the one behind him, shoved him so hard the gun went flying, landing close to where she stood. She stared at it.
Ronan turned and the two men began pounding on each other. She flinched with every thud, each time Ronan stumbled or fell. And even though he was holding his own, blood began to run down his face. She wondered how much longer he could hold on.
She shot another look at the gun, and before she could second-guess herself, she bent and scooped it up. Aiming it was easy but she hesitated on pulling the trigger. She’d never hurt anyone before. She didn’t know if she could hurt anyone now.
Ronan delivered another round of hard hits on the thug, and as she stood there deliberating whether or not she could fire the weapon, the thug went down and didn’t move.
Panting and sweating, Ronan backed away from the two fighters, making sure they stayed down. Then he turned to her and she saw his dark eyes, wide and wild. She saw his eyes slide to the gun in her hands and he took two strides to her side. He wrenched it out of her hand and stuck it back into his waistband before yanking her into his arms and crashing his mouth down onto hers.
This kiss was completely different than the other she’d experienced. This kiss was potent, hot, and electrified all her nerve endings. His lips dominated her and yet his hands held her tenderly. She opened her mouth and his tongue slipped inside, curling around her own in a dance of seduction. He pulled her body into his and she felt his erection fit snugly against her stomach. She rubbed against him, as her body ignited. Wetness drenched her panties and she moaned as she grabbed onto his hips.
His mouth slanted off hers to trail kisses over her cheek to her ear. He sucked the lobe into the wet depths while his tongue teased the soft skin on her neck.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded, unable to form words.
/> “I should take you back to the ship,” he murmured. “It’s too dangerous for you.”
That sobered her up. She pushed him away. “No! I want to go with you.”
He ran a hand through his hair and pointed at the two men still out cold. “Christ, Alivia. Max is a sadistic motherfucker. I don’t know what he’s doing on this station but having bodyguards like this is a sure sign he’s not hosting a tea party!”
She flinched, as if he’d struck her. But after a second she thrust her chin up. “And we’re wasting time.”
He studied her for a long moment and she could see the indecision wavering in his dark eyes. She didn’t flinch, she didn’t blink. She refused to show any weakness because, even though she was terrified and shaking in her shoes, she didn’t want to be weak. Weakness had put her in that cryo coffin.
“Hell,” he said with a sigh and then he cupped her face, tilting her face up toward him. “This is so not the fucking place to kiss you again. But when we get Noah back we’re going to talk. The three of us.”
“A–all right,” she said.
“I won’t play games, Alivia. I know you have a secret and I half suspect what it is. But I also believe in honesty, all right?”
“All right,” she agreed, although she was slightly worried by his words.
He ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip before stepping back to take her hand. As they walked by the two knocked-out men, he bent and scooped up his other gun.
“Let’s go get our boy back.”
* * * *
His blood pumped through his veins, partly from the fight he’d just won but mostly from the woman beside him. He’d felt damn lucky that he’d found Noah, that fate had blessed him with finding love when he thought he’d be alone forever. Growing up the bastard of a high-born lord and a whore, he’d been an outcast in his own skin.
Sleeping Beauty (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 8
