“Shit. Do you know how many there are?”
Even as annoyed as she was with his tone, she knew he was her best chance out of there now.
“There were only two in the room. I didn’t see anyone else.”
He muttered under his breath and pulled her in front of him, releasing her arm. “Didn’t you check on guards?”
“I didn’t see any, and I wasn’t going to hunt any up.”
He snorted, but said nothing else as he ushered her down the hall. Picking up speed, she began running, his footsteps sounding behind her.
“Turn right,” he said when they reached another corner. She complied, but shots rang out behind them as they turned the corner. “Dammit. Pick it up, Mila; we gotta get to the ship.”
She looked over her shoulder and would have cursed at him, but that was when she noticed the guard droids hot on their tails. Damn. Droids were the worst because they could care less about getting hit. Flesh-colored rubber covered the metallic base. Once they spotted you, you were shit out of luck. They just came at you until they malfunctioned. Another rain of shots bounced off the walls, sparks flying off the metal. She turned her attention to the expanse of hallway in front of her. Using every ounce of the adrenaline pumping through her, she concentrated on getting the hell out of there.
“Mila, get to the end of the hall, hook a left,” he shouted over the continued gunfire. She could barely hear him, but she knew better than to slow down or stop. She nodded. “The doors to the hangar are there. No code, it should open. Can you start the craft?”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t even think to argue. It wasn’t a new situation for her, and she knew how to handle herself -- probably better than he would expect. As she turned the corner, she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye. He stood, legs braced apart, the butt of his firearm against his waist as he held off the droids. A thrill of heat lanced down her spine, but she ignored it and ran to the craft.
Knowing their time was limited, she rushed up the ramp leading into the craft. She didn’t even pause to sigh over the fact he had a Spindel 9345, black and gold, the latest and fastest of the smaller crafts. Once on board, she checked out the confines, reassuring herself no one had snuck on board. When she reached the cockpit, she jumped into the captain’s seat and flipped a few switches. The engines flared just as her friend came rushing toward the craft, a barrage of shots bouncing off the walls around him, a few even hitting the ship. He disappeared beneath the front of the ship and a moment later she heard his footsteps on the ramp. She pushed the switch to close it as soon as she heard him inside the ship.
Droids began pouring into the bay area as they continued to fire on the ship. Knowing it was only a matter of time before they hit something vital, she decided to take off without waiting for her “savior” to get to the cockpit. She flipped a few more switches and took hold of the steering mechanism. The thrust of the engines was almost deafening in the small bay, even from inside the ship. Ignoring it, she pulled the ship around, barely missing one of the walls.
A crash sounded in the back of the craft.
“Where the fuck did you learn to fly?”
She ignored his comment as she flew out of the bay, sliding between the closing doors. As she sped away, she checked the sensors, noting that they didn’t seem to have a tail. They apparently didn’t expect her to have a way out of there, and if it hadn’t been for her friend, they would have been right.
Angry footsteps sounded behind her.
“Woman, you don’t know how to fly.”
Glancing back at him, she noticed a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. She smiled sweetly.
“Bash your head?”
His eyes narrowed. “Yeah, thanks to your flying skills. Get up. I’ll take it from here.”
She wanted to argue, but the look on his face said he might just punch her. After hitting the autopilot, she stood and moved aside to let him take the seat. Their bodies brushed and hers reacted. It was really normal after what they had been through, the adrenaline coursing through her, the thrill of the chase. Not to mention the masculine scent of him -- musky, sweaty man.
Oh, Lord. Her nipples tightened. She loved a man who liked action, in and out of the bedroom. Arousal hummed through her. Reminding herself it was just an occupational hazard didn’t seem to help. Mila always liked a good chase and a good fuck afterward. But the moment passed as he collapsed in the chair. He apparently was oblivious to the sizzle she felt.
“Now, I remember why I avoid debutantes.”
Mila didn’t bother hiding her irritation. She was thankful he’d shown up when he did, but she knew she’d have figured out a way to get out of there. She always did.
“I didn’t ask for your help.”
For a few seconds, her friend said not a word. Then he leaned in, bringing his face within inches of hers. Even irritated as she was, she couldn’t help but notice that he was a beautiful man with high cheekbones, dreadlocks, blacker-than-sin eyes, and full, sensuous lips, even if those lips were sneering at her. He almost made her sigh. He’d taste as good as fresh strawberries in spring. Dressed all in black, his shirt clung to the contours of his chest, accentuating his pecs.
She’d love to run her hands, her mouth over his chest. Another flash of heat spiraled through her. Liquid heat filled her stomach and then dropped between her legs. She shifted, the fabric of her pants rubbing against her already-sensitized skin. Lord, she would love to have him, take him, be taken by him. The hum of arousal strengthened, her pussy throbbed. It was a fantasy that she definitely wanted to bring to reality.
Then he ruined it by opening his mouth.
“Guess what, Mila? I don’t care. I’m doing a favor. One I don’t want to do. If I were you, I’d sit down and shut the fuck up, or I’ll make sure you can’t talk one way or another.”
Chapter Two
His head throbbing, John leaned back in the chair, relishing the fact that he’d finally achieved something he would have thought impossible just a few moments earlier: a speechless Mila.
Unfortunately, it didn’t last. “What’s your name?”
“John Hunter.”
She paused. He knew she was trying to think of something to say, formulating a way to irritate him. Women like her always did. He closed his eyes, hoping to ward off her verbal attack.
“Well, Mr. Hunter, apparently you’ve been misinformed.” Her tone was as sassy as that cute ass of hers. “I come and go as I please. See, apparently you missed it, but a few centuries ago, women gained certain rights. You know, we do have brains, and I’m not going anywhere with you. Drop me off on Gedreia. I’ll take it from there.”
Jesus, she never shut up. And she was loud. He’d forgotten her father had been American. That accent of hers was irritating the hell out of him. To top it off, the gash in his head hurt like hell. And with each word she uttered, his head throbbed.
Small-boned, Mila probably fooled a lot of people. If she never opened her mouth, a person would think she was delicate. Debutantes. He particularly hated high-maintenance women. Opening one eye, he studied a fuming Mila. Yep, high-maintenance.
He closed his eye. “Mila, Lord Westing wants you home on Earth, ASAP. I don’t want to be bothered by him again. I’ve more important things to do.”
He just hoped he hadn’t missed his meeting with Robbie Masters. And if he didn’t get back to his job, there would be hell to pay. His attraction to her was confusing and unfortunate. He didn’t get it. She wasn’t his type.
Pain in the ass, tiny, and a mouth big enough to drive him up the wall, but he was attracted all the same. There was a moment when their bodies had brushed that he’d wanted nothing better than to bend down and devour her in one huge bite. He sighed. It had to be the adrenaline. Any woman would have turned him on. It didn’t help that she was gorgeous and smelled like sin.
“I don’t care what he wants. I have ... stuff to do. Much more important than reassuring your fathe
r.”
“I don’t care what party you have, what your plans are. You’re going to Earth. He wants you there, and I want him off my back.”
There was silence for a few seconds, but it didn’t last long. “I can handle myself.”
“Really? Yeah, you would’ve handled those fucking bastard droids by yourself.” He snorted, then opened his eyes. “What the hell were you doing there, anyway?”
She frowned. When she spoke, he didn’t miss the sarcasm lacing her words. “Let me see ... hmmm. Well, I thought it would be fun to be drugged and then kidnapped, threatened with rape because, oh, you know, I love the thrill of it all. Parties have just gotten so blah. It’s all the rage among the elite. Why, I heard last week that Lady Childress paid large sums of cash to be kidnapped.”
He controlled a bubble of laughter that threatened to escape. He didn’t want to have anything in common with her, but for some reason they seemed to have a similar sense of humor. Just the devilish spark in those jade eyes sent another wave of lust spiraling through him. He ground his teeth and didn’t say a word. With a huff, she stood and walked to the back of the craft.
“Where the hell are you going?”
He watched, transfixed by the sway of her hips. Her black suit hugged her like a second skin. The tumble of red curls kept rhythm with her ass as she walked.
“Don’t you Brits fall apart if you don’t have your damn tea on time?”
“You’re making tea?”
He wasn’t thinking straight, wasn’t even paying attention to what either of them was saying. There was something about a woman with generous hips and a full, rounded ass ... After much concentration, he was sure she wasn’t wearing anything beneath her pants.
The only thing that saved him from jumping her was that fucking mouth of hers.
“No, I’m not making tea, you jackass.”
She opened a few cabinets and then bent at the waist to grab something out of one of them. Jesus, she was one fine-looking woman. The pain lessened in his head as he tilted it one side to study the view she presented. He sighed. It had been a while since he’d had a woman. And no matter how irritating Mila might be, he would bet she was good in bed. Women like her tended to be -- they just weren’t worth all the baggage.
“I’m getting you something for your head.”
When she pulled her head out of the cabinet and unbent, she looked at him, where his attention was focused, and rolled her eyes.
“All men are the same.”
“No, we aren’t.”
She snorted as she walked forward. “Yes. Males, I should say.”
Stepping in front of him, between his outstretched legs, she leaned forward and looked at his wound. The scent of her, something musky, alluring, and damn arousing caused his head to spin. She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip while she looked him over. He wanted to taste her right there. Just to start with. Sharp and vicious, arousal speared through him. He loved full lips on a woman. The way they felt on his, as they glided over his skin, wrapped around his dick. Just that one thought sent a shot of heat through his blood, and his cock twitched.
“Tsk. That is pretty bad. We better clean it out. This might sting a little.”
She sprayed some antiseptic on his gash. The sharp flash of pain dimmed the pounding in his head and pushed aside any fantasies he’d conjured up.
“Bloody hell, woman.” His stomach roiled, and for a second, he thought he would embarrass himself.
She chuckled. “Ahh, again, just like a male. Shut up. Going to clean up some of the blood, then I’ll attach the fusing strips in a second.”
Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he weathered her ministrations. It took just a few moments, but by the time she was done, the pounding had intensified threefold.
“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
He grunted as he struggled to concentrate. But his mind kept moving away from the present ... drifting.
“Why don’t you lean back in your chair?” She moved to his side, as he complied with her suggestion. “This should just take a second, but it hurts a bit. And you don’t have any pain killers.”
As she placed the fusing strips on his head, his mind began to drift, his body floating. He had to keep his focus because there was no way in hell he was leaving his ship in Mila’s hands.
It was his last thought before his world faded to black.
* * * * *
Mila studied Hunter as they approached Gedreia. The iridescent lights from the control panel cast a strange glow on his skin. He’d been out cold for a couple of hours, and she was beginning to get worried. She didn’t know he’d pass out like that when she used the antiseptic/pain killer spray. Taking into account his muscle, with that height of his, she’d been surprised he’d been sleeping as long as he had. At first, she used it to her advantage, but her concern grew as he’d continued sleeping. And well, she figured she felt a little guilty for lying to him about the painkillers. Not much, but a little.
Sighing, she flipped a few switches and waited for approval for landing from the docking station. She hated this planet. It was barren, cold, and filled with some really scummy people. Scummier than she was used to and that meant a lot, considering some of the work she did.
Most of the planet was covered by huge fields of ice. Few places had inhabitants, but when they did, you didn’t want to know them. Creatures who chose to live in a place like this were best avoided. They represented some of the most degenerate criminals in the galaxy.
Her first assignment as a courier had brought her to the planet. She shivered, remembering just how badly that deal had gone south. It hadn’t been her fault, but it left her with more than a few nightmares. Since then, she’d refused anything attached to it. Robbie Masters, her supervisor, had made sure she hadn’t returned to the freaking planet.
Masters wasn’t going to like the latest developments. She knew her mission was a level eight. It was the highest security level they’d trusted her with. And just look how it got fucked up. She also knew that John Hunter was the name of a contact.
Damn. It figured. He was the go-to person on Dranirick, the supervisor for the quadrant, and a close personal friend of Masters. This would not look good on her report and damn Franklin for sending his son.
It wasn’t like it was her future stepfather’s fault. No one, not even her mother, knew of her work. Hell, she was referred to by number in the Agency. Hunter wouldn’t have any idea she was an agent. And now, all that was in jeopardy. If Hunter told his father, then his father told her mother ...
Christ. That would be a mess. Mila’s father had died while on assignment. Not that anyone had told her he had a secret life. It was by accident that she found some electronic files while cleaning out a vacation home her parents had kept on Venus. But she knew her mother wouldn’t be happy to know that her only child was now running with the same crew her father had before his murder.
The seat squeaked as Hunter moved, and she turned her attention to him. Relief mixed with apprehension as she watched his eyes open. Confusion soon cleared into annoyance as she watched the comprehension dawn.
Those same eyes narrowed, his gaze pinning her with a mean stare.
“You gave me something.”
He didn’t ask. Which, she had to admit, showed how shrewd he was.
She sniffled. “I am sooo sorry, Hunter. I didn’t mean for it to knock you out. Men will not take painkillers, and I thought it was just that. But apparently you had a reaction to it. I’ve been ever so worried.”
From the look on his face he wasn’t buying it, and she was worried she’d have to cry in a minute.
He shook his head and groaned. “Damn, now I’m groggy. Didn’t you worry I might have an allergic reaction to it, or something? You just hand out medicine willy-nilly?”
She put on her best I’m a stupid little rich girl smile. “I figured it was yours if it was on your ship.”
And she had needed him out of the way. She had wo
rk to do, and she didn’t want to be dragged back to Earth. From here, she could catch a hop to her destination.
“Cut the shit, Mila.”
Damn, busted. She didn’t like a man who could see through her act, and the only other one who had was Robbie. She frowned at Hunter.
“You might be able to pull that act with someone else, but it isn’t going to work with me. Now, where are we, and how much do I have to hurt you?”
She snorted and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. It annoyed her that she was attracted to him, but she never fell into bed with a wimp. As she watched him fiddle with the controls, his fingers moving over the switches with practiced grace, she had to admit he definitely wasn’t a pushover. And he was smart, which made it worse. The electronic voice of the computer at the docking station brought her out of her thoughts.
Prepare for docking.
“Docking?” He studied the landscape in front of them, then glanced at the computer readout, and cursed. “Mila! You went to Gedreia when I specifically told you not to. If you think I’m going to buy that act, think twice. I had your number the moment I met you.”
And, thought Mila, that might prove to be a problem.
* * * * *
His father owed him. He owed him big. Like never bothering him for the next decade big, thought Hunter. This woman wasn’t just high maintenance and a pain in the ass. She was going to get them killed.
“There is nothing wrong with Gedreia.” She had the nerve to sound offended.
Gedreia was spectacular, if you didn’t mind scum. And he had a feeling little Miss Mila Simmons wouldn’t like grubby little hands on her lily-white skin.
Flipping the switches to allow for computerized docking, he thought about the things he would have to go through to get them off-planet before the end of their day. Sighing, he realized it was going to be complicated. Gedreia had a three-day rule, meaning they could be stuck here awhile.
He was known here, and not in a good way. Last time he’d been here, he’d upset a few government officials by hauling off one of their members on charges of corruption and murder. It didn’t help that Nikiraki got off without punishment and now roamed free. The trail of dirty business and suspicious deaths of business associates had the Agency hopping to keep up. And thinking that reminded him of what his father had said about Nikiraki.
Hunting Mila Page 2
