“Resuming course.”
He should send an update to his father, but there really wasn’t anything to report. Not until he had the items in hand and had gleaned all the information he could from the seller. Until then, it was a waiting game.
His renowned patience was running thin on this mission. Sass was just the distraction he needed.
He pulled on his flightsuit and boots before retrieving her knives from the wall. They’d gone in to the hilt. The sight made him grin, something that would have shocked those who knew him. He wasn’t exactly known for his good humor.
He flicked his thumb along the sharp edge. The blades were of good quality. How had she obtained them? Had she bought them herself or had the person who’d hired her provided them?
The panel opened and she stepped out, fully dressed, her duffle bag in her hand. He’d known she wouldn’t try to hide from him. Not her style.
“You can leave it here, if you’d like?”
Her eyes narrowed at the obvious challenge. It was a gamble, but not too great a one. Everything he’d learned about her screamed she’d take the bait. And if she didn’t? No harm done. He’d find another way to see what was inside.
She strode to the bed, upended the bag, and dropped the contents on the bed. “Why don’t you look through everything now? It will save you the trouble of snooping around later.”
“If you’d like.” The air snapped with her anger, but she kept it under tight control. Impressive.
He held her blades out to her, surprising her.
“You sure you want to do that?” she asked. “I may decide not to miss next time.”
“I’ll take my chances.” He held them toward her until she took them and slid them back into their hidden sheaths almost faster than he could see.
“You’re either brave or stupid,” she shot back.
“I prefer the former.”
She gave a delicate snort. “I’m sure you do.”
Keeping one eye on her, he started to dig through her belongings. If she’d thought to make him feel guilty, she’d quickly learn that such emotions were beyond him. He did whatever was necessary to get the job done and to survive. None of his actions kept him from his sleep.
The clothing was similar to what she wore—black in color and decent construction but with no real protection. He ran his hands over the fabric, seeking out any hidden pockets. His fingers lingered over a pair of underwear. They were serviceable, like the rest of her clothing, but they still had his heart pumping faster and his dick getting hard.
“You done fondling my panties?” The smirk on her face had him clamping down hard on his jaw to keep from smiling.
“Just about.” He ran the fabric along his jaw and inhaled sharply. “You haven’t worn these yet.” They didn’t carry her distinct sweet and spicy essence.
Her nostrils flared and her pupils dilated. “No, I haven’t. Can we get on with this?”
In no mood to hurry, as she was so much fun to tease, he shook his head. “Not done yet.” He folded the garment and held it up. “I’ll trade you these for the ones you’re wearing.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Hands on her hips, her glare was hot enough to burn his flesh.
He shot her a quick grin. “Maybe.” Engaging in byplay with her certainly got his blood thumping. It was something he never did, totally out of character.
Reality descended with a hard thud. He tossed the panties aside and went back to work. He examined the bag next, finding nothing out of the ordinary. There were more weapons—two garrotes, disguised as a necklace and bracelet, four more knives, and two blasters. He took every weapon apart and examined it carefully.
“See, there’s nothing there.”
Of course, there wasn’t. She was too smart to allow him to look if there was.
He repacked the bag, paying extra attention to her underwear just to see if she’d blush. It was slight, but her cheeks had a slight flush to them.
“You’re carrying it.”
“Carrying what?” She grabbed her bag off the bed and shoved it under the platform.
“Whatever it is you don’t want me to see. Does it have anything to do with Zaxe?”
Her lack of expression screamed he was right. She was too composed, too careful. “No.”
The slight inflection in her tone, the quick flick of her gaze away said otherwise. Not many others would have picked up on the signs, but he wasn’t just anyone. “Liar.”
She flinched and rolled her shoulders. “So what if it is a lie? It’s none of your business.”
“You’re on my ship. It is my business. Whatever is going on with you could affect my mission.”
Her weight shifted from one foot to the other before she settled into a stance that would allow her to move fast in any direction. “You know I plan to win the auction. What else is there?” She seemed genuinely bewildered. That intrigued him even more.
“Why do you need to win so badly? Is Zaxe one of the people who might die if you don’t?” It all made sense. “Is he your lover?” Had she slept with him only to protect another man?
Rage threatened to blind him. A roar built in his ears. Her lips were moving but he couldn’t hear her over the raging sound. He shook his head. “What?” he snarled.
She took a step back and swallowed, her delicate throat rippling. “No, he’s not my lover.”
“Then who is he?” It shouldn’t matter, but it did. Spear stalked over to her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her up onto her toes. Leaning down so they were nose to nose, he repeated his question. “Who is he?”
“My brother.”
****
She’d seen Spear in several tense, life-and-death situations, but she’d never seen him angry until now. His fury was a living, breathing thing. And though she’d never admit it aloud, it scared the crap out of her.
Beneath the calmness he wore like a second skin was a primal beast trying to break free.
He was breathing heavily, his massive chest heaving. The hands on her shoulders tightened, but he didn’t hurt her. A muscle ticked in his hard jaw. It was fascinating to watch him rein himself back in. Not many people had that much control.
But beneath the rage, she saw something else. Hurt? Pain? Did the thought of her being with another man upset him so much? Most wouldn’t care as long as they got what they wanted.
She gripped his wrists, not surprised to discover his skin was almost hot to the touch. This was the ideal time to push him away, to rebuild her emotional walls, but fool that she was, she didn’t want to.
And honestly, what would it hurt to be truthful with him? She was on borrowed time. This mission might be a success, but her days were numbered. Artemis had made her the scapegoat for the Gravasians.
“Zaxe is my brother.”
Spear sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. His fingers eased their hold, and he took a step back.
“You have a brother?”
She nodded. “And a sister. Not by blood.”
Reaching into one of the sheaths built into her clothes, she retrieved a knife. There was a slit at the base of the hilt. She stuck her thumbnail into it and pulled, revealing a compartment. The hologram was the only one she had of the three of them. The tiny metal disk was scraped and worn from being handled so often and carried for so long. She returned the knife and then carefully activated it, her fingers shaking. An image was projected above the disk. The three of them were ten years younger, when it had been created.
“It was taken just before I went out on my first job. Delphi managed to swipe one of the guard’s forbidden communication devices. We created a hologram for each of us and then deleted everything without being caught. It was a dangerous and stupid thing to do.”
“Why dangerous?”
“We’d have all been beaten if we’d been caught.” She needed to make him understand. “There are no images of any of us. Ever. Even our communicators are heavily encrypted and basic voice-only with no vide
o feed.” She held out the hologram, needing him to see her family. “This is Zaxe and Delphi. They are truly brother and sister.”
He studied it, his gaze flicking to her and then back to the picture. “How did you meet?”
She curled her fingers around her prized possession and the image winked out. She held it to her heart. “It’s a long story.”
“We have time.” The hint of sympathy in his voice almost broke her.
She nodded, busying herself with returning the item to its proper place. “I need something to eat if I’m going to spill my guts,” she told him when she could reply without losing it.
And she needed a couple of minutes to regroup. Showing him the hologram had been more difficult than she’d thought. It left her feeling raw and vulnerable in a way she hadn’t since she was a very small child.
Maybe she should have brazened her way through this, but a part of her wanted to share with Spear, wanted someone else to know about her family in case the worst happened.
“This way.” The door opened when he approached it. He stood in the opening and indicated she should go ahead of him.
It went against all her training to allow someone at her back, but she was literally captive on the ship. Wasn’t like she was going anywhere.
“Are we back on course?” They couldn’t afford to lose any time if they were going to make Oasis in time.
“We are.”
She heaved a sigh of relief and walked ahead of him, ignoring the prickly sensation that ran down her spine.
“In case that gives you ideas, if I don’t check in every two hours, the computer will shut down all but life support.”
She turned and patted his cheek. “You’re not just another pretty face.”
His gaze narrowed but then a slow smile spread across his face. Her heart stuttered before it began to race. The man was handsome enough when he was his brooding, taciturn self. When he smiled? It was too much for any woman to resist.
Oh, he wasn’t pretty or good-looking in a classical sense, but there was something compelling about the raw masculine strength he exuded that drew her.
“In here.” He pointed toward a panel that opened. The galley was small but efficient. She seated herself at the small metal table that was bolted to the center of the space. The bench seat was also bolted into place. Like the control room, most of the items here were recognizable, just not a style she’d seen before.
In no time, he had two beverages and two bowls of food in front of them. Her stomach growled.
“When did you last eat?”
She shrugged and grabbed the utensil and dug in. “I can’t remember.” She’d been rushing around Oasis after she’d regained consciousness, and then on her mad dash to Zardas 4, she’d been too worried to eat much beyond grabbing a couple of nutritional bars.
This thick stew was spicy and delicious. She dug in, enjoying it along with several pieces of flatbread. It didn’t even appall her that she was shoveling the food in almost too fast to eat. She was starving.
She was a long way from the frightened child who’d scavenged the garbage bins and alleys of Ramos 3, but some lessons didn’t fade. She could go long stretches without food, but when it was available, she consumed it before it was taken away or grabbed by someone else. Being with Artemis had only reinforced those lessons.
Food was often used as a reward or punishment.
Spear stood and went back to one of the dispensers and returned with another bowl of the stew and more bread. He placed it in front of her and then sat.
His meal done, he sat across from her, his hands flat on the table. There was no shock or disgust on his face, just a quiet acceptance. “You’ve gone hungry.” It wasn’t a question but a statement of fact.
The food she’d eaten sat in a huge lump in her stomach. Self-consciousness crept over her. She pushed the empty bowl away but kept the full one close.
“Computer, allow Sass all access to galley.”
“Allowing access.”
Tears once again made her eyes burn, but she didn’t allow them to fall. This man touched the softer parts of herself that she kept protected from everyone but her family. Feelings made you vulnerable, gave you a weakness to be exploited.
“You don’t need to do that,” she protested, even as her stomach clenched. The fear of starvation never fully went away, even after all these years.
“It’s done. When did you go hungry?”
Telling her life story wasn’t something she’d ever done before. Artemis hadn’t cared. Zaxe and Delphi had gotten bits and pieces over the years as trust had grown among them. Spear would be the first to hear the entire tale at once.
Knowing she was going to die was making her fatalistic. Maybe it was time to tell someone.
“I barely remember my mother. Times were hard. I went hungry a lot. I remember her holding me at night when it was cold outside.” Funny how she’d forgotten that. Closing her eyes, she sought the memory, the gentle hands and soft touch. “She always made sure I ate first when we had food.” No matter what had happened, her mother had cared for her. A sense of peace spread over her heart. Pushing away the difficult memories had also lost her the good ones.
When she opened her eyes, Spear was staring at her, his eyes burning with intensity, his hands fisted on the table. “No woman or child should go hungry. Where was it?”
His anger was on her behalf. The knots in her stomach loosened somewhat. “Ramos 3.”
“That’s a rough planet.”
As an adult, she’d been to worse, but Ramos 3 still loomed large in her nightmares. “It was all I knew. One day, my mother never came back. She’d hide me in the days and seek out food and whatever else she could scavenge. I stayed in the little spot behind a recycling bin for three days before hunger finally drove me out.”
“Do you know what happened to her?” His voice was gentler than she’d ever heard.
She blinked and stared over his shoulder, unable to meet his penetrating gaze. “No.” Sucking in a breath, she hurried on. “I survived the best I could. And one day, I picked a woman’s pocket, or tried to. She looked rich. I only took from those who looked as though they could afford it.” Her mother had taught her that. Never take from those who couldn’t afford to lose it.
“You weren’t successful, I take it?”
“No, she caught me. Rather than turn me in to the authorities, she made me an offer. I could go with her and she’d feed and clothe and teach me.”
“And you went?” Again, there was no judgment, but she felt the need to defend her choice.
“I was a starving child. If she turned me over to the authorities, I would have ended up dead in prison or worse.”
“Worse?”
“Sometimes the young girls and boys were sold to brothels to pay their debt.”
“By the depths of Gravas,” he muttered. “Some men do not deserve to live.”
Everything inside her stilled and suddenly all the pieces fell into place—the differences in the ship, the interest in and knowledge about the items being auctioned, his determination to succeed.
“You’re Gravasian.”
And he was an assassin. A Gravasian assassin. The most dangerous in the world.
She’d thought she’d have more time, but she’d walked straight into his clutches and right on to his ship. She’d delivered herself to her executioner.
Chapter Seven
Spear cursed the slip of his tongue. It was a first, and a sure sign of how far she’d gotten under his skin. But thinking of her as a child—hungry, lost, and alone—was too much. He wanted to go to Ramos 3 and obliterate those ruling the world.
“I’m an idiot. Anything that seems too good to be true always is.” The bitterness in her tone stung like acid.
“No, you’re not an idiot.” If anything, she was too perceptive.
“So when are you going to kill me?” The matter-of-fact way she spoke of her own death bothered him, even as he understood it. All assas
sins comprehended that the likelihood of them dying on a mission was a given. There was always someone better. Which was why he never stopped training.
“I’m not.” It would be the end of him if he did.
She jerked back as though he’d hit her. “I didn’t think you were cruel.”
“You believe I’m lying?”
“Gravasian assassins are legendary. Everyone knows that you’re sent out to deal with any threat to your people. I’m a threat. If I get to that auction, I will win. I have to. You have no choice but to eliminate me.”
“Tell me about Artemis.” That was the key to all of this.
“Why should I?” Most people in her position would be groveling, begging for their lives. But his Sass was making demands.
“Maybe we can find a way to both get what we want?” It went against every rule he’d lived by for his entire life. For no one else would he risk his honor. If he did this and failed, if she double-crossed him, his life was forfeit.
And he’d have it no other way. If his judgment was that bad, he deserved his fate.
“You’re serious?” Her disbelief wasn’t a surprise. Gravasian assassins had no mercy. He had no mercy. Not when it came to the protection of his family and world.
“Tell me about Artemis,” he repeated.
Sass laced her fingers together. He pretended not to notice they were trembling. She pretended not to notice that he noticed.
“She took me to her base. She has homes on various remote Alliance planets but spends a lot of time on her ship. It’s a moving community, filled with people like me. She runs a network of assassins for hire.”
He’d heard of such an operation but hadn’t known who was behind it. He filed the name and information away to be passed on to Gravasian Command.
“She plucks kids like me—desperate and alone—off our worlds and takes us to hers. It was great for the first while. I had a place to sleep, food, and even a basic education. I was encouraged to make friends with several other kids.”
“Zaxe and Delphi?” This Artemis was extremely clever.
“Yes. They’re actually brother and sister, twins, originally from Zaxus. They were away from their home planet when their parents were set upon and killed by a group of thieves. They managed to fight long enough for their kids to escape. But then they were left on a strange world with no money or way to communicate with their home. Artemis found them.”
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