by Ivy Barrett
“Look. He’s hurt. I think you broke something.”
“So sue me. Turn on the barrier.” Ashton punctuated the command by tugging on her hair.
Corry reached for her arm band. Could she activate coms without his realizing—
“Upper right corner,” Ashton snapped. “I’ve been watching you.” After a moment’s hesitation, she activated the barrier. “Now release these restraints.”
The metal cuffs clattered noisily to the floor. His furious gaze never left her face as he tore the control band from her arm.
Humiliation and anger warred within Corry. “Larz, are you hurt badly?” He silently shook his head.
Her only hope was to cooperate until she found an opportunity to escape. Ashton’s hand remained in her hair, forcing her to bend as he collected the fallen restraints and one of the motivators. He draped the wristcuffs over his shoulder and glanced into the cell.
Larz had crumpled onto his side, pretending to be unconscious.
Ashton spared him one last glance and dragged her along the corridor.
“Why take me with you?” She grabbed his wrist, trying to ease the pressure on her scalp. “I’ll just slow you down.”
“Where are you holding Danette and Palmer?”
She grimaced as his hand unconsciously tightened in her hair. “It’ll never happen. Your chances of getting off this planet alive are infinitesimal. Your chances of rescuing the others are nonexistent.”
They turned a corner and he paused, studying the insignia on her control band. “Borrelly. Just as I thought.” He shoved her against the wall with the weight of his body as he fastened the control band around his forearm. His expression was tight with frustration. He was obviously struggling with the reality that he couldn’t help his friends. “Damn it! I can’t leave them here.”
Corry fought back a smile. Maybe she was empathic too. At the moment she could read him like a book.
“Guess it’s just you and me.”
Fear surged through her as a ruthless gleam ignited within his eyes. He wasn’t just harassing her. He intended to take her with him. “There is no reason to drag me along!”
His gaze narrowed and he moved the motivator closer to her face. “I can think of several.” Cupping her jaw with his other hand, he glared into her eyes. “You’re in so far over your head, little girl. I have no idea how you survived this long.”
Hatred burned in his eyes, startling her. He better be ready for a fight. She had no intention of going quietly.
“There are so many things I want to do to you right now I don’t know where to start.”
His fingers bit into her face painfully, but Corry wasn’t sure he was aware of it. His gaze moved from her eyes to her mouth and lingered.
“One taste,” he muttered. “The rest will have to wait.”
Surely he didn’t mean to kiss her. His expression promised strangulation, not affection. Then his mouth possessed hers and she understood. This was not about affection. It was about domination.
His arms shifted, crushing her slender body against his much-taller frame. The dangling wristcuffs bumped against her side as he captured her head in the cradle of his elbow, preventing her escape. His mouth moved over and against hers, demanding and forceful, until a ragged sob tore from her throat. He frightened her, yet her body had never been so aware, so sensitized, so ready.
His heartbeat thudded against her breast and his cock pressed against her belly. It was happening again. Her body ripened, swelled and melted. She wanted his aggression, reveled in his need until her own desire matched his. Would he finish what they’d started outside his cell? Would he wrap her legs around his waist and take her roughly against the wall? She trembled. How could that thought appeal to her?
She relaxed against him and he deepened the kiss. Holding her jaw firmly with one hand, he thrust his tongue into her mouth in an unmistakable parody of a more significant penetration. That was what he wanted. That was what they both wanted. Stars, when had she become so depraved?
He cupped her breast, flicking her erect nipple through the layers of her clothes. “Does this happen with everyone or just men at your mercy?”
“You’re not at my mercy anymore,” she ground out. The teasing pressure of his thumb sent darts of sensation from her nipple to her clit. He had to be a sorcerer. No one had ever affected her like this before.
“I want to fuck you senseless right here against the wall. Do you think we have time?” His hand swooped down and cupped her mound.
Shoving against his chest, Corry turned her face away. “Stop it!” There was a definite catch in her voice, revealing her confusion.
“Do you like it rough? Are you wet and ready even now?” She swung at his smug face, but he caught her wrist. “Have you ever taken it up the ass?”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Maybe. But I bet you’ll love everything I do to you.”
“If you want a butt buddy, they’d be happy to oblige at the Pleasure Palace. For the right price of course.”
He shoved her away, caging her against the wall with his arms. “What would you know about the Pleasure Palace? I thought you’d never been to Halley Prime?”
“Go to hell.”
He chuckled. “Already been there. We need to move fast, but I’ll warn you right now, little rebel, this is far from over.”
Pushing off the wall, he pointed the motivator at her. “What setting did your buddy leave this on?”
She said nothing.
“I guess we’ll find out how compassionate you rebels are. Whatever punishment he meant for me will be delivered to you.”
Ashton hadn’t planned to kiss the little rebel, but the temptation had simply been too great. She’d taunted and teased him, haunted his every waking hour and infiltrated his troubled dreams until he had to do something to exorcise her image from his mind.
Fresh-faced and innocent-eyed, she sure as hell didn’t look like a criminal. Who was she? Her kiss-reddened lips trembled slightly and a lock of her dark hair had escaped the severe braid to dangle over one of her eyes. Why was she allowing herself to be used by the rebels? The questions had driven him half-mad during his long hours of isolation.
He put the wristcuffs on her and triggered the locks. “Let’s go.”
Her full, inviting lips compressed into a grim line as she battled some inner conflict. “Don’t do this. I can’t go with you.”
“Move.” He punctuated the word with the motivator, not willing to argue. “Where are my shoes?”
“I recycled them.”
“Damn,” he muttered. “Socks will have to do, I guess.”
“If you leave me here, I’ll tell you how to get off-world.”
“I’d rather you showed me.” He flashed a taunting smile and she went wild. Jerking to the side, she slammed his fist against the wall with finger-numbing force. Her boot heel stomped his unprotected instep and her sharp little elbow jabbed his stomach.
Ashton grunted. Pain radiated from his foot and his middle, and his captive slipped from his grasp. She fled down the empty corridor, boot heels ringing against the floor. Focusing past the pain, Ashton ran after her. She’d reached the security door at the end of the corridor and her palm was pressed against the scanner. He intentionally slowed his pace. Let her open the door. That was one less obstacle.
The door slipped open and she stepped out into the sunlight. Ashton was right behind her. His arm circled her chest, forcing her hands to her sides. She kicked back at him, but he managed to avoid her flailing feet.
“Stop it,” he snapped. “I’ll knock you unconscious and sling you over my shoulder. Is that what you want?”
Her head slammed back into his chest. Another grunt escaped Ashton.
“Fuck you!” she panted.
Her temper finally exhausted his patience. Ashton picked her up and shoved her down onto a grassy patch of ground. With quick, angry movements, he tugged off her boots and her knee-high stockings. He tied
her feet together with the stockings and threw the boots as far from her as he could.
“How is this going to help?” she demanded. “Are you going to carry me all the way back to Halley Prime?”
He didn’t respond. Sitting down beside her, he tossed one leg over her hips to hold her to the ground and turned his attention to the control band.
“What’s your plan, big shot?”
Ashton ignored her. She occasionally shoved against his leg with her bound hands, but most of her belligerence had been expended. The configuration of the control panel was only slightly different from models he’d used before. He established a data link and confirmed their location. “Are you employed by Corrections or is your stay here mandatory?”
Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.
The communication functions available on the band were minimal. He couldn’t contact Halley Prime and there was no one on Borrelly he could trust. He turned his focus to transportation. He needed to get off this outpost as quickly as possible.
* * * * *
Corry couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. They were off Borrelly with no one the wiser. She hadn’t told Korbin when she intended to make the switch, so it could be hours before they realized she was missing. Ashton left her shackled to the navigator’s chair and basically ignored her.
“How’d ya do it, hot shot?”
He leaned back, his hands hooked behind his head, as Borrelly became a miniature sphere on the vidscreen. Swiveling in the pilot’s chair, he faced her. “How’d I do what?” His insolent smirk told her he knew exactly what she asked.
“How did you authorize our departure without setting off every alarm on the planet?”
“Simple security.”
“Security?” she echoed.
“It’s sometimes important for the premier to travel incognito. So a latent program is written into every coalition security system. Dad can trigger it with a code.”
“And this program does what exactly?”
“It overrides all established security systems, logs a random flight plan and approves access on a supervisory level.”
“So, Borrelly’s records will indicate this ship was used by some randomly generated personnel?”
“The program is comprehensive enough to consider probability. It will file a flight manifest appropriate to an orbit schooner leaving this terminal at this time.”
“How long has the premier had such a code?”
“For as long as I can remember. The code itself changes periodically, but the ability to travel without leaving a trail has always been available to certain members of the executive council.”
“Unbelievable.” The privileged citizens of Halley Prime had never felt obligated to play by the rules. Well, actually they played by their own set of rules, rules that didn’t apply to non-citizens.
“Why does this bother you?”
“Why wouldn’t that bother me?” she countered sharply. “Your father can come and go as he pleases with no accountability.”
“It’s not a matter of accountability. It’s a matter of safety. If Father’s off-world agenda were public knowledge, it would subject him to any number of hazards.” He paused, his dark eyes narrowed. “That reminds me of another miraculous feat. How did you do it?”
“How did I do what?” She fought back a smile as their conversation rewound.
“How did you snatch us from the gala without setting off every alarm on Halley Prime?”
“Maybe there’s more to our little band of rebels than you suppose.”
“Oh come on. I told you my secret. Surely you can tell me yours.”
His voice was playfully coaxing, but his dark eyes settled squarely on her face. Their gazes locked, his stare drifting to her mouth. Her lips tingled. Was he remembering their frantic kiss in the corridor, the sensual promise as yet unexplored? She hadn’t forgotten how he felt, how he tasted. He’d ignited feelings she’d never dreamed existed with little more than a kiss.
“We’ve been experimenting with molecular transportation.” She needed something to distract her wayward thoughts.
“Experimenting? It seems to me the project has moved beyond experimentation. How much does the coalition know?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who knows all their secrets.”
“Technology is not my father’s field of expertise, nor is it mine.”
Her chin came up a notch. “No, you excel at head games and mind control.”
“And you hide behind your anger. You shield your fascination with a wall of disdain.”
“I hide my fascination from no one. I’m intrigued by the unknown. Everyone is. My interest in your culture doesn’t in any way negate my disdain for that same culture.”
“Oh really?” His mouth curved in a mocking smile.
He knew. Somehow he knew just how enthralled she was with his culture, with the privileges of citizenship. “Fascination with something doesn’t always indicate approval. You can be fascinated with a mass murderer without approving of the actions.”
His smile vanished. “That’s a rather odd parallel.”
“Is it? What’s so abhorrent about murder?” He just stared at her in bewilderment, so Corry answered. “Murder is a senseless waste of life. It can also destroy the lives of those closest to the victim.”
“Are you going somewhere with this delightful analogy?”
“The best description of the culture on Halley Prime is a senseless squandering of all life has to offer.”
He laughed uproariously and Corry wanted to smack him. “Have you even been to Halley Prime?”
Clenching her fists, she refused to respond. All her visits had been brief and specific, allowing her little time to explore the lavish outpost. Staring straight ahead, she finished her explanation. “Each extravagance you enjoy is paid for by the occupants of the other outposts. Countless lives have been destroyed by the coalition’s quest for power and pleasure. You stroll through life without a care in the world while the rest of the coalition starves. That’s a high price to pay for your luxury.”
“Where do you get these wild ideas?” He raked a careless hand through his hair, his eyes sparkling merrily.
His amusement fueled her indignation. “Have you been to Wirtanen or Chiron? There’s nothing wild about my ideas. We smuggle them food and medical supplies every chance we get, but—” She bit off her words before she revealed too much. The rebels were faithful, but they were few. “I’ve personally paid an enormous price that directly benefited the coalition.”
“What price? How have you paid?”
She wanted to tell him. His lightly mocking tone challenged her to reveal things she knew she shouldn’t. He was the enemy! “You’re very good, Mr. VinDerley, but you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“I think you’d be surprised.”
* * * * *
According to Ashton’s calculations they would reach Halley Prime by late afternoon the following day. Pushing the engines any harder would exhaust their limited fuel supply, so he would just have to be patient. The schooner’s communication capabilities were pathetic. They would be able to see Halley Prime before any message sent from the ship reached his father.
He didn’t have to see the little rebel to picture her petulant expression. She hadn’t spoken a word in nearly an hour. He’d charted a course, completed systems diagnostics and reviewed some of the ship’s idiosyncrasies, and still she sat silently, glaring holes in his profile.
It had been several years since he’d piloted a ship himself. Halley Prime had automated docking technology, but he wanted to be prepared for what would be expected of him.
“So,” he swiveled to face his hostage, “how shall we spend the next nineteen hours?”
“Playing chess?” she suggested with a smirk.
“Not my favorite game.”
She was adorable when she was angry. No, she was always adorable, but anger added color to her cheeks and made her eyes
flash. Her clothes varied little from day to day. Black pants and a solid shirt, usually some shade of green. Today she’d chosen a deep forest green that perfectly matched her wide, thick-lashed eyes.
The safety restraints secured her to the chair. Why hadn’t she released them? Only her right hand was bound to the chair. More of her long dark hair had escaped the braid and framed her lovely face.
“I need to use a utility closet.” Her expression filled with hostility and frustration.
He better make sure there was nothing in the room she could turn into a weapon. Without bothering to explain his actions, he located the needed facility. There were four pull-down bunks in the stern cabin and one small private cabin opposite the galley. Schooners were not designed for long-range travel.
He inspected the utility room thoroughly, removing the shaving razors and a bottle with a metal stem attached to the dispenser pump. There was nothing else even potentially dangerous. When he returned to the main cabin, the little rebel had released the safety restraint and knelt beside the chair, working frantically to unfasten the wristcuff.
“Now this position doesn’t foster my confidence.” He folded his arms across his chest.
Her gaze shot to his face and she smiled with apparent innocence. “I didn’t know if you were coming back.”
“Right.”
“I really do need to use the utility closet.” She stood, but her hand was still connected to the chair, forcing her to stoop a bit.
“I was about to release you, but now I’m not sure that’s wise. How do I know you won’t cause trouble?”
“I promise,” she said much too quickly.
“Not good enough.” Then, with a slow, wicked smile, he said, “Take off your clothes.”
Chapter Four
Corry gasped at his outrageous demand. “I will not take off my clothes.”
“You will if you want that wristcuff released.”
“That’s ridiculous. There is no reason for me to undress.”
“This isn’t a negotiation. It’s a simple choice. Take off your clothes or stay attached to the chair.”
Payback was a bitch. He hadn’t forgotten any of the indignities he’d suffered at her hand. She could see it in his eyes, the anger, the hunger.
