by JAX
Dani laughed and shook her head. “After everything we’ve shared over the past few days, I think we’re past worrying about personal boundaries, don’t you? Besides …” She shrugged. “I’m sure there are things about you I’d like to know as well. So we can trade stories.” She leaned back in her chair as if gathering her thoughts. “As you can imagine, growing up on a war-torn planet wasn’t the best childhood. My parents sold me off to a budding shipping company when I was twelve.”
She cast an amused glance toward Dare and his blood ran cold. His grandfather would never buy children, no matter what anyone would try to convince him.
“I can see I’ve offended you, Dare, but it’s true. However, old Devil never had the heart for human trafficking, and he found most of us new homes or trained us with enough skills to make lives for ourselves. In my own case, Devil taught me not only hand-to-hand combat, but also how to pilot, fix just about anything mechanical, speak a few languages, and how to read people.” She paused. “I was saddened to hear of his death.”
Relief and a renewed sense of loss slid through Dare as he thought about his grandfather. At least he hadn’t been a human trafficker. Dare would’ve been shocked if he had been, but leave it to his grandfather to turn something so repugnant into a humanitarian gesture. Devil had always used his credits for good, and Dare had been proud of that.
Dare turned to find Dani watching him and realized he’d fallen silent. “So that’s how you ended up on Gavin 1?”
She nodded. “Devil found me a family there who needed someone to work, and I made money for us as a ship mechanic and pilot until about five years ago. My foster parents were old and passed away within a few months of each other, and I found myself without direction. So I charmed my way onto a pirate ship that had taken up orbit around Gavin 1 looking for supplies and fuel. They gave me a place to stay and by the end of the week, the old Red Death had decided he was ready to retire, the crew had decided that they’d be loyal to me, and I promised to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. The second ship we captured after that had Dahlia aboard, and the rest is history. I’ve taught my crew to be very careful about their pronoun usage, but even with that, the news that I was a woman filtered out. Although most people chose not to believe it, thinking that Red Death was just trying to throw them off his scent. But here we are.”
Dare smiled over at her even though he couldn’t understand how this woman had turned out so amazing having had such a hard childhood. “I don’t know what to say. My childhood was a cakewalk compared to yours. I almost feel bad for having things so good.”
“Don’t. I would’ve traded places with you in a second if I could. Especially if it meant I could be related to Devil. He was a great man and even though he treated me like his own granddaughter, I always knew it wasn’t true and always felt the lack deep inside my heart.”
Their six-hour shift sped by with them chatting about their childhoods, Dare’s family, and his time with and memories of his grandfather.
In six hours, they called Carl on the com, and true to his word he arrived ten minutes later balancing two pots of coffee and a cup. “I talked the cook into sending me up some food in about an hour, so I’ll be fine. You two go get some sleep, you’ll need to be fully rested to deal with whatever we find on the Gavin planets.”
Dare glanced over at Dani, noting the dark circles under her eyes, and silently vowed not to paw at her when they reached his quarters. She needed sleep and that wouldn’t hurt him any either. The prospect of curling up next to Dani was inviting and even without the sex sounded like a heavenly way to spend six hours.
Five minutes later, they were inside his quarters. Dani had already stripped off her clothes and lay naked on her side on the bed. “Can I ask a favor, Dare?”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“I’ve very much enjoyed our sex together, but I think I’m much too tired for another round right now. However, I’ve been fantasizing all day about having that wonderful thick cock back inside my mouth. Do you think I could do that and we could restrain ourselves for just sleep after that?”
Dare’s fly suddenly tented as his cock gave an instant answer. The thought of her full lips wrapped around him definitely wasn’t a hardship, and although he would crave being deep inside her again, he thought he could restrain himself for just a little longer if the payoff in the end was getting to fall asleep next to her.
Dani chuckled as she stared at his fly. “I’ll take that as a yes.” When Dare didn’t argue, she arched one brow. “So strip,” she chided as her lips curved up at the edges. “I can’t wait to taste you.”
The erotic words made him even harder and tightened his balls up against his body. He took deep breaths as he slowly began to strip. He didn’t want to come as soon as she touched him. After all, he’d shown her in their past few sessions that he had some stamina; he didn’t want to ruin that in five seconds flat … or two.
When he stripped off his underwear and dropped them onto the growing pile with the rest of his clothes, his cock stood out from his body, pointing directly at Dani as if beckoning her forward to keep her promise.
Instead, he stepped toward the bed and Dani scrambled to the floor, dropping to her knees on his pile of clothes and wrapping her hand around his aching cock.
His member jerked when she touched him and as soon as she cupped his balls, a heavy bead of precome formed in his slit.
Dani made a deep mmm sound in the back of her throat and then lowered her head to capture the heavy drop on her tongue as she traced his slit.
Dare fisted his hands at his side to keep from reaching for her. He didn’t think he could contain himself if he even allowed himself the indulgence of removing the band that captured all that thick red hair and spearing his fingers into the mass. He knew it would be too tempting for him to take things to the next step from there.
Unaware of his struggle, or just trusting him to keep their bargain, Dani traced a path with her tongue up the long vein on the underside of his cock, starting with his balls and ending with the sensitized tip. He thought she would slip him inside her mouth then, but apparently she wasn’t done teasing him. She traced a path around the head with her tongue and nipped him gently, which sent pure lava racing through his veins and pooling deep inside his pelvis. He adjusted his stance since he found himself suddenly unsteady on his feet, and glanced down to watch her lick and tease him.
He couldn’t remember a more erotic sight than Dani kneeling naked in front of him with his cock in her beautiful mouth. His cock jumped in response.
“I’m sorry. Too much teasing?” she said in a tone that told him she wasn’t the least bit sorry and, in fact, was enjoying herself quite a bit.
“I don’t think that’s possible,” he lied only slightly. “Although I am exercising superhuman control to not pick you up, throw you on the bed, and thrust inside you.”
She laughed as she took the head of his cock inside the tight O of her lips and the vibrations tickled down his hard member. “I appreciate your restraint, Dare. This is my show and I’m loving my feminine power right now. I’ve never had such a beautiful man at my mercy and I’m reveling in it.”
“Beautiful?” Dare couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes, beautiful. You’re a handsome man, I’ll admit; but when I get to see the whole bare package, you’re absolutely beautiful. Michelangelo would’ve loved to sculpt you—even with that blush and frown you’re wearing now.”
Dare hadn’t noticed his cheeks heating or his frown until she’d mentioned it, but now that she had, he noticed that wasn’t the only part of his body that was heated. “Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment, but I think you’re far more beautiful than I am, and watching you suck my cock is the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen.”
She hummed as she took him deep, and once again the vibrations teased him and caused his balls to tighten against his body. “My pleasure … really.” She opened her throat and took him even deeper, an
d he had to fight not to thrust.
She reached up to cup his balls and gently knead them between her fingers as she began a slow, steady rhythm of sliding him out of her mouth until her lips ringed the head and then taking him back in until he bumped the back of her throat, sending deep tingling sensations roaring through his pelvis and threatening to make him come.
When she pushed his stance wider and tipped her head forward so she could take one of his balls inside her mouth, Dare thought he would die from pure ecstasy. She swirled her tongue over the orb, and the deep tingling inside his pelvis reached a fever pitch. He sucked in large lungfuls of air to keep his climax at bay and sighed as he chased it back just far enough so he knew he wouldn’t embarrass himself.
“Dani,” he warned. “I can’t last much longer.”
“Then I’ll have to give equal attention to the other one some other time.”
Dare swallowed hard and his balls tightened hard against his body in response.
Mercifully, Dani slipped his shaft back inside her mouth and began a steady, quick rhythm of sucking him fully inside and then sliding him back out again.
A few seconds later, the tingling in his pelvis exploded and he spilled down the back of her throat, chiding himself that he hadn’t given her warning.
But Dani swallowed and then laughed around his cock while she reached around and grabbed his ass. “Thank you, Dare. I’ve been wanting that all day. And now I’m ready for some sleep.” She slowly stood, her full breasts brushing against his bare skin on the way up. She grabbed his hand as mischief danced in her gaze. “Join me?”
Dare was more than willing and climbed onto the bed, beckoning her forward. As soon as she curled under the covers next to him, he pulled her back against him spoon style and draped his hand over her slightly rounded stomach.
Warmth and contentment engulfed him and he realized how deeply his feelings had grown for Dani. Regardless if he lost some business or not, he would convince her to partner with him and share his life and his bed.
He waited for the familiar fear of commitment to flood over him, but when it never came he sighed and settled in for a long, content slumber.
* * *
9
“Dare, Dani,” Jared’s voice came over the com unit in Dare’s headboard, jarring Dani awake. “We’re about twenty minutes out from the Gavin planets and we thought you might want to be in the control room for this.”
“We’ll be there soon. Dare out.”
Dare’s voice from behind her sounded low and gravelly with an edge of sleep still in it. “Good morning,” he said as he stroked a warm hand over her hip.
Dani rolled onto her other side so she could face him. “Good morning.” She was probably grinning like a loon and she didn’t care. “I’d suggest we grab a quick shower, but then we’d never make it upstairs.”
Dare reached around and grabbed her ass in an affectionate squeeze. “You go first and that will save us both from temptation.”
Dani couldn’t help the swift tug of disappointment that swirled through her, but Dare’s suggestion was a good one. She rolled out of bed and headed toward the shower. Maybe it would finish waking her up out of the delicious slumber that still clung to her.
Twenty minutes later, they were both walking through the door to the control room, dressed but sleepy, or at least Dani knew she still was. But it probably had more to do with cuddling with Dare than actual sleep.
“The planets should be visible in about five minutes,” Jared supplied. “Still no communications traffic from either planet, but the radiation levels are rising as we get closer. Nothing in the dangerous range, but that is probably what’s interfering with their communications.”
The seconds ticked by slowly as Dani kept her gaze glued to the front view screen. Finally, Gavin 1 came into view and grew in size until they’d reached a close enough position to take orbit around the planet.
Dare shifted in his chair. “Jared, how are the radiation levels?”
“Higher than normal, but still not dangerous, at least not on this side of the planet. Long-range sensors are showing higher levels on the other side. That may be where the detonation occurred …” Jared must’ve realized he just implied the detonation had happened on Gavin 1 and she promptly fell silent.
“Let’s get down there and find out the scoop.” Dare sat back, letting Jared, Dahlia, and Carl man the controls. After all, the three of them were the experts. Even though he was proficient, he knew his skills couldn’t match any of theirs. He had other skills that could, but he wasn’t ashamed to admit he wasn’t an expert at everything.
Ten minutes later, they landed near the sandpits on a large, flat stretch of ground. They didn’t have any shuttle crafts to take down, so it had been necessary to take the whole ship down. Luckily they’d found a good spot that was uninhabited.
Radiation levels remained constant and they all filed to the air lock. Dare opened the door and lowered the ladder since there was no need to equalize the air pressure now that they were no longer in space.
A small crowd had gathered near the sandpits, and as soon as they stepped down onto Gavin 1, the crowd rushed toward them shouting greetings and questions.
A small, elderly woman beelined for Dani, and Dani opened her arms to give the woman an affectionate hug.
“Katya, are you all right? What happened down here?”
The older woman beamed up at Dani and then spared a glance for the rest of them. “You remember me, Dani.”
“How could I ever forget you? You were so kind to me.”
Dani turned to Dare. “Dare, this is Katya. Devil was very close to her while he was here and she took me in before Devil found my foster parents.”
Dare glanced back at Carl, and at Carl’s confirming nod he turned to study the woman more closely. Dani knew this was a lot to digest, but there had been no easy way to tell him that his grandfather had had an ongoing affair with this woman.
“Dani, you all come to my house and I’ll tell you what I know. It may not be much, but it’s as much as everyone else here knows. We were as surprised as I’m sure you were. And we haven’t been able to send or receive communications since it happened.”
When they were all gathered in Katya’s small house and she had provided everyone with cups of water, which was probably all she had, the old woman sighed and took her own chair.
“All we know is that Gavin 2 got hold of a nuclear black hole detonation device. I’m sure they were planning on firing it on us, but something went wrong. No one is sure if it was a saboteur or if it just malfunctioned. Anyway, it was in the middle of their capital city when it went off. Most of the residents are dead. We received a small burst of messages after we saw the fireball, but since then it’s been total silence.”
Dani nodded, relief flowing through her that it wasn’t her home planet of Gavin 1, but sadness followed quickly that there was such a loss of life. Katya didn’t know much more than they’d heard previously, and really the only new piece of information was that the detonation had happened on Gavin 2. But she was glad they’d made the trip and found out. Her heart warmed as she realized that Dare hadn’t even questioned her need to come here, he’d just mobilized his crew and brought her. He was truly a worthy man—worthy to be Devil’s grandson and worthy of her trust.
“I need to go out and talk to some people and see the city. If you all will wait here, I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Everyone nodded and told her to be careful. Dani took the gentle well wishes in stride, but she knew the residents of Gavin 1 would never hurt her. She’d been something of a Robin Hood for the past five years, bringing them supplies and taking people off-world when needed. The only things she wouldn’t provide them with was weapons, but they never seemed to blame her or be angry with her for that omission.
She spent the day finding old friends and talking to those she’d never met before. The stricken faces of the children broke her heart, and she remembered all too wel
l being one of them before Devil had found her.
Most of the populace seemed like they had lost all hope, regardless of the fact that they’d won the war and that the bloodshed was over for good.
She found out that several ships of Gavin 2 residents had been off-world at the time and had asked Gavin 1 for asylum. The Grand Council had denied them entry and they’d dispersed to find other places to live. They still had their credits deposited in the Galactic bank, so it wouldn’t be hard for them to find new places to live, but Dani wished Gavin 1 had welcomed them and started the healing process that Gavin 1 would need long term to survive.
When she was exhausted and hungry, she slowly made her way back to Katya’s house, her heart and her mind longing to see Dare and feel his comforting hand in hers.
When she stepped through the door she found only Katya sitting in the main room and a trickle of unease slid through her.
“Katya? Where are they?” Her voice came out more demanding than she’d intended and she immediately felt bad for snapping at the older woman.
“They’re gone, child.”
“Gone where?” Dani hadn’t bothered to scan the horizon for the ship as she’d returned, never thinking that they would leave her here. She was surprised she hadn’t heard the ship break orbit, but it could’ve been while she’d been out by the waterfalls. While the water was calming and soothing, it was also very loud.
“I don’t know, child. They took the ship and left.”
“Did they say when they would be back?”
When Katya shook her head, tears burned at the backs of Dani’s eyes and she blinked to keep them from falling. Betrayal and sadness cut deep. Not only had Dare left her, but also Jared and Dahlia.
This was why she never trusted, because she always got hurt in the end.
When Katya hugged her and rubbed circles over her back like Dare had done many times, her emotions finally broke down the wall she’d kept them behind and large, fat tears streamed down her face as sobs wracked her.
