by Elle Thorne
How strange that they had vehicles, and then these animals, too. It was a blend of a world that had a foot planted firmly in its past and at the same time, reaching toward its future.
She found Caayn studying her face.
“You’ve never seen maccorans?” He indicated out of the front window.
“Is that what those are called?” she asked.
“We don’t have them on Zama. They are native to Janus.”
“And how are your cars—do you even call them cars—powered?”
“I don’t think you did any research of life on Janus, did you?” A smile played on his lips, but it wasn’t filled with mirth.
Why did it seem self-deprecating? Didn’t he realize her lies had nothing to do with him? That they weren’t personal?
Yeah, how is he supposed to not take that personally when I take it personally that he’s recoiling from me?
“I confess. I didn’t look at anything regarding Janus.”
“You are in for a shock.”
She frowned, frustrated by the accusation in his tone. “Did you study anything about Earth?”
“I was not the one who was moving to a new place to build a new life with my fiancé. On a planet that I knew nothing about.”
“Touché.”
His face was grim again. “I’m not trying to attack you.”
“No matter. I deserve it. For lying to you.”
“You did what you could so you could be with your man.”
She glanced down. She couldn’t bear the look in his eyes. “You must think I’m a total skank. Kissing you…”
“I think you’re a damned good actress.”
That stung.
“I’ll take you up to the room they have set up for us. Then I’ll get to finding Porter. To helping you get on with the rest of your life.”
Suddenly that life didn’t seem something she was anxious to pursue.
Against everything her heart was telling her, Smyrna nodded.
Caayn finding Porter would set her free. Then maybe…
She looked into his eyes and knew better.
Chapter Thirty
Smyrna peered out the windows at the city before her.
It was a city of glass and bronze, interspersed with a shiny gray metal. Steel?
Their suite was almost in the clouds it seemed. Clouds that up close, had a tinge of purple to them. The prettiest purple she’d ever seen.
When a strong breeze blew the clouds apart, she could see the city beneath. The creatures that Caayn had called maccorans, the cars that had no tires that she could see, and seemed to run along rails in the cobbled streets.
In the distance, plumes of smoke rose, making her wonder if that was the less affluent side of town. If people lived there who labored and lived poorly.
Caayn had been gone a couple days. She’d stayed in the opulent suite, courtesy of the government, not getting out, letting all who might wonder assume she and Caayn were cooped up together.
He’d told her he would be sneaking out and disguising himself so the public wouldn’t realize he’d abandoned his new bride.
She stretched and was immediately aware of not having the Pulser tucked in her bra. With him gone, and no Baldwin around, she didn’t need to be stabbed by its edges. She’d pulled the weapon out and tucked it under her pillow, the day he left to go find Baldwin.
Janus had something similar to TV. Except theirs was holographic. Completely freaked her out when she’d seen a button on the controller looking thingy on the nightstand and had tapped it, only to have a life-size man appear in front of the blank wall next to the window.
Watching an action movie on this planet was more like watching a 3-D movie. She felt immersed in it.
Smyrna pulled her night shirt back down over her body—she’d taken to wearing the one left for Caayn, because the clothing they’d left for her was way too much like lingerie.
She sneered at herself. Where’s the logic in that?
Though Janus had no coffee, they did serve a warm beverage that reminded her of hot cocoa, minus the marshmallows. A button next to an inset lamp would allow her to communicate with the concierge to have her needs met. Whatever she ordered, she always ordered two, in order to keep up the façade that Caayn was here with her.
She pressed the button on the controller. A hologram appeared. It was a person at a desk. She wondered if it was a real person being projected or if it was a computer-created kind of person. Either way, the being had a warm smile on her face.
“Good morning, how may I help you?”
“Please send two cups of siccas in thirty minutes, both medium sweet.” That would give her plenty of time to shower.
“Absolutely. Two medium-sweet cups of siccas, in thirty minutes.”
With a towel wrapped around her head, and a plush robe of something like terrycloth wrapped around her body, Smyrna stepped out of the steam-filled restroom.
She’d relished her time and let the hot water relax her. She figured she still had a good ten minutes until the siccas arrived.
A knock sounded out the door.
Maybe she figured wrong. Maybe she’d showered longer than she thought.
She rushed to the door and opened it a slight bit, just enough to take the tray from the server.
She didn’t expect the door to be shouldered open forcefully.
She didn’t expect to hear it crack her in the head.
She flew backward, landed against the foot of the bed, crashing into the footboard.
“You didn’t really think that you’d follow me here and be televised all over the planet and that I wouldn’t know?” Baldwin Porter shut the door with a kick.
Still seeing spots in front of her vision, and knowing that blood was seeping into her eye from the cut on her forehead, Smyrna scrambled to rise.
“You bitch. You’ve made my life hell.”
She opened her mouth to scream. But what if she did? What would anyone do? Would they extradite him to MidMerica? She really doubted it. She had no reason to believe that the government here, a former penal colony would do jack shit to that murderous bastard.
She glared at him.
“Nothing to say, beautiful?” His hot, lustful gaze traveled up and down her body.
That’s when she realized her robe had opened.
She grasped the fabric and pulled it together.
His sneer was cruel. “Don’t bother. I’m going to have some fun with you before you go.”
“I’ll scream.”
“You already would have screamed if you were going to. Why haven’t you?”
She didn’t get a chance to answer him. It was as if he was using that question to divert her attention.
Seconds later, he jerked the towel from her head and grabbed her by the hair, swung her around, and covered her mouth with his sweaty ham-fisted hand.
She struggled to free herself, wriggling and pushing, kicking at his shins with her bare heel.
Her robe slipped, but that was the least of her concerns at that moment.
He grabbed her around the throat with his forearm, and applied pressure.
Her lungs burned with the effort to breathe, to no avail.
She kicked out one last time and scratched at his hairy forearms.
And then everything went black.
Chapter Thirty-One
Everyone that Caayn talked to said Baldwin Porter was right there, in Asmute, the capital city of Janus. And yet, he’d not been able to find that bastard under any rock. It was with disappointment that Caayn was returning to the suite to tell Smyrna his efforts to find her man were fruitless.
This was the day they’d have to leave of the suite. He’d take her home, to his home, set her up in his household, and then he’d go hunting for Porter again.
His promise to find her man would be kept, but for now, they were slated to leave the suite, and there’d be more fanfare and the governor would probably be there to make sure he received credit for thi
s successful union.
He pushed the cloak off his face as he came to the alley that led to the building their suite was in. He didn’t have to be undercover now, he could present his face, and if he ran into any well-wishers who were curious about what he was doing out and about, he’d tell them he was on an errand for his new bride. He’d make something up. Though technically, he was on an errand for her—just not the kind of errand one might expect a newly hand-fasted man to be on.
He took the moving stairs up to the room. They wound around and around, in a spiral, ever moving, until they’d reached the top floor. Once there, he took long strides to their room reached for his keycard, and put his hand on the handle.
He pushed the door open, a hesitant smile on his face, though he wasn’t sure how she’d take the bad news.
The scene that greeted him was the last he’d have expected to see.
Baldwin Porter was laying on the bed.
No.
Baldwin Porter was perched over Smyrna on the bed. His hand was over her mouth. Dried blood was on her forehead. Her eyes were wild.
Caayn froze.
This couldn’t possibly be her idea of a good time. She couldn’t be enjoying this sort of interaction with him. He paused, wondering if—
—the blazing infernos of Mount Araminath, there was no way he could condone this. No way at all.
He closed the door behind him with a swift move while launching himself toward Baldwin Porter, making it halfway, then pausing to take in the scene, to be certain his actions wouldn’t push Smyrna toward hating him.
Porter’s eyes widened, then his pupils dilated and a wicked smile came over his face. “I was tending to your bride’s needs.”
“You should respect the lady.” Caayn’s voice was barely above a low growl.
“Lady,” Porter scoffed, rising from the bed.
Smyrna’s robe was open, revealing bruises on her body and neck. She hastened to close it, trembling hands fumbling with the fabric. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but a cough erupted instead.
“I don’t know what the hell she sees in you.” Caayn frowned. “But I sure as hell don’t see it.”
He hurled himself toward Porter, clipping him in the shoulder, knocking him down. Porter grabbed Caayn, pulling him down with him.
Porter snarled at him, Caayn twisted, leapt to his feet and lunged for him again. Porter maneuvered to the left and rose to his feet, trying to land a punch at Caayn’s throat.
Caayn sidestepped, then was behind Porter. He wrapped his arm around Porter’s throat while he landed a kick at the back of his knees. Porter crumpled, then did a backward head butt and caught Caayn in the chest.
Porter threw a series of jabs and punches, connecting quite a few times with Caayn’s face and chest.
Caayn ducked, and delivered an uppercut. Porter’s head snapped backward, but he recuperated swiftly and with a low roar started toward Caayn, his head low, looking much like a charging bull.
Caayn braced himself just as Porter rose and lifted his arms.
Caayn never had a chance to find out what Porter’s next move would be.
A soft hiss sounded. Baldwin Porter’s eyes flew wide. Disbelief and shock crossed his face.
A crimson splash blossomed on his chest.
He collapsed.
Behind him stood Smyrna, the missing Pulser in her hand.
“Shit,” Caayn hissed.
She collapsed, falling to the carpeting before he could catch her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Smyrna frowned. Her head ached.
“Sleeping Beauty’s awake.”
She knew that voice and opened her eyes, focusing on a dark face before her.
She closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again, only to find the dark face now dotted with white lights from squeezing too hard.
“Razor?” Her voice sounded like a frog’s croak.
She took a moment to process.
She’d been on Janus. And she’d…
Her eyes grew wide. She flew to a sitting position, only to find a pair of hands pushing her back onto the hospital bed in a blinding clean, white room.
“Not so fast.”
Another voice.
She glanced past Razor. “Branson?” She turned back to Razor. “What are you two doing here?”
Razor shrugged. “Couldn’t miss the wedding of the century.”
“You were there, for that?”
Branson grinned. “Not exactly. That’s not why Razor had me pull every last favor I was owed in order to get passage to this planet.”
She frowned at Razor. “Why would you do that?”
“Word has it you were kidnapped,” Razor said.
“I—” Oh shit. “Where’s Caayn?”
“You mean that guy you fake married?” Branson said in a soft hiss.
“Yeah.”
“He’s in custody for killing Baldwin Porter.”
“What?” She flew up again, and this time when Branson tried to push her to lay down again, she smacked his hands away. “What the hell do you mean he’s in custody for murder?”
“He said he killed Baldwin Porter.” Razor’s gaze was intense.
“The hell he did.” She shoved the covers off. “I did.”
A knock at the door to her room in the hospital interrupted Razor’s next sentence. He closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes as he glanced at the door.
The door opened slightly, and a head peeked in.
The governor of Janus.
“Smyrna.” His face was perfect in its consternation. This politician was good. “There was an incident. I thought we should clear it up.”
She nodded. Here we go. Now they would take her into custody. Oh well, it was better than knowing Caayn was going to prison.
“Come in, Governor.”
He entered.
She didn’t expect the man that followed him in.
Caayn.
Caayn was watching her intently. “Are you okay?”
She nodded.
She couldn’t wipe the image of shooting Baldwin Porter from her mind. She’d been sure he was going to kill Caayn. Not that she didn’t already want Porter dead, but knowing that he might hurt Caayn sealed it for her. She had no problem pulling the trigger.
“Do you gentlemen think you could give us some privacy,” the governor said to Razor and Branson.
Razor crossed his arms over his chest. “Not a chance.”
The governor cleared his throat and looked at Smyrna beseechingly.
“I don’t have any secrets from them.”
“Very well then.” Another political smile from him.
Then she noticed...
Caayn was behind the governor.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Several emotions surged throughout Caayn’s body.
First, relief that Smyrna was not harmed. He’d been so worried about her after the medical staff had taken her away and the authorities had put him in cuffs and led him in a different direction.
And no one would tell him anything about her or about the case against him.
Nothing.
And then an hour ago, the governor walked into his cell and told him that he did not want his governorship marred by scandal.
Caayn had merely nodded, mute, and let the man tell him what the visit was about.
Except the governor wouldn’t go into detail. He wanted to talk to him and Smyrna together.
So, they’d ridden separately. The governor in the back of his luxury coach, and Caayn smuggled into a nondescript vehicle, with a cloak wrapped about him.
The second emotion that surged through Caayn’s body was a fierce form of jealousy. Who the hell was this large dark man that seemed to have some sort of claim to Smyrna.
Caayn didn’t pride himself on being the smartest man around, but he wasn’t a fool either. It was evident that whatever Baldwin Porter had been to Smyrna, he was not her man. So, was this huge guy her man? And who was the othe
r giant with the light eyes that stood next to the dark-skinned man that Smyrna had no secrets from?
Caayn bristled. And that was putting it lightly. Suddenly he found himself eager to be anywhere but here.
The governor waved Caayn forward. “Come.”
Caayn reluctantly stepped closer to the hospital bed, trying hard not to drink in the sight of Smyrna.
Even pale and in a hospital-issued gown, with her bedhead hair and her confused gaze, she was stunningly beautiful.
And he wanted her so much, it made his heart ache.
He couldn’t read the expression in her eyes, and that killed him. He couldn’t tell if she hated him, was angry with him, or what the storm in those dark depths was about.
Suddenly, he felt like the very things he’d dared to hope during a few brief moments had been constructed of fantasy and cobwebs, easily blown away by the desert winds of Janus.
The governor was pacing back and forth, and finally he turned toward the two of them.
“This program, the Operation Outreach is very important to our governments. That makes it very important to me. I don’t intend to be on this forsaken planet forever. I have my sights set on one of the provinces on Zama. That will never happen if there is scandal surrounding a joint venture in Operation Outreach.”
He paused, rubbed his hands together, adjusted his tie, and glanced at the mirror on the wall, over the sink. Running a practiced hand through his already perfect hair, he released a smile that was no less rehearsed than his other movements.
“So, here’s the situation. That man attacked you. He was taken out by our law authorities, but not before he struck you in the head, Smyrna, and not before he scuffled with Caayn.”
Caayn was watching Smyrna.
Her mouth dropped open. “But…”
The dark man put a hand on her shoulder. “She understands.”
And now he speaks for her?
Anger seared through Caayn.
The governor looked at Caayn and cleared his throat. “Well?”
Caayn glared at the dark man. “Understood.”
