by Mina Carter
His hand skimmed over the worn paint as he climbed slowly, all senses alert for any sound of discovery. Pausing for a second just below the deck, he braced himself against the ladder and swung his rifle around. He took a breath and centered himself to take the bridge.
Moving as stealthily as the Alkari he’d once fought, Kelwin climbed the last few steps and was on the bridge. The muscles in his thighs bunched, the burn of the crouch ignored as he watched the pirate through his scopes. Unaware of the red crosshairs firmly painted on his back, the guy busied himself at the navigation console.
“Bloody cow…encrypted lockout.”
Kelwin ignored the muttered cursing as he saw Rhys top the ladder out of the corner of his eye. She was stealthy but with a natural grace that fascinated him. Moving like that, she was the equal of any female soldier he’d ever seen. As she reached the top of the ladder, her trailing foot dropped a fraction and caught the top rung. The scrape of her boot across the metal rang like a rasp in the silence.
He froze, breath held in his chest as he watched the man across the bridge like a hawk. His finger curled around the trigger, not applying pressure but ready to.
Rhys mouthed I’m sorry.
Kelwin shook his head, a slight movement as he rose to his feet and padded across the deck. The pirate looked up but didn’t turn around. Instead, he continued to punch in combination after combination to try to get around the block Rhys had erected on the main computer. Without access, the boarders would be forced to tow the Grey Lady with her sails furled. Which—given the size of the cargo ship—meant they were going to need some serious grunt.
“Where the fuck have you been? Did you find her?”
Silence stretched out for a long moment as the pirate addressed them, obviously mistaking them for one of his men returning.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” Stabbing at the keys a final time, he started to turn, his movements full of anger. Halfway through the turn, he caught sight of Kelwin and froze.
“Turn around. Slowly.” Kel kept his voice firm and commanding. No nonsense.
Hands rising slowly to shoulder level, the other man did as he was told. His gaze darted across the bridge, taking in the two of them in a split second before focusing on the muzzle directly in front of him. He flicked a look at Kelwin, as though assessing whether or not he had the balls to pull the trigger.
As soon as his brown eyes met Kelwin’s, recognition filled them. A panicked expression crossed his face, as though soiling his pants was a distinct possibility. Kel sighed—pirates weren’t what they used to be. Well, he supposed they weren’t real pirates.
“You’re—”
“Yeah, one of them.” Kelwin cut him off. “Soldier…killer of pirates and small children. Already had this conversation. Bored now. Who are you working for?”
Calculation filled the older man’s face as the seconds lengthened and Kelwin hadn’t shot him. His body relaxed a fraction. A small movement, but Kel caught it. The urge to pull the trigger and blow this piece of human excrement away nagged at him. No expensive trial at the citizens’ expense. He’d be doing society a favor.
“Well now, that depends.”
Irritation joined the ever-present anger swirling through Kel’s veins. Fury flared, his jaw clenching, and the mercenary flinched as though ready to flee.
“Depends on what? And make it good because I have a short attention span and a real itchy trigger finger.”
“Fuck it, he’s not going to talk. Let’s just ditch him and the rest of them overboard and get moving,” Rhys snapped.
Kel hid his surprise as she came level with him to glare at the man standing in front of them. Hands behind his head, their prisoner’s gaze flicked between them, and finally he smiled a particularly oily smile. Kel wanted to slap him silly just for that. Then gouge his eyes out for the lecherous way he was looking at Rhys.
“Oh, this is priceless. What’s the matter, duchess? You worried about lover-boy here?”
“Shut up or I’ll shoot you myself.” She surged forward, as though to press her rifle directly against the guy’s temple.
“Rhys!” Kel snapped her name sharply, stopping her in her tracks. The last thing he needed was her within reach of the pirate. If she got that close, the guy would disarm her and Kel would be facing a hostage situation. And it always got messy when a hostage was involved.
He nodded to the other side of the bridge. “Back off, stay out of reach.”
She wavered for a second, indecision and anger in her eyes. Kel kept his on the pirate. The instant he made a move toward her, the guy was squid bait. Finally she nodded and backed up, shooting a glare of malevolence at their captive.
He grinned and blew her a kiss. “Sorry sweetheart. Takes more balls than you’ve got. Awww, what’s the matter…no daddy to complain to anymore?”
The silence was so complete a pin drop would have been as deafening as it was cliché. Kel looked from one to the other.
“Go to hell.” Anger glittered in her eyes as she maintained her aim at the pirate.
But she didn’t fire, the end of her rifle doing a wild dance in the air. Kel released a sigh of relief as she dropped the aim. She wasn’t capable of cold-blooded murder. Even if he was, he didn’t want to think it of her.
“’Daddy’?” Kelwin frowned. “Why do I get the feeling I’m missing something here?”
“She didn’t tell you?” The pirate’s grin grew wider. “Duchess here is McQuaid’s daughter. And he wants her back.”
He was furious. Even without the telepathic ability of some of the farther flung inhabitants of the galaxy, Nerys could tell Kelwin was beyond angry with her after the pirate’s announcement. He didn’t move, just went still. An utter stillness that screamed predator and triggered every survival instinct she had. She needed to run—far and fast—to avoid the fallout of that anger. He didn’t even look at her. He didn’t need to. Instead, he kept his attention on the gap-toothed man in front of him.
“Is that true, R—” He paused, his shoulders creeping up as he turned away. His voice was dead when he carried on. “Of course it is. Rhys…Nerys. Where did the Devin come from?”
“It’s my mother’s name. Before she married my father.” She managed to force the words past the lump in her throat. Shit. He shouldn’t have found out. Not before she’d had time to work out how he felt about her—the real her—and their wedding ten years ago. Not before she’d had time to prepare him… Now the shit had hit the fan and, far from being as prepared as she normally was, she had no idea what to do. No idea how to make it right.
Watching his back, she worried at her lower lip. Tension radiated from him, the cut lines of his body unapproachable.
He moved, making her jump as he motioned sharply at the pirate. “You. Down the ladder. Move.”
His harsh tone made her heart take a nosedive. It was a barked order, pure and simple, with a note in it that said bad things would happen if he wasn’t obeyed.
“Kelwin?” She reached out to touch his arm as he passed her. He paused and cut her a glance. Jaw set, a tiny pulse jumped in the corner. His eyes, so warm and teasing before, were glacial and emotionless. Her hand dropped without reaching its goal as shivers wound around her spine.
“Find a place and anchor up,” he ordered, ignoring her attempt to reach out to him. “I’ll pay any charges you incur for late delivery.”
Unable to do anything else, she nodded and turned to the command console as Kelwin marched their captive down the ladder. Accessing the console with quick fingers, she tapped the unlock code in and waited for the main screen to boot up.
Sluggishly, the display responded, the image flickering for a moment before it stabilized. She automatically typed in the command sequences to weigh anchor and left her mind free to churn over the mess her life had turned into.
“Dammit!” Slamming her hands against the edge of the console, she gave vent to her feelings. She knew he’d be pissed, which is why she hadn
’t planned on him finding out yet—if at all. What man wouldn’t be pissed faced with the bride who’d deserted him? Never mind if she’d had a good reason to run—the fact still remained that her father had probably drugged him. As for the evidence her father had provided…
Her heart sank. It had been fabricated. There were enough computer programs around that could switch faces on a holo-vid. Matching Kelwin’s coloring and build would be difficult but not impossible. Her father had the resources, and the sheer audacity to trick her into leaving.
But why? Fuck… She’d never wanted to think on it before, relegating the painful memories to the back corner of her mind, but now it all fit into place. It was a trick. As a former soldier, Kelwin was a very wealthy man. A marriage could persuade him to sink some of that wealth into her father’s schemes…but if Cordon had called it off in so devious a way, then something had to have gone wrong. Badly wrong. More wrong than frayed tempers or the brief spat she knew they’d had before a wedding… A frown creased her brow as she thought back to the other engagements and the reasons her father had given for breaking them. Had anything he’d said been true?
She looked up, the screen a blurry green and black haze in front of her. The display winked at her insistently, so she forced her eyes to focus. The ship schematic displayed activity in the port near where Kelwin’s flyer was strapped to the side. Of course, he must be using the deactivated vessel as a holding cell for the pirate until they got to port.
She bit her lower lip, looking at the tiny blip of color that signaled the open port. A reckoning was coming—it had been in his eyes when he’d looked at her before leaving the bridge. Panic filled her, her finger hovering over the lockout button on the console. It would be so easy. Just lock the port out while they were both in there, cut the Artemis free and run like hell.
Could she do it though? If she did, she’d have to run hard and fast, disappear so completely that he would never find her. She knew he’d come after her; there was no way he wouldn’t. Not with the look he’d given her.
She couldn’t. After ten years, she was tired. The moment passed. She sighed and moved her hand away from the console. As she watched, the light flickered from green to red, indicating the hatch had been locked.
She dropped the anchor and closed her eyes. It was time to stop running.
Chapter Nine
“Care to tell me why you lied to me?”
Before she could debate the wisdom of her decision to stay and explain things to him, Kelwin was there. He moved way too quietly for such a big man, ascending the ladder and standing behind her before she realized he’d returned.
Trying to conceal her small start of surprise, she turned to face him. It was a relief not to hide anymore, to be able to admit who she really was. Bright color heated her cheeks as she met his eyes. They were as blue as an astral glacier and as hard as tri-steel. Fear slithered down her spine. Not of him—she knew he would never hurt her physically—but of the mood he was in. She opened her mouth, but he cut her off with a sharp movement of his hand.
“You know what? Forget it, I don’t want to know.”
She snapped her jaw shut with a click before anger welled over. She wasn’t a child to be told when to be silent or to fear anyone’s wrath, much less his. Sure, he was a genetically superior, surgically-altered combat expert, but this was her ship.
“You don’t want to know? Well, suck it up sunshine because you’re finding out.”
“So what are you going to tell me, Nerys? That you’re the victim in all this? Wed to an overbearing, boorish Soldier who offended your delicate sensibilities?” Anger flared in his eyes, white-hot to match hers, as he crowded her against the command console.
“Do I look like I have delicate fucking sensibilities?” Glaring at him, she didn’t back down an inch. She couldn’t afford to. “Forget what you think you know about me, Sayeed, because you know jack shit.”
He stared down at her, his jaw clenching rhythmically. “I don’t know what game you’re playing and I really don’t care.” He leaned in, his breath stirring the fine hairs around her neck. “I guarantee you one thing, you don’t want to play games with me.”
Anger and fear combined with something darker as she reared back to look him in the eye. He wasn’t going to believe anything she said, but she had to try.
“I didn’t know. There was a disc. You and some…” Her lips curled in disgust. “There were women on it, lots of women. And you…”
“Bull…shit.” He tilted his head. “There were women before I met you, I’m not denying that… But when I asked for your hand, that was it. I gave you my word, Nerys, and you threw it back in my face.”
She didn’t get a chance to answer. His lips crashed down on hers, full of anger and demand. He yanked her up against his solid body, the thick bar of his erection pressing hard against her soft belly as his tongue swept across her lower lip. A hot, wet line that tingled, penetrating the skin and sending fire through her blood.
She shouldn’t respond to him—she wouldn’t respond to him. Not when he kissed her with such ruthlessness. She should pull back, slap him across the face. She didn’t. His touch and the need it created deep inside her traitorous body conspired against her.
With a small whimper, she opened up and allowed him access. Her hands found his upper arms, then his shoulders. He deepened the kiss, his tongue thrusting past her lips to take what he wanted. Desire roared through her veins as she whimpered and clung to him. She needed him, needed this…
Breaking away from her lips with a growl, he scooped her up into his arms. She squeaked as her feet parted company with the deck, only to realize he was carrying her toward the crew quarters.
“Kelwin! Put me down…you can’t carry me down the lad—”
He did just that, ducking his head and walking down the slanted ladder with the sort of balance that would make any solar sailor green with envy. Sure, she could do it, but only after ten years and not carrying anything.
She knew he wouldn’t drop her, but she still wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face against his neck. He was splattered in blood and covered in sweat, but she didn’t care. Excitement and shame quivered through her body. Excitement because she knew what was going to happen when they reached the bedroom, and shame because she wanted it to happen, even though he would take her in anger.
He strode through the door into the room, dropped her on the bed without ceremony and ripped off his shirt.
“You married me and ran. You and your father stole from me, then left me for dead. It took me three weeks…three weeks…to recover in hospital. I had to have reconstructive surgery on my neo-cortical pathways thanks to the shit your father spiked my drinks with.”
Pushing upright, she leaned on her elbows to watch as he threw the shirt on the floor. He was a study in masculinity, each ripped line and solid plane inviting further exploration, and she couldn’t help but admire the view in front of her.
“So, what is this?” Her lip curled in a sneer she didn’t feel. “You thought you’d take payment out of my hide? Funny, never pegged you for a rapist. Doesn’t really fit with the war-hero label, does it?”
“Rape? Who said anything about that?” He paused, his big hands on his belt buckle, to look up at her. The sensuous smile that curved his lips gave her chills in all the right places but left her heart aching. “Believe me, sweetheart, by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging for it.”
She swallowed as the ache between her thighs intensified. With ruthless control, she resisted the urge to squirm and managed to arch an eyebrow coolly. “Bring it on, soldier-boy. Because I can promise you, I’ll never beg.”
He dropped his pants and kicked them away. His cock sprang free, fully erect, the broad head purple with arousal. A bead of pre-come welled on the tip, just begging to be swiped away by her tongue. She couldn’t look away, jumping as he leaned forward and shackled her, strong fingers around her ankle.
He
pulled her toward him slowly, his gaze boring into hers. “Oh, you will, sweetheart. You will.”
“Fuck you!”
Kicking out, she tried to dislodge his grip but he just grinned and held on. A swift yank had her slithering down the bed under him. He loomed over her; hands planted either side of her head. The heat of his body beat at hers, sending her pulse haywire.
“That’s the idea.”
He claimed her lips again. His kiss was aggressive, sweeping all her defenses aside and laying her bare as he plundered. She didn’t offer any resistance—she couldn’t. A murmur of pleasure in the back of her throat she kissed him back, her tongue tangling with his in an erotic duel that left her gasping and her pussy clenching with need.
Breaking away, she looked deep into his eyes and slid her hand down the middle of his chest to his cock. Her fingers barely fit around his rigid length but she managed, pumping slowly. His eyes darkened, the lids drifting lower as he moaned in pleasure. The heat of passion melted the ice of his anger, leaving a blazing need.
Triumph surged in her heart. This, here, was the only way she had to get through to him. Reaching up, she stole a kiss.
“Let’s see who begs, shall we?”
The sensual challenge in her words made his cock jerk and harden to the point of pain. Despite it all, despite the fact she’d lied to him—not just now but years ago—he still wanted her. Growling a mixed sound of desire and frustration, he took control of the kiss. He didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to think. He just wanted to…
Fuck.
He just wanted to fuck. All night, hard and fast, until she was out of his system…until he lost this stupid need to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. It wasn’t ever going to be okay—not for them. Ever. There was just too much bad blood between them. Thank the gods he hadn’t told her that he loved her. His heart clenched at the thought. That had been before he knew that she’d been lying to him all along.
