“I said no.” She told him blankly.
He gave her a cold smile in return. “Shooting me, take’s away any choice you had beautiful.” He told her calmly.
Kim couldn’t help it, she laughed. It was ridiculous. He had all that big, strong male alpha soldier 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 breaths.
She needed a drink, coffee wasn’t cutting it. Kim got up and went back to the dispenser and put in her request. “Want a drink?” She asked over her shoulder. It would be rude not to, right? He didn’t answer so she turned around. “Drink? Simple question. Yes or no answer. 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 and pushing the crap coffee away. “How’s the leg?” She asked cheekily. She knew she’d nicked him.
“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. Lighting him up. Now that, was just … heart clenching.
Kim was sure her mouth was open when 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 recognized. Seems like she was two for two. Mack thumbed back at the newcomer.
“Sorry Kim, he doesn’t understand how you did it.” Kim sighed and just nodded. She knew he wouldn’t, no surprise there.
“So how’d you do it ….. Kim?” Mr large asked. Kim hadn’t missed 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 before she crawled over the table!
She shrugged. “Trade secret.”
Mr large leaned back, looked over at his man. He shrugged back 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 together 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 underlying smell of metal, electronics, and grease, along with that all female scent so uniquely hers. Rage breathed in unable not too. His sensors lit up. To his surprise and shock. She aroused him. Suddenly his focus narrowed on her. Her scent lingered in the air. He caught her desire for him. He hadn’t expected that either. So tantalizing. Intriguing. Unbidden, he felt his cock harden. In all his years, that had never happened and not with his emotions turned off. They’d be no hiding her desire 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. He appeared to be weighing something up. Kim didn’t like it. Going for a slight tug to get it back, didn’t appear to help.
“Could I have my hand back?” She asked annoyed. Man, she’d had to ask! It grated.
“No, not yet.” He told her.
Kim grinned, getting pissed. “Not yet? Why not?”
Rage continued to stare at her. It was bordering on uncomfortable. “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 goose bumps sprang out over her body. Shit! Her breath caught. She tried to hold in the shiver. Rage grinned at her. He knew! Damn it. She slapped his hand with her other one quick and fast and he let go.
Kim pulled in several calming breaths. Giving him the evil eye, her mother would be proud of. “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 just taken a large slug of her alcohol substitute when Rage spoke. Choking on it, she sprayed 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, as she tried for some composure and failed miserably. Mack’s shocked face not helping. 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,” she wheezed some more. He laughed. Kim found her voice. “You find 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.” And the hits kept coming! Kim put her hands up in an old-world way and hit them together.
“Time out.” She told him.
“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, raising an eyebrow. Kim thought it looked cute on him.
“And if I don’t?” He challenged. He’d lost all that cuteness. Two could play at that game, thought Kim and raised her left hand and the gun in it.
“You get another introduction to Mr Sparky.”
Rage chuckled. He didn’t know why he’d told her she needed to come with them. It held no logic. He did not know her or was obligated to her and yet, he really liked this female. Wanted her with him. She pushed all his buttons and he knew he was being an ass, but he couldn’t help it. He liked her riled up.
“Ok,” he told her holding his hands up and sat back. “How about you come and see our engines on the Marauder. Tell us how we can improve them. No strings attached and we will pay you a consultation fee for doing so. Then, if they need upgrading we will pay you for that too. I hear you have done this for others, yes?” He asked her. Already knowing this to be true.
Kim stared at Rage like he was nuts. “Do I look stupid to you? 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 dishonorable, and we would log the job with the consortium to keep things above board.” He told her with some disgust in his voice. She believed him. 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?”
Rage 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 before he left her. The thought of leaving her harder than he’d thought possible. She didn’t and to stay longer would invite inquiry he wasn’t ready to deal with. He turned to go.
“Just one more thing. You owe me for two head injuries, a broken rib, and a sprained wrist. I’ll take payment
now.” She told him without looking at him.
“You were injured?” Rage took a step forward, wanted to punch something hard. She didn’t answer him but kept working. He gripped his fists in an effort not to grab her and check her over himself. He turned and gave a nod to Mack and walked off the ship. Damn 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 a hand over his face, suddenly hating to leave the female. He didn’t understand the emotion and 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.” He told him using Old Earth language. They all knew it from the war years. Not that their relevance held much these days. 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 from the look of it. Two good ones. 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. Whoever did it, didn’t love what they did and it didn’t have her feel or creativity. 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.
Kim headed to find Mack and showed him the spec. Insisted the work was bogus and they should leave. To her surprise, he wasn’t having any of it. Wouldn’t budge. They couldn’t leave until the week was up and that was that. 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.
Kim tapped the datapad. 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 had to admit 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. Clearly, Rage wasn’t used to waiting. Kim smiled. He’d been contacting their ship daily for updates. She’d happily ignored him. Each message getting terser. 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 …… dangerous! More than that if she were honest. Kim put down the datapad. 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. The hairs on the back of her neck doing overtime. It felt like a turning point. To send it was accepting that and she wasn’t sure she was ready for what might come next.
He was too big, she reasoned, too male and had all that dominant thing going on. She’d met his type before. He’d try to railroad her. Push her. 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. That he would protect her. She would be safe. But at what cost? Her mind screamed out. And if she didn’t send something, like Mack said, they’d be back. Kim sighed. 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’ after all. 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.
***
They’d been biding their time for four days. The men were edgy, and he was barely hanging on from requesting a full assault on that ship. Taking what was his. His? He had no idea where that thought kept coming from. He’d spent hours in the training area. He’d taken them all on one by one, beaten them down and demanded more. His emotions out of control. His logic nowhere to be found. They knew better than to press him. In fact, they were pissed at him. He understood their concern. He had his own. A compromised male could not lead his people. His control slipping for a woman, a human, was unheard of. It didn’t happen to Cyborgs. They were the ones in control. Not humans and not females.
If she didn’t come through today, he was going over there, stripping her bare and fucking her for all the world to see. She had denied him long enough! His mind roared. He slammed his fist on his chair for the umpteenth time. Venting his frustrations.
“We have a reply,” a relived Burn told him. Rage looked up.
“Thank the gods. He won’t rip someone to pieces now.” Burn told the crew. There was humorous chuckling around the bridge. Rage hissed. They smirked back. No-one really hiding their emotions at his expense. He could understand it. He was irrational and desired their ridicule.
“No damn respect on this ship,” he mumbled. It wasn’t true, and they all knew it.
Rage rubbed his hands together. Suddenly feeling lighter than he had in days. He’d get her here one way or another.
“So what we got?” He had to vocalize the request. Many of his men no longer had the use of their neuro-net. No longer had the ability to communicate electronically along their neural pathways. They’d been burnt out or cut deliberately by previous owners or handlers. They didn’t know if they would ever be fixed. It was a skill set they did not have.
“You have three options,” Burn told him. “All creative and I don’t understand some of it. Seems more like luck than anything, but she gave price options against each capabilities. And, she assumed that what we sent her, wasn’t up to date. She’s clever.” Rage couldn’t control the grin on his face or the pride washing over him. He watched Burn run through what she’d sent.
“Not sure that’s possible.” He muttered.
“Well?” Rage’s patience was paper thin, and she’d pushed him to breaking point.
Burn shrugged, “bottom line, she can get more than triple out of the engines if you want to pay for it.”
Rage grinned sitting back in his seat. She was his. “Tell her we’ll take the full upgrade to the max. She starts tomorrow 8am. Pay her and Mack.” She wasn’t getting out of this. A deal was a deal. If she broke it, the consortium wouldn’t let her work again. Rage rubbed unconsciously at his chest. It ached with a need, he did not understand.
***
A banging on her door woke her. Kim looked dim-eyed over at the clock, 6am standard time. What the hell?
“Go away,” she mumbled at the door, throwing the clock at it, then turned over.
“Not going to happen sweetness. Rise and shine your escort is here. Breakfast then work. So get that damn sweet ass in that shower or I’m coming in to join you.”
Kim rolled back, reality seeping in. She looked at the ceiling of her cabin. Was rage outside her door? She had a sweet ass? And he might come in and join her in the shower? Had she gone to a new reality?
Kim shook her head. “I don’t start till 8. Fuck off.” She could hear him laughing.
“Not a morning person firefly? Get up I have REAL coffee.”
Kim was close to telling him to fuck off again, she really was. But damn, real coffee? Shit.
“I’ll be out in 10.” She called back throwing off the flow blanket. A girl had to know when to cave right?
She
’d actually been 11 minutes. She’d taken a bit of extra time with shaving those essential places. And God knows why! And she’d chosen those panties she liked so much, they were completely impractical. They’d be up her arse all day. But she’d still worn them and was in the kitchen, wet hair and all ready to go.
“Feels like a first date.” Rage told her as she walked in. Kim faltered. What date? Her newly shaved legs giving her an itch. She fought back a flush to the face.
“Didn’t know Cyborgs did first dates. Thought it was all wham bam thank you, mam, and off to kill your next subject. Besides, I’m here to work, you promised real coffee. Let’s go.”
She ignored the look on his face as she stormed through the ship and down the loading dock with Rage trailing behind her. She wondered if he was checking out her ass.
“How’d you get on the ship anyway. Mack’s not up so the ship’s in lockdown.” He caught up with her quickly as she strode off.
“Coffee’s this way cher.” Kim gritted her teeth, stopped and followed him.
“So how’d you get on the ship?” She asked again.
Rage just smiled. “I have my skills you have yours.”
C- Sizzling Page 13
