by Susan Hayes
Erik rubbed his hands together and cracked a gleeful smile. “I’ve already been borrowing Bellex’s satellites to look for Livvy. Speaking of which, Bellex finally handed over her file.” He looked at Dax. “Shall I?”
“Do you have anything else to report, Dr. Li?”
She shook her head and reclaimed her seat, as did Dante. “I’m all out of intel.”
“Alright, Magi, you’re up. Tell the others what we know.”
Magi tapped the screen of his data tablet, and Tyra’s display vanished, replaced by an image of a young girl with a bright smile. “This is Olivia Worth. Age, fifteen years. Parents deceased. Her file was earmarked for ‘retrieval and training’ once she reached sixteen years old, which happens in a couple of weeks. According to her file, she will be required to work off her parents’ debts, which total more than one hundred thousand dollars once the interest is factored in.”
“Interest?” Tyra was horrified. Livvy wasn’t a good person by any stretch of the imagination, but no one deserved what Bellex was doing here.
“Her parents died eight years ago. These bastards have been charging her interest on her parents’ debt until she’s old enough to start working it off.”
Tyra stared at him. “Why is this allowed to happen?”
“It isn’t. Indentured service is allowed, but charging interest on the debts is not.” Dax stated. “Bellex screwed up when they gave us that file. It proves they’re breaking the law. Erben, send a copy of that to HQ and tag the relevant passages. I don’t want us getting sidetracked from our mission, but this needs to be looked into.”
“Yes, sir.” He tapped the screen once. “And…done.”
“Show off,” Dante muttered under his breath.
“Am not. I’m just efficient…and better than you,” Eric replied.
“Children…” Dax’s voice rumbled in warning, and it was all Tyra could do not to laugh. Even in the midst of dark news, the team still found a way to hold onto a little light.
Dante didn’t say another word, he merely glowered at Eric as he methodically cracked the knuckles of his right hand.
She leaned in and set her hand on Dante’s back. “Behave. You’re still on light duty. No kicking ass until I give you the green light.”
He looked down at her with affection. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Holy fraxx. She’s done the impossible,” Kurt said.
“They have to be pranking us. Magi, are you messing with the feed?” Aria demanded.
“Nope. That was live and recorded for posterity.” Magi could barely speak between gales of laughter.
Dante folded his arms across his chest and straightened, somehow making himself look even more massive than usual. “Laugh while you can. When I’m back on duty, I am going to kick all your asses.”
“And he’ll have my permission to do it,” Dax added. “Or do you think I’ve forgotten about the crap you put me through when Trin and I were figuring things out?”
The snickering and laughter stopped instantly.
“Do you have anything else to add, Erben?” Dax asked.
“One more thing. Thanks to Dante, we now have more information on Nico. I uh…acquired his file a little while ago, and no, you do not want to ask me how I did it, Commander.”
“Right. What did you learn?”
“Not much.” Eric waved his hand and the image of Livvy – Olivia – shimmered and vanished, to be replaced with a picture of younger and far happier looking Nico. “Meet Nicolas Martinez. Age eleven. Like Livvy, he’s an orphan with no listed next of kin. His debt load is also accruing interest, and by the time he comes of age, he’ll owe Bellex at least thirty-five years of labor to pay it back.”
“They can’t have him back.” The words left her lips before she could stop herself.
“We’re working on that,” Dax said. “None of us want him setting foot on that planet again.”
“Especially now we suspect the Grays are involved. They don’t leave loose ends.” Trinity said.
Dante wrapped an arm around her and hugged her to his side. “I’m not going to let anything happen to him, Shortcake. You have my word.”
She believed him. She didn’t know what the future held for her and Dante, or even for herself once this was over, but when it came to this, she was certain. Dante would protect Nico to his last breath, and so would she.
Chapter Fifteen
Dante sat in silence as Trinity took over the last part of the briefing, updating everyone on everything Oran had confessed to.
“The second I told him I knew who his family was and why he was on Bellex, he started talking. Honestly, I think he was relieved the truth was finally out,” Trinity said.
“What did he tell you? Did he know we were going to be attacked?” Tyra asked.
“He said he had no idea, and I believe him. I had Magi monitor the entire interview, complete with bio-scans I’ve already reviewed. There’s no indication he lied about anything.”
Tyra exhaled softly and sat a little farther back in her chair. She’d been wound too tightly since learning of Castille’s lies. Maybe this would help her unwind, at least a little. They were all pushing themselves. Well, everyone but him. He was still stuck on light duty, and it chafed him to be sitting idle while others had to take up the slack.
“So, what did he confess to?” Aria prompted.
“Mostly mundane issues. Lying about his reasons for applying to Boundless. He confirmed that his family bribed several people, including the doctor whose place he took on your team, Tyra.” Trinity gave her a sympathetic look.
“Wonderful. I guess I’ll be making another report to the Galactic Board of Health Professionals,” Tyra said.
He dropped his hand to her thigh and squeezed it gently. She flashed him a tiny smile of gratitude, then turned her attention back to Trinity.
“One thing that caught my attention was his admission he was there to get a sample of cobalt. That’s how Livvy came into the picture. She was his contact on the planet. He didn’t know how it had been arranged, but he was given her name and told she’d be bringing him a sample. Only by the time she was hired, the supply was already drying up and she couldn’t get it for him.”
“Did he know what it was? What it did?” Kurt asked.
“He had a fair idea, yeah,” Trinity confirmed. “Apparently, Bardeaux discovered it was being tested on Bellex 3, and they wanted to get their hands on it. He was the perfect spy, because he’s never worked for Bardeaux Starliners or any of their affiliates, and isn’t part of their social circle, either. He didn’t want to do it, but they blackmailed him. Something about a cheating scandal at his college that his family paid to cover up.”
“Being rich certainly has advantages. No insult intended, Caldwell.” Dante had grown up resenting people who had everything offered to them without having to work for it. It wasn’t until he’s joined the IAF he’d met a different kind of rich kid—the ones who chose to refuse to toe the family’s line and walked away from them, and the money it offered. Cris, whose full name was actually Crispin Charles Caldwell the fifteenth, had left a powerful family, and eventually so had his little sister. Having met the family at Alyson’s wedding not long ago, Dante could see why neither sibling had stuck around. Their parents were the most judgemental and unhappy people he’d ever met.
Cris scoffed. “No offense taken. There are times I miss some of those advantages.”
Dax rapped his knuckles on the table. “Stay on task, guys. Bardeaux knew about cobalt. What it was, and where it was being tested. What does that tell us?”
“That at least one of them is connected to the group that developed it,” Aria stated.
“And they decided to use that information to their own ends. Want to bet we have a dead Bardeaux executive show up in the next few weeks?” Dante added. They didn’t have much hard intel on the Gray Men, but they didn’t tolerate anyone stepping out of line with their agenda.
“No bet,” Eric said with
a shake of his head.
“I’ll let the Colonel know. If anyone from that company dies, for any reason, she’ll need to open an investigation.”
“If things get any busier, the brass are going to need to commission another Nova Force team,” Dante said.
“I think that’s already being arranged. With us stationed on the Drift now, there’s room for another team at HQ.” Dax ran a hand through his dark hair, and for a moment his expression darkened. “These are rough times, and it’s not going to get better any time soon. If we don’t do our jobs, it might never get better. The corporations are at each other’s throats. There are rumblings another corporate war is coming. And now we’ve got more problems that link back to the Gray Men.” He got to his feet. “We’re the last line of defense. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t plan on standing by and letting them tear the galaxy apart again.”
Dante rose with the rest of them. “No, sir!”
“Not on our watch.”
“Not happening, sir.”
Even Tyra stood, her voice softer than the others but filled with the same determination. “Never.”
Dante looked down at her, taking in her fierce expression, the hard line of her jaw, the set of her shoulders. She was beautiful. Glorious, and in his eyes, utterly perfect. His stomach dropped, his heart raced, and his entire world shifted, re-centering itself around Tyra.
Fraxxing hell. He was in love. The thought sent his heart slamming against his ribs so hard he expected the others to hear it and comment. He wanted to lift her up, kiss her senseless, and tell her how he felt. He also wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go, because if he did, he wouldn’t be able to protect her. He looked over at his commander, standing with the woman he loved at his side. How the hell did the two of them do this?
He reached down and rested his hand on the curve of Tyra’s back. He’d ask Dax how he managed it once he’d gotten a few minutes alone with Tyra. There was something he needed to say, first.
After the briefing, Tyra lingered for a moment to talk to Eric. “Would you please send me over a copy of Nico’s file?”
“Anything for you, gorgeous.” He winked and dropped into a low, dramatic bow.
“Quit flirting with my woman!” Dante bellowed, his heavy footfalls making the floor shudder as he stomped toward them.
“Gotta go! The file will be on your computer shortly.” Eric took off at a brisk jog, keeping the table between himself and Dante as he headed for the door.
“You can stop growling now, he’s gone. Besides, he only flirts with me to get a rise out of you.” She turned to smile up at Dante as he reached her side. “And who said I was yours?”
“I said so.” He hauled her up against his hard body and kissed her hotly, his lips branding hers.
She didn’t argue with him. Wouldn’t have tried even if she had the breath to speak. She hadn’t belonged anywhere, or to anyone, since her father’s death. She went where she was needed, to whatever place she could do the most good. But being needed wasn’t the same as being desired, and for once, she wanted more. She wanted a small portion of happiness for herself, too.
It was a long time before he finally raised his head and loosened his hold on her enough for her to be able to lean back to look up at him. “You are mine, aren’t you, Tyra?”
She lay her hand over his heart and nodded. “For this moment, right here and now, I’m yours. I don’t know what the future holds, though, or how—”
He cut her off with another kiss that lasted even longer than the first one. “We’ll figure it out. Just like we’re going to figure out how to protect Nico. All I needed to know is that you’re with me, Shortcake.”
Joy filled her, like tiny, shimmering bubbles of pure light. “I am. Are you with me?”
“To the end of the universe and back.”
She grabbed hold of his uniform with both hands and pulled herself onto her toes. Even then, she couldn’t reach high enough to kiss him, but he cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her until she closed the gap between them. Even as she kissed him, she knew there were a hundred reasons it could never work out, but for now, she wouldn’t let it stop her from stealing a few moments of happiness. For now, she belonged. To the team, to this mission, and to Dante.
He started walking without letting go of her or even breaking their kiss. When they got to the door, she expected him to put her down, but he didn’t even slow his pace.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.
“My quarters.”
“Why?”
He uttered a low, dramatic groan. “I think I need to go back to bed, Dr. Li. Immediately, and possibly for the rest of the day. As my physician, you really should come with me and make sure I’m not having a relapse.”
She pointed in the opposite direction from the one he was headed and struggled not to laugh. “If you’re having a relapse we should be going to the med-bay, not your room.”
“My bed’s bigger. Also, the door locks.”
“I usually charge extra for house calls.”
He stopped long enough to kiss her again. “I’ll pay in orgasms. What’s this gonna cost me?”
Her entire body lit up like a torch at his rough words. Her clit throbbed, her nipples tightened, and her next breath came out as a soft moan. “At least two.”
“You’re undercharging. How about three?”
A flood of raw need hit her system like a drug, driving everything else from her mind. “Yes, please.”
Dante broke into a jog and navigated the rest of the distance without stopping once, even pacing during the short ride in the mag-lift. He keyed in the code to his door and hustled them both inside, then spun around to press her up against the door for a hard, demanding kiss the moment it closed.
She was already working on the fastenings of his uniform, eager to get him out of his clothes and into bed. She wasn’t in her right mind, and for once, she didn’t care. Reality and duty would call them back soon enough. Until then, there was just the two of them and the shining start of something wonderful.
“Need you naked. Now.” He grabbed her shirt in his fists and tugged.
“Borrowed clothes. Don’t tear them,” she reminded him.
He uttered a frustrated grunt. “Then take them off quickly.”
“This would go faster if you put me down.” She pulled the shirt over her head, gasping when he palmed one of her breasts in his hand the second it was bare.
She was still trying to get the shirt off when the distinctive chirp of a comm filled the room.
“Fraxx. I need to take this. It’s the commander. I’ll go voice only.”
Her head was still swaddled in her shirt as he set her down and stepped away. The moment she had her bearings, she pulled her shirt back down.
“Strak here. What is it, sir?”
“I forgot to tell you before the briefing ended, West and I would like you to sit in on our next meeting with the Bellex reps. Think the doctor will clear you for that?”
“Let me ask her. Shortcake, am I allowed to sit and look threatening during a boring meeting with some cranky corporate types, or would you rather I stay in my quarters with you?” The cocky son of a starbeast actually grinned as he outed her.
She made an obscene gesture with both hands before answering in the steadiest voice she could muster. “Since you’re clearly over your sudden relapse, I see no reason why you can’t attend the meeting.”
“Dr. Li? Sorry for disturbing your uh, medical consultation with the sergeant. Dante, if you’re fit for duty, we’ll meet you in briefing room two in fifteen minutes.”
“I can make that work. See you then, sir.”
He flicked off the device, dropped it onto the nearest flat surface, then raked his gaze over her. “We’ve got thirteen minutes. Why are you still dressed?”
“I can’t believe you did that! Now he knows where I am and what we were going to do.”
He undid the last fe
w fastenings on his uniform and shrugged out of it, then dropped it on the floor. “Not were. Am. I remember promising you three orgasms. If you don’t get naked, we’re only going to have time for two.”
“But you told your commander—!”
He stood directly in front of her, bare-chested, feet planted, his thumbs caught in the waistband of his pants. “I did. I’m tempted to stand in the middle of this ship and yell the news to the stars, too. You said you’re mine, Tyra Li. I’m not keeping that a secret. It’s not like they didn’t know about us already. I was just making it official.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. He never claimed to be a subtle man. She shouldn’t have expected him to be any different about this. She pulled her shirt over her head again and tossed it on the floor with his. “Next time, could you try to be a little lower key? It’s bad enough Magi was grinning like a lunatic when he spotted me sneaking out of your room this morning. Now, I’m going to blush the next time I see Dax.”
He wrapped her in his arms and nuzzled her hair. “He’s happy for us. No need to be embarrassed about that. I cheered him on when he and Trinity found their way back to each other. He’s just returning the favor.” He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. “Enough talk. Get naked.”
That was one order she was happy to comply with. Bellex, the mission, and all her questions would still be there later. This moment was about the two of them, and nothing else.
She stripped out of her clothes as quickly as she could, but Dante was faster. Her pants were tangled up with her shoes when he moved in behind her and gently pushed her forward onto the bed.
She landed on her hands and knees and immediately glanced back to look at him. “Was that necessary? We’re not in that much of a hurry.”
