It wasn’t fair she’d have to leave him. But life had never been fair. “To protect Garth. And the rest of you,” she quickly added.
“They’re hailing us,” a man called out. He also had a lock of white hair in the front, so she assumed he was another brother. Just how many of them were there? The woman sitting next to him with the short red hair offered a smile of encouragement.
“That’s Kal and his woman, Rory,” Garth whispered in her ear.
“How many brothers do you have?” she whispered.
“There’s only the four of us,” he assured her.
That was something. It was dangerous enough for that many of them to be running around the universe. They were all tough, lethal men. The testosterone was so thick in the room there was hardly any air left to breathe.
“Let’s see what they have to say.” Flynn sat in the captain’s chair and leaned back like he didn’t have a care in the world. Garth tugged her over beside Kal and Rory. Lacey assumed they wouldn’t be visible from here.
The screen in front of Flynn changed, and a picture of Ian appeared. She jumped and gasped, but before the sound could escape, Garth had clamped his hand over her mouth. When she patted it to let him know she had herself under control, he lowered it, but only as far as her shoulder. He stood behind her, big and solid and protective. It would be so easy to lean on him, to let him take all the risks, but that wasn’t who she was.
“What the fuck do you want?” Flynn demanded.
Ian frowned, which usually got action back on Eden but had no effect whatsoever on Flynn or any of the rest of them. “This is Ian Reader of the Simplistics II. One of our people is on board your ship. Surrender her or we’ll fire.”
Flynn steepled his finger together, the robotic limb visible. Ian flinched slightly when he saw it but recovered quickly. “See, I have a problem with that. You tried to poison my brothers and Angelina.”
“Your brothers?” Ian’s frown deepened. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. The woman you took with you is delusional. She’s the one who poisoned all of us in a bid to get off Eden. She’s unstable and needs to be in our care, for her safety and yours.”
Lacey’s heart sank, and her stomach knotted. It all sounded so credible. None of them had any reason to believe he was telling anything but the truth. And really, it would have been a remarkable ploy. Poison the others and pretend she was saving them so they’d feel honor bound to take her with them.
Garth’s hands fell away from her, and with that action her last bit of hope crumbled. Of course he’d believe Ian. She’d begged Garth to take her with him, and he’d expressly told her he wouldn’t.
She wanted to scream it wasn’t true, but that would only make her sound more like the mad woman Ian claimed her to be. And in truth, she wasn’t sure she could speak without bursting into tears.
Garth walked over to stand beside Flynn. He looked exactly like the man she’d first seen, complete with blaster over his shoulder. He really did seem to take it everywhere. Just as he always wore a battlesuit beneath his clothes. He was a warrior, through and through, and would do whatever it took to protect those he loved.
A single tear ran down her cheek before she swiped it away. It did no good to feel sorry for herself. She’d been within that sphere of protection for a short time. Oh, he didn’t love her. How could he? They barely knew each other. But she’d belonged somewhere, with someone, even if it had only been temporary. She’d never regret that.
“You fired on us,” Garth stated.
Ian shrugged. “Overzealous guards who’d assumed you’d poisoned us. You were visitors to our planet, strangers. It would never have occurred to them that Lacey would have done such a thing.”
Amos was looking at her and back at Ian, uncertainty coloring his eyes. When Kal reached out and moved Rory to his other side, away from her, Lacey knew she had no other choice.
Stepping forward, she strolled to the opposite side of Flynn, away from Garth, and faced her nemesis. “Hello, Ian.”
****
Garth wanted to yell at Lacey for stepping forward. He shot a glare at Kal, but he was busy watching Lacey. So was Amos. They believed what Ian was telling them. They honestly thought Lacey had concocted a plan to poison her own people so she could get off the planet.
Even Flynn was frowning. Of course, that was his default expression, so there was no telling what he really thought.
She looked so small and alone facing down Ian, but her shoulders were thrown back and her chin was tilted up. No way had this woman done what Ian was accusing her of. She was too open and loving and genuine.
Or was she? Maybe she was just a very good actress.
She’d been desperate, a small voice reminded him. Willing to do anything to get away from Eden. He looked over at her, but she was staring at the screen. Fear flashed across her face for a brief second, but it quickly disappeared.
What if it was the truth? Why else would she have slept with him? Not complained when he took her with little or no care? She was using his attraction to her to get her away from Eden.
Betrayal bitter and cold burned his soul, searing it worse than the mine explosion had. That had been only physical. He’d recovered from that. This was an injury that would never heal. He’d opened himself up to Lacey, allowing himself to believe she truly did care about him.
But the reality was that he was scarred from head to toe, rough-looking at best, didn’t know how to be gentle, and lived a hard and unpredictable life. Hell, even when he lived on Quaros, women young and old had been wary around him, fearing he was more animal than man, and that had been before his injuries.
It was as though they all sensed he was more beast than civilized male, acting from instinct more than reason. Why would Lacey be any different from the rest?
Garth struggled to contain his emotions, burying them behind a mask of determination. He would give nothing away to Ian or any of them. His chest grew tight. He feared his heart might be breaking.
“Lacey.” Ian’s smile was gentle. “You need to apologize to these people and then allow us to come and get you. It’s better for everyone that way.”
She stood there, silent, simply staring at Ian, as if she wasn’t quite sure how to react. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple, but she didn’t swipe it away. She was pale, too. In spite of everything, his first instinct was to protect her.
Flynn leaned forward, propping his forearms on his thighs and clasping his hands loosely together. “So what if she poisoned you and used it as a ploy to get off the planet? Why do you want her back if that’s the case? You planning on hurting her?”
That hadn’t even occurred to Garth, he’d been so caught up in his own inner turmoil. He brought his blaster up to the ready as if he could shoot Ian through the screen. It gave him a sense of satisfaction when Ian ducked before he could stop himself. When he slowly straightened, he glared at Garth.
“We plan to take care of her. She was never the same after her parents died. Working in the fields gives her purpose and keeps her calm. I blame myself. I should never have allowed her to have dinner with us, but she was so excited and begged to be included.”
“That’s a lie,” Lacey whispered, but Garth heard her.
“I thought she was your master gardener.” Angelina stepped forward with Amos by her side. “That’s what you told me.”
Ian shook his head and sighed. “Once again, I owe you an apology. It’s a fiction we’ve allowed because we all care for her. She’s far too young to be a master gardener, but again, it keeps her happy and calm so we allow it. I truly am sorry.”
Garth almost believed him. He reeked of sincerity. It certainly didn’t match the man he’d met. But there was one thing Garth knew that Ian didn’t. He’d followed Lacey to the fields, had watched as men and women had come to her with questions and to ask advice. He’d seen her competently work alongside them. If she was truly mentally unstable people would have stayed away from her, or at best humored her.
She’d been in charge of those fields. There was no question in his mind.
God, he was an idiot.
So quick to look for betrayal, he’d believed Ian over Lacey. How in the hell would he ever get her to forgive him for that? Because she knew that none of them believed her. It was in her slightly slumped posture, in the way she’d wrapped her arms around herself. She expected them to simply give her back without question.
This was worse than when he’d kissed her on Eden, used her to get information, and then refused to take her with him. No, this time he’d rolled away from her still warm body after making love with her, and then refused to believe her over a lying bastard.
Ian spoke again. “We really must get back to Eden. We’ll send a shuttle over to collect Lacey and then you can be on your way. Ms. Astoferus,” he addressed Angelina. “I hope this doesn’t taint your view of Eden. We really are doing remarkable things here. I know Jasper will be sorry he missed you. I extend an invitation for you and your crew to visit again.”
“No,” Lacey whispered. “Don’t let him send a shuttle. One of you take me back, and be ready to protect yourselves if it’s a trap.” She kept her voice low so only he and Flynn could hear her, but Ian could see her lips moving.
“What is she saying? Please disregard whatever it is. She really isn’t well. We need to get her home.”
“Don’t hurt them.” Lacey spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.
Ian’s brows lowered, and his jaw clenched. “Why would you even think such a thing, let alone say it. You know Simplistics live by a tenet of peace.”
Garth saw the flash of gloating in Ian’s eyes before it was replaced with a mask of benevolent concern. He really was a bastard. And Lacey was willing to give herself over to him to protect Garth and his family. She had no idea their ship had the best shields and lasers money could buy.
He didn’t deserve her, but he was damn well going to fight for her.
Garth stepped over to stand behind Lacey. “She’s not going anywhere.”
Chapter Nine
Lacey accepted her fate. She’d survive whatever lay ahead for her on Eden as long as she knew Garth and his family were safe. She couldn’t have their deaths on her conscience. Garth might have lost faith in her, but she didn’t blame him for that. Ian was too convincing, too damn good at lying. It was his best skill, and as always, he used it to get whatever it was he wanted. He and Jasper were very much alike in that way.
She’d learned something about herself these past few hours. She’d discovered she could truly love and had given her heart away to a man who didn’t believe himself worthy of it. It was why it was so easy for him to believe Ian.
Garth reminded her of a mountain cat she’d found hurt several years ago. The beast had been mistrustful of her, snarling and growling and snapping its teeth. She’d been scared out of her mind but unable to leave the creature to suffer. So she’d brought it food and water to which she’d added medicines, caring for it as best she could. It hadn’t been easy. Never once had she forgotten it was a wild animal. It had accepted her presence and grown stronger, seeming to look forward to her visits, rumbling in pleasure whenever she’d arrive. Just when she thought it might allow her to get close enough to touch it, the cat had bolted, running back to the mountains and leaving her alone once again.
It was the closest she’d ever come to having a pet, a companion.
Garth was so similar to that wild cat it broke her heart. He shied away from affection even as he craved it. He’d allowed her to touch him and now was running away from what they’d shared, scared she meant him and his family harm.
No, she didn’t blame him, but there was no way to keep the sadness from flooding her soul.
When he stepped behind her, she half expected him to order her to the shuttle bay. Instead, he shocked her, by pronouncing that she wasn’t going anywhere. What did he mean?
“I don’t understand,” Ian responded. She recognized the frown on his face and knew his patience had run out.
“It’s simple,” Garth told him. “Lacey stays with us.”
Ian sighed and shook his head. “Did she sleep with you? She has a habit of doing that to get what she wants from men. You’re nothing special.”
Lacey wanted the floor to swallow her up. Or maybe, since she was actually in space, it might be better just to jettison herself into the inky depths outside the window.
Garth actually smiled. It took her aback to see the expression on his face. But it wasn’t the least bit pleasant. It was more that he bared his teeth at Ian. One predator confronting another.
“You find that amusing?” Ian asked.
“Since she was a virgin, yes, I do find it amusing. Makes me wonder what other lies you’re telling.”
Yup, deep space was looking more and more appealing with each passing second. What must his family think of her? Not that she should care. They were strangers, after all. But for some unknown reason she wanted them to like her.
But Ian rallied, as he always did. “I’m only repeating what I’ve been told by several men I trusted. Obviously, they lied.”
Garth shook his head. “Still not going anywhere.”
Then Ian appealed to Flynn. “Captain, I’m sure you don’t want any trouble with the authorities.”
Before Flynn could respond, Angelina Astoferus stepped forward. “What exactly are you implying, sir? You’re the one harassing us.” She turned to Kal. “Please send a message to Alliance headquarters letting them know we are being unjustly detained by the authorities of the Eden Colony.”
“There is no need of that,” Ian interjected quickly. “This is just a minor misunderstanding. You have one of our people on board. I want her back.”
“You want her back,” Garth repeated. The two men stared at each other, neither of them giving an inch.
“Everyone, calm the fuck down.” Flynn flicked his robotic hand at his brother. “Take your stations.” Lacey admitted it kind of shocked her when Garth gave a curt nod and went to the empty chair in front of an impressive console. Amos drifted back to his seat as well, taking Angelina with him. Kal and Rory were slowly strapping on their safety harnesses. What did it all mean?
Ian, on the other hand, looked pleased with himself. “We’ll be happy to compensate you for your time lost.”
One corner of Flynn’s mouth kicked upward, making him truly look like a space pirate rather than a respectable captain. And he had to be a respectable captain, didn’t he? He was in charge of Ms. Astoferus’s ship.
When Lacey’s knees grew weak, she grabbed the arm of Flynn’s chair for support. He was really going to give her up, and Garth wasn’t going to do anything to stop him. As much as she’d thought herself resigned to her fate, there’d been a sliver of hope. Now even that was gone.
“How much?” Flynn inquired.
“I’m sure we can come to some agreement.”
Flynn leaned back in his chair and clasped his hand around her wrist, shackling her as surely as if it had been a manacle. His grip was like iron. And this was his human hand, not the robotic one.
“Hmm, I’m thinking your ship might do.”
Ian’s face grew stony once again. “Don’t play games with me, captain. There are lasers targeting your vessel at this very moment. I don’t want to use them, but I will.”
“You’re willing to start a galactic incident over this woman.” Flynn lifted her arm and tugged her so she was almost in front of him.
“Just give her to me.”
Flynn shrugged, totally unconcerned. “You know my terms.”
“Then you leave me no choice.”
“Shields up,” Flynn roared. He grabbed her, tumbling her onto his lap.
Laser fire from Ian’s ship rocked their vessel. Lacey would have gone flying across the control room if Flynn hadn’t had such a tight grip on her.
“Flynn?” Garth’s deep voice reverberated through Lacey’s body.
“Ian, you have one more chanc
e to go away,” Flynn told him.
“Your shields won’t hold. Give Lacey to me and you can be on your way.” Ian’s hair was disheveled, but he still looked too sure of himself. “That was just a small taste of what we can do.”
“That’s your final decision?”
Ian just laughed. “Give it up. You’re outclassed and outgunned.”
Flynn’s grip on her increased. He obviously didn’t like Ian’s reply. “Now.” Their ship dropped suddenly and her stomach did the same. Garth’s back was partially to her, but he was concentrating on the console in front of him, everyone working as a team.
“Firing.” The one word sent a shiver through her. Ian was still on the screen in front of them. He looked shocked just before he went flying across the bridge of his vessel. The transmission grew fuzzy, but steadied itself after a few seconds.
Garth wasn’t done. He fired again and again, but it wasn’t random. Ian’s crew started giving him damage reports. Weapons were gone. There’d been explosions in major areas. If they left now, they might be able to limp back to Eden since it was so close.
Flynn smiled at Ian. It made him appear even scarier. “Your decision, Reader.”
“This isn’t over.” Lacey couldn’t believe Ian’s audacity.
“Yes, it is. You have two minutes to get to your escape pods.” With that pronouncement, he ran a finger along his neck, and Kal cut the transmission. Ian’s picture was replaced by a view of space. The inky blackness was broken only the Ian’s ship and Eden far in the distance.
Within seconds, escape pods began to appear, all heading as fast as possible toward the planet. At precisely the two-minute mark, Flynn raised his hand. Another laser blast hit the already crippled ship. Lacey flinched, closing her eyes when the screen lit up. When she opened them, the other ship was gone.
“There are a lot of pods headed for Eden. I’d estimate that any of the people not killed in the initial explosions made it off the ship,” Kal informed them.
“Good.” Flynn opened his arms and released her, but she couldn’t make herself move. She was shaking too badly.
Liberating Lacey Page 9
