by Imogene Nix
“She needs quiet, Senator. I’m going to release her into your care as discussed. However, I don’t want her excited or upset. And I’ll need to see her again when we reach Reunion.”
Tomi nodded. “Of course. How soon can I…”
“Well, she’ll no doubt wish to dress, but after she’s done that, you can escort her to her berth. But she must rest. I’ll be checking on that.” The medic gave them a benign smile and a lump formed in Gillian’s throat. He was wrong. Tomi and I… There was no them.
“She’ll be with me.”
The medic gave Tomi a last long look, then nodded.
“I’m fine. Just find me a cabin.”
The look Tomi gave her stopped her from speaking again. Hot and full of some deep, dark emotion, it was almost too much to bear, because it wasn’t some pale emotion she saw there in his eyes. No. But there could never be anything between them now. He was a senator and she, merely the sister of a felon. Surely he could see that?
“You’ll come with me once you’re dressed.” His words sounded final, and she sighed. He turned on his heel and left her.
“You know, I really—”
“Miss Edgemont, you should trust the senator. He’s dogged my door for the last two days that you’ve been here.” For a moment, she was sure he was going to say something more before he shrugged. “I’ve put fresh clothes here on the chair and I believe your belongings have been transferred to the ship.”
The door closed silently behind him and she slumped back down to the bed. “What am I supposed to do?” But there was no answer in the quiet room.
Pulling back the sheets and sliding to the edge of the bed was a trial as her side tugged and ached. She carefully dressed, and a look in the mirror showed a fright of a woman with bed hair and deep bruises under her eyes. So much for Tomi seeing her at her best.
She looked around, but no shoes were evident, just a set of slippers, and she slid her feet within, all the while wishing for a hairbrush and a denta-tab to remove the sour taste from her breath.
“Well, I guess this is as good as it gets.” She made for the door and felt foolish as Tomi welcomed her with a grin.
* * * *
Tomi felt a surge of elation pumping through his veins. He didn’t plan on taking Gillian to any other cabin than his own, because there was so much he needed to tell her. That she was both alive and on the road to recovery were gifts. He took her hand with great tenderness. “We’ll go slowly.”
He led her down the corridor, keeping a close eye on her. Toward the end of the walk, she was pale and a little unsteady. If only I could carry her. But he knew she wouldn’t accept that. Not yet, anyway. His Gillian would make some pithy comment, the steel spine he knew she had would straighten, and her face would assume that don’t-touch-me look she had perfected.
At the cabin, she sank into the chair, hissing slightly. The white room was soulless, but for once he was pleased, because it was also private. The soft leather armchairs were laid out in a circle. Gillian took the one closest to the door.
“Would you like a drink?”
She gave him an assessing look. “This is your cabin?”
A blush crawled over his skin, hot and prickly. “Yeah.”
Her face assumed a cold shuttered look. “Look, what we had—”
He lifted his hand, knowing that he had to stop her before she said something they would both regret. “We can talk about that in a minute. Right now, I need a drink, and I’m guessing you do too.”
He turned away, grateful for a chance to compose himself. On her face, he saw the distance she was trying to put between them. He couldn’t allow that. Not now. Not when I’ve tasted paradise.
Tomi poured two drinks, a peppermint tea for her—her favorite, he remembered—and a whiskey for himself. Before this is done, I’m going to need some fortification. He turned back to her with a smile and popped the cup on the small table beside her seat. He chose the seat opposite her.
“So, what now? What happened to…” She stopped, paled a little further, and his heart ached for her.
“We got them. But…” There was so much he had to say to her. How do I tell her? Where do I even begin?
Her green eyes shone with tears and he would banish them, if only she’d let him. But not yet. He hadn’t told her everything. A clean slate to start with.
“So what? What’s with the ‘but’?” White lines bracketed her mouth.
“There are things that have come to light. Things that none of us expected. Gillian…” He rose, unable to tell her the truths sitting down. He was wired. “I… Your brother…”
She surged up, gasping and clutching her side.
Tomi wanted to recoil as she flinched. “No, he hasn’t done anything. Your brother was a deep undercover agent. None of us knew.” The words spilled out and she swayed in his arms.
“What?” She sank back to the seat.
“Carmichael received an encoded communiqué while we were down on the surface. After you were shot. We had to hurry back here.” His much vaunted oratory skills eluded him. Now, when everything hung on his words, they fled.
“He’s undercover?”
Tomi squatted beside her as she closed her eyes. Her hand fluttered over her mouth as if holding in the tide of emotions. A sob wracked her frame, and she wrapped her other arm around herself. Fragile. She looked like the slightest breeze would shatter her. A single tear traced down her pale cheek. Tomi would have given anything right now to spare her any further pain.
“Gillian, the plot against Kumi was a setup. He’d hoped to stop it before it happened, but his mission was to worm his way into the Indy camp and find out who was leading them. It was all part of a plan. Then when things went sour, he had to go along with it. It was necessary for him to take the fall, so it didn’t compromise all his work.”
Gillian shook her head. “I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“He’s being released later today. Exonerated.”
Her eyes, deep wells of sparkling emerald stared back at him. “So he’s…”
“He only carried out his orders.”
“And Carmichael. He never knew? Is that right, Tomi?”
Tomi shook his head. “No. And now you know. Sweetheart—”
“Don’t. Don’t start with that sweetheart stuff. I’m not…” Gillian reached out both hands, entreating him to stop.
Her words sliced through him. “Why? Because you don’t want to hear it?” Anger bubbled over. “Well, that’s too bad. Because I have to tell you.”
Once more, Gillian flinched at his words. “Please.”
“Listen to me, Gillian. When you were shot, I felt like my guts had been ripped out. The pain… It was too much. Seeing you lying there, I realized then, you could be gone in an instant, and I…I couldn’t believe I’d been so blind. You’d been there, in my arms, where you belonged, and not once…” He had to stop, hand on his chest, banishing the remembered pain and anguish coursing through him. “Not ever, did I tell you how I felt. I was a coward.”
His chest bellowed. Talking from the heart like this didn’t come easily, but he’d tear his emotions to shreds if only she’d listen. If only she’d accept his words. Because every one was true. Every one was honest.
“What? What?” Her voice shook and he hoped, dear gods, he prayed it meant she too was almost overcome by her emotions.
“I love you. I have for a long time.”
Gillian coughed and snorted, her hands rising to her face in embarrassment. “Oh gods!”
“What?” Now that he’d bared his soul, he waited. Surely…
“You have the worst timing of anyone I know. You should have told me before!”
Bewilderment filled him. What do her words mean? He needed her to respond. He couldn’t do any more. So he watched her and waited for her words.
A blink sent a single diamond-like tear trickling down her cheek. “Damn it, Tomi, I love you too.”
“Well…” He
huffed, his chest full of pride. “Well, that’s great. Now let’s talk about getting married.”
Chapter 6
The ship was little more than a blip in the dark night, the shuttle speeding toward the surface of Gillian and Tomi’s home. Reunion. There was something in the name, she mused. Her fingers were wound through Tomi’s. He squeezed, as if he understood the introspective thoughts.
“When we get home—”
“Your brother will be there, together with Kumi, Renjiro, and Selina. It’s a shame your parents couldn’t get away.”
She sighed and shifted in her seat. “I’m kind of glad, right now. I feel like we need to have some kind of closure on the mess. I mean, with Kumi and Anderson.” She broke off. How can I possibly explain how it felt? He was her twin brother and the victim had been Tomi’s sister.
“Prepare for landing.” The carefully modulated voice broke through her thoughts.
Pulling her hands away, Gillian braced herself, the way she usually did against the seat, taking deep breaths as the ground rushed up to meet them.
The landing thrusters engaged with a whine and their speed slowed until they hovered above the asphalt surface. Then, with a gentle kiss, they touched down. The sound of snicks filled the air as everyone rushed to release their safety harnesses. She chanced a look out the portal and there he was...her brother.
Tomi took her hand once more and led her from the small ship. They made their way over the surface to the fence. Then they were through the gate. Anderson stepped in front of her and for a moment they stared at each other. Then she launched. “You big foolish glom!”
The feel of him wrapping her in his arms felt good. “I’m sorry, Gillian. I couldn’t tell you.”
She tugged away and patted his face. “I understand. Well, at least now. Look, you need to meet—”
“The senator. Sir, I don’t know how…” Anderson was uneasy. It was clear in the way he danced from one foot to the other.
Tomi shook his hand. “It’s done. We won’t ever speak of it again.”
Gillian stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Men! The old, it’s-done-and-no-more-emotional-outbursts is really a bit old. She glanced over Anderson’s shoulder, watching as Carmichael greeted his tiny partner, Kumi. The way their arms were wrapped around each other was intimate yet open. “We should—”
“Yes, sweetheart. Anderson have you met my sister?” Tomi’s voice sent Anderson blushing. He hadn’t yet got over his welcome, it seemed.
“Not really, no. But I doubt—”
Gillian grabbed her brother’s hand. “Come on, she’s great.” While Anderson quirked his eyebrow at her, she tugged him along toward the embracing couple.
“I don’t think…”
Gillian stopped and Tomi barreled into her, slipping his hand around her waist. “Everything okay, sweetheart?”
She grinned at the look of disbelief on her brother’s face. “You’re just both going to have to get over your embarrassment with each other, because Tomi and I... Well, we’re going to get married. And I need you and Kumi to get along.”
Anderson’s smile wobbled a little. “Well, damn. I’m willing to try, if Madam Kumi is.”
In the end, Anderson was greeted with a cool reception. Gillian was sure it would warm over time. But it was Kumi’s enthusiasm at their news that lifted whatever dark cloud might still have been marring their news. “I knew it! When I contacted you…”
Tomi gave her a mock frown. “Yes, I heard about that. You and I are going to have to chat.”
Kumi laughed. “You both just needed a little push in the right direction. I always knew you were meant to be together!”
Gillian laughed at her words. Kumi was right. She and Tomi were meant to be together. Kumi waved their official vehicles forward and Gillian turned to Anderson. “How did you get here?”
“I used an air-taxi.”
“Ha! Tomi?” She turned and he smiled. The look was indulgent, she thought. “Come on, you’re coming with us.”
The three of them climbed into Tomi’s vehicle which pulled up in front of them. Tomi gave directions to Kumi and Carmichael’s house then he settled back, silently sinking into the seats. Gillian looked out the window. So much had changed, yet outside everything looked the same.
“What happened to—”
“When we get to Kumi and Carmichael’s, sweetheart. Then we can discuss it.” Tomi’s words reminded her that she would need to learn to mind her words around others. She snuggled in, savoring the feeling of elation. Two of the most important men in her life, Anderson and Tomi, were there with her. It was both surreal and uplifting.
Kumi met them at the gate and ushered them all in. They settled in the office where Gillian had watched Tomi talking to Kumi the fateful night of the abduction. Tomi’s cousin, Renjiro, and his wife, Selina, joined them soon after, making themselves at home on one of the sofas against the wall. There was an air of expectancy and Gillian couldn’t help herself.
“Where is she?” She looked for the girl who’d been known as slave.
“We managed to find her family through DNA typing. They have taken responsibility for her care. We’ll keep tabs on her.” Kumi shrugged. “But she needed to go home. By the way, she did have a name. Chastity. It’s quite ironic that she was actually a runaway who’d been prostituting herself when she was taken prisoner.”
Gillian looked at Tomi and shook her head. “I was jealous, you know. I thought you and she…” She stared at him, once again surprised at the depths of his love for her. She saw it shining in his eyes.
Tomi wrapped his arms around her. “Never. I felt responsible for what happened to her. But you were always the one for me.” He dropped a tiny kiss on her forehead before swiveling in his brother-in-law’s direction. “Now, Carmichael, what’s the status of things?”
“The man we shot? He was the head of the Indies. Duvall St. Justice.” Carmichael turned to address Anderson. “He’s the one you were after.”
Anderson inclined his head. “I was as close as I’d ever been when things went wrong. He was charismatic enough that he could hold most of them together. I was starting to hear things. Well, up until the attack on Madam Kumi. Then St. Justice let Dobry take the fall. He headed for cover and, for a while, I was sure my mission was a total failure.”
Carmichael nodded. “I know that you were acting under orders, but I need to clear the air right now. If she’d died, you’d be dead.”
Anderson nodded, his face grave. “I understand.”
“So, the latest update is that, with St. Justice eliminated, the Indies are in disarray. Unfortunately for them, he’d neutralized any possible successor as each one popped up. The fleet will continue mopping up the mess, but word is those we caught are singing any song they can to minimize their incarceration. It’ll take some time, but we believe the Federation is finally safe.” Carmichael stilled, his pleasure clear from the grin on his face. “Selina and Ren, your child should enjoy a period of unprecedented peace.”
Renjiro and his wife smiled.
It had almost all gone so wrong. Gillian couldn’t control the shiver at the thought.
“All right?” Tomi whispered in her ear as she snuggled into his embrace.
“Yeah. Everything is finally all right.”
* * * *
The chirruping of crickets filled the air. “So where exactly are we?” Gillian followed Tomi along the path lit with tiny lanterns.
“It’s my family’s private retreat. No one comes here much anymore. It seemed like the right place to enjoy our private honeymoon.”
Gillian couldn’t hold back the smile. Today had been perfect. Long and exhausting, but perfect. Everyone important to them had attended their formal wedding ceremony. But now it was just them.
Ahead loomed a wood house. It wasn’t overly large, but it possessed a veranda that wrapped around the front and an air of happiness.
“I spent many summers here. It’s where I learned to sail, and
we had the freedom to come and go without scrutiny.” Tomi fished around in his pockets. “Ah, here it is. Now, Mrs. Ito, come here and give your husband a kiss.”
A thrill shot through her. Mrs. Ito. It still seemed fantastical to her. She leaned in and he kissed her. The heat in that caress shot fire through her. When he gathered her close, she didn’t demur. His lips ravished hers and when he lifted her, she held on, lost in the thrall of passion.
He pulled away and grunted. “I just need to get the door.”
“Well, you could put me down.”
He smiled. The tender look filled her with emotion. “I read about this ancient custom of a groom carrying his bride over the threshold. It seems appropriate.” His hands fiddled with the lock for a moment before entering silently. He took a couple of steps into the room. It was welcoming and casual. In her mind, it was the Tomi that very few saw. The private man.
Slowly, he lowered her to the floor, their bodies touching as she slid down. Now she was ready for the raging hunger that had stayed banked all day.
The kiss turned hot. Their mouths clung and tongues danced while hands roamed. The hardness of the wall barely made an impact on her thoughts as he pushed her back. When he found the sweet spot of her neck she arched into him. “Tomi!”
“Your outfit is lovely, but right now, I’d prefer you naked.” His rasping words sent a shiver of expectation and her core pulsed with need.
Her breathless laugh was swallowed by another kiss. One that scorched, and fires licked at her skin. The heat grew. They pulled away, breathless.
Her fingers found zippers and buttons, shedding the jacket of her fine silk suit while he discarded his own clothing. It pooled on the floor, forgotten.
A momentary stab of consciousness prevailed as a tiny breeze kissed her skin. “The door!”
He kicked it closed and she dropped her pants to where they joined her shirt. In bra and panties, she surveyed the glorious sight before her. His body, firm, rigid, and naked, was bathed in moonlight. The bronze of his skin kissed with silvery white moonbeams. Truly, he looked like a god. As she started to slip the straps of her bra off, he stopped her.
