Vict

by Jessie Rose Case

  Grabbing the data pad she sent a message off to Remix. She felt sorry for him but he’d given her up to those goons. That was bad business. He owed her for several of her designs. He sold them on, on her behalf as well as some jobs she’d done for him. She reminded him he’d better pay or the gravy train was over. That he didn’t want her to come calling. She gave the account details again. Business had been good and she liked this Port and its people, but nothing was forever. It’d be a shame to have to move on.

  Kim felt the movement of the automated unloading arms engaging inside the ship. She guessed that Mack had secured payment and was happy to unload the cargo to the rightful owners. They still got paid, those were the rules. Her comm pinged. “Kim, our guests would like to see the engines.” Her gut clenched. Here we go.

  “Your ship Mack, your engines.” She replied.

  “They would like to speak with you too.” I bet they did.

  “Nope. You know our agreement.”

  Kim stared into her coffee. She didn’t like this. They really needed to get off this rock. She hadn’t heard the footsteps and stilled, when she heard the sound of a chair being dragged over. Trouble was, she knew it wasn’t Mack. Kim gripped her mug and turned to face her guest. Mr Large sat and looked at her.

  She had to give it to him. For all that brooding maleness that normally just annoyed her, he was stunningly good looking, and probably knew it. His hair had all that shine going on, a bit on the girly side but on him, well, he just carried it off much to her annoyance. And those eyes. So clear, so green. Kim wondered if they were natural. He was all male alright. She hadn’t missed that the first time. She could almost taste how chiselled he was going to be. Her mouth watered. Her belly did a little dance and her panties got wet. A guy that good looking, had to be trouble.

  “I said no.” She told him blankly.

  He gave her a cold smile in return. “Shooting me take’s away any choice you had.” He told her calmly.

  Kim couldn’t help it, she laughed. It was ridiculous. He had all that big, strong male alpha solider thing going for him, and he came out with something lame like that. He suddenly looked confused and she laughed harder.

  “Does that ever work?” She asked between breathing.

  She needed a drink. Kim got up and went back to the dispenser and put in her request. “Want a drink?” She asked over her shoulder. He didn’t answer so she turned around. “Drink? Simple question. Yes or no. Either works for me.” He gave her a nod, Kim turned back and got another.

  She put both drinks down and retook hers, pulling it towards her. “How’s the leg?”

  “Flesh wound nothing serious.” He told her. Well that was just great. He was insulting her skill with a firearm.

  “I can do better.” She told him sweetly. All that alpha male stared back at her. Then burst out laughing. Now that, was just … heart clenching.

  Mack came walking into the kitchen looking confused. His gazed swinging from her to the large male. He was followed by the other guy she recognised. Seems like she was two for two. Mack thumbed back at the new comer.

  “Sorry Kim, he doesn’t understand how you did it.” Kim sighed and just nodded. She knew he wouldn’t.

  “So how’d you do it ….. Kim?” Mr large asked. He’d used her name while leaning forward intimately. Kim decided it sounded good on his lips. She licked her own and watched him follow the movement of her tongue. Her body clenched. She needed to get this under control.

  She shrugged. “Trade secret.”

  Mr large leaned back, looked over at his man. He shrugged at him.

  “It shouldn’t work but it does.” His man told him. Kim grinned. They wouldn’t be able to see all of her modifications unless they took it apart and that, wasn’t happening and if they did, it was unlikely they’d get it back again. Mr large turned back to her.

  “I think we got off on the wrong foot.” He held out his hand to her.

  “I’m Rage.”

  This female was too used to hiding Rage decided. Well no more. He liked her. She triggered emotions in him that he had turned off long ago. She was so tiny, yet fearless. She reminded him of lost images of the fabled pixies of Old Earth. Only she had the smell of metal, electronics and grease along with that all female smell so uniquely hers. Rage breathed in. His sensors lit up. She aroused him. Suddenly his focus narrowed on her. Her scent lingered in the air. He could smell her desire for him. They’d be no hiding that from him. His body hummed. It called to him.

  Kim automatically took the hand and gave it a firm shake her dad would have been proud of. Rage continued to hold it and Kim felt slightly uncomfortable going for a slight tug to get it back, to no avail.

  “Could I have my hand back?” She asked annoyed she’d had to ask.

  “No not yet.” Kim grinned.

  “Not yet? Why not?” Rage continued to stare at her.

  “I like it.”

  Ok thought Kim, this was getting weird.

  “Let go of my hand Rage.” She gave him a pointed stare. He brushed his thumb across the back of her hand and goosebumps sprang out over her body. She tried to hold in the shiver. Rage grinned at her. He knew dam it. She slapped his hand with her other one quick and fast and he let go.

  “If we’ve had enough of the patty cake,” Mack interrupted concern and amusement in his voice, “I have new cargo to load.”

  Rage looked over at him. “How long before you leave?”

  “Week at most.”

  “I’d like to buy the female.” Kim had been drinking her sludge when Rage spoke. She choked on it and spouted it out again all over the table.

  Rage jumped up and started slapping her on the back and rubbing it. Kim’s eyes watered and streamed down her face. To her surprise, Rage’s hands were surprisingly gentle. Kim was lost between encouraging his touch and punching him.

  “I’m,” she wheezed, “not for sale arsehole.”

  Rage re-took his seat, he looked confused. “You are not his property?”

  “Fuck no.” Kim shook her head and looked at Mack. “No offense.” He was laughing. “You finding this funny Mack? Cos I can go work elsewhere.” She was pissed and was misdirecting her fire but she couldn’t help it. Fucking property?

  Mack paled. “No need for that Kim. It was just funny that he could think any male owned you.” Kim gave him her beady eye. He was flattering her and they both knew it. She let it go. Rage started speaking again and Kim thought she’d punch him after all.

  “If you have no male protector you need to come with us.” Kim put her hands up in an old-world way and hit them together.

  “Time out.”

  “What does that mean?” Rage asked the female confused by the shape she was making with her hands and the words.

  “It means you stop being an ass and listen to what I have to say.” He smiled at that.

  “And if I don’t?” He challenged. Kim raised her left hand and the gun in it.

  “You get another introduction to Mr Sparky.”

  Rage chuckled. He really liked this female. She pushed all his buttons and he knew he was being an arse, but he couldn’t help it. He liked her riled up.

  “Ok.” He told her and sat back. “How about you come and see our engines on the Marauder. Tell us how we can improve them. No stings and we will pay you a consultation fee for doing so. If they need up grading we will pay you for that too. I hear you have done this for others, yes?” He asked her.

  Kim stared at Rage like he was nuts. “Do I look stupid? Once I’m on there, how do I know you’ll let me off again.” Rage suddenly looked every inch his name. So did his friend.

  “That would be dishonourable, and we would log the job with the consortium to keep things above board.” Kim thought about it. It was clear they weren’t going to leave unless she agreed to something.

  She nodded. “Send me your current engine specs and I’ll look at them. Only if I find I can do something, will I come on board. Deal?”

  Rag
e nodded to Dark. He lifted his comm device and Kim’s data pad pinged. “You have the details. I’ll be in touch.” He watched her pick up the pad. She didn’t acknowledge him already engrossed in her work. Rage hoped she’d look up. He wanted to take in those eyes again. She didn’t.

  “Just one more thing, you owe me for two head injuries, a broken rib and sprained wrist. I’ll take payment now.” She told him.

  “You were injured?” Rage wanted to punch something hard. He turned and gave a nod to Mack and walked off the ship. Dam he wanted that woman and had plenty to make up for. He’d be having words with Pain.

  “Did you send her the original specs?” Rage asked Dark as they walked off the ramp heading towards their ship.

  “No. Too obvious. Gave her the second remodel.” Rage nodded.

  “Good. I need a drink.” Rage suddenly hated to leave the female. He feared she would convince Mack to up and leave. “Send Mack a bonus for waiting on us and the money to cover her injuries. Double for when she’s finished. If they leave he gets nothing.”

  Dark snorted. “You have it bad man.” Rage grinned and strode out for the nearest bar.

  “Yeah. She won’t know what’s hit her.”

  Kim had expected them to send her some crap. She’d got right on it so she could blow them out, but they hadn’t. What they’d sent was interesting. She’d bet it wasn’t their latest model either. It had already seen a couple of re-models. Two good ones by the look of it. No one kept the standard engine they came with. Ever. Not unless you were completely useless. Then you were gonna be bate.

  She looked over the specs. It was good. Not imaginative at all but functional. No creativity. Just logic. They didn’t love what they did and didn’t have her feel. Then again, no one had her feel on things. It was a job to them and that’s where they were going wrong, it had to be more than that. Kim smiled. This would be too easy.

  She’d found Mack and insisted the work was bogus and they should leave. He wasn’t having any of it. Wouldn’t budge. They couldn’t leave until the week was up. He’d given his word or some such crap. Still, it gave her time to finish off their own engines. Remix had come up with several apologies, some cheap parts and paid her what he owed her. He was sweating, hoping not to sour their relationship. Kim wasn’t sure about that. It still felt off. You couldn’t trust a guy who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. It was a known fact, ladies be warned.

  Still, even with her V status, she wasn’t much of a lady. Maybe she’d give the guy a break. She looked over her notes again on Rage’s ship. She could do a lot with it. Cash depending of course. Did she want to? That was the question. She wasn’t entirely sure he was on the up and up. That he wouldn’t go back on the deal somehow. He’d been contacting their ship daily for updates. She’d happily ignored him. Only Mack had got pissed this morning telling her to ‘man up’.

  Who the fuck wanted to ‘man up’? She didn’t. She was curious though. Rage hadn’t wanted to let her hand go and that was …… cute. More than cute if she were honest. Kim put down the data pad. She needed to get her mind off Rage. Pacing her room, she tried to ignore the send button flashing on the screen. She’d had it ready for the past two days. Mack was right. She was being a chicken. She knew it but it felt like a turning point. To send it was accepting that and she wasn’t sure she was ready for what came next.

  He was too big, too male and had all that dominant thing going on. She didn’t need it and he really annoyed her. Strangely though, for all his blustering, she just knew, he’d never intentionally hurt her. She liked that. He would protect her. She would be safe. But at what cost? And if she didn’t send something, like Mack said, they’d be back. And Rage would be pissed. She wondered what he looked like pissed. Aroused. Kim slumped on the end of her bed. Stupid thoughts weren’t helping. It was time to man up. Leaning over she looked at the flashing icon on the screen. Fuck it. Kim pressed send. Life had been a bit boring of late anyway.

  ***

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