An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
The Bond That Saves Us ISBN 9781419923173 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Bond That Saves Us Copyright © 2009 Christine d’Abo Edited by Briana St. James Photography and cover art by Les Byerley Electronic book Publication August 2009 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
THE BOND THAT SAVES US Christine d’Abo
Christine d’Abo
Chapter One A trickle of sweat rolled down between Sean’s shoulder blades, an unneeded distraction considering the drama unfolding in front of him. The miner was shouting again, the laser rifle waving madly in all directions, the barrel passing briefly across Sean’s line of sight before returning to the growing group of security guards. “Everyone just back the fuck off!” Sean had been on Eurus colony long enough to recognize the signs of a dust addict when he saw it. The man’s eyes were bloodshot, his pupils blown wide, his skin ash gray. The man was a heavy user and the drug must have finally eaten through what remained of his sanity. Common problem amongst the old-timers, one that he’d helped many men deal with in his two years as head of the miners’ representation group. Ignoring the headache thundering around his brain, he took a half step forward and made sure to keep out of the miner’s line of sight. He’d only get one shot at this and with any luck, no one would get hurt. If the man saw him, there was a chance he’d be recognized and that would screw everything up. Shuffling forward, he moved quickly to the right to be directly behind the man. “I mean it! I want off this planet. Get me a fucking ship…and…and a thousand credits. Now!” Shit, he hadn’t been topside long enough to deal with this. He needed at least a week of breathing normal air to detox his system enough to be back at full strength. The air in the mines had been heavy this last rotation, taking a lot more out of him than it normally would. He would have to play this careful if everything was going to come out all right. One of the female guards, Becka, stepped forward, her hands up and her blaster still in its holster. “Buddy, we don’t want anyone to get hurt. But let’s face it, I’m just a peon. We need to wait until one of the big shots gets here. So you just keep that gun under control and we’ll all be golden.” As she finished speaking, there was a mutter of voices as the group of security guards parted, making room for Taber. Sean felt a measure of relief wash over him. This whole thing would be a whole lot easier with the Briel security chief here than Sean trying to do this alone. Not that he didn’t trust any of the security staff with his life, but the chances of everyone walking away from this mess with all of their limbs had just dramatically improved. “I think it’s time you put that down and we talk about this.” Taber spoke with a cool confidence, which underlined his position. “I’m authorized to negotiate with you.” Sean shifted farther to the right, making sure he was now in Taber’s line of sight.
4
The Bond That Saves Us
The large Briel’s gaze shifted ever so slightly to Sean’s, held it for a moment in acknowledgment, before returning to the miner. They’d worked together long enough for Sean to know Taber was with him on this. Now it was just a matter of working out a plan. Taber walked forward and began to circle the miner to the left, having the deranged man spinning to follow. Sean moved with them, coming closer and closer as Taber spoke, keeping the other man distracted. “What’s your name?” Taber asked, his voice calm and low. The man sneered, wiping the back of his mouth with his free hand. “What the fuck do you care? You’re just going to kill me. You’ve been trying to for years!” Taber pressed his hand to his ear and Sean watched as he reacted to someone feeding him information from the security link. It had been driving him nuts that he couldn’t remember who the man was. It was his job to know every man, woman or alien who set foot into the mines. Yet another thing Sean had failed in. Taber’s lips twitched into something resembling a soft smile, which could only mean he’d gotten what he’d needed. Another quick glance at Sean and Taber took a half step forward. Sean knew what he had in mind and what his role in it would be. Sneak attack from behind, grab the man, hold on tight and pray for the best. “Reggie, I need you to put the gun down. You’re not thinking straight and someone is going to get hurt,” Taber said, shifting his hands so they were now held straight out to his sides, showing he was unarmed. Reggie shifted, jostling the gun in his hands as he took a step backward toward Sean. Perfect, now he just needed Taber to give the signal. “I’m not stupid.” Reggie wiped his face on his arm, muzzle of the blaster swinging up. “I put this down and you’ll kill me.” “I’ve never shot an unarmed man. But if you don’t put it down, I can pretty much guarantee you will get hurt.” Sean watched as Reggie’s head swiveled around, looking at the scene before him. He still hadn’t picked up on Sean’s presence, which was a small favor considering how shitty he felt. His head pounded harder and his lungs refused to pull in the air he needed just then. Shit, he needed to stay focused, to help his friend take the fucker out before he hurt or killed someone. He couldn’t let them down, not again. Taber straightened, catching Sean’s eye for a moment before turning to face his security force. “Everyone move back. Let’s give Reggie some space.” The circle around them widened, leaving the three men alone in the middle. Sean blinked hard, trying to keep himself focused. Taber smiled, but made no move toward the miner. “See, lots of space. Now just put that blaster down and we’ll talk. Okay?” There was a brief hesitation. Reggie pressed his hand to the side of his head, letting out a low moan. “Okay, okay. Fuck.”
5
Christine d’Abo
As Reggie bent low at the waist, dropping his rifle on the ground, Sean saw the second blaster sticking out of the back of his pants. “Taber, he’s still armed!” Reggie whipped his hand around, fingers curling around the butt of the weapon. What Sean hadn’t counted on was Reggie turning around and pointing the blaster straight at him. The stunned look on the miner’s face only lasted for half a second as he swung the butt of the laser toward Sean’s face. Ducking, he landed a solid blow to Reggie’s stomach, even as the man managed to connect the gun with the top of his head, sending Sean’s vision spinning. His head was on fire, lungs screaming as he tried to fight through his body’s weakness. Fuck, he wasn’t going to go down like this. Not taken out by some stupid dust addict when he’d survived so much over the years. No fucking way. Closing his eyes, he focused all his strength into keeping himself conscious. Shouts and grabbing hands tried to pull him from the death grip Reggie squeezed around his head and neck. Pain lanced through his body, making his breath come out in short, sharp gasps. It wasn’t enough—the air wasn’t making it to his lungs. He felt his eyes go wide as his vision began to gray out around the edges. He was choking, slowly being strangled by the drug-enhanced strength of the miner. Gods dammit, no! Then he felt it. The worn handle of the knife, standard issue for anyone working underground, placed in the utility belt exactly where it should be. Sean’s last chance. Fingers now numb, he reached out, swiping at the handle, only to miss it. A rapid succession of blinks to try to clear his vision didn’t help—he was losing the fight. Another sharp pull, then the hands at his waist fell away. He heard shouts and realized that Taber and whoever else was trying to get Reggie off him had backed off. The sudden release had Reggie stumbling, loosening his grip on Sean’s neck, allowing for a quick gasp of air. It was enough to give Sean a sudden burst of strength. Another lunge and he had the knife handle in his hand, yanked it out and stabbed it into Reggie’s stomach. They both fell to the floor as Reggie screamed in pain. The blaster rattled off away from the miner’s grip, leaving the knife the only weapon handy. “You stabbed me.” Reggie looked more confused than in pain, unsure of what it was he was seeing. “Yes I did,” Sean managed to croak, his voice strained from the pressure on this throat. “And if you move the knife you’ll bleed out. You need a doctor.” Reggie blinked slowly, as if he were trying to make sense of the words being spoken to him. Sean pressed a hand on his shoulder, holding the other man in place. Taber was quickly by his side, placing his hand beside Sean’s. “You are injured,” Taber said to him, his voice even and steady as always. “I’ll live, but he might not.” Sean looked down at the stomach wound. “The drug
6
The Bond That Saves Us
will prevent clotting. He’ll bleed out if we don’t get him to med bay.” “Sara is on her way with a team.” Thankfully, Reggie was content to lie on the floor, his gaze shifting between the two men on top of him and the knife in his stomach. It gave Sean a chance to get his breathing back under control, but did little to clear his vision completely. He felt his body sway forward, putting additional pressure on Reggie’s shoulder. “Sean?” Taber spoke, his voice not sounding right. “Dizzy. I’m fine.” “You don’t look fine. Sara will be here in a moment, so just hold on.” “Sara is here now.” Sean looked up as the blonde doctor came into his line of sight, a large medical kit slung over her arm. “What did you two do to this guy?” Sara’s gaze flicked between them and Reggie. “Single stab to the gut. He’s lucky that’s all he got. I think he’s high on dust,” Sean said in a clipped tone, ignoring the growing ache in his head. Sara nodded, her hands flying over the wound as she tried to work around them. “You two can move now. Let me work.” “And explain to Davin why his wife got injured when her patient lost control in a drug-induced haze?” Sean snorted. “I don’t think so.” “Work around us until you’re ready to move him, Doctor,” Taber said, leaning a bit more on Reggie to hold him still. Sean knew that despite outward appearances, the Briel security chief cared as much for the female doctor as he did his own wife. They mirrored his own feelings, though Sean knew things were different where he was involved. Taber had never betrayed her. Shoving those thoughts aside, Sean frowned and forced his concentration on Reggie. The pain in his head was growing from a dull ache to a hard throb and he was forced to give it a shake to try to clear his vision. That was a mistake. The world around him spun and he lost his grip on Reggie’s shoulder. “Whoa! Sean, hey there, hon. Don’t black out on me.” There was more than a single note of worry in Sara’s voice. “Taber, keep an eye on our boy there.” “Sean?” Taber’s voice now. “Did you hit your head?” “Think so.” There had to be more to it than that. “He hit me. Didn’t think that hard though.” “How long have you been up from the mines?” Sara pressed a hand to the back of his neck. “You’ve got the shakes.” The muscles in his jaw ached, and he tried to relax them. “Few hours.” “God, you’re such an idiot some days. You should be in bed.” “Just look after your patient, Doctor. I’m fine.” He was able to keep his wits about him until Sara and the other medics moved 7
Christine d’Abo
Reggie to a gurney to go to med bay. When he tried to walk away, Sara’s arm looped with his and pulled him along with her. “Sara, I’m fine. I just need to rest.” “No, you need to come get checked over by me. Then I’ll determine if you are fine. A blow to the head after you haven’t properly cleaned your system from the mine fumes means a nice trip to med bay.” Sean closed his eyes and sucked in a calming breath. The last thing he needed was for Sara to go into one of her overprotective moods. He was about to protest when Taber silently took up position at his flank. Looking back at the Briel from over his shoulder, Sean sighed as his friend cocked a questioning eyebrow at him. If they were both in agreement, there was no place they’d let him go except med bay. “Fine. But there won’t be anything seriously wrong. Minor concussion at worst.” “Then I’ll make sure it’s fine and then you can go to bed. Until then, shut up and listen to your doctor.” Sean allowed himself to be led to med bay, fighting off the dizziness as he went. Taber was close by his side and he’d occasionally bump into him as he walked. The Briel didn’t say anything, but a few times his hand came up to steady Sean. He hated this weakness, hated needing others to help him. He simply didn’t deserve their kindness. “Careful,” Taber said quietly. “I can request assistance for you if you require it.” “No. If you do, Sara will tell Davin and I’ll never hear the end of it,” Sean muttered. Despite the fact he’d developed a friendship of sorts with Taber and Davin, the Raqulian captain who’d crash-landed on their colony a few years ago, Sean still didn’t feel like he was truly their equal. He had so much to make amends for and he knew that despite what the others said to him, his actions would never be enough to put things right. Shit, he was amazed he’d been allowed to stay on the planet let alone remain close to them. Taber, oblivious to Sean’s internal struggles, chuckled softly. It was a sound Sean still wasn’t used to hearing, but one that happened on a regular basis since the Briel had married Fallon. “He would certainly enjoy himself. Then he would make you feel much better.” Sean nodded as another wave of dizziness hit him, causing his legs to buckle. Taber caught him as the doors to med bay whooshed open down the hall and Davin came out. “I heard we have a…whoa. Sean, you okay?” Firm hands moved around his upper body to help support his weight. Sean couldn’t think, his breath getting caught in his throat as the world spun around him. The feel of the firm grip on his waist and shoulders helped to pull him back from the haze. He focused his attention on Davin’s tattooed arm as he helped him, praying the world would stop spinning. “What happened?” Davin’s voice had taken on an edge of concern.
8
The Bond That Saves Us
“Blow to the head. Looking like he received a major concussion,” came Taber’s brusque reply. “Duster had lost control and Sean managed to stop him.” The two men helped him inside med bay, taking him to one of the empty beds designed for emergency patients. Reggie was nowhere to been seen, presumably taken to the surgery for Sara to patch him up and remove the knife. Sean would have been content to lie there and wait for her to finish, but Davin would have none of it. “I can have you fixed up and out the door before you blink,” he drawled. “I thought you weren’t playing doctor anymore,” Sean said, groaning when Davin shifted him to lie down. “Only for our more troublesome patients. Taber, want to lift up this lazy bastard’s feet?” Taber let out a soft snort and complied. As Sean shifted around, eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling, he couldn’t help but think about how much the other two men had changed over the past few years. Davin wasn’t as reckless had he’d first been when he first crashed on the planet. And Taber, well, Sean hadn’t seen him this content since the Briel first arrived at the station all those years ago. Everyone seemed to have found a place on the colony where they belonged. Everyone but him. Sean was about to shift again when Davin slipped a hand along the back of his neck, fingers curling slightly against his skin. He would have protested, but the only sound that came out of his mouth when he opened it was a soft gasp. Only once before had Davin used his healing abilities on him. He’d been half dead, an alien parasite swarming his bloodstream. It had taken both Davin and Sara to rid his system of the bug to save his life. Then, he’d been unconscious and unaware of what was happening. Now, he couldn’t help but react to the slow heat that spread through his neck, traveling up into his head. There was a tingle along with a pressure surrounding his brain. Within minutes, it felt like a valve was released and the pressure began to dissipate. “There it is,” Davin whispered, his eyes closed. “Fracture to your skull. Fixing you up now.” The change in his head was amazing and far faster than he would have anticipated. Sean had to fight his body’s natural instinct to move, not wanting to distract Davin or the healing process. He could almost sense the bone being stitched back together, the blood returning to its normal flow. Then something changed. He felt Davin shift, his fingers curled a bit tighter around Sean’s neck. Tensing, Sean tried to block Davin from reading his emotions, seeing the torrent of fear and insecurity he felt. Darkness swirled in his mind, the echo of screams and low howls of the Ecada biting into his memory. The stab of betrayal, his betrayal, how it still cut him to know that he was used as a tool to bring about the death of so many others, ran deep. “Not your fault,” Davin whispered. Anger surged through him and his body tensed immediately. “Get out of my head.” 9
Christine d’Abo
Instantly, the Raqulian stepped back, holding his hands up in surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” “Then why the fuck did you?” Sean hissed, swinging his legs around and running a hand along the back of his neck. “Am I healed?” Davin looked from Sean to Taber and back before nodding once. “Please stay until Sara checks you over and clears you to return to active duty.” Sean opened his mouth to protest, but Davin didn’t give him a chance. He turned and strode out of the med bay, all of his normal easy nature now missing. Sean closed his eyes and inwardly cursed. The damn Raqulian should feel bad. He hadn’t asked to be helped and sure as hell didn’t want someone poking around and trying to analyze his psychological condition. He knew he was fucked up and had no intention of inflicting that on anyone else. Especially someone he considered a friend. “He meant well.” Jumping slightly at the words, Sean looked up at Taber. The Briel was one of his oldest friends on the station next to Kamran. Swallowing hard, Sean shrugged. “Still don’t want him poking around in there.” “Might do you some good.” Locking his gaze on Taber, Sean crossed his arms over his chest. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Anyone else might have been intimidated by the former colony administrator. Anyone but Taber. Moving closer, the Briel locked his hands behind his back and narrowed his gaze on Sean. “You’ve been more withdrawn than normal in the past few months. You’re spending increased time back in the mines, despite the fact Sara has told you on multiple occasions you need to get out of there. And you’re shutting your closest friends out of your life. Again. So yes, I think it would do you some good to talk to someone.” Sean couldn’t help but snort. “Taking lessons from Fallon I see. Practicing your people skills and trying to get me to share.” “Leave her out of it.” “Right, it’s probably Davin anyway. He never did know when to leave well enough alone.” “Despite my differences with him in the past, he knows what he is doing. Talk to him. Or talk to Kamran.” Fuck that. “Kamran and Haylie have more than enough to deal with right now without me adding my petty problems to their pile.” “Your emotional well-being is far from a petty problem. You are their friend. It’s my understanding that helping is what friends do for each other.” Shaking his head, Sean sighed. “Please, can we stop? My head hurts enough as it is.” 10
The Bond That Saves Us
If the Briel knew how to roll his eyes, Sean was convinced he would have. “I must return to security. Please have Sara report in to me as soon as our friend is out of surgery. We will need to press charges and get him long-term medical care.” “Fine.” Without another word, Taber left. All Sean’s anger and frustration slowly melted away into self-loathing. Why the hell couldn’t he let this drop? He knew deep down that talking things out with Davin was probably the best thing he could do. The surest way of dealing with the nightmares and demons he’d been grappling with for the past four and a half years. But he couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that he thought himself unworthy of their forgiveness, but he couldn’t ask others to do for him what he couldn’t bear to do for himself. The med bay was surprisingly quiet, with most of the medical personnel looking after Reggie. That was why when the door whooshed open, Sean immediately noticed the young woman who came in, her arm clutched to her chest. Dark brown eyes were wild, frantic, as she scanned the room looking for someone. Her light brown skin was in stark contrast to the white shirt she wore and the skintight black pants. If she didn’t look like she was about to pass out from pain, Sean would have been likely to take time to admire her fit body and full breasts. Instead, instincts he couldn’t repress even if he tried kicked in. Sean slipped off the table, landing on shaky legs, and made his way toward her. “You okay?” he asked softly, catching the panicked look in her eyes. “Do you need me to get you a doctor?” Her gaze darted around the room, landing on Sean for a moment before continuing her examination. “Ah hell, don’t bother a doctor for this. It’s nothing more than a little break, hardly even excruciating at all. Is there a medic here instead? Bet they can run me under a stitcher and get me out the door in five minutes flat.” Her voice was colored with a thick accent, one he didn’t immediately recognize. Kamran would know. Sean nodded, motioning toward the back room with his hand. “Well, if that’s broken you won’t get out of here without the doctor taking a look at it first. She’s nosy that way. Dr. Fergus is dealing with a critical case at the moment. One of the nurses will be out shortly and they’ll get you set up at least.” Without thinking, he reached out and touched her uninjured arm with his fingers. “I hope it doesn’t hurt too much.” At this proximity, he detected a faint scent from her. Soft and feminine, and for some reason it made his head spin enough to make him wobble on his feet. The woman reached out for him, gritting her teeth as their bodies connected. Sean tightened his grip on her good arm, forcing his gaze to lock on her face. From nowhere, a wave of lust smashed into him like a rolling heat wave. What the hell? Ignoring his now half-hard cock, he shot her a halfhearted grin and shrugged off his clumsiness. “I guess that concussion I had isn’t as healed up as I thought it was. Care to join me while we wait?” He bobbed his head in the direction of the bed where he’d been sitting. Another quick glance around the room and the woman finally nodded her
11
Christine d’Abo
acquiescence, short black curls falling forward to frame her face. Clinging to each other for strength and support, Sean managed to guide them to the bed. It took what little energy he had left to pull his tired body back onto the low mattress to sit there, feet dangling off the edge. He waited for the woman to join him. When she didn’t move, he patted the mattress beside him and smiled softly. “I promise I won’t bite. You need to sit before you pass out. If that happens I’m afraid I won’t be much use to you given my current state.” Wide eyed, she seemed to inspect him, gauging how much of a threat he posed. He recognized that particular brand of paranoia, having gotten used to seeing it in the mirror over the years. There was only one way to gain her trust and that was to do nothing. He couldn’t force her, nor would he even try. Nothing worse than being subjected to the pity of strangers—another feeling he was more familiar with that he’d like to admit. Whatever she saw on his face, she must have come to the conclusion that he wasn’t a threat to her. She shifted, sliding down on the bed beside him, careful to keep a discreet distance from his body. That tantalizing scent was back and Sean had to concentrate on his breathing, making sure to keep it slow and even. Really classy, Donaldson, you want to fuck an injured stranger. “I’m sure Sara—Dr. Fergus, I mean—will be back in a few minutes. If not, Rachel, her nurse, will be for certain. They’ll be able to use the regenerator to fix your arm. You’ll be back out there before you know it. I’m Sean by the way.” He didn’t hold out his hand and only cast her sidelong glances. Either Davin had done a less than stellar job fixing up his head or he’d made a change he shouldn’t have because for the life of him Sean couldn’t help his body’s reaction to this mysterious woman. Couldn’t stop the dark part of his subconscious from needling him—wanting nothing more than push her down, suck her nipples, lick her clit. Fuck, what is wrong with you? For her part, she took a deep breath and finally returned his smile. “Captain Amy Bryson.” Amy. Why he was expecting a more exotic name from the beauty sitting inches from him, Sean wasn’t sure. It suited her. Sean dug his fingers hard into his thighs as a sensory distraction. He nodded in the direction of her arm. “Nice to meet you, Captain Amy. How’d you do it?” This time, she shifted so she was better able to see him. Without thinking, he mirrored her posture, straightening up as best he could without making his head spin. She cocked her head to the side, exposing the side of her long neck. The impulse to lean in and latch his mouth to her pulse point and suck, mark, possess was so strong Sean actually felt his body sway forward and his lips part. Amy shrugged, the fingers toying with the sheet on the bed. “Was really stupid, actually. I was working on my ship, trying to jack up the oxygen-to-teron conversion rate, when the stupid drive capacitor came loose. I couldn’t
12
The Bond That Saves Us
move fast enough out of the way.” The words swirled in his head and Sean found himself nodding. “I should have guessed that someone as beautiful as you had brains to go along with it. I think I followed half of that.” This time she grinned at him. “Then you should get your ass back to engineering basics. If you don’t know that, then you’ll be shit behind the stick.” “Ah pilots. Is the cocky edge mandatory to fly a ship in this sector?” “It helps.” She chuckled briefly, before wincing in pain. “Gods, don’t make me laugh.” He would never have guessed from the look of her that she sat in a cockpit and pushed a shuttle or hauler to its limits. Then again, he knew most people weren’t what they appeared to be. “I assume you’re here for the race then.” For the first time in ten years, the Catallian race was being held. It had been one of Kamran’s pet projects over the past year, a chance for the colony to host the event and bring some much-needed life back to this sector of the galaxy. With the threat of war between the Briel and Ecada finally gone, pilots from nearby planets and colonies jumped at the chance to take part. The influx of people to Eurus didn’t hurt the economy either. A sly smile spread across Amy’s face, a sparkle flashing in her eyes despite her obvious pain. “Oh yeah. My ship may not look like much, but she’s a monster under the engine panel. I plan on kicking serious ass in this race.” Sean couldn’t believe the dramatic change in her demeanor. It was like someone hit a sensor, turning every light in the room on. Her eyes grew impossibly wider, her lips moist as she unconsciously licked the bottom one, her back straightening with pride. The sight of her pink tongue across her skin sent a shiver of arousal through to his cock and he could almost feel the moist heat against his shaft. Her lush lips were perfect for giving a blowjob—plump and moist. Shifting his body so she wouldn’t see his now painfully obvious erection, Sean cast a glace toward the surgery door. “Well, if they don’t get out here soon, I’ll go looking for them. Don’t want you to miss out on any time. You’ll need it to get back to tweaking your engine.” “It would be nice to try to pick up a few additional people for my crew. My boys are good, but I like to have a few extra, just in case.” There was something in her voice that told him there was more to the story than she let on. It wasn’t like he had the right to push, so instead of doing what he knew most other people would, Sean ran his hands across the tops of his thighs and ignored the urge to pry. “You’ll find someone. There are enough wannabe space jockeys out there for you to have your pick of.” “No way. I need experience and someone with a backbone. Anyone less will have a heart attack the way I fly.”
13
Christine d’Abo
He chuckled and was about to respond when Sara poked her head out from the surgery. “Sean?” “Yeah, still here.” The doctor frowned and came the rest of the way through the door. “I thought Davin fixed you up?” The smile lingering on his lips fell away dead. “He wanted me to get the all clear from you. But Amy here has a more pressing need. A broken arm and a pilot’s impatience to get back to her ship.” Sara smiled, rocking on the balls of her feet as she looked at Sean then Amy. “I’ll get Rachel to come take a look at you. She’s just cleaning up inside.” Sean’s throat tightened as his mouth dried. “How is he?” “He’ll live. Stupid duster almost bled out on me though. Between the drugs and the wound, he’ll be in recovery for a few weeks at the very least. How are you feeling?” Grabbing a scanner, she made her way to his side and took a quick reading of his head. “Looks like Davin repaired the crack to your thick skull.” “Still dizzy, but I’ll live.” “Good, go home and rest. Check in if that head doesn’t get any better by tonight. I’m not clearing you for active duty for at least two days, though. Don’t want you passing out in the mines on me. I hate trying to patch people up wearing an EV suit.” He felt Amy stiffen beside him. “You work in the mines?” “This stupid fool runs the place. Been down there longer than recommended too,” Sara cut in before Sean had a chance to respond. “You, my very stubborn friend, need a change in profession. And soon.” “I’ll take it under advisement, Doctor.” Sara chuckled. “Oh, we’re back to doctor, are we?” She leaned closer to Amy. “He only says that when he’s annoyed with me. I have no intention on sucking up to him though.” Ignoring Sara’s good-natured ribbing and his throbbing cock, Sean slid to his feet. Sara’s presence served as enough of a cold shower so he wouldn’t completely embarrass himself. “I’ll leave you to look after your patient, Dr. Fergus.” He waited for only a second before marching toward the exit. He’d almost reached it when he heard Amy call out. “It was nice to meet you, Sean. Maybe I’ll see you around.” A chill of awareness raced through him, making his balls tighten. Keeping his back to her, he turned his head, catching sight of the woman from his periphery. “Maybe you will.” Not wanting to dwell on the possibility any longer than he should, Sean bolted from med bay.
14
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Two Amy’s arm no longer throbbed, the doctor having easily knitted the break back together. She was lucky Dr. Fergus was more interested in trying to dig up information on her as a person than in paying attention to the facts of her story—none of which really rang true. She’d sustained a clean, single fracture, not the splintering break that would normally be associated with a crushed limb. Because, of course, she hadn’t been crushed by the drive capacitor. Tyrell’s men had taken great pleasure in snapping her arm, using just the right amount of pressure to cause the injury. They could have done worse—would do just that if she doesn’t give him an answer very soon. Never in her life did she think she’d find herself involved with smugglers and drug runners. Shit, she’d taken great pains to avoid them ever since she took ownership of her father’s cargo hauler. It had meant limiting contracts to only known businesses, fewer credits and an increased risk of her ship getting damaged when in dock, but those were all sacrifices she was willing to take. She’d do nothing that would put her ship or her crew in jeopardy. No matter what Tyrell or his men tried to do to her, she wasn’t about to start going against her principles now. Her mind drifted back to the man in the med bay—Sean—as she moved through the crowds. She’d been thankful and yet freaked out by his presence, a welcomed distraction for her given the situation. Any man around her right then would react to her strengthening pheromones and she could tell from the sight of his bulging crotch he’d been affected. Really, he wasn’t a complication she needed just then. While she wasn’t about to repeat past mistakes by seducing strange men before knowing who they were, there was something about him she’d have been more than happy unraveling. A low moan of need slipped from her lips, drawing several strange looks from passersby, before she snapped her mouth shut and pushed her way through ahead. Focus, girl. Not wanting to invite any more attention to herself than she already had, Amy made her way quickly to the bazaar to get the supplies they’d needed. The crowds were heavy, people laughing and talking in front of the vendors. It slowed her progress, leaving her more exposed than she wanted to be. Tyrell told her they’d be watching, keeping tabs on her movements, just in case she decided to go to the authorities with a complaint. It wasn’t a threat she took lightly. Not anymore. Settling into the queue for the prepackaged rations, Amy found her mind drifting back to Sean. It had been a while since she’d let herself to feel any sort of attraction toward a man. What the hell was it about him? A core of strength under a layer of hurt she recognized, something she could relate to. He was a survivor, that much she was certain. And really fucking hot.
15
Christine d’Abo
“Can I help you?” Snapping out of her thoughts, Amy smiled and handed over the data pad with her list. “Could I have the following sent to my shuttle? I have credits to pay upfront.” The woman scanned through the list, frowning as she tapped the screen. “I can’t help you with the last item. Not sure if anyone can. Not much call for inhibitors like that here.” Shit. “Okay, thought I’d take a chance.” Smiling, the merchant nodded and entered the rest of the order into the computer. Amy tamped down her panic, forcing the muscles in her shoulders to relax. She’d gone without her pheromone inhibitor in the past, but not for the length it would take for this race to complete. It would mean her pheromones would be wild by the end, affecting her crew, shit, anyone who came anywhere near her. She’d have to stretch out her remaining supply as much as she could, taking only the bare minimum every other day to lessen the effects. She didn’t think Gaz would mind turning into a sex fiend, but the rest of the galaxy might. Once the order was confirmed and the credits were transferred, Amy made her way down the hall back in the direction of the lift and the colony’s docking bay. She needed to get back on the ship and out of sight. And while she hated playing a coward, the thought of another trip to med bay with an injury wasn’t appealing. The throngs of people thickened as she passed by one of the bars on the colony. The steady beat of music pulsed out of the dark room, chased by laugher. It was tempting to slip inside and enjoy a drink. If Gaz was with her, he’d have pushed her into the dark recesses of the room already, claiming she needed to relax and to pull the piston out of her ass. Gods, how long had it been since she let herself go? Months? Years? The pleasant noise was such an attraction she hadn’t realized she’d stopped moving until someone bumped into her from behind. It had been so long since she’d taken the time for herself she knew she deserved. Too long since she’d lived her life instead of planning out the next cargo run or trying to make sure she had enough credits to pay the crew and keep the ship running. She was only thirty-three and the life she’d been living over the past few years was strangely devoid of anything resembling fun or social activity. If her pheromones were going to be an issue now due to her inhibitor running low, then this was most likely her last chance to indulge. Not wanting to talk herself out of it, Amy pushed through the crowds until she was standing at the bar, fingers clutching the edge of the counter. Shit, she’d forgotten how much crowds freaked her out, having spent too much time in isolation on her ship. The press of people, the mix of scents from the mass of bodies, all beating down over her, making her head spin and her senses roar to life. The skin exposed to the air began to tingle, tendrils of pleasure and desire curled out from the center of her body to warm every inch of her insides. Amy began to sway to the music, feeling her arousal begin. “Can I get you a drink?” The amused, feminine voice snapped Amy back to reality. She felt her face heat and
16
The Bond That Saves Us
hoped she didn’t look as thrown as she felt. “Do you have a house special?” The woman grinned. “Do we ever. Called the Afterburner and it’s guaranteed to knock your socks off or your credits back.” It sounded perfect. “I’ll take one please.” “Awesome! Seeing as you don’t look familiar, that leads me to the assumption this is your first time at Hyper Dive. Means you get the full treatment.” Amy watched as the woman twisted her long red hair into a loose pile on top her head, cracked her knuckles and began flipping bottles in the air. Everyone close to her began to clap and chant and several let go a torrent of whistles and shouts of encouragement. Tossing the shaker high in the air, the woman spun a three-sixty turn and caught it easily. The group cheered as the bartender took a practiced bow before pouring the contents of the shaker into a glass. “As requested, one Afterburner. I’m Fallon, by the way.” “Amy. And that was the most impressive thing I’ve seen in ages.” “Oh, wait ‘til you taste it. Go on, I’m not moving until I see you drink up.” Amy laughed, but made sure to take a sip. She immediately began coughing as the liquid burned a path down her throat. “Holy Gods. What is in that thing?” “Too strong for you? I can get you something else, free of charge.” Amy may have been many things, but a lightweight wasn’t one of them. Now that she knew what to expect, she rolled her eyes at Fallon, picked up the glass and downed the contents in three swallows. The burn in her stomach was a small price to pay for the cheers she received from the people at the bar and the look of pride on Fallon’s face. “I like you, Amy. I’ve only met one other person who downed their first Afterburner like that and I ended up marrying him.” “Well, since that position is taken, I’ll have to look for someone else to hook up with,” Amy said, trying to sound serious and failing miserably. “I have to say, the men on this colony of yours are quite something.” “You’re here for the race, I take it?” Fallon began to wipe down the bar top in front of her. “Yup. I plan on winning a piece of those credits so I can retire. Maybe even follow my dad’s example and move to Eurus.” Not that Andy had been here long, but it was the happiest she’d seen her father in ages. “This place does seem to draw all types, humans and natives to this sector. Lots of Briel here.” Fallon reached up and touched the side of her neck before she shook herself out of her thoughts. “So, who here caught your attention? One of the other pilots? Oh! Was it Simon down in the docking bay? Fuck, that boy needs to get laid.” Amy suddenly had the feeling Fallon was about to fit the stereotype of a colony bartender by inserting herself into Amy’s affairs. Then again, she had no doubt the other woman knew who Sean was. Drumming her fingers on the bar, Amy leaned in 17
Christine d’Abo
and lowered her voice. “Do you happen to know a man named Sean?” Fallon blinked once, twice, before leaning her elbows on the bar, her face now only a few inches from Amy’s. “Might do. There are a few of them on the colony. Did you get a last name?” “No, but he was a few inches taller than me. Blond hair, hazel eyes. The doctor in med bay said he worked down in the mines.” That must have been the missing piece of the puzzle for Fallon. She gasped, her hand late in covering her mouth. The twinkle in her eye set warning sirens off in Amy’s head. “Ah, our Mr. Donaldson. He’s actually a friend of mine. Well, me and my husband. How did you meet him?” Without dwelling on the details of her own injury, Amy quickly relayed the events in the med bay. There was something comforting to know that it was his injury that had caused him to be unsteady on his feet, otherwise she’d have been concerned that her pheromones had activated. He was attractive and most definitely her type. Amy pulled her attention back to Fallon as she fed her details on the man who’d caught her eye. “He’s had a rough past few years. Almost died a while ago. Twice. Since then he’s been pretty rough on himself. I haven’t known him as long as Taber, but he says Sean used to be fun. A lot of fun. I keep trying to get him drunk, but so far he won’t give in.” “Feed him a few of these,” Amy held up her empty glass, “and I’m sure you won’t have any problems.” Fallon opened her mouth to respond, until her gaze locked onto something over Amy’s shoulder. “Speak of the devil…Sean! Come here.” Amy wrenched around so fast on her stool, she felt several muscles in the back of her neck tighten. There, as sexy as ever, was Sean. He’d changed from the khaki pants and miner’s jacket into a pair of tight black pants and a loose-fitting button-down shirt. He still wore a tight expression on his face, like he held back everything except what he wanted others to see. When his gaze landed on Fallon, a part of the stillness melted. Hands in his pockets, Sean came to stand by Amy. She tried not to react, but a warm heat radiated out from low in her stomach until her clit throbbed and her nipples hardened. Shit, this was poor timing. She needed to focus on getting supplies for the race, not getting laid. Trying to distract herself, she twirled one of her black curls around her fingers. He opened his mouth to say something, pausing when he saw the empty glass Amy held in her hands. “Tell me she didn’t get you to drink that concoction of hers?” Fallon laughed. “Hey, I’m here to provide a service. The lady asked for the house special and I was more than happy to provide. Another, sweetie?” “Only if Sean here will join me. I hate to drink alone.” 18
The Bond That Saves Us
Gods, this was such a bad idea. She couldn’t afford the distraction from preparing for the race and really needed to keep her attraction and pheromones down. She should say something, stop Fallon, but it was too late. Sean slipped onto the stool beside her and nodded. “You win,” his low voice managed to cut through the racket of the place. “But give me a hydro beer. Not that poison you mix.” “Everyone’s a critic.” Fallon sighed dramatically. “Give me a second and I’ll dig one up. Right after I make Amy here a real drink.” Left alone with a man she’d just met, Amy couldn’t help but feel a new rush of lust roll through her body, intensified by his proximity. Really, she should start a conversation, as awkward as it might be. Normally, she was better with engines and flight plans than carrying on conversations with men she wanted to screw. Not that it appeared Sean was in any great rush to fill the silence. She shifted a bit closer, twisting the glass in her hand. “How is your head? You’re still not feeling dizzy, are you?” Mind if I take you back to my ship and tie you to my bed and fuck myself stupid on your cock? His lips twitched into a soft smile. “Head’s fine. Too thick to do much in the way of permanent damage. How’s the arm?” Holding out her arm for him to see, she wiggled her fingers under his chin. “Your Dr. Fergus is a genius. She had me up and out the door about ten minutes after you left.” “Sara is something else. I’m surprised she didn’t talk your ear off.” “She gave me some history on the colony. I don’t know a lot about the place, but figured I should learn since my dad moved here.” Two drinks were placed on the bar in front of them, with a smirk and a wink from Fallon. Before she had time to thank the other woman, Fallon was off to serve a new customer. Now if that wasn’t a setup, Amy didn’t know what was. Message received loud and clear—flirt with Sean. Casting a quick look at him as he lifted the lip of the glass to his lips, Amy couldn’t stop her sigh from escaping when his tongue flicked out to capture a drop of beer left on the rim. “I can’t get over how nice everyone is around this place. It’s so not like that where I’m from.” No, her planet had smugglers bent on fixing the largest race in the galaxy so they’d have a free and easy way to move their shipment of dust. She wasn’t going to touch that shit with an eight-foot beam and would happily suffer another broken arm to keep herself and her crew out of it. If her lapse of attention was obvious, Sean didn’t say anything. His long fingers, heavy with calluses around the tips, caressed the sweating glass. The repetitive motion lulled her into a relaxed state and allowed her to enjoy his company, let her guard slip just a little bit more. After another moment of quiet, Sean snorted softly.
19
Christine d’Abo
“Yeah, everyone around here is good. Very forgiving bunch.” Weird thing to think. “You make it sound like a bad thing.” When he looked at her next, Amy saw the hurt in his expression. It was only there for a moment, but present nonetheless. “Sometimes people don’t deserve forgiveness,” he said softly. “They’ve done something so unforgivable that no action they can take after will ever make it right.” His words sent a chill through her. She knew that feeling, understanding it far more intimately than she would want to admit. Sometimes you screw something up so badly, the last thing you want is a get out of guilt option. “What did you do?” she whispered, her head bent so close to his she could smell the alcohol on his breath and his heady masculine scent. Sean didn’t look away, but he didn’t say anything to her either. It was answer enough. Whatever his crime had been, he still wore the weight of the guilt heavy on his shoulders. Instead, she reached out and slipped her hand over his and asked, “Do you want forgiveness?” “No.” “But do you deserve it?” He finally did look away at her question, moved her hand and placed it back on the bar before taking a long drink of his drink. Amy didn’t push. Knew there wasn’t any point given his frame of mind. She’d been there, still had days where she lived with those feelings. There was no reason they needed to dwell on it tonight though. Bolder than she’d been in years, Amy straightened in her seat. She could do this, talk to him without letting things go too far. Despite the primal scream of her body, the urge for sex, she wanted to learn more about him. Really, she didn’t have a choice but to keep things under control—the timing of everything sucked. Before she changed her mind, Amy slipped off the stool and braced her hands on her hips. “I need a tour.” Sean leaned back, an amused expression on his face. “Really?” He didn’t sound convinced. “Sure, why not? I’m going to be here for a month, until the race gets started. Best to learn all the hot spots, merchants who give the best deals, you know? My dad promised to show me around, but who wants to hang out with their parent when they have an opportunity to see the place with a native.” A really sexy one for that matter. That actually earned her a smile. “Both my parents have been out of my life for years. You’re lucky your dad is still around. But there are advantages to going native. So you haven’t seen any of the colony?” Amy’s heartbeat increased in rhythm when Sean finally stood to join her. He was tall, but not a lot taller than she was. She hadn’t been paying that much attention to it when he’d helped her back in med bay. Now she had nothing to distract her. His broad 20
The Bond That Saves Us
shoulders and muscular arms made her shiver and she couldn’t help wonder what it would be like to be wrapped up in his embrace. Shaking her mind from thoughts she had no reason to be having, she walked out of the bar with a final wave to Fallon. “We landed yesterday. I’ve been in orbit for a few days though, waiting for docking clearance. Dad moved here six months ago, but I was on a cargo run at the time. Didn’t have a chance for a visit before now. How long have you been here?” “Twenty years.” Stopping in the corridor, Amy looked hard at him. “No way. How old are you?” “Forty-one.” “Don’t believe it. There must be something in the air here to keep you looking young and handsome.” She felt her face heat as she slapped her hand over her mouth. “Shit, I really didn’t mean to say that.” Oh yes you did, Amy. Liar, liar. Whether he was genuinely pleased by the compliment, or simply was taking pity on her, he grinned as he pointed down the hall. “The guest quarters are this way. Have you taken any or were you and your crew planning on staying on ship?” The crowds thinned out as they walked, giving Amy a greater sense of peace. She hated large groups normally, the occasional trip to the bar the exception. As they passed a large observation window, she stopped long enough to look out. “We were going to stay on ship. I need every spare credit to buy supplies and parts for the race. The money I’ll make if I win will be well worth any hardships now. I plan on treating my crew to a vacation if we bring home the prize.” Turning, she leaned up against the window and gave Sean a once-over. He looked far better in the light of day than the shadows of the bar. She would have told him as much too, if two of Tyrell’s men hadn’t taken that moment to turn the corner. They didn’t approach, staying just far enough away to watch, but close enough to give her the intended warning. She wasn’t free from him—they were watching. One wrong move and her next trip to med bay would be for something far more dire than a broken arm. There was no guarantee next time Dr. Fergus would be able to patch her up quite so easily. A safe location where she could lie low for a bit. That’s what she needed. “Amy, what’s wrong?” Her attention snapped back to Sean. He hadn’t moved or had given any indication he’d noticed the men, but he’d obviously picked up on her discomfort. Nodding her head very slightly in their direction, she reached out and played with the hem of his shirt. “Remember that broken arm of mine?” “Yup.” “Wasn’t exactly honest with how I got it.” “Yeah, picked up on that.” A startled laugh slipped out of her. “Really? See, this is why I could never be a smuggler. Can’t lie.” 21
Christine d’Abo
“Is that what they wanted you to do?” She couldn’t tell him the truth. Fuck, she didn’t want to put a complete stranger in danger’s path for no reason. That and the fact Tyrell would tear her apart. She moved closer to him, cocking her head to the side. “Wanted me to throw the race, actually. Make sure their man won so he could clean up in the betting circuit. Though I can’t prove anything, so there’s no point in bringing my complaint to the authorities.” Sean sighed, and stepped closer to her. She could feel the heat coming off his body, the scent of his skin, sweat and musk, and it all made her dizzy. Damn, if she didn’t get settled soon, he’d start feeling the effects of her pheromones. She had no doubt a man like Sean wouldn’t appreciate being controlled without his knowing. Still, she was fast running out of options. Without thinking she licked her lips, placed her open palm on his chest and leaned forward. “So, is your place near here?” “A few minutes away. They still watching?” “Haven’t moved.” “And they have a clear view of us?” “Sure do. Why?” He closed the distance between them, his mouth hot and firm against hers. The surge of blood through her body made her cunt throb and caused her to move tight against him to rub against his chest and thighs. His tongue fleetingly flicked along her bottom lip, dragging a moan from her. Gods, she had no problem imagining the feel of it lapping at her clit. How his hands would squeeze at her hips, holding her in place while he devoured her. When he finally pulled back, it was just enough so he could speak. His hot breath tickled her skin. “Okay, now they think we’re going to be heading out for sex. I’ll get us to my quarters and call security from there.” “No, please,” she breathed against his lips, biting down softly on the lower one. “They’ll know I’ve had something to do with it. Tyrell said he’d kill my crew if I did.” “Don’t worry. Taber will think of something.” “I don’t think—” “Amy, trust me.” Fuck, she didn’t even know the guy, how was she supposed to trust him? Still, she felt safer with him than she did with anyone else. And he was far sight better than the two goons down the hall. Basically, she had no choice. Nothing like a no-win situation. “We can discuss the details once we get to your place. Lead on.” Sean didn’t move away at first, instead letting his hand drift down to the swell of her ass. His fingers dug into her as he kneaded the flesh below the tight fabric of her pants. She shivered again and had to kick herself mentally. This was supposed to be an act, meaning nothing. Don’t let yourself get too turned-on, girl. 22
The Bond That Saves Us
Easier said than done. “We’re going now. You stay glued to me, okay.” He nipped at her chin. “Wouldn’t dream of leaving you.” Half pulling, half guiding, Sean led her in the opposite direction of the men. They took the first left, which moved them into another hall. “This is the main section for humans. My place is just down here.” Turning to suck his earlobe into her mouth, Amy was able to see the men following them from the corner of her eye. “They still with us?” “Yup.” She licked the shell of his ear. Fuck, he tasted good. “Not much longer.” He sounded as desperate as she felt. “Here we go.” She let out a soft gasp of surprise when Sean spun her around and pressed her back firmly against the wall. The sound was quickly muffled when he covered his lips with her. This wasn’t a soft kiss between friends. Hunger radiated off him as his hands ran repeatedly down her arms, along her lower back and down until he was cupping her ass hard. A tremor of arousal shot from her core, out to her nipples, now hard and pressed against his chest, and down to her pussy. Her moan this time was needy and low, full of the promise of sex. When Sean’s mouth slipped from hers to find her pulse point on her neck, Amy dug her fingers into his hair. It felt too good. She needed more. “Inside?” she asked, her voice shaking from want. “Fuck. Let me get the door.” He fumbled, pressing his hand to the door release scanner, his other hand clutched tight on her hip. Sean bit softly into the crease where her neck and shoulder met before softly laving the abused skin with his tongue. His cock was hard and pressed firmly against her thigh. Gods, if he was as big as she thought it was, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop. “Sean,” she moaned. They were moving. A stumble as their bodies collided, moving clumsily though the opening and into the room. The soft whoosh of the door sliding shut should have signaled the end of their performance. In the back of her mind, Amy knew they needed to stop, pull back before things got out of control. She could already feel her pheromone levels rising and knew they were affecting Sean. Soon he wouldn’t be able to stop. Soon she wouldn’t care. “So hot,” he muttered against her neck. “I want you.” “No.” She felt him stiffen in her arms. “Sean, please stop.” “Amy.” “It’s not you doing this. I’m not…Gods…I’m not human. You’re not thinking clearly.” Something she’d said managed to penetrate through the fog of his brain because he
23
Christine d’Abo
jerked his head up to look at her. “What?” She had to close her eyes, needing a moment to regain her composure, get her body in check. Her throat had gone dry, her skin now covered with a sheen of sweat, the byproduct of the pheromones. “My dad is human, but my mother was Shay. I produce pheromones when I get aroused, and trust me when I say they are potent. Right now, I’m most definitely aroused. It helps to attract a mate. I’m…sorry, but I didn’t want you to get into something without knowing.” Sean sucked in a breath, taking in a large gulp of her scent, but still managed to pull back. For a moment, she expected him to kick her out or at the very least yell at her. What she hadn’t anticipated was the look of panic. “Are you okay?” She was sure to keep her voice soft and her body pressed against the wall. He didn’t approach her, instead making his way to a bottle of amber liquid that sat on a small table. Without asking he poured two glasses, snatching one up and downing the contents before pouring another. Amy only waited a moment to see what he was planning on doing, if anything, before finally giving up and cautiously walking toward him. “I’m sorry,” she said again as she reached his side. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve fallen under alien influence. Drink?” “Please.” She accepted the glass without question. Nor did she pry any further into his statement, no matter how curious she was. Sean kept his gaze averted as he drummed out a tattoo on the table. “I better get in touch with Taber. Those guys won’t hang out there long. Especially if they think…” He shrugged. “I’ll make the call.” Amy’s stomach turned over, hurt at his rejection burning her from inside out. Still, as much as she wanted him, she wasn’t about to use her biology against any man. Her own people were used to the pull, the allure of the scent. It didn’t guarantee there wouldn’t be problems, but at the least everyone knew the elements in play. Plus, she liked Sean, despite having just met him. And she had no intention of taking advantage. Trying to keep out of the way, she only half listened as Sean unsuccessfully tried to get in touch with his friend and was forced to leave a message for him. No doubt Sean would be anxious to be rid of her as soon as he could. Amy walked over to the large shelves, which covered most of the wall in the main living area. When she realized what she was looking at, she gasped. Books. Dozens of books, made from paper, leather and ink. Leaning in, she pressed her nose against one of the spines and breathed deep. Gods, it smelled fantastic. She ran a finger down the delicate leather, thrilled by the feel of it on her skin. “Have you ever held one?”
24
The Bond That Saves Us
Her breath left her body in a short puff. “No. Shit, I’ve only ever seen one once before. I was a kid and my dad wasn’t about to let me anywhere near it.” “Here.” She shifted away from the books, giving Sean room to step beside her. He didn’t reach out and pick one right away, instead carefully looking over his massive collection. When he finally found the one he wanted, a soft half smile crossed his lips. With great care, he reached up to one of the top shelves, and tugged on the top of the volume with his fingertip. It slipped easily from its resting place and fell softly into his open hand. “This one is a newer one. Only about two hundred years old. Was written by one of the first colonists to arrive in this sector. I think I remember him mentioning the Shay in there. Mostly it discusses the Briel though.” Wide-eyed she held out her hands, scared to move when he placed it in her palms. “You’ve actually read it?” “What’s the point of having books if you don’t read them?” She looked up and couldn’t help but grin. “I can’t imagine. Can I open it?” He didn’t hesitate, flipping the cover open to reveal the pages beneath. “It’s actually not as fragile as you’d think. The paper was treated with a special chemical to help preserve the text.” Sean moved his hand at the same time she did. Their fingers brushed against each other, the contact making her gasp and him freeze. He didn’t move away, which had her heart racing. She couldn’t do this, stop this attraction again. They’d gone too far and her body was now sensitized to his presence, his scent. Without saying anything to him, Sean seemed to understand her problem. His thumb caressed her index finger. “These…pheromones…do they, is there a detectible scent to them?” “My dad said Mother smelled like oranges. I don’t know exactly what I smell like to someone else or if I’m the same as Mom, but it would stand to reason.” He was nodding his head, stepping close to press his nose against the side of her neck once more. “Yes, that’s it. Oranges. I haven’t seen one since I was a kid.” “Sean, this is a bad idea. I don’t want to be influencing you. I can’t stop this and the inhibitors I take are only so strong.” “But if I know, if I’m aware of what’s going on, does that mean I’m not in control?” She didn’t know. How could she possibly give him an answer that wouldn’t be seen as leading him on? You bitch! You used me! Ruined my life, took everything I ever loved. “Amy,” he whispered, “do you want me?” Shit, no, this was so wrong. “Yes.”
25
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Three Sean was tired of fighting. For years he’d worked to resist alien influences, guilt, rage and fear. He’d fought his parents until he’d left Earth and come to Eurus and he’d fought to work his way up until he was at the very top—administrator of the colony. Not that he’d gotten the satisfaction or validation he’d craved. He’d gotten better at hiding his private battle with his emotions, better at pushing it below the surface where the others wouldn’t see. But the hate was still there. Hate and self-doubt. He wasn’t as strong as he’d once thought, back when he was young and cocky in his opinions of how the universe worked. Without realizing, he’d once again given in to an outside influence, letting it dictate his actions. And while Amy wasn’t the Ecada and didn’t even appear to have any way of fighting against her own biology, she was still using him. So why the hell was he leaning in against her, pulling the book from her grasp so he could press his body against hers until there wasn’t a breath between them? Why would he willingly give himself over to the influence? Because he was tired of fighting. Amy wasn’t the Ecada. As far as he could tell, she was nothing more than a simple cargo pilot who was here to enjoy the race and maybe earn a few extra credits. Maybe it was the pheromones or simply the fact he hadn’t been with a woman in a while, but he wanted her. Wanted to give in to the silent but steady tug against his mind and to do his best to ignore the implications of what all this meant. Wanted to fuck her so hard neither one of them knew their names. “Sean, please. I don’t think you know what you’re doing. I don’t want you to hate me later for this. Because if you keep doing that I won’t be able to stop myself.” At least she was honest, which was more than he could say about himself. “Maybe I’ve changed my mind. Don’t want you to stop.” Impulse took over, driving his actions. He tossed the priceless book on the table beside them without a thought and captured her hand in his. While her bones were small, there was strength to her as she squeezed back. Another step forward and he had her back pressed against the bookshelf, his mouth on her ear. He opened his eyes wide enough to take in the contrast of her brown skin against her black hair. Large curls caressed his face as he moved his mouth, pressing kisses to her hot flesh. “Most beautiful woman,” he heard himself mutter. Amy gasped again and he smelled the subtle increase of citrus. Oranges. Sunshine and warmth, calling out to him from the cold and dark of space. A beacon to him that there was a safe refuge, even for someone as wounded as he.
26
The Bond That Saves Us
“I want you now.” He didn’t know if it was he or she who’d spoken the words. It no longer mattered. Reaching down to cup her ass, Sean lifted Amy so she could wrap her legs around his waist and grind her cunt against him. His cock, still hard from before, now strained against the fabric of his pants in an attempt to free itself. The friction from her body and his clothing was heavenly, yet maddening at once. As he carried her over to his couch, she shifted her weight, bearing down on him. They moaned as one, each trying to keep their grip tight on the other. Amy’s hands roamed over his back and neck, her fingers flexing into his shoulders as he set her down, unwilling to release her hold on him completely. Which was good, because he had no intention of letting her go anywhere for a while. He pulled back just enough to let his gaze rake down the front of her body and tried to imagine what she would look like naked. With her flat on her back, Sean stretched out beside her, his hands roamed over the flat surface of her stomach. Beneath his touch he could feel the firm muscles of her abdomen under the soft skin. Needing to see, he pushed up the hem of her shirt, exposing her bellybutton and creating a ripple of goose bumps over her flesh. The sight was gorgeous, made his mouth water. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the patch of skin above her navel before letting his tongue dip out and lick a wet trail around it. Fuck, she tasted as good as she smelled. Again he repeated the motion, licking her. Amy moaned, low and deep in her throat, her hands pressed to the back of his head, encouraging him. “Sean, please.” “Please what?” “More.” “More this?” He licked her again, longer this time, moving south toward the band of her pants. She gasped and bucked her hips up. It was sweet, alluring, the way she responded to him. But he wanted more, and for the first time in a long while, he was going to take it. “I don’t think that was right. Maybe you want more of this.” He slid his hands up her chest and under her shirt to cup her breasts. Her nipples were hard beneath his palms, the soft, puckered skin pressing insistently against him. When he shifted, capturing each peak between his thumb and forefingers, Amy growled and bucked her hips even harder than before. “Oh, you like that. God, you’re so sensitive.” “I need…” She stopped, biting down hard on her bottom lip. Sean moved his body up so his face was parallel to his hands, his prize directly below. He didn’t wait for her to continue, pushing up her shirt and latching on to her closest nipple with his mouth. 27
Christine d’Abo
“Gods!” Fuck, she tasted even sweeter here. He didn’t stop, continuing to press his sensual assault, laving her nipple with his tongue and lips. So lost in the sensations of her soft skin and gentle moans, Sean didn’t realize what she was doing. It wasn’t until his shirt caught on the back of his head that he clued in to her stripping him. Regretfully pulling back, Sean undid the top few buttons, just enough to allow him to wrench the offending article free from his body. Amy hadn’t waited for him and was busy pulling the buttons of his pants free. “You’re far too dressed,” he said, shocked by the blatant want in his voice. “Going to do something about it?” She grinned, slipping her hand into his pants to cup his cock. Her fingers were cold as she wrapped them around his shaft, gently tugging him once. Sean couldn’t keep his eyes open, letting them drift closed as he reveled in the sensations. Fuck, it had been a while since he’d been with someone. His arousal was dangerously high, so close to the end despite them having just started. If he wasn’t careful, Amy might get a rather inappropriate opinion of him. “Gods,” Amy muttered, squeezing the girth of his cock. “Help me get undressed. Now. I want to see this.” “Yes, ma’am.” Not waiting for her to remove her hand, Sean reached forward and pulled her shirt up. It was awkward, given their position, and a flurry of giggles exploded from Amy when he fell forward on her, his balance shot. “Smooth,” she teased, needing her second hand to get her shirt unstuck. “Never claimed I was.” “Just horny?” “I had no idea how much.” She stilled beneath him for a moment, her eyes going impossibly wider than before. “It’s the pheromones.” Shit, she was fixated on that, and from the sound of her, completely paranoid. “If it makes you feel better, I haven’t been with a woman in seven months. Your…happy scents are merely making it all feel a bit grander. I’d have been horny without them. Just being with you would do that to me.” As little as they were, his reassurances seemed to make the difference. Amy leapt on him, locking her lips to his chest, nipping at the skin. He squeezed her head, pulling her closer. The pain felt good, sharp enough to cut through the desire, dragging his mind into a clearer place. She still had on her pants—not acceptable. With a firm slap on her ass, Sean pushed Amy back on the couch and went to work slipping the tight fabric from her body, along with her boots. With the outer layer of clothing shed, all that remained in place was a dainty pair of black lace panties. Sean shifted back to look down at her, admiring the
28
The Bond That Saves Us
sight before him. Her nipples were erect in the cool air. Amy was breathing hard, causing the gentle rise and fall of her chest to shake her large, full breasts. The muscles of her stomach looked even more defined in the light of the room. He smiled as she fidgeted under his gaze, her own eyes sparkling with something he recognized as hunger. “Take them off,” she whispered, her gaze roaming over his chest. “I want to see what I touched.” Toeing his boots off, Sean used both hands to widen the opening of his pants so the material clung to his hips. He kept his gaze locked on Amy, taking in every nuance of her reaction, enjoying the openness of her. Teasing, tugging the material lower inch by inch, he finally hooked his thumbs around the band and tugged it down, freeing his cock. Amy bit down on her bottom lip, but didn’t move. Sean let the material fall to the floor, pooling at his feet. The only sound in the room was the heavy intake of breath. They watched each other, Sean memorizing the lines and curves of her body. He could only imagine she was doing the same of him. Moving slowly, he leaned over her, shifting so his body covered hers without touching. He could feel heat radiating off her naked skin, could smell her arousal mixed with the citrus-scented pheromones. “What do you want?” He looked for any sign she wanted this to stop. He was a stranger to her after all. Instead of reluctance, a look of want was etched across every plane of her skin. Lifting one long leg, she rubbed the inside of her thigh against his side. “I’ve had my estro shot. No chance of little Seans if you’re concerned.” Shit, he hadn’t even considered. “I’m sure I’m sterile from working as long as I have in the mines. But thanks for letting me know.” The contact was gentle, but constant, sending a bolt of lust directly to his cock. Amy must have seen the twitch, as she smiled and tugged him forward with her leg. “Going to stand there and admire the view or get to work?” “I thought you were shy?” She chuckled, low and throaty. “I don’t think anyone could accuse me of being shy. I usually just dive in and take what I want. That’s the Shay in me. The question really is, are you ready to show me what exactly you can do, Mr. Miner?” Fuck, yes. He was more than ready. All remaining thoughts fled his mind as he fell on top of her, letting the heat of her body mix with his. She gasped as he latched on to the side of her neck, biting down on her dusky skin like a fruit. Amy bucked her hips up, grinding against him hard, as she turned her head, giving him greater access for his lips to explore. Without realizing, Sean began to cant his hips against her in a steady rhythm, grinding against her pussy. The thin fabric of her panties was the only barrier between them—at the same time infuriating and tantalizing. It forced him to go slow, ensured he
29
Christine d’Abo
didn’t rush through the seductive dance that was normally a part of the fumbling encounters he’d shared in the past. Amy was different somehow, and he knew they both deserved the pleasure of a slow seduction rather than the frantic mess of a quick fuck. He kissed a wet trail down her chest, but this time as he passed near her nipple, he avoided contact. Instead, he nipped gently at the side of her breast, licking along the underside until he reached her ribs. Amy stretched impossibly longer, lifting her arms up above her head and twisting her body slightly. That exposed more of her side, which Sean promptly bit into. “What’s with you and the teeth?” Amy complained with a chuckle. “You smell good enough to eat. Not my fault.” “I’m not a meal.” “Don’t sell yourself short.” His mouth had now mapped out a path down her body to the fringe of her panties. He could smell her, the intensity of it driving him insane. It would be so easy to simply yank the thin fabric down—or better yet, tear it free—so he could do what his body was begging him to do. No, he wanted to draw this out, savor the experience. Shifting his hands so they wrapped around the backs of her knees, he pushed her legs up and out as he moved his body lower. Instead of pressing a heated kiss to her pussy through the material, Sean turned his face and licked at the firm muscle of her inner thigh. Amy’s skin tasted salty, which made his head buzz with awareness. Repeatedly, he licked her leg, down her calf, until he reached the fine bones of her ankle. The arch of her foot was high and he traced the edge of it with his nose. She giggled and tried to pull her foot away, but he held fast. “Stop it, or I’ll stay here longer.” “You’re torturing me,” she said and sighed dramatically. “I’m learning you. Every woman deserves to have her secrets uncovered.” Turning his face so he could capture her gaze, Sean pressed her foot to his mouth and kissed it softly. “You want me to learn your body, don’t you? Learn how to make you scream with pleasure?” “Fuck,” she muttered and bucked her hips. Knowing she was being squarely pushed to her limits, Sean softly lowered her leg to the couch and picked up the other. Repeating his actions in reverse, he made his way back up her body. Only this time he had no intention of stopping. When his mouth now reached her inner thigh, Amy was beyond forming sentences. Her dialogue had been reduced to a litany of please, more, and now. Hooking his finger under the edge of her panties, he pulled the fabric aside, exposing her pussy to his gaze. The potency of her scent hit him nearly as strong as a physical blow, sending a wave of dizziness washing through his head. It took several deep breaths to clear his mind enough to appreciate the delicate treat splayed out in front of him.
30
The Bond That Saves Us
The fine, black curls covered her labia, but did little to hide her swollen clit. The sight of her dark skin in conjunction with the black of the panties had his chest tighten from the force of his lust. Unable to hold himself back a second longer, Sean leaned in and touched the tip of his tongue just below her wet opening and licked a slow path directly up past her clit. Amy cried out, her hands flying to the back of his head. She pushed down, trying to force him back to the source of her pleasure. But he was stronger than that and held his head up. “No, no, no. I won’t be rushed.” “Please.” She was beyond desperate, that much was clear from her tone. He reached up blindly with his hand and lifted hers from him, setting them on her stomach. “Soon, promise. Close your eyes and feel.” “Yes. Okay.” This time when his tongue touched her heated skin, he circled her clit, swallowing down her exotic taste. His cock twitched as he rutted against the fabric of the couch. He’d pushed himself too far, knowing he wasn’t going to last long once he eventually allowed himself to enjoy her body fully. Sean sucked her clit fully into her mouth, flicking his tongue rapidly over the nub. Amy shouted, thrusting her pelvis up into his face, grinding against him. It drove him on, licking harder and faster until he became lost in his own actions. Her wetness covered his chin, soaking into her panties. Using his hands, he pulled the fabric as far as he could to the side, while pressing two fingers deep inside her pussy. Amy’s body tensed, her hips lifted high off the couch. Sean knew what to do to push her over the edge. Matching the rhythm of his licks with the thrust of his hand, he threw his entire body into the task of making her come. Amy sucked huge gasps of air into her lungs, her head thrashed on the pillow and Sean knew she was right on the edge. When his finger accidentally brushed over her asshole, Amy screamed, coming into his mouth. Only when her body fell back down to the couch did Sean release his hold on her. Placing a kiss in the middle of her stomach and chest, he shifted so he lay beside her. There wasn’t a lot of room, so they were pressed tight against each other. Sweat from Amy’s body covered him and he could still taste her release on his lips. He wanted nothing more than to push inside her, but he knew she wasn’t ready. It took a moment, but there was a subtle shift, like something reconnected within her. Amy turned her head, her lips now pressed against his, licking at her juices. “Tastes good,” she whispered against him. “Your turn.” “Amy.” “I want more.” “I want you.”
31
Christine d’Abo
She smiled and nipped at his chin. “Seems only fair. You got to play. I want to as well.” He didn’t protest as she slung a leg across his body and rolled her hips against his thigh. With lips turned up in a seductive smile, she ran her fingers through the dusting of hair on his chest, teasing his nipple with her fingertip. Her finger felt cool against his skin and he had to wonder if she was cold or if he was the one burning up. Didn’t actually matter—there was only one thing that would right them both. Somehow, he managed to keep still as she explored his chest. It really was only fair when she moved her head lower to lick along the ridge of his ribs, rub her nose against the hair trailing down to his cock. She seemed to take great pleasure twirling the coarse hair of his groin with her nail, smiling when he groaned. “Gods, your body is hard. All muscle.” He hadn’t always been, only since he’d started working in the mines four years ago. In his previous life as colony administrator, he’d allowed himself to grow soft over the years. Weak. It’s why the Ecada and Dr. Ray had been able to take advantage of him, his position of power. Never quite good enough—like his parents had always told him. No, he swore he’d never be that vulnerable again. His distracted mind snapped back when Amy gently bit down on the tip of his cock. Locking his gaze on her, he was transfixed when she released him and made a soft tsking sound. “Lost you there for a minute. Not boring you, I hope?” “Fuck no.” “Good. Because then I wouldn’t be able to do this if I was.” She leaned forward and swallowed him down to the root in a single go. His hand immediately went to the back of her head, fingers flexing into her hair. Amy hummed her approval as she hollowed out her cheeks, and slid her mouth back up his length. “Holy shit,” he muttered. Reaching the crown of his shaft, she traced a trail around the head, spending extra time on the nerves of the sensitive underside. His breathing was coming out hard and fast, and he knew if she kept this up, things would be over before he got to do what he really wanted. “Amy, please. Want to fuck you.” He felt her stiffen, and when he looked at her, for half a second he thought she was going to change her mind. “Amy? We can stop. If you want.” Heart hammering in his chest, he knew it would be hard, but he’d do it. Her head was shaking before she started chanting, “No. Just, it’s been a while. I’m being silly.” “Something bad happened to you?” He didn’t need her vocalization to confirm his suspicions. It was written clear as day on her face. 32
The Bond That Saves Us
She smiled before leaning back over him and placing a kiss on the tip of his cock. “Can we just do this? Is that okay?” Like he was fucking stupid or something. “I’d be an idiot to say no. Whatever you want. We move at your pace.” Something like relief covered her face, and a moment later her grin turned wicked. “You know, Shay women are known for giving the best blowjobs in the sector.” “Didn’t know you knew the term blowjob. It’s very human.” “My crew is all human. My dad is human. Stands to reason.” “I guess.” “Up for a demonstration?” His hips bucked up on instinct and Amy giggled. “That’s a yes.” “Definitely a yes.” There was no hesitation to her movements this time. With long swipes, she licked up the length of his shaft. Over and over she tasted him, each touch of her tongue driving him closer to orgasm. She shifted her body, moving so she was now seated neatly between his thighs. She nudged his legs wider with her shoulder, opening his body fully to her. He felt, rather than saw, her slip a finger into her mouth as she sucked him hard. A trail of saliva rolled from her mouth, sliding over his cock to pool on his groin. If he’d been able to form a coherent thought, he may have questioned what she was going to do with her now-wet digit. As it was, he didn’t, so when he felt the press of her fingertip against his asshole, Sean sucked in a harsh gasp. “Fuck.” Amy hesitated until he nodded firmly once. Using gentle circles, she pushed the tip in past the initial ring of muscles. The intrusion felt odd and exhilarating at once. Shit, she’d barely breached him. Increasing the tempo of her mouth on his cock, Amy matched it with the steady pumping of her finger. Before he even realized she was all the way inside him. He thought it felt heavenly, but the second she crooked her finger and touched his prostate, he knew how wrong he’d been. Her touch was perfect. Every muscle in his body tensed, his sac tightened and he felt the telltale heat warm his balls. It wasn’t going to be long now. “So…close,” he managed to say between pants. Rather than pull away, Amy leaned even further over his body, taking his cock to the very back of her throat. He had a fleeting thought that he must be choking her seconds before he came hot and hard in her mouth. She continued to swallow every drop of him, humming her approval as she did. Sean couldn’t open his eyes. His body refused to cooperate. He felt Amy release his cock with a contented sigh, placing a kiss on his stomach before tucking in against his side. Neither of them moved for several more minutes, and for the first time in ages, 33
Christine d’Abo
Sean simply took comfort in the feel and warmth of another person. The silence was companionable, wrapping them with a sense of calm. Amy began to play once again with the hair of his chest. Finally able to make his various body parts move on command, he turned his head and smiled down at her. “Hello.” His voice sounded gruff and sexed out. She grinned up at him. “I like how you welcome a girl into your home.” “I don’t make it a habit.” Fuck, he never did this. He rarely invited anyone into his rooms, needing to keep one last place free from outside influence, where he could hide and be safe. Only on rare occasions did he let even his closest friends come here. But oddly enough, somehow with Amy, a complete stranger, he felt as if having her here was natural. As it should be. Like she belonged. In a heartbeat the reason for Amy’s presence came rushing back to him. The men following her surely wouldn’t still be outside. Looking over at the com panel, he could see close to a half-hour had passed with their sexual distractions. Time to see if the goons were still about. Amy must have come to the same conclusion, getting off him and moving to pick her clothing up off the floor. The tension he’d chased away was back, stiffening her back and making her movements jerky. “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s going to be fine.” She nodded once, but didn’t look at him. “I just need to get back to my ship. The crew will be wondering what’s happened to me.” “Let me call security first. Tell them what the hell is going on.” “No!” She stood straight, yanking her shirt back down, covering her perfect breasts. “I told you, they’ll know I was responsible and right now that would cause far more problems than it would solve. I just need to get back to my ship, pick up the supplies I ordered and get off the colony. They can’t hurt me as easily once I’m in space.” Frustration began to bite at his insides, sending his heart beating ever so slightly faster. “At least let me call Taber again, see if he’s in and get him to run a check on the corridor and surrounding area to make sure they’re free. I don’t want to be surprised when I escort you back.” Her eyes widened in a look Sean was starting to recognize as disbelief. “You’re coming with me?” Why did people assume he was an ass? Even if most of the time it was true. “Of course I will. You didn’t think I was going to throw you out and wish you luck, did you?” Sean didn’t wait for an answer, scared of what it would be, and made his way over to the com unit. He took a moment to adjust his shirt and make sure his pants were done up before typing in the address for Eurus security. Taber’s face immediately filled 34
The Bond That Saves Us
the screen. “Sean. I just returned and saw your message. Are you well?” “Taber. Sara had me patched up in no time. Only minor head trauma.” His friend lifted a single eyebrow. “You do remember I was there? I believe Davin said you had a major concussion. And if memory serves, it took him several minutes to repair.” Fuck, how the hell had he forgotten? The smack to the head had obviously been stronger than he’d realized. “Regardless, I’m better now.” Knowing Taber wouldn’t push matters further, he continued on with his request. “I need your help. Discreet help, if you can.” Amy shuffled away from the com unit, closer to the door. He didn’t think she would leave without him, but he wasn’t about to take the risk. “Amy, please come here.” Her face shifted from confusion, to fear and finally into anger before she calmed enough and walked to join him at his side. Instead of her easy relaxed stance of before, this time she crossed her arms over her chest. “Taber, this is Captain Amy Bryson. She’s planning on running her ship in the Catallian race. But we have a small problem.” “Go on.” Not wanting to betray the fragile trust they’d developed in their short time together, he changed his tactic slightly. “She’d just gotten some supplies after a quick trip to med bay. A few unknowns started following her. I’m a bit concerned they might be trouble. Mind checking the corridors in my sector to see if they are clear?” Sean knew from the look on the Briel’s face he didn’t fully believe his story, but for once, Taber didn’t call him on it. Turning his attention to a monitor off to the side, Taber punched in a series of unseen commands, frowning as he worked. He tried to focus on his friend and not how Amy’s body swayed into his or how their shoulders rubbed together lightly. So he actually caught the subtle change in Taber’s posture. “What?” he said the second he realized there was a problem. “Ms. Bryson, what is the name of your ship?” “The Drake. Why?” Taber tapped a final button before returning his attention to them. “Sean, the corridors are clear near your location. I suggest you get Ms. Bryson to her ship as quickly as possible.” “Taber?” “There’s been an attack in the cargo bay. The Drake’s crew was involved.” Amy’s gasp was all it took to launch Sean into action. “We’re on our way.” “I’ll meet you there.” 35
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Four Amy’s heart was going to explode. Sean’s hand on her forearm was the only thing preventing her from barreling through the crowds of the bazaar to get to the lift down to the shuttle bay. Praying to Gods she hadn’t thought about in years, she hoped no one was hurt. “Amy, slow down.” Fuck that. “You speed up. I’m not stopping.” “You’re attracting attention.” She considered slowing down for all of two seconds, before discounting it. “They did this to my ship to get my attention. Well, they fucking did, so they might as well see me coming.” And Gods help them when she got her hands on whoever did this. Finally, she managed to bully her way past a group coming out of the elevator, yanking Sean in behind her. She tried to ignore the blank look on his face, how different he was since they’d left the sanctity of his quarters. This wasn’t the time. She wouldn’t consider what they’d done a mistake, but it was certainly a luxury she couldn’t afford to indulge in again. Not if it meant her crew suffered. She owed them too much. The crowd was thick with curious onlookers when they emerged from the lift. It took more than gentle shoves this time to clear a path. Amy was about to scream in frustration when Sean grabbed the nearest security officer. Before she knew it, they were clearing the way for them to get through. Taber, the largest man she’d ever seen, stood by her ship, hands laced behind his back. The scowl on his face spoke volumes regarding what he thought of the insanity which had descended on the place. He waited for them to make their way to his side, his gaze landing on her. She got the distinct impression she was being assessed. It wouldn’t be the first time—her age and rank usually raised a few eyebrows. “Amy, this is Taber. He’s the head of security here on Eurus for the Briel.” “Captain Bryson.” The Briel inclined his head. “Do you have a pilot in your employ by the name of Stephen Crawford?” Oh my Gods. “Yes, Steve’s my copilot. What happened?” “I’m still getting details from the response team. It sounds like he was in the process of repairing your ship’s nav drive when he was attacked. No witnesses yet, but we’ll keep pressing.” Amy’s stomach bottomed out on her, bile stinging the back of her throat. There wouldn’t be any witnesses, no one was either brave or stupid enough to step forward. “Is he okay?” Taber nodded in the direction of a smaller group of people. “The med team is 36
The Bond That Saves Us
looking after him now. Broken arm and fingers. They should have him stitched up in no time.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. “I need to see him.” Taber stepped in her path, effectively blocking any chance she had at seeing Steve. Looking up into his steady gaze, Amy silently pleaded with him. The Briel ignored her, instead continuing with his interrogation. “It’s my understanding from Dr. Fergus you too suffered a broken arm. Is that true?” “Drive capacitor came loose when I was doing repairs.” She felt Sean move up behind her left shoulder, the heat from his body a sudden comfort. It was a pathetic lie, she knew. Sean obviously knew it too. But with him backing her, Taber, whether he believe it or not, chose to accept it. “You should consider offering danger pay for your crew, Ms. Bryson.” “I’ll take it under advisement. Can I see Steve now?” “Of course. Sean, can I see you for a moment?” The frustration came off Sean in waves. She didn’t actually have to be looking at him to notice it either. Strange how quickly her body was adjusting to him, how she had to fight the urge to turn into him and soak up both his body heat and emotional support. Gods, this was worse than before and she’d promised herself never to make that mistake again. “Yeah,” came Sean’s strained reply. Now free of her shadows, Amy shook off her body’s growing desire to be close to Sean and skirted around Taber’s mass to make a directly line to the medics and Steve. When her copilot looked up at her, the relief on his face quickly morphed into something else. “The Drake needs to get the hell out of here,” he whispered the second the medics were out of earshot. “Fucking Tyrell’s men came out of nowhere. Said if we didn’t play their game their way, a few scrapes and broken bones would be the least of our worries. I think he’d actually blow the ship up. With us on it.” Gods dammit, a nervous crew was the very last thing she wanted to be dealing with right then. “Hon, we’ll be fine. Now that they’ve done this to you, the security team has an excuse to increase patrols down here. We’ll make sure they keep an extra eye on us. If we can get some of the other crews to cooperate, then maybe the bunch of us can keep safe.” “Are you insane? Even if we get this bucket into space, they’re never going to let us enter the race, let alone win the bloody thing.” He leaned closer and dropped his voice to a harsh whisper. “They want us to move a shipment of dust.” “Steve, we’ll figure it out.” “No, no fucking way. You can figure it out all you like, but I’m done.” Amy’s head spun and she had to grab on to the edge of her chair to keep from 37
Christine d’Abo
losing her balance. “What?” “I resign my commission. I’ve already sent out feelers with some of the cargo ships not participating in the race. I’m too old for this. I was planning on following your father into retirement in another year or two anyway. Can’t do that if I’m space particles spread halfway across the galaxy, can I?” She opened her mouth to protest, but knew there was nothing she could say to change his mind. The problem was, if Steve left, Roach would go too, leaving her in the position of needing to replace crew rather than finding extra bodies. She knew Gaz wouldn’t leave her and he could pick up some of the slack, but she’d still be down a copilot. It was the one position she’d never be able to fill, not with the race only a month away. “I’m sorry, Amy,” he said softly. “I know I’m basically screwing you over here.” Shifting her chair closer, she grabbed his hand and gave it a light squeeze. His skin was still warm from where the medics had used the bone stitcher on him. “It’s okay. I’ll find someone.” “Maybe your dad—” “Absolutely not!” Her voice was loud enough to draw the attention of several around them. Both Sean and Taber looked on, the former frowning. Her gaze rested on him a bit longer than was proper for having just met him, but given what they’d been doing together only a short time earlier, she figured she had the right. “Friend of yours?” Steve asked, his voice hesitant. “Not sure yet.” When Sean turned his attention back to the Briel, Amy saw his entire demeanor flip to something darker, dangerous. For a moment, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Gone was the relaxed, if somewhat distant, persona she’d first witnessed at the bar. Now Sean and Taber appeared to be engaged in a heated discussion. The Briel’s body remained rigid, almost too much so, his back a straight plank. Sean’s hands were squarely on his hips as he leaned forward. His face had taken on a faint flush, in which she assumed was anger. “That doesn’t look good,” she muttered. More than a little arousing, but not good. “Keep on his good side, yeah?” “Oh yes.” “Donaldson, will you listen to me?” Taber’s voice wasn’t a shout, but it certainly carried to her over the din of the crowd. People around them shifted their attention to Sean, some openly staring, while others snuck quick glances. Sean’s attention was fixed on her. Holding her gaze, Sean marched away from Taber’s side and walked to her. For the first time since their meeting, she took a good hard look at the man. His body was lean, strong. She’d seen him close up, but the full effect stalking toward her with a purpose was breathtaking. 38
The Bond That Saves Us
Short cropped blond hair and startling hazel eyes made him look the perfect predator. “I hope he’s your friend, ‘cause I’d hate to piss him off.” She turned to look back at Steve and grinned. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” Waiting until he was at her side, Amy sat back and ran her hands over the tops of her thighs. “Steve, this is Sean. I ran into him at the med bay.” “Seems like a popular spot,” Steve said, holding out his uninjured arm. “Steve Crawford.” “Sean Donaldson. Who was it?” The terseness of his tone was in stark contrast to the velvet rumble he’d used on her earlier. It was shocking and reassuring at the same time. Sean was an interesting mix of darkness and light, one Amy had an overwhelming desire to learn more about. No, that wouldn’t lead her anywhere good. “Not sure,” Steve was saying, his tone a matching one to Sean’s hostility. “I don’t plan on sticking around here long enough to find out on a second date, if you know what I mean.” “You’re leaving?” “Steve is my copilot. It essentially puts me out of the race, not that I blame you for a moment.” A bald-faced lie, but ranting about it wouldn’t fix anything. Sean’s cool gaze didn’t waver from her, studying the lines of her face and where she clung to her friend. The frown now seemed to be permanently etched on his handsome face, which only served to add to her attraction. He looked dangerous, and for once, she needed a man like that in her life. “We need to talk. Sorry, Steve, but I’m going to steal her for a minute.” The civility of his words was betrayed by the harshness of his voice. He made no move to touch her, at least giving her the opportunity to back away from him, tell him to fuck off even, that this was none of his business. “I’ll be right back, Steve.” Knowing whatever conversation they were about to have was private, she led him to the Drake’s walkway. The ship was empty, save for the steady hum and beep of the computer system. Still, she didn’t want the chance of someone walking in on them. “The cockpit is this way,” she indicated with her hand. “We can talk there.” As she led him through the corridors toward their destination, Amy became hyperaware of his physical presence. His hands hung at his side, fingers balled into loose fists. Those same hands had been on her, in her, only a short time ago. Her body still hummed from her powerful orgasm, the chemicals in her system churning, wanting to pull him in for more. Lick every inch of his skin, memorize the taste of his skin. She shivered as a rush of lust ripped through her. She shoved away every last thought of seduction from her mind as quickly as they
39
Christine d’Abo
flared up. This wasn’t the time for her body getting the better of her, for pheromones to run rampant, driving them both insane. She needed to hear what he had to say, get him in and out. Space and time to think, time to take her inhibitor so she could actually spend time in his presence and not lose her mind, were fast becoming important priorities. The loud hiss of the cockpit door opening wrenched her from her thoughts. Without looking to see if he would follow, she made her way inside and over to the computer console. When she heard the door slide shut, she tapped in her command code, locking out the internal security scanners. “We can talk now without being monitored. I’ve activated the com jammer.” Taking a single steadying breath, she turned to face him. “So, Mr. Donaldson, what the hell is going on?” She watched as the tension bled from his body and he rested his back heavily against the closed door. “There is a bigger problem here than your crew. These bastards, they’ve been after more than you. Taber’s done some quick poking around and it sounds like at least five other ships in the race have had interesting injuries over the past week.” Of course she wouldn’t be the only one Tyrell would target with his little operation. She had no illusions as to how important she was in the grand scheme of things. “That should make things easier for you then,” she said, running her hand through the mess of curls her hair had become. “Lots of people willing to stand up to him.” Sean snorted. “You and me both know it doesn’t work like that. I work in the mines, remember. Problems don’t get reported to the outside. It’s dealt with internally or not at all.” She should have realized he’d been around long enough not to buy her story, that he’d seen more than his fair share of bullshit in the galaxy. That much was clear from the weathered expressions he wore. Still, he wasn’t a part of their world and she wasn’t stupid enough to go against the code. The race circuit was a world unto itself, as much, if not more so, than the cargo shuttle lines. She’d learned the unwritten rules on her father’s knee and wasn’t willing to go against them now. “As you say. Not a whole hell of a lot you or your friends can do to help.” Then he was moving, crossing the small space separating them like an animal, in graceful, measured motions that ate up the distance. He was in front of her, sucking all the air from the room until her head spun, making her body sway. Arousal kicked in again and she felt the familiar rush of pheromone-laden desire set her body on fire. Her nipples tightened as her pussy flooded with heat. Her body hummed as the blood and hormones flowed. She wanted to tear his clothing off, ride his cock until they were both screaming for mercy. Amy swallowed, tearing her eyes away from him. “Let me help.” His words were soft, a plea. “I can’t. You know why.” But by Gods did she wish he could.
40
The Bond That Saves Us
“Yes you can. Hire me on as your copilot. Help me integrate into the community. That way I’ll be able to poke around without it looking suspicious, maybe get some information on the ring so we can shut it down.” Shock at the enormity of what he was suggesting and her unrelenting lust had her taking a half step back until she was flush with the computer panel. “Are you insane? No one would accept you. Your reputation alone would make it impossible.” “You don’t know anything about me.” “Not yet. But trust me when I say the second someone like you showed up on the circuit, I’d be all over the databanks finding out every last scrap on you I could.” “I’m not hearing you say no though.” And there was the irony of the situation. She knew without a shadow of a doubt having Sean as a part of her crew would work. It wouldn’t take the other ships’ crews long to accept him if she did. A few well-placed comments from Steve and Gaz in the right ears and that would be it. At least they wouldn’t outright shun him. Tyrell and his men would certainly go after him, but it didn’t seem to be much of an issue. If his actions managed to get the ring shut down so this race could happen unimpeded, then everyone would be thankful. So why was she so dead-set against the idea? “It’s a no. We’ll handle this on our own.” Sean growled and ran a hand down over his face. “You know what? Fine. I tried to help. If you and your people are so fucking stubborn you can’t accept the offer, it’s really not my concern.” Stunned at the hard edge to his voice, all she could do was stand and watch as he stalked from the cockpit. Her strength left her and she sank into the pilot’s chair with a sigh. What the hell had just happened? She wasn’t sure how long she’d been there, lost her in head, when the door opened to reveal Gaz, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. He was still wearing the leather pants and vest he’d had on yesterday morning. That meant he’d spent the night fucking some guy’s brains out and would have the cocky attitude to go along with it. The very last thing she wanted to deal with just then. His green eyes sparkled with mischief, but didn’t do anything to soften his appearance. “Girl, what the hell happened? I leave you alone for half a day and you’ve managed to get hurt, get Steve hurt and attract the hottest guy I’ve seen on this colony yet.” Looking up into her friend’s eyes, she let out a soft laugh. “I saw him first. Back off before I have to kick your ass.” “And from the look of you, not only did you see him, you fucked him. Shit, I can smell those powerful-ass pheromones coming off you in waves. You take your inhibitors?” “Gaz, don’t start.” “Well, did you?” He moved to straddle the copilot’s seat. “‘Cause you are potent. I
41
Christine d’Abo
may have to go back out and find myself another hot ass to screw.” Maybe this was what most of Sean’s reaction had been about—subconsciously connecting her rejection of him to join her crew as a rejection of him as a potential mate? She’d seen it before when she’d parted company with other men…especially with Malik. While her refusal wasn’t sexually related, his brain would be confused, see her denial as something it wasn’t. Gods, even without trying, she’d managed to fuck things up. “I took them, but not a full dose. I’m almost out and can’t get any more.” “You check with the local doctors? They may have some tucked away.” Dropping her chin to her chest, she sighed. “Nope, wasn’t thinking about it at the time. In too much pain with my arm.” “Well, you’re not in pain now. Go back up and see what they can get you.” “Gaz, I’m not going anywhere. Tyrell’s men have scared Steve off.” “What?” “He’s leaving the crew.” “Like hell he is. I’ll kick his cowardly ass—” Reaching out, she brushed her hand over his forearm. “Hon, please don’t.” “Amy, we’ve worked too hard to get the ship ready for this race. The money we’ll earn for placing in the top ten alone will set us up for the next five years. And if we fucking win?” He shifted so he could lace their hands together. “Tyrell’s after the money for himself. I can’t believe you’d let him get away with using this race as a cover for a drug run.” Shit, if there was one thing Gaz was good at, it was laying on the guilt. “Well, he’s got half the ships here so scared no one is willing to talk. And I’m not stupid enough to open my mouth without a pile of backup.” “Never said you were.” He leaned back and ran a hair through his blue hair. “We just need to figure out how to get Tyrell off our backs long enough to pick up new crew and get our asses in the game.” Yeah, that’s all. Simple. Gaz let her hand drop and slapped the tops of his thick thighs with his hands. “Well, I can hit the bars, see if there is anyone looking for work. I’m assuming we’ll need to replace Roach too if Steve’s gone. Those old-timers were cramping my style anyway.” Amy laughed, the first genuine one all day. “Sweetheart, no one could cramp you.” “Nope. I drink lots of water, prevents the muscles tightening up before I want them to.” He swiveled his hips in a lewd gesture. “I’ll check back in within an hour.” “Okay. I’m going to give the ship a once-over. If we’re not willing to bow down, Tyrell might try to blow us up. I want to give her a good scan before I install some proximity alarms and a nano shield.”
42
The Bond That Saves Us
“Bastard. We’ll need to move quick and get this bucket in the sky.” They were both moving, and Amy did her best to ignore the doubt in the back of her mind as she started her inspection. Sean had an ulterior motive for wanting to join her crew, but was up front about it. That was more than most of the people she’d hired over the years. Grabbing the scanner and her tool belt, she was completely distracted as she stepped back outside, unaware of the hidden eyes watching her.
***** The next day and a half passed by in a mind-numbing blur. The time she didn’t spend on the Drake, trying to get it up to above-par standards, was used to try to suss out a new copilot. Time was against her. Steve and Roach were less subtle than she’d anticipated and had made it perfectly clear to everyone why they were leaving. It didn’t exactly have people lining up for a job. Amy’s arms ached from the strain of working above her head. Fluid from the coolant system had leaked from her hands down her arm, staining her dark skin white. She’d have to spend at least a half-hour under the spray to get it washed off. Mind you, it would be worth every credit she’d have to pay to spend time in an honest-to-Gods water shower. Sweat clung to her, making her itch and squirm. Her body ached in places it hadn’t in years. They didn’t normally rush these types of repairs, both she and Gaz far too much of perfectionists to allow for it. She was the only one working right then, her engineer off engaged in another round of recruiting. If they didn’t find more crew soon, none of the hell she’d put herself through would matter. And then there was the problem of Sean. It didn’t help that she could still smell the lingering scent of the man, could remember with precise detail the heady taste of his cum on her tongue. Another curse of the Shay female—perfect recall of their sexual partners’ bodies. It was a genetic throwback to the days when mates didn’t cohabitate, only coming together when it was time to mate. It helped her ancestors find their old partners or reject them in favor of new ones. The ability, while no longer necessary, still lived on in genetic code. Everything about his body was permanently etched in her mind. The length and girth of his shaft as her mouth slipped over the crown to stretch around him as she sucked him in. The scent of his body and how when her nose brushed through his pubic hair her mouth watered at his potency, wanting more. More sex. More Sean. She could practically feel his fingers as they clutched her face, guiding and directing her actions. Silently begging her to go faster, suck harder. The feel of his skin, the smoothness of his balls as she scraped her blunt nails across their surface, down to his ass. Amy cursed as her wrench slipped and smashed against the side of her hand. Squeezing her injured hand tight, she let the pain wash over her. Served her right. This was no different than Malik…well, it was. But the end result would be no different. It 43
Christine d’Abo
would end in heartache and that was something she could do without, thank you very much. Stomach growling, she knew she’d pushed herself as far as she could today. She’d catch a quick meal up at the bazaar before hitting the showers. Maybe she’d even head back to the bar, see if Fallon and her magic drink was around tonight. Wiping her hands as best she could on her pants, Amy packed up her tools and was about to head into the ship when a loud bang in the far side of the hangar bay caught her attention. She knew better than to go wandering over to see what was happening. Either someone was lying in wait for her, wanting to take a shot at her other arm, or it was someone from one of the ships most likely engaged in a fuck. Either way, she wasn’t about to stick her nose somewhere it was likely to get bitten off. With one eye on the spot where she’d heard the noise, she made her way to the ship’s door. The shadow out of the corner of her eye was what had stopped her dead in her tracks. Turning her head, she was faced with three large men each wearing Tyrell’s company logo on their navy blue pants. On the surface TyCo Shipping was a proper business, but everyone on the circuit knew the reality—Tyrell and his men were corrupt. You either played the game or paid the price. Amy’s dad had managed to avoid them over the years, more often than not his credit account taking a hit. She even remembered him coming home roughed up on more than one occasion. It took her a long time to learn that they weren’t just bar brawls he’d gotten himself into. The largest of the three men stepped forward, smiling in a manner she would have called sweet if it wasn’t for the fact he was holding a stun stick. “Well, hello, Captain. How is that pretty ship of yours holding up?” She gave him her best grin, letting her hand slip over the tool belt. “She’s just fine. Going to take her into orbit tomorrow, burn off the cobwebs. I’d offer to take you along for the ride, but I’m completely full up.” “Now that’s a real shame. Maybe I can persuade you to unload some of your cargo or a few passengers. My boss would be really grateful.” Shit, shit, idiot. “And you know how much I hate to disappoint anyone. Tell your boss I’ll give him first priority for my next run.” The man stepped forward, letting the stun stick fall down to his side. “While we appreciate the offer, I’m afraid that’s just not going to work for his schedule.” Before she had time to react, the men moved as one choreographed unit and surged forward. Amy managed to swing her tool belt at the one to her right, connecting with the side of his face, before the one in the middle hit her on the side with the stunner. The scream was ripped from her lungs, sending her to her knees in agony as white-hot pain lanced through her. “Bitch,” the one she’d hit hissed, his hand pressed to his neck in an attempt to stem the bleeding. “I’m so going to fuck your ship up.” Because the sad matter of the situation was they could do more damage to her than 44
The Bond That Saves Us
the ship, but the other pilots would better heed a warning directed toward the equipment than the person. Twisting, doing her best to avoid the boot of one of her attackers, Amy cried out and tried to crawl toward the bastard who was taking a heavy spanner to the exposed coolant system. “No!” Tears streamed down her face, each bash to the ship ripping a hole in her. “Please stop.” The leader of the three reached down and wrapped his hand in her hair, yanking her head at an awkward angle to look him in the eye. “Should have thought of that a few days ago, back when we could have done something about it. Too late now.” Blackness picked at the edges of her vision and her stomach flipped, churning with unstoppable dread. Her head was pushed to the floor as another jolt from the stunner ripped through her. She couldn’t move, could only watch as the three men went to work on the belly of her ship. That was why she didn’t notice at first the presence of another man. The moment she saw him move, she realized it was Sean. Despite his size, he moved quickly, his punches easily hitting their mark. Sean knocked the closest of the men to the ground. No sound reached her ears, only a soft buzzing penetrated through the fog of her shocked brain. Like a vid playing with the volume turned way down. She quite enjoyed the beating Sean was providing the men on her behalf. A pair of strong hands flipped her to her side and Gaz’s concerned face hovered above her. He was saying something, but her brain couldn’t process the words. It wasn’t until he left her side and rushed over to help Sean take down the last two men that she’d understood. They were here to save her. Everything would be okay. Blackness took her then, her mind fazing out into blissful oblivion.
45
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Five Time must have passed because the next thing she was aware of was warmth wrapping around her and a soft murmur in her ear. The cold press of the floor was gone, replaced with a soft support. A mattress? “Hey, there’s my girl. Went and scared the shit out of me.” Gaz’s voice rang too loud in her ear, the pain making her wince. “She’s hurt. Let me call med bay and I’ll—” “I told you, no authorities. They’ll kill her, us and anyone they even remotely suspect as a supporter if they find out.” Amy’s head was heavy, like a foreign weight had been placed on top. She let it flop to the side, her face now in line with the direction of the voices. Cracking her eyes open, her vision was immediately filled with the sight of Gaz, his large body folded into a small chair by the side of her bed. Sean stood well behind him and off to the side. The scowl she now associated with him was firmly in place. But when her gaze locked on to his, she saw a flicker of something else wash over his face. Relief? Fear? A low groan slipped from her mouth as she shifted her weight. The pain in her head threatened to knock her back into unconsciousness and she had to fight hard to remain lucid. Gaz shifted, moving closer to her, and she felt the cool press of a cloth to her forehead. “You’re not so bad, are you? Nothing a nice hit of pain meds won’t fix?” She smiled. “Water?” Her voice came out little more than a croak. “Yup. You’ll be dehydrated from the stunner. Let me go get some.” In one smooth motion, Gaz pushed himself up from the chair, running a hand through his blue hair as he went. “Take over, miner. Hurt her and I’ll kill you.” “Fuck off,” Sean ground out. If Amy had the strength left she would have laughed. As it was, minute by minute she started to feel more like her old self. It had been a few years since she’d been hit with a stick and not one as powerful as the one they’d used. The fact she still wasn’t a drooling mess was impressive in itself. Gaz looked down at her, winked and strode out of the room. Sean didn’t move to her side at first. In a way she really didn’t blame him. They’d only known each other a short time and had only had sex the once. So what if he’d helped her out of a scrape when she’d needed it. It’s not like he knew her or owed her anything. Still, as he slapped his open palm against his thigh before he made his way to the chair and sat down carefully, she couldn’t help the small rush of pleasure at his presence. He was here when he didn’t need to be. That had to count for something.
46
The Bond That Saves Us
“How are you feeling?” The question came out of him almost tentative, like he was asking something almost too obvious. “Sore. Tired. Water will help.” Sean nodded. “The big blue idiot was right, it’s just the effects of the stunner. I suspect you’ll be back up to full strength in a couple of hours.” “How long…?” Her brain and body protested her attempts to struggle back to normalcy. “Almost three hours. Not bad considering.” Memories of what had happened, what the men had done to her ship suddenly flashed back into her head. With a groan, she tried to push herself up into a sitting position. Sean was up, his hands pressing her shoulders back down to the mattress before she could get very far. “Are you insane, get back in bed,” he hissed. “That crazy-ass guy of yours will kill me if you get hurt.” “My ship?” “Is fine. Lie down and rest.” She could tell he was hiding the truth from her, the expression on his face too schooled, too neutral. Gods, she wasn’t going to have the thing in one piece in time for the race. Shit, she may not even get the Drake back up in the sky at all if the damage was too extensive. Looking once more into Sean’s eyes, the concern tinted with calloused acceptance, she snorted. “You are a shitty liar.” That earned her a chuckle and small grin. “Actually, I’ve been told I’m quite good.” “Win a lot of sebac games?” “Been known to bring home the occasional pot or two.” Her throat ached from lack of moisture, the few words she’d spoken enough to do her in. Sean didn’t seem to mind as they lapsed into a companionable silence, taking the opportunity to seek out her hand. She was mildly surprised at the gesture, but didn’t pull back or otherwise give him any reason to shift away. He didn’t move until the whoosh of the cabin door opened, barely clearing the way for Gaz to pop through. “Sorry it took me so long. We really need to reorganize the supplies in the mess. Here you go. Sit up and sip.” Gaz crowded in beside Sean, pressing his hip to Sean’s shoulder as he leaned forward to give her access to the straw. The first pull of cool water in her mouth was the best thing in the world. She couldn’t be sure if the sound that escaped her was a moan or a groan, but either way it expressed her pleasure. “Yeah, that’s what you needed,” Gaz said and grinned. Amy took an extra minute to catch her breath and let her body absorb the liquid. She could feel reaction, her mind clearing and the ache dulling. It was enough for her
47
Christine d’Abo
brain to kick into action. “Gaz, how bad is it? And where in the Gods are those assholes?” “Oh, we took care of those sons-of-bitches. Fucked them up good and dropped them off in a cargo box. Can’t wait ‘til it gets dropped off on Tyrell’s front door.” He grinned. “Your boy Sean here has a mean streak.” Amy fought to keep her gaze from shifting over to the man in question. Her memory was potent enough and there were more important things at the moment than her infatuation with the human. “Gaz…my ship?” He visibly winced. “Drake is bad, hon. They beat her up good. With the two of us working around the clock, I’m not sure if we could get her up and running in time. It would be close. And that’s if I actually had the parts.” Amy didn’t want her disappointment to show, so she closed her eyes and let gravity pull her head back onto the thin pillow. That was it then. They’d been taken out of the race, and now she’d have to find another way to support herself and Gaz, without the use of a ship. What the hell good was a cargo pilot with no cargo hauler? Maybe her dad would have an idea. “I can get you the parts you need.” Her eyes snapped open before Sean’s words had a chance to fully register. “Pardon?” Even Gaz shifted so he was looking down at Sean. “Bitch, you didn’t tell me that.” Sean rolled his eyes. “You didn’t ask. Just get me a list of what you need and I can make discreet arrangements for the supplies. I have a few people outside the official channels who owe me a few favors. And just to be perfectly clear, I’m no one’s bitch.” “And a damn shame.” Gaz winked at Sean before he reached down and ran his hand through Amy’s hair. “I’ll go see what we need to replace and what I can fix up. We’ll get her up there and run this fucking race if we have to use twine and putty. Just want to see how pissed Tyrell will be when we’re first out of the gates.” “It’s not fixed yet. Don’t get cocky,” Sean said, sounding far too much like Amy’s dad. Gaz laughed, but raced out of the room without another word. Amy watched him go and took another big sip of the water. “I hope to Gods you can get those parts. Gaz loves this ship almost more than I do. It will break his heart if we can’t run the race.” “I’d be more concerned with your neck.” Sean shifted his seat closer, his hand returning to hers. “If your friend finds out I’m helping you and you don’t have some sort of security in place, he’ll send even more of his crew over to shut you down. Only next time it won’t be stunners and pipes they come at you with. If this bastard is anything like I suspect he is they won’t find any of our bodies.” Amy wanted to protest, tell him he didn’t have a clue how things worked in her world, but she knew he’d call her on her bullshit. He wasn’t some overstuffed bureaucrat who’d never worked a day in his life. Even without knowing he’d spent the
48
The Bond That Saves Us
last few years in the Eurus mines, she’d have recognized the sharpness of his gaze, the distrust in his voice as he spoke. So she knew his warning came with understanding. “What do you suggest, then? I’m not going to let them win.” She knew she sounded stubborn. She was stubborn. Still, she’d yet to let anyone push her around, make her feel any less in control of her life than she actually was. There had to be a way she could run this race, get the money and somehow manage to avoid running the dust shipment for Tyrell. Sean didn’t answer right away, instead examining the fringe on the blanket that had fallen around her waist. Amy waited, knowing he used silence as a way to collect his thoughts, get a handle on the situation at hand, before he moved forward. She understood how he worked, respected it. “The parts aren’t an issue. I think I even know another engineer who would be willing to sign up for the race, if not longer. Ryan has been stuck in the mines for the past six months trying to hide away from a bad home life. Getting out into space would do him good.” “I’m still left without a copilot.” She knew the solution to that little problem—Sean had given it to her on a platter the other day. Still, the idea of being confined to a small space with him, his heat, smell and body crowding in on her senses, winding her up. Despite being battered, lust threatened to surge back to life. If she was reacting this strongly to him now there was no way she’d be able to control herself after prolonged exposure. And a half dose of her inhibitors weren’t going to cut it. She wanted this man almost as much as she wanted to win the race, which went against everything in her personal code. Don’t mix business and pleasure. But it wasn’t like she had a whole lot of options. Sean frowned, shifting his gaze to hers. “Look, I know things between us aren’t exactly easy. In fact, I really don’t have a fucking clue what the hell happened between us the other day. That’s not like me. I don’t randomly find women who are in trouble, invite them back to my place and have them suck my cock.” The harshness of his words had her blood on fire, her nipples hardening and her clit pulsing with pleasure. She wiggled her hips and bit on her bottom lip in an attempt to get control of herself. Yes, do it again! Your mouth on me now. Your cock slamming into me hard! Amy shivered. “It wasn’t your fault. I told you, it has to do with me, the pheromones.” He nodded, but didn’t back down. “Still, I try to have more control than that over myself. I’d hate for you to give up your chance at winning this race because you don’t think I can handle being near you. Now that I know what it is, I can fight against the urges.” “You wouldn’t be able to. It’s not a matter of willpower, just biology.” Shit, she really hated biology at the moment.
49
Christine d’Abo
It didn’t seem to stop Sean, though. He leaned forward and Amy caught the flash of pale skin, his throat and collarbone exposed and begging to be kissed. His heartbeat thudded against the side of his neck, solid and alive. She had to swallow hard and ignore the sudden urge to twitch forward and lick him just there, bite into his flesh as she dug her nails into his sides. Every instinct in her body screamed at her to claim this man, keep him locked up in her quarters until they fucked each other senseless, satisfying their mutual lust. “Listen, I can talk to my friend Davin and see if there is something he can do to help. If not, maybe Sara can get you some more of the inhibitor you mentioned.” Amy shook her head. “Why are you so determined to help me with this? I don’t know you, you have nothing at stake. It’s not like you are out there on the circuit.” Sean opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He closed it, gave his head a hard shake as he sat back in his seat. “Just need the change.” They sat there staring at each other, the only noise a light banging and muffled cry from outside. It was then she clued in to where they were—her bedroom on the ship. Sean was by her bed, his hand resting on her mattress, his scent filling the cabin. And for once in a very long time, Amy didn’t have the urge to run screaming. For some reason, she was comfortable with him. That in itself was more than she’d experienced from any of the other men who she’d been attracted to. Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and nodded. “Okay, let’s give it a shot. If you can get the parts and another engineer, I’ll agree to let you copilot.”
***** Sean didn’t know why he was so hell-bent on helping Amy. Shit, he’d just met her a few days ago. Still, whether it was the fact someone was trying to bully their way into this race or simply because he admired anyone who was willing to stand up for what they felt was right, it didn’t matter. For the first time in years, Sean actually gave a shit about something other than his own self-pity. He ignored the part of his mind taunting him, scoffing at him, practically screaming at him to face up to the fact it had nothing to do with chivalry and everything to do with wanting to get Amy back into his bed. Sean wanted to rut against her until she begged him to take her—wanted to lose himself in the bliss of sweat and moans and cum. It wouldn’t be perfect or proper, which held more appeal than he’d normally admit to. The idea of any type of relationship with Amy went against everything he’d ever been reared to aspire to—and it was fucking brilliant. It didn’t take him as long as he initially thought to pull together the parts. A few well-timed vid calls, one or two bribes, several called-in favors and the parts arrived at the Drake a few hours after his departure. Getting hold of Ryan proved to be far more challenging than he initially thought.
50
The Bond That Saves Us
The crazy asshole had taken on deep mine duty earlier in the week and was sitting in decontamination. He wouldn’t be able to get out and to the colony proper for at least ten hours. It put a slight kink in his plans, but still enough time to get Ryan up to speed on the ship and have his help with the final preparations. They were running out of time and it would take all four of them working around the clock if they were going to pull this off. Sean tucked the second thermos of coffee under his arm, trying desperately to keep the large bag of food from falling while keeping his hold on the other items. As he figured, Amy and Gaz were already working on the ship, both of them with their heads buried deep into the belly of the hull. Though the words were muffled, he could still hear the tone of friendship and familiarity. Amy kicked Gaz’s boot with hers seconds before he bumped the back of her knee with his, sending her leg buckling. “Asshole,” she said with a laugh. “Don’t piss off your engineer. I’m likely to cross your flux drive wires with the coolant monitors. Have things get really hot up front in a hurry.” “Ha, ha, smartass. If you’re not careful I’ll be forced to take my shirt off and show you all my girly bits. Wouldn’t want to gross you out.” “Hon, your girly bits wouldn’t gross anyone out.” “I certainly didn’t mind them,” Sean said once he was standing behind them. Amy squeaked as she dropped her spanner, while Gaz let out a loud bark of laughter. When she pulled her head around the panel, Sean saw several light liquid streaks down her neck and arms. Her smile widened when her eyes landed on the two thermoses. “Oh Gods, is that coffee?” He held out the largest of the two for Amy to take and had to laugh when Gaz got to it first. “Thank fuck. I’ll get mugs.” Before Amy could protest, Gaz was gone. With his load now lighter, Sean easily shifted and placed the second container into Amy’s hands. “I figured we’d need more than one. I see the parts started to arrive.” She gave a soft moan of pleasure as she undid the cap and took a deep sniff of the coffee. “Yes, thank you so much. I don’t know how you managed to pull it off, but we’ve already gotten a good start. Still not sure if we’ll be able to pull it off with just the two of us—” “Four of us. I called in a favor and got my friend out of his mining contract early. You’re up another engineer. He’s stuck in the mines for another half day, but will be here late morning.” Amy straightened, turning her attention fully on him. “And the fourth?” Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a sandwich and took a bite. “I’m assuming you’re not reneging on our deal. As copilot I expected you would also need my help with the repairs.”
51
Christine d’Abo
For a moment, he thought she was going to say something, turn him away. Instead, she reached up and tucked one of her large black curls behind her ear, wrapping the tip of the strands around her finger before she released it. Sean wanted nothing more than to run his hand through the now-neat hair, pull the mass of curls out so they framed her face. He wanted to get her back in bed, spread the strands out over the pillow and bury his face in them as he fucked her into the mattress. She would buck up into him, meeting his thrusts as she clenched her cunt around him, milking every ounce of pleasure from his body. Sean shook his head hard and, before she noticed his raging erection, found an edge of a crate to sit down on. This really wasn’t going to work if she thought he was going to jump her at a moment’s notice. Get some bloody control over your body. Amy’s gaze didn’t leave him and she finally had to shrug. “It’s a bit insane to turn you away at this stage. Besides, if you want the privilege of seeing what she can do in space, you’re going to have to work for it. I hope you know your way around an engine.” Sean cast his gaze over Amy’s shoulder at the ship. It really didn’t look like much, but he really didn’t know the first thing about cargo ships. Now personal flyers, those were different. It may have been years since he’d been in the cockpit, but knowing how to fly, push an engine to its limit and coaxing a little bit more out of her for the last nudge of speed, was something you didn’t forget. He’d won his fair share of shuttle hops when he was younger, years before he became administrator of Eurus. He was the best there was at the time. His parents wouldn’t have allowed anything less, even if they felt racing was beneath a boy of their station. “I can’t wait to take her up.” He smiled and took another bite of his sandwich. When her gaze slipped to his mouth, he held out the bag. “I brought enough for everyone.” She didn’t look up right away, lingering on his lips. Wanting to tease, he licked them and enjoyed the way she shivered before moving to take some food for herself. “Thanks. I better take something before Gaz gets back or there will be nothing left.” “Yeah, he’s a big guy. Where did you pick him up?” Amy giggled, shoved half the sandwich into her mouth and gave a contented sigh as she chewed. She tried to speak around the food until Sean rolled his eyes and waved her off until she finished. “You’ll kill yourself. Didn’t your father teach you manners?” “He tried. And to answer your question, I’ve known Gaz since I was a kid. Dad practically reared him, let us both join the crew when we were old enough.” “So he’s basically like your brother and will take my head off if he thinks I’ve hurt you?” He tried to keep his tone light, but knew he didn’t want to get on the other man’s bad side. Amy snorted. “If you hurt me, Gaz will be the least of your concerns. I’ll kill you myself.” 52
The Bond That Saves Us
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I have no doubt. You’re a very resourceful woman.” The silence which always seemed to creep between them did just then and Sean felt his body relax into it. They ate together and he caught her looking at him every now and again, usually when he was trying to sneak a peek. They did this once or twice before Amy began to chuckle. What the hell had gotten into him? “Enough of the giggly-girl shit,” Gaz barked at them as he stomped back toward them. “And I found mugs.” Sean caught the one thrown at him with one hand, smiling at the look of annoyance on Gaz’s face. “So are we going to sit and eat all night or fix the ship?” Gaz snatched a sandwich and kicked the toe of Sean’s boot. “Think you can stand to work with a slag slinger?” He kept his gaze on Gaz, the question asked in humor but with serious intent. The larger man regarded him carefully before shrugging. “As long as you can handle working with a piston pumper.” Sean nearly spit out his coffee. “Fuck, warn a guy before you go getting all smartassed on him.” “Okay, boys, time to work. Unless you both want some more bonding time, in which case I’ll see you later.” Sean enjoyed the view of Amy’s ass when she walked away from them. The curve and sway of her hips as she moved, taut muscles all the way down to the fullness of her thighs, only to disappear beneath her knee-high boots. He knew the strength in those legs, remembered how they felt as they clenched in pleasure around his head as he lapped at her pussy and made her come. A loud clearing of a throat brought Sean’s attention back to Gaz. The younger man made a point of looking back at Amy before lifting a long finger and driving it hard into Sean’s shoulder. “If you do anything—” “I’ll hold still while you pound me into the ground.” “As long as we have an understanding.” Standing, Sean held out his hand and waited for Gaz to take it. The bone-crunching squeeze wasn’t wholly unexpected and Sean managed to keep his face free of emotion. “Let’s help her out before she kicks both our asses,” Gaz whispered. Sean lost himself in the steady stream of repairs. He wasn’t a mechanic, but knew the basics and could repair the simple systems. Everyone on a colony needed to have a grasp of rudimentary engineering, though years of being administrator-cum-miner didn’t allow for much practice. Still, he was impressed not only with Amy and Gaz’s understanding of the ship’s systems, but also with the ease with which they moved. Amy tried to keep her distance at first and Sean wasn’t about to force her into spending any more time with him than he already had, but it seemed Gaz was working against them both. 53
Christine d’Abo
“I need to go check the readings inside. Make sure the coolant balances are back to normal.” He pointed a finger at Sean. “Behave while I’m gone.” Sean saluted. “Yes, boss.” Amy snorted softly, but didn’t say anything else. She clearly didn’t think much for her friend’s protective streak. They continued to work together, yet apart, until one of the capacitor lines popped off, sending a hiss of gas flying toward them. Sean jumped forward, clamping his hand over the leak, the freezing vapor cracking the protective rubber of his gloves. “Shit! Hang on, Sean.” “Hurry up. It’s starting to eat through.” Crammed into the small space of the panel, Amy’s body pressed hard against him as she worked to clamp down the line, slowing the hiss until it finally self-sealed. The gas had Sean coughing and Amy pulled him out of the way. “Are you okay?” She ran her hand over his arms, down to his hands so she could yank his gloves off. “Did it eat through?” “No, no, I’m fine.” “Let me see.” “Amy, I’m fine.” They both froze—her holding his hands, him with his knee pressed against the outside of her thigh. The contact was innocent, hardly worth a thought. But he watched as Amy trembled softly, her dark skin prickled with goose bumps. The potent scent of citrus washed over him, dragging a moan from deep within. His cock stiffened and he swayed toward her, needing to get closer. “Sean, I’m…” The muscles of her throat rippled as she swallowed. He didn’t think, and leaned in to press his nose against her neck. He didn’t kiss her, simply inhaled her sweetness, memorizing every nuance. He recognized the pheromones now, knew what they would do to him. While he couldn’t stop his reactions, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to despite the consequences. Knowing he could walk away meant something, gave him a tight grasp on the situation. He had control. “You smell fucking amazing.” He spoke the words softly, letting his lips caress her skin. “You make me forget everything else. All my pain.” “Are you in pain?” Somehow he knew she didn’t mean his hands. “Yes.” It was the simple truth, one he hadn’t been able to admit, even to himself, until this moment. Amy carded her fingers though his hair, the tips digging pleasantly into his scalp, while her other hand pulled him closer. Their bodies pressed together—chests, hips and thighs. The contact had Sean’s cock impossibly stiffening more, wanting to get closer to Amy. Under normal circumstances he’d either step away before she noticed or 54
The Bond That Saves Us
press on for a quick seduction. Not with her. Despite the fear of rejection, that she’d push him away, he didn’t want to hide his desires. Prayed he didn’t need to. Nor did he feel the urge to pursue them, move them beyond where they were right now. Reaching up, he felt for the stiffened nipple of her left breast and captured it in his fingers. Amy moaned soft and low as he rolled it, squeezing in short, sharp bursts as he thrust his cock against her hip. It wasn’t enough. Dropping his hand, he shifted until he could press his fingers against her cloth-covered clit. Amy bucked into his touch until he could feel the heat and moisture of her pussy through the material. Nipping gently at her neck, he moved his hand away and pulled back so he could see the lust-filled look in her eyes. The loss of touch would have made him scream with frustration normally, but there was something about Amy that made him want to tease things out longer. “I want you,” he whispered. “But not now. Later, when I can take my time. Lick every inch of you. When I know you’ll let me push into your cunt and make you come hard. Screaming. Until I know you want me to do that, take you to the place where neither one of us has to be alone. I want you to help me stop hurting. Until then, I’m doing nothing else.” With a strength he didn’t realize he had, Sean stepped back. Amy’s eyes were wide, her mouth open and her breath coming out in short pants. She looked rumpled and horny and Gods it was the hottest thing he’d seen in his life. It would have taken nothing for them to pull their clothes off and fuck right there. Her nipples were hard and the scent of her pheromone-laden arousal surrounded them completely. Swallowing once more, he took another step back. The space between them a chasm, yet nothing at all. He could do this—in the end they’d both be thankful. “We better get back to work.” He turned back to the ship and began work once more.
55
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Six Amy wanted to scream. Her body raged with unfulfilled desire and her mind buzzed from the fact Sean had wanted her and yet still managed to turn away. She’d never met a man who’d been able to do that, the simple act of walking away when arousals were high. She didn’t know what to make of it, know how to respond. So instead of hitting something like she wanted to, Amy dove into her work and did her best to ignore the man standing a few feet away. The positive side to all this was the Drake now looked better than she ever had. Sean’s friend Ryan had arrived an hour ago and immediately set to work with Gaz on the navigation systems. Tyrell’s men had taken out most of the panel, which had in turn fried the systems inside. But Ryan was competent with a calibrator and good at following Gaz’s lead, despite his very obvious confusion over what to make of her friend. It was obvious Gaz was in complete lust with the younger man after spending five minutes in his company. She didn’t think Ryan had picked up on it though, even when Gaz accidentally brushed his groin against his hip. Either that or he was intentionally ignoring Gaz’s blatant flirting. If that was it, then the next few days would prove interesting. Shifting to pick up her spanner from her tool belt on the ground, Amy gasped when a muscle in her back cramped and the tool fell to the floor with a clang. Before she had time to react, Sean was at her side, a frown etched on his face and his warm hand lightly pressed to the small of her back. The gentle pressure from his fingers had her gasping softly and sent a shiver of want rolling through her. Her body seemed determined to rebel against her desire to fight this…thing between them. “You okay?” His voice was a soft purr near her ear. Memories of how his voice sounded moaning into her skin, the husky tone it took as he came hard in her mouth, flashed through her head. Amy swallowed and lowered her gaze from his. “Yeah, just a twinge. Turned funny. I’m fine.” “Here, let me help.” Firm fingers dug into the muscle, moving in soft circles in an attempt to loosen the cramp. Amy sighed and let her head fall forward, enjoying the sensation of his hands on her body. Sean shifted closer, the front of his thigh brushing against her leg. Gods, she wanted to push him to the floor as she ripped the clothing from his body, straddle his hips and ride him hard. She needed to feel the thickness of his cock fill her, the pressure of his thumb on her clit, forcing her over the edge into blissful orgasm. Shit, this arrangement wasn’t going to work. “You need to take it easy,” he said, sounding far more casual and relaxed than she’d like. Gods, wasn’t he as affected as she? “You’re pushing yourself too hard so you 56
The Bond That Saves Us
won’t have anything left to run this race.” Shifting away, she needed the space to regain her equilibrium. “I’m fine. Time to rest later once I’ve won the race.” Sean chuckled. “That’s my girl.” A chorus of voices sounded at the far end of the hangar. Sean looked up and Amy heard him gasp softly before he stepped away from her. “What the hell is she doing here?” Sean muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Who?” The only person Amy could see coming was a tall dark-haired woman. She looked vaguely familiar, but Amy couldn’t place her. Sean obviously knew who she was and didn’t seem very pleased by her arrival. He started looking around, shaking his head as he stepped close to the new arrival. “Are you insane?” he said, his voice coming out in a growl. “Kamran will kill me if he finds out you’re here.” The woman laughed and crossed her arms across her chest. “What makes you think he doesn’t know?” She tapped the side of her head and lifted an eyebrow. “The bugger keeps tabs on me all the time.” “You don’t have any idea what’s going on down here, Haylie. And your presence really isn’t going to help matters.” Amy’s brain finally kicked in—Haylie and Kamran. The administrator of the colony and his wife. Fuck, she had no idea Sean was this connected. “Oh please.” Haylie rolled her eyes. “I heard you’re copiloting a ship in the race and I had to come down to see her. My God, she’s a beauty.” Amy grinned despite herself. “Thank you. The Drake may not be the best-looking ship out there, but I love her. Amy Bryson, her captain.” She took Amy’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “Haylie Bond. My dad was a cargo pilot hauling shipments between Luna and Earth. I spent more time on ships like this than on solid rock when I was a kid.” Haylie walked over to the side of the ship and passed her hand down the metal of the hull, smiling wide. “I’ve forgotten how much fun I had on these.” “I can take you up if you’d like. Well, once we get her patched up and run the race. The Drake is a lot faster than you’d think.” Sean cleared his throat and stepped up to Amy. “I’m going to go check on the plasma seals for the conversion unit. See if Sly got them in yet. Bye, Haylie.” Amy watched as he walked out of the hangar, his back stiff and his stride long. She hadn’t heard Haylie move beside her until the other woman sighed. “I hate to see him like this,” Haylie said, shaking her head. “I haven’t known him very long, but I don’t get how much he changes when people he knows come around.”
57
Christine d’Abo
Haylie turned, a single eyebrow lifted in question. Looking around, she saw there were a few people from the other crews milling about. Some were starting to cast looks their way and she really didn’t want to be having this conversation in public. Too many questions could arise if people recognized Haylie. “How about I show you the inside of the Drake. Just forgive the mess.” Haylie chuckled. “I told you I practically grew up on one of these, right? Mess is part of the package. I won’t even notice.” Amy did make the effort to show Haylie around a bit and had to laugh when the other woman pretended to have flashbacks at the sight of the food processor unit. “My dad had a cooking unit installed when I turned seven. I refused to eat anything he hadn’t made himself. What he didn’t tell me was that all the food components came from the processor. I teased him it was cheating.” “Kid logic is fun.” Amy chuckled. Haylie nodded and sat down at the closest mess hall chair. “I’m starting to see that with my daughter. She loves to push our buttons already.” “How old?” “Just over two years. She has her father wrapped around her finger, so it falls on me to be the heavy in the relationship.” She paused for a moment before she suddenly burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. My husband just got a surprise of juice poured down his shirt.” Amy blinked. “Pardon? How do you know that?” Haylie looked up, the smile still fixed on her face. “What? Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you’re not from here. Kamran is a Briel and we’re bonded. We have the ability to share thoughts and feelings.” “Wow. It must be amazing to always know what he’s thinking. Know where you stand.” For once in her life, Amy wanted to have that type of relationship. Experience openness with another person, one who wasn’t clouded with not knowing if it was you they wanted or if they were simply addicted to the scent of you. Haylie shrugged. “It wasn’t always like that. Sometimes even knowing what your partner is thinking doesn’t mean you know what to do to help them. Kamran and I have had our fair share of fights. It helps to have friends who won’t let us act stupid though. Speaking of stupid,” she said, shifting closer. “How is my buddy Sean doing?” Amy found another seat and dropped down into it. She’d just been asked the million-credit question. “I don’t know. Like I said, I haven’t known him very long, so sometimes I think it’s just me.” “What do you mean?” Not wanting to go into too many details, but needing to get a handle on the situation, Amy took a deep breath and jumped in. “I first met him in med bay and then later he helped me out of a tricky situation. I’m Shay and I couldn’t stop my…attraction 58
The Bond That Saves Us
to him. We ended up being…intimate.” Haylie held her hand up for a moment and closed her eyes. After a minute, she smiled and nodded. “Pheromones. Sorry, continue.” Okay, that was a bit freaky. “Well, he is able to restrain himself more than any other man I’ve ever been with. Somehow, he’s even managed to walk away from me when things got a bit…heated. In one breath he’s telling me how much he wants me and in the next he’s pushing me away. I’ve seen him relaxed and laughing, but the second he sees someone he knows well here on the station, he shuts down. There is just so much about him I don’t understand.” It must have been Haylie’s turn to be freaked out, because she looked positively confused. She shook her head and leaned forward on her knees. “Sorry, you said Sean was laughing? As in enjoying himself?” “Yes. Is that a problem?” If it was, no wonder he changed around his friends. “Oh hell no! It’s just…” Haylie sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor. “Sean has gone though a lot of shit over the past five years. He holds himself responsible for an Ecada attack on the colony a few years ago. A lot of people died.” “Oh my Gods.” Her father had told her about the Ecada in great detail. The warning was to stay as far away from any planet under their control as possible. They were a race of killers who would use her as little more than a food source. “What happened?” Haylie opened her mouth to say something, but gave her head a shake instead. “I’d really like to give you all the details, but it’s more his place to tell you. All you need to know is that he still won’t forgive himself even though no one else on the entire planet holds him accountable. Sean can be a stubborn ass sometimes.” It explained a lot in a way. How he never let his guard down in front of the others. How he could relax around her and Gaz, because they didn’t have knowledge of his past. Another thought flew to mind. “Someone did something to him, didn’t they? Controlled him in some way?” “Did he tell you that?” Haylie looked more than a little surprised. “No, but it explains why he panicked at first when he found out about my pheromones. And why he needs to walk away from me sometimes.” Haylie nodded. “Talk to him. You’re only the second person in years he’s let himself get close to. Sean isn’t speaking to Davin right now…sorry, a mutual friend. He needs this contact.” She stood and Amy found herself rising to her feet as well. “Want to see more of the ship?” “I’d love to, but I need to get back. Kamran has a council meeting soon and I need to get Oira cleaned up. It’s been nice talking with you though. I hope we’ll get to see more of you on around the station.” Amy shook her hand and led Haylie back out to the hangar. “I’m sure I’ll be here a 59
Christine d’Abo
lot. My dad just moved to the colony not too long ago. In fact, I should go see him soon before I get disowned.” “Yeah, dads are like that.” They chatted a bit more as Amy walked Haylie out, waving as she left her. The visit had been interesting, but left Amy with more questions than she’d had answered. One thing was certain though. Sean needed help. If working on her ship and running this race was going to do it, then so be it.
***** “Okay, everyone ready?” Amy spoke clearly into her head com as she flicked several of the ship’s system control buttons and punched in a fire-up command into the computer. “Ready as we’re going to be,” Gaz’s voice came crackling through the earpiece. “Just take it easy on the initial throttle up in case we have a blowout.” Amy cast a quick glance at Sean who was examining the readings from the nav system. “We okay over there?” He nodded hesitantly at first, then with more confidence after tapping in a few commands. “We’re good. Steady flow into the converter for once. Keep the burst to under ten seconds though.” “Got it. Okay, here we go, boys.” She typed in the final commands and slowly leaned into the throttle, easing the engines back into life. The Drake rumbled and shook with the pressure, but no warning sirens came on and nothing exploded. “Six, seven, eight,” she muttered. “And taking it down.” The rumble and vibration that shook the cockpit came to a halt, quickly followed by a whoop of delight through the coms. “That was fucking awesome!” Gaz laughed. “Didn’t even break a seal down here.” Amy let her body slump back against her seat and started to giggle. “Thank the Gods. Okay, let’s get some security drones put on the Drake and go get ourselves a drink. And maybe some food.” Letting her head fall to the side, Amy let her gaze roam over Sean. “You can stop checking the readings, you know. Everything went well.” He let out a soft snort. “I’m not sure if I like this little spike in the power flow near the plasma controller. Might cause some trouble once we take her up.” “Sean, whatever it is can wait for the morning.” “We only have a few more days to get her ready and have a test run before the race. I want to make sure everything has been addressed. You guys go get your drink and I’ll join you later. Shouldn’t take me long to check this out.” Before she could protest further, he got up and left. A wave of frustration rolled
60
The Bond That Saves Us
through her, leaving her shaking in its wake. Why the hell was he suddenly being so stubborn about going for a fucking drink? He’d had one before—with her even. It was then she clued in—Fallon, the bartender, was a friend of his. She’d since learned she was also the wife of Taber, the Briel security chief she’d met on her first day. Taber was also a good friend to Sean. The man was running away. She recognized the signs, remembering them clearly when her dad had done much the same after her mother’s death. He’d wanted to get as far away from everything that reminded him of his wife, trying to dull the pain of loss. But why was Sean doing this now, so long after the Ecada attack? It just didn’t make sense. Amy decided it was time for things to start changing. Pushing herself up from the comfort of the chair, she made her way into the corridor and down toward the engineering bay. She’d almost gotten there when Gaz and Ryan came out, grinning like fools. “Hey, there she is,” Gaz said and winked. “Ready to buy us a round of Afterburners, ‘cause I’m ready to drink them.” “Here.” She handed over her credit stick. “Just don’t break the bank, okay?” Gaz frowned. “Not coming? I figured you and Sean would want to kick a few back too.” She was going to kick something of Sean’s. “Yeah, we do. We will. Need to deal with a few little things first and then we’ll be right there.” Gaz didn’t move at first, looking at her hard. Amy braced her hands on her hips and glared back. This was an old game and she’d proved long ago she was far better at it than Gaz. After a moment, and a long pathetic sigh, Gaz slipped his arm around Ryan’s back. “Well, gorgeous, looks like it’s just the two of us. Can I buy you a drink?” Ryan blushed immediately. “I’ll kick your ass if you keep your arm there.” Gaz laughed but moved away. “Oh, I’ll have to break you of that fear.” Ryan snorted. “What fear?” “Public displays of affection.” Ryan turned to Amy, eyes wide. “How do you keep from wanting to kill him all the time?” “Oh I don’t. I’ve just learned to resist the urge. Figured the jail time wasn’t worth it.” She watched the two men leave, their easy banter leading their way. At least someone was enjoying themselves. And now for the fun part. She stepped into the side control room to find Sean with his head tucked into a panel. It was a funny habit they’d seemed to both develop over the past few days, a way of hiding from each other. She could tell he was aware of her presence by the way he tensed. He didn’t move or acknowledge her though, which gave her an opportunity to study him. Study his back 61
Christine d’Abo
and ass at the very least. It was a muscular back…and a very fine ass. He’d taken to wearing t-shirts while they worked rather than the longer-sleeved mining shirts she saw him in at first. Coupled with the tight black pilot pants Gaz had given him, and Sean had turned into Amy’s walking, breathing wet dream. For the most part she was able to ignore the flush of arousal that threatened to well up in her every time she looked at him. But sometimes when they were alone like this, she couldn’t help it. “I can smell you, you know.” His voice relayed the amusement she couldn’t see on his hidden face. “I promise to shower. You find what you were looking for or are you going to hide in here a bit longer?” That got his attention. Sean pushed out of the panel and glared at her over his shoulder. “I’m not hiding.” “Bullshit. We were going to head to your friend’s bar and you wussed out. If you’re going to do it, at least be honest about why.” Sean turned and walked over to her. He crowded her, his face only a few inches away. Amy shivered, but kept her gaze locked on his. She’d grown to enjoy these little games of power play. He pushed her like no one else—she liked it. “I’m always honest.” The softness of his tone undercut the hard set of his jaw. “At least when it comes to you. There was an odd reading and I didn’t want us getting caught unaware at a bad opportunity. Too much is at stake.” He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, his thumb resting on her pulse point. She had to fight to keep her breathing even, hoping he couldn’t feel the leap of her heartbeat. They hadn’t been close like this since Sean had walked away from her days earlier. A part of her was scared he would do the same thing, leaving her standing shaken and confused—horny. Another part of her was scared he wouldn’t. “What do you want?” she asked, ignoring the tremble in her voice. “I want to help you the way you’re helping me, but I can’t if you won’t talk to me.” Sean’s gaze dropped so he now stared at the hollow of her throat. She swallowed, and she watched as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip. The wave of lust tore through her at the sight of the delicate pink tip. She remembered what he could do with his tongue, the reactions he pulled from her body. Her clit pulsed and her pussy grew wet with desire. Gods, if she didn’t come soon she’d go mad. Closing her eyes, she tried to relax. “No, please. I need you to talk to me first. Before we…” She couldn’t bring herself to say fuck, even if that’s what she wanted. He stepped closer, pressing her back into the wall. Still, despite their intimate touch, he kept his face away, his lips and tongue free from her skin. “What if I don’t want to talk?” he whispered. “What if I want to strip you free of that fucking skintight shirt and lick every inch of you? Isn’t that much better than
62
The Bond That Saves Us
talking? I know you want me to fuck you long and hard. I could take you here against the wall.” Gods, yes. “No, Sean.” Idiot, say yes! “The more time I spend with you, the more I realize how much you’re hurting. You’ll still be hurting even if we’re fucking. It bothers me.” “It shouldn’t. There’s no reason why you should let my issues come between what could be absolutely mind-blowing sex. I understand you and your pheromones now. I get how I can control my actions so I can walk away if I need to.” “That’s important to you, isn’t it?” He looked up again, shocked. “What?” Amy’s stomach clenched at the flash of pain on his face. Without thinking, she reached up and caressed the side of his cheek. “You need your freedom, the choice to walk away at a moment’s notice.” “I…” He sighed and let his gaze slip to the wall behind her. “There are things in my past…I’d rather forget.” “The Ecada?” He stiffened. “Among other things.” She understood those desires and could only imagine how much. Also knew forgetting wasn’t the answer. “You can’t run away from the past. I know. I’ve tried.” They stood there, locked together in a torrent of emotions—want, desire, fear. She knew Sean wasn’t going to let her in—not then. Somehow she doubted he would let anyone in to help unless they pounded long and loud at his emotional barriers. If he wasn’t willing to let his friends help, what the hell did she think she’d be able to accomplish? Unless she went about it completely different way. Amy moved her hand, running the pad of her thumb over his bottom lip. It was still moist from where he’d licked it earlier. The palm of her hand caught on the stubble of his chin, giving her a delicious friction against her skin. His chest expanded out as he breathed in deep, pressing against her breasts. She shivered which drew a slight smile from him. “Why do I get the feeling you just came to a decision?” His breath ghosted over her face as he spoke. She knew she was smiling herself, knew he understood what the sudden rush of pheromones through her would mean. Instead of words, Amy leaned forward, closed the small distance between them and pressed her lips gently against his. As kisses went, it was completely chaste. The soft, exploring brush of skin against skin held more passion than their first kiss in the corridor. Amy gently sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, running her tongue along it, tasting the salt from her thumb. Sean groaned, tightening his grip on her wrist. His erection now pressed hard into her stomach, leaving her with no doubt as to what he wanted. “My cabin is close. Has a bed.”
63
Christine d’Abo
“I remember. Looked comfortable.” “It is.” “Show me.”
64
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Seven Sean’s heart pounded in his chest until he thought it would explode. Amy’s moans got trapped in his mouth as they stumbled to her quarters, bumping into a wall and knocking over several racks of tools and parts as they moved. He didn’t care. His mind was completely fixated on only one thing—stripping Amy bare and fucking her until she screamed. There would be no holding back this time. No stopping himself short of the prize he wanted. Unlike their first time, he knew she was ready. Could tell by the clutch of her fingers in his hair and the steady cant of her hips against him. Amy slapped at the wall in the vicinity of the door release controls when they finally reached her quarters. The air inside was warm, filled with the scent of her. His cock twitched in his pants, pulsing hard against the confines of his clothing. He was harder than he’d ever been in his life, needing this release, needing it to be with Amy. “Bed’s here,” she muttered against his jaw, licking the skin as she spoke. “Sorry for the mess.” “Don’t care.” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue. “Want you.” Fuck, for the first time in a long time he really did want her. All of her—and not just for sex. Before those thoughts grew too big, he squashed them and instead focused on the feel of the ridge of her ear under his tongue. Her hands moved, fingers slipping under the edge of his shirt to dig into his stomach. Blunt nails scraped into his skin, making him moan loudly. His hips thrust forward against her, broadcasting exactly what he wanted to happen. Blood raced to his cock, swelling it to an almost painful state. The scent of her desire rolled off her—he could practically taste her wet cunt, feel her juices cover his face as he licked her. He needed to do that soon—now. Sean couldn’t stop touching her. His hands buried deep in the soft black curls of her hair. Her scent drove him to the edge of his control over his actions. The feel of her willing body writhing against him pushed him over. He stumbled backward until the frame of the bed banged against the backs of his knees. Without looking he fell on it, pulling Amy as he went. The startled gasp from her lips gave him an opening and he bent down to plunder her mouth with his. He could do this, let go and relax into her body, knowing for the first time in years he was safe from the insanity of the outside world. For once he wanted to live without guilt—he wouldn’t worry about being the perfect man his parents had wanted. He could push away the burden of the Ecada deaths for a few moments and simply exist. Amy could take him there. He knew her now and understood that she would never do 65
Christine d’Abo
anything to hurt him. “Fuck, Amy.” She rolled them over on the bed so he now lay beneath her. Her brown eyes looked near black, the pupils blown wide with lust. Two hard nipples poked out at him from behind her shirt. Straddling his hips, she said nothing as she reached down and pulled her shirt off, tossing it to the corner. There wasn’t a more beautiful sight in the world than Amy flushed and aroused above him, half naked. He reached up as she leaned forward, cupping her breasts with his hands. She moaned and pressed her body even harder into his touch. Heat from her pussy warmed his cock through the material of their pants. He wanted to feel her naked flesh slide across his. “Perfect. We fit together just the way two people should.” He kept his voice soft, not wanting to break the spell they were both under. “I bet something else fits too,” she said coyly, a sweet smile on her face. She reached down and released the opening of his pants, freeing his cock. The coolness of the air across his hot skin made him hiss. When she curled her hand around his shaft, he groaned—the pressure too much and not enough. Sean reached out and squeezed his fingers around hers, forcing more pressure and encouraging the tempo. When he pulled away he left her in control, her strokes firm and confident. It drove him closer to the edge of orgasm far faster than he wanted to admit. Only a few minutes later he was forced to pull her hand away. He shook his head. “Not yet. Not while you’re wearing too many clothes. Strip for me.” Amy didn’t move right away. Instead she stared at him, blinking several times. He wasn’t sure if he was asking too much, going against some Shay taboo without realizing. A second before he told her it didn’t matter, she slipped from his body to stand beside the bed. She popped the top button that held her pants closed by slowly sliding her thumb beneath the flap of fabric and flicking it up. Button by button, with precision and care she released the material from its prison until the weight of the pants was too much and gravity took over. They slipped easily over her hips, falling to the floor with a soft whoosh to pool at her feet. Toeing her shoes off and kicking the pants free, she stood clad only in her black panties. Every inch of her dark skin was open to his visual inspection. Every inch exactly as he remembered. “I think you’re the overdressed one now.” Her voice had taken on a low, sultry quality. Sean palmed his cock, pressing it hard against his stomach. “Can’t have that, can we?” Lifting his hips off the bed, he shoved his pants and briefs over his hips and down his legs. Amy moved and pulled his boots off before freeing the rest of his clothing from his body. With only the bit of her panties separating them, Amy climbed back on the 66
The Bond That Saves Us
bed. She crawled slowly up the length of his body, her gaze locked on to his, never once wavering. His nipples tightened when she ran her tongue around the circumference of his bellybutton—his cock twitched from lack of attention. “Tease,” he whispered. “I didn’t hear you complaining earlier.” “I’m complaining now.” “What about if I do this?” Shifting quickly, she swiped her tongue across the head of his cock, once, twice, before sucking the head into her mouth. Sean moaned, one hand flying to the back of her head, the other twisting the sheets in its grip. “If you do too much more, I won’t be able to stop myself from coming down that pretty throat of yours,” he said, teeth gritted. “No, I don’t think I’d like that at all.” With one final lick up the length of his shaft, she moved her body up and straddled his stomach. When she’d finally stopped moving, he slid his hands over her thighs to come to rest on her hips. He fingered the lacy band of her panties, pulling the material out just enough to let it snap back to her skin. Amy giggled and ground her pussy down on him. “These seem so out of place on you. You’re all nerve and drive. Don’t seem the type to wear such delicate garments.” Amy grinned, leaning over him so her breasts swung preciously close to his face. “I may be a cargo pilot, but last time I checked I’m still a woman. I like nice things.” “I do too. As much as I like these,” he said, cocking an eyebrow at her, “I think they have to go now.” Hooking his thumbs, he pushed the fabric down until it caught on the tops of her thighs, unable to go farther. Amy lifted up so she rested on her knees, allowing Sean room to pull them down. Once they got to her knees, she shook them the rest of the way off her legs. With his hands now granted full access to every inch of her skin, Sean ran his hands from the curve of her ass up her back to wrap around her shoulders. “Much better.” Amy’s lids fell shut as she ground her pussy against his stomach. Her swollen clit was wet on his skin. “Please, Sean.” Hands back to her hips, he lifted her up and shifted her body so her pussy could grind against his cock. They both moaned and Sean felt his balls rise up at the erotic mix of sounds. Fuck, he really wasn’t going to last long. He pushed his fingers into Amy’s mouth for her to suck. With no hesitation, she latched on, licking and teasing his digits with her tongue until warm saliva trailed onto his palm. Using the moisture, he reached between her legs and pushed those fingers into her
67
Christine d’Abo
pussy. Amy’s moan took on an animistic quality as she thrust her body down on his hand. She was so wet, ready for him to push inside. He pulled his hand free, ignoring her wordless protest, to coat his shaft with their combined wetness. He shifted her hips once more and pressed her down with his hands. In one sure, smooth stroke he filled her to the hilt. They both froze, breathing rapid and loud in the room. “Please, Sean. I need…I just—” “What? Tell me.” “I need to move. Can I move, please?” “Fuck…yeah.” She didn’t lift her body up, but rather swiveled her hips, grinding down even harder onto him. Sean couldn’t breathe for a moment, the intensity of the contact almost too much. The scent of citrus filled the air, making Sean drunk from the headiness. It was heaven and hell, passion and obsession all rolled into one. Another downward grind of her hips and Sean was ready to beg for more. He didn’t have to wait. Amy lifted up until his cock nearly slipped free of her body, only to slam back down on him. He gasped, but had no time to recover. Again, she repeated the motion, slow and steady. Her pussy clamped down around his shaft with each downstroke, squeezing him tight. The pressure of her slick passage was amazing. Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her waist to flip her around. With Amy now on her back, he could take charge and control the pace of their fucking. Grabbing her feet, he placed her legs on his shoulders to increase the angle of his penetration. One firm thrust in and Amy’s eyes popped wide, her gasp morphing into a moan. Yes, that’s what he wanted. Setting a punishing pace, his thrusts were strong, fast and unrelenting. Her hands clawed at his arms and shoulders, trying to find a hold. Sean leaned forward to capture her mouth in a kiss, wanting to taste her as much as possible. Amy grabbed hold of his head and held him there, driving her tongue in to lick at his lips and teeth. He knew she was in the same mad place he was. There was nothing gentle or loving in their contact. It was desperate and needy, something Sean hadn’t realized he’d felt. Only when his body screamed for air did he pull up from the kiss to look at her flushed and sweaty face. She was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen. Her nipples were beaded, begging to be sucked. He locked his mouth around one as he let her legs fall to the bed. With his hands now free, he pushed his hand between her legs to press his thumb against her clit. Amy screwed her eyes shut and arched her back, thrusting her breast even farther into his mouth. Her whole body shook and he knew she was close. “Yes, that’s it,” he whispered against her moist skin. “Come on, baby. Just a bit more.” Amy sucked in a breath, tensed and screamed. Her pussy clamped down hard on his cock. Sean tried to ignore the surge of intense pleasure the pressure gave him and 68
The Bond That Saves Us
concentrated on fucking her hard through her release. It wasn’t until Amy was gasping and thrashing beneath him that he finally gave in to his bliss. Body tense, he managed three more unbalanced thrusts into her and came hard. The warmth of his cum mixed with hers covered them both, giving him a primal sense of satisfaction. She was his. All strength tapped, he collapsed down, only catching the full measure of his weight at the last second on his elbows and knees. Panting into her shoulder, Sean placed a soft kiss to the side of her neck. “Wow,” she muttered. “Yeah. You okay?” He kissed her beating pulse. “I didn’t hurt you?” “Not fragile. And no. That was…I have no words.” “Words bad. Sleep good.” She giggled as she snuggled in next to his side, only settling once she entwined their legs. Sean wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her half on top of his body as he fumbled with the sheets with his other hand. Half covered and completely sated, Sean felt his body relax for the first time in months. There was nothing else there. No betrayals, no lies or pity. Just the two of them crowded into a bed far too small for their bodies. “You need a bigger mattress,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “Not sure if you had a chance to look around, but there’s not a whole hell of a lot of room here.” Sean didn’t say anything and tried to ignore the spinning of his mind. One thought kept creeping back up repeatedly over the past few days. He wasn’t ready to voice it and he very much doubted Amy was willing to hear it. Not yet at least. Amy shifted in his arms, moved to rest her chin on his chest. “Think the Drake is ready?” Her dark skin and wide brown eyes were like a beacon to him, calling him home in the night. Tracing a path on her face with his finger, he caressed the smooth curve of her eyebrow, up the ridge of her high cheekbone, down to her jawline. “I think it’s ready because you are ready. This bucket wouldn’t fail you when you needed her the most. She wouldn’t dare.” Amy smiled. “I like that about you.” “What?” “You talk about my ship like it’s alive.” “I’ve seen stranger things in my time, believe me.” “Like what?” It was a simple question, a normal progression of their conversation. Uncertainty clawed at his insides, threatening to shatter the fragile peace he’d created. Counting to five in his head to calm his sudden nerves, Sean leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
69
Christine d’Abo
“Well, there was one time in the mines we found this device that could make you tell the truth about anything.” Amy’s eyes grew impossibly wide. “You’re kidding.” “Ask Ryan if you don’t believe me. We had no idea where it came from and we eventually had to turn it over to Eurus security, but yeah, complete truth.” “Did you use it? Shit, I don’t think I’d be brave enough.” “Are you kidding? I was the one who wanted it out of there. But not before we found out Ja’aoc was hoarding extra rations, Gavin was sleeping on his shifts in a special hideout he’d made and Michaels had a crush on our medic.” Amy’s laughter chased away any doubts he’d had over sharing the story. The invisible weight that had been pressing down on his heart lifted a tiny bit. He’d never felt he could simply be himself before. There were no expectations with Amy, allowing him to relax. He chuckled along with her, enjoying the closeness. God, this almost felt…normal. Sean closed his eyes and pressed his head back a bit further into the pillow. It was odd to think he could do this, relax and simply enjoy another person’s company. His mind was just starting to drift when the ship’s warning siren sounded. They both sat bolt up in bed, Amy moving to the computer panel in the room. He did his best to ignore her naked ass and concentrate on the problem. “What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching for his clothing as he went. “Not our ship. Alert is coming from the hangar bay computer. There’s a problem out there. Major emergency.” They were both dressed in a matter of minutes and ran through the ship to the outside. The claxon was loud, reverberating in the large space of the hangar. More than just the two of them had come out to see what was going on. Pilots, engineers and the other crew he’d become familiar with over the past few days were all milling about, trying to find the source of the emergency. It wasn’t until people saw the smoke that the voices changed to ones of panic. “Fire!” “Oh Gods,” Amy muttered. “It’s the supply lockers. The whole place will burn.” There was no time to wait and certainly no time to panic. Pushing past the onlookers, Sean ran over to the closest group of people and started barking out orders. “You get out of here and notify security from the corridor of the problem. Can’t guarantee they know about this. You and you grab as many people as you can. Fire suppression should have kicked in by now. There’s a good chance it’s been disabled. We need to do this the old-fashioned way, with buckets, hoses and water.” Everyone was moving, following orders. Sean ran to the water station, pressing his hand to the door release control. Nothing happened. “Fuck,” he growled, turning to face Amy who was suddenly by his side. “Move back, need to break this.”
70
The Bond That Saves Us
He knew from his experience in the mines the glass was extra thick to prevent an accidental crack from the air pressure changes with the ships landing. Finding a pipe, he ran back and began to beat it against the flat surface of the door. On the third hit, the impact splintered the glass. On the sixth, it shattered. Using the edge of the pipe to knock away the sharpest of the shards, Sean reached in and typed in the security code to release the hoses and open the emergency water supply. “Take these and start on the fire. Aim high and get as much spread as you can.” Amy was the first to grab the hose, yanking it toward the burning supply room. Panic hit him hard, but he had no time to dwell, let alone act on the feelings. They needed everyone to help or more than their ships would be at stake. If the fire suppression system failed here, there was a chance this entire section of the station was at risk. He lost track of time as they all worked to douse the flames. If someone were to ask him later what he remembered, it would only be a series of images—the feel of the heat on his skin, the burn of smoke in his lungs. At some point, Eurus security, including both Taber and Haylie, arrived and began to help. They managed to get the fire mostly under control when someone finally got the systems back online, allowing the computer to send out the signal to smother the fire with chemical suppressant. The cheer from the crowd rivaled the earlier roar of the fire. Men and women applauded and shouted, while others cried, their relief clear. Medical personnel arrived once security gave the all clear. Many of the people helping were coughing, the smoke having filled their lungs, making it hard to breathe. There were also a few minor burns and several cases of shock. Thank Gods there were no deaths. Amy threw herself into Sean’s arms and squeezed him hard. “Thank the Gods.” Every inch of Sean’s body screamed from the pain and stress of the past hour. He dropped his face to her neck, inhaling in an attempt to find the sweet scent of citrus. All he found was the stale stench of smoke. “You need a shower,” he said against her neck. “So do you. We should do something about that. The ship?” He didn’t want to spend another minute in the hangar bay. “No, my place. We can get some sleep too.” “Amy!” They both looked up to see Gaz and Ryan running toward them. The tall man’s face was pale in contrast to the bright blue of his hair. “Oh, fuck, are you two okay? They wouldn’t let us in to help.” Sean didn’t have time to react or pull away before Gaz wrapped his large arms around them both. Amy’s body was now crushed to his and he could hear Gaz’s frantic breathing in his ear. “I thought it was you,” Gaz whispered. He didn’t know why it mattered, Sean had closer friends here on Eurus, but the
71
Christine d’Abo
look of panic on Gaz’s face brought tears to his eyes. Sliding his trapped hand out from between them, Sean shifted so he could squeeze the other man’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We’re fine.” It was another minute before Gaz released them, taking a step back. “What the hell happened?” Amy wrapped her fingers around Sean’s forearm, but turned to face her friend. “Someone set the supply rooms on fire. Torched everything in there, including the storage many of the ships were using. People have lost a lot.” Gaz’s eyes grew wider. “Tyrell?” “We’ll never prove it, but yeah. It’s the type of shit he’d pull.” Amy’s voice wavered at the end. She swallowed and squeezed Sean’s arm. “He’s really pissed a lot of us turned his offer down.” And there was the crux of the matter. This Tyrell bastard wasn’t going to back down, wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted. Sean knew they had to do something about it, find a way to take him out of commission without putting the ships, crews, colony or the race in danger. Simple. Looking over Amy’s shoulder, he saw Haylie talking to Taber. It would be so easy to go to them, pull in Kamran and even Davin to help work through this. God, Davin might have more than a few opinions on what to do. He was a pilot, had probably done his fair share of avoiding men like Tyrell over the years. He was also off the radar, not likely being watched by anyone. “I have an idea,” he said before he realized he’d come to a decision. Both Amy and Gaz turned to look at him, a mix of concern and hope equally mirrored on their faces. It was Amy who stepped in, lowering her voice to a whisper, when he didn’t continue. “What, Sean?” “I need to talk to someone, a friend. He can help us come up with a plan.” “Man, it better not be your fucking security buddies,” Gaz said, his voice a clipped whisper. “People talk when they see your friends coming around the ship. People don’t trust you. Will probably even find a way to blame you for this.” Sean’s gaze snapped up to Gaz. “What the hell does that mean? I’m not involved.” “But things were fine before you showed up down here.” Sean stiffened. “Amy was attacked before I was involved.” “It would have ended there.” Gaz stepped forward, jaw clenched. “We’d have dealt with it and moved on.” “Gaz,” Amy warned. He didn’t listen. “The next thing we know, ships are getting destroyed, people are getting attacked, security is down here all the time.”
72
The Bond That Saves Us
“Gaz—” “And now someone tried to kill everyone. Torch the fucking place. You can’t tell me fires like this happen all the time. Tyrell’s men were trying to send a message—do what I want or you’re all fucking dead!” “Gaz!” Amy’s voice rang loud in the hangar bay. The chatter of voices dropped and people openly stared at them. Sean couldn’t move. He couldn’t drop his gaze from the younger man’s, even if it was to look at Amy. Gaz was scared—Amy was pissed. And he was lost. “I’m sorry people feel that way,” he said, keeping all emotion from his voice. “I’ll make sure people know I’m not associated with your ship or crew any longer.” He didn’t wait for a response, walking past where they stood. Sean ignored Amy’s call and kept a steady pace toward the exit. He’d forgotten how quickly she could move until he felt her fingernails dig into his arm. “Please stop,” she said, panting as she spoke. “He didn’t mean it. Gaz is just scared. He lashes out when things like this happen.” “That doesn’t mean he’s wrong.” He didn’t face her, simply kept his body stone still. “Things weren’t as bad as they are now before I came down here.” Amy sighed. “You said it yourself the attacks have nothing to do with you. Look, I know you have this martyr complex, but this isn’t your fault.” “You can’t be certain about it. My presence has made you more of a target.” “Sean, I was a target before—” “Let me go.” “No, you’re being ridiculous.” “Amy, let me go.” The silence was heavy, but familiar. It was always like this with him—alone, separate from everyone else. Probably better that way. Still, something inside him broke a little bit more when he felt her hand drop away from him, before she turned and walked away. That was it then.
73
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Eight The computer chime wouldn’t stop sounding. Sean’s head pounded loud in his ears and his stomach protested the very thought of movement. The bottle of Briel Hapes now lay empty on the floor, one last glass of the thick black substance sitting on the table by the couch. He’d passed out before he’d been able to finish it. Probably for the best, else Sara would be pumping the alcohol out of his system. “Computer,” he muttered, his voice thick and low from disuse. He had to swallow several times to chase away the scratchy feeling. “Computer…who is it?” “Davin Jagt,” the sterile computer voice spoke back. Sean groaned as he rolled off the couch. It was harder than he’d thought to push his body to his feet and make his way across the room. The chime went off three more times before he was able to reach it. Sean pressed his forehead to the cool metal, bracing himself for the conversation he was about to have, before he found the strength to stand straight. “Computer, open.” Davin stood there, his gold reptilian eyes narrowing to thin slits as they landed on him. Sean didn’t move, knowing exactly what his friend was seeing and not caring in the slightest. He’d been avoiding Davin for days. His friend was worried, he got that. Didn’t mean he wanted the fucking Raqulian to mess with his head. Pulling a heavy breath in through his nose, Sean straightened and stepped back to give Davin room to enter. “You look like shit, buddy.” There was no hint of Davin’s normal humor in his voice. “Took you long enough to let me in.” “Had better days. What do you want?” Davin hesitated for a minute before pulling out a bottle of amber liquid from behind his back. “Well, believe it or not, I had the urge to get totally shitfaced and was looking for company. Looks like I’m a bit late to the party though.” They stood there for another minutes before Sean moved deeper into his quarters, leaving Davin to do what he willed. He wasn’t surprised to hear the Raqulian enter and move directly to the kitchen area. When he sat on the couch beside Sean, he let out a disguised snort. “Tell me you didn’t drink the entire bottle of Hapes?” “I didn’t. Never finished the last glass.” “Gods, I don’t know how you, Taber and Kamran drink that shit. It will burn a hole in your stomach. Now this, my friend, is what you want to down if you want to get drunk and forget your troubles.” 74
The Bond That Saves Us
“What is it?” “Zheva. Back home this particular bottle is worth about a month’s worth of credits. I plan to drink the whole fucking thing too.” Sean wasn’t sure if he should feel annoyed or not at the assumption he needed to get drunk. Not that it was an incorrect one—Davin knew him well enough it seemed. The pounding in his head indicated the effects of the alcohol were wearing off. He was standing on the cusp of the drink more or hydrate stage. He took a glass out of Davin’s hand. “Don’t skimp,” he said softly. They didn’t speak again for a while, each man leaning back into the couch nursing their cups. Sean didn’t know where to start, so he waited. It was one thing he’d gotten good at over the years. Still, it caught him off guard when Davin sat forward, arms braced on his knees while his head fell forward. “Sara’s pregnant.” Sean choked on his drink. “What?” “Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction too. She didn’t even know herself, not until I…held her last night. She was giving off some strange vibes, mentally and physically, and I couldn’t stop myself from checking. I wish I hadn’t.” They’d talked enough over the years. Sean knew Davin didn’t trust his own gifts, had turned away from his innate healing abilities for years. Even though he’d grown more comfortable using them since his arrival on Eurus, when it came to his wife and friends, Davin always hesitated. For him to probe someone meant an invasion of their privacy, not to mention he’d be forced to face his temptation to help where it wasn’t always wanted. “What did she say?” Sean couldn’t imagine having kids at this stage of his life. Fuck, he didn’t know if he ever wanted them. He’d learned from his own childhood that not everyone was meant to be a parent. Davin let loose a soft chuckle. “Are you kidding? You’ve met my wife, right? Blonde, cocky, has wanted babies her entire life? Fuck, she was ecstatic.” “Not getting the same sense from you,” Sean said, sipping his drink, suddenly losing the taste for the alcohol. Davin swirled the liquid in his glass, tapping the side of it with his finger. “It’s not that.” Sean waited. Davin stood, setting the glass down on the table. He walked to the bookshelf, stopping in front of it to run his fingers though his hair. “I’ve never…had a family. Not like what Sara wants. It’s not like I was close to my father and my mother died when I was young.” “Scared you’re going to fuck it up?” “Yeah, something like that.” 75
Christine d’Abo
Sean pushed up and made his way to Davin’s side on shaky legs. Fuck, he really needed to get some water into him. And a shower. Maybe some food if he could stomach it. When he got close enough, he slapped a hand on Davin’s back. “Look,” Sean stared, swallowing down the rising bile in his throat. “You’re going to make a great dad. You care enough to be freaked out, which is more than what a lot of guys would be feeling right now. I had shitty parents and have seen enough others to know you’ll be great.” “I wish I had your faith.” “Besides, Sara will kick your ass if you’re not doing something right, so don’t worry.” Davin snorted, finally nodded after a time. “Guess I’m going to find out one way or the other, aren’t I?” Sean turned to lean against the shelf and held his glass up in salute. “Congratulations.” Davin took the glass from Sean, mirrored the motion and threw back a mouthful, grinning. “Good stuff.” “Yeah. Thanks for bringing it.” Despite the unexpected turn of the conversation, Sean got the feeling there was more to it than that. He kept his gaze locked on the Raqulian, until Davin sighed. “What?” Davin would have sounded innocent to anyone but Sean. “I’m waiting for the proverbial other shoe.” A smile slipped onto Davin’s face. “Should have known I couldn’t slip one past you.” Sean cocked an eyebrow. “Well?” “Taber told me about the fire and the blowup with your girl. Thought you might want to chat about what happened.” He’d done nothing but try to avoid all thoughts of Amy, her ship and the damn race. He’d even gone so far as to ignore Taber’s reports on the fire and its fallout for several hours before morbid curiosity got the better of him. At least five ships docked at Eurus were damaged, two of which were so severe they pulled out of the competition. Another five pulled out for fear of what would befall their ships and crews if they stayed in. “Not a lot to talk about,” Sean said, shrugging. “My presence down there was causing problems.” “For you or her?” “For everyone. Some jackass named Tyrell has been trying to get people to throw the race so he can win a huge bet. He’s got people so scared no one will go to the authorities about him.” Davin groaned and rolled his eyes. “I hate bastards like that.”
76
The Bond That Saves Us
“How did you handle them?” “Normally shot the hell out of their ship or beat the shit out of them while at dock,” Davin said, grinning. “But I’m a stupid ass with more guns than brains. Not like your Amy girl.” “She’s not mine. It was made perfectly clear it would be best for everyone if I just let her go.” Sean took the last of the drink and downed it in one gulp. “It’s not like she did anything to stop me from leaving.” “I wouldn’t be too hard on her. From what Taber said the whole hangar was pretty much a mess. I suspect most of the pilots were pretty fucked up and emotions were running high. Can’t say I blame them either.” “This race is going to be a joke. No one will participate who hasn’t been bought and paid for by Tyrell. The honest ones are going to be too scared to run it. I bet he’s even got bets rigged.” “Well,” Davin said, suddenly finding the tattoo on the back of his hand very interesting. “Your girl will be running it, so there’s at least one honest pilot.” Sean snapped his head up so fast he felt the pain in his neck. “What?” Davin’s golden gaze was unwavering and Sean knew the Raqulian wouldn’t lie. Still, Amy would have to be insane to continue after everything that had happened. The Drake was her livelihood, one she couldn’t afford to sacrifice, no matter how high the prize was. “Are you sure? She can’t do it without a copilot.” “Your boy Ryan ran into Sara, tried to hit her up for extra medical supplies for the ship. Most of what they had they used on the injured pilots on the scene of the fire. The extras had burned in the storage lockers.” Sean was on his feet, pacing across the confines of his quarters. “I can’t believe she’s still going.” “She didn’t want to give in. I think she was hoping more pilots would stay if they saw others were willing to risk it. She’s a brave girl, that one.” Fuck, things weren’t adding up. He didn’t know who this Tyrell really was, but the intimidation, the fire, seemed like extremes to go to just to fix a race. There were better ways to do it, ones that drew less attention to him and his operation. No, this just wasn’t right. Sean stopped moving, turned and faced Davin who was simply watching him. “Do me a favor?” Sean knew he had no right to ask his friend to do anything, not after how he’d been treating him recently. Still, he couldn’t do this on his own. “Man, you know you only have to ask.” A small weight lifted from Sean’s chest and a small smile slipped onto his lips. “Can you do some checking for me? Find out about this Tyrell. Things just seem…” “Way too screwed up?” Davin offered. When Sean nodded, Davin stood. “Yeah, I was thinking that myself. I’ve seen my fair share of these types of guys in my day. This is a bit extreme, unless there is something else going on and Amy doesn’t want to tell
77
Christine d’Abo
you.” “If it’s simply the race, then we’ll do something about it. But if there’s something else going on…” “Yeah. Don’t worry, I still have a bunch of contacts in the sector. Think one or two of them were going to run in the race.” Davin moved toward the door, stopping once it opened, light from the hall spilling in. “You better go talk to that girl of yours. If she’s going to try to race without a copilot, then trust me when I say it’s a surefire way to get someone killed. She needs you there to make sure everything is okay.” Sean nodded, unable to speak. Davin smiled and left. The silence needled at him, making his skin crawl and prodding him into action. Ignoring the way his hung-over body protested, Sean grabbed his jacket and emergency bag he always kept at the ready and walked purposely to the elevator that would take him to Amy, ignoring everyone and everything around him as he went. The hangar bay was eerily silent when he finally entered. Several of the ships and their crews were now gone, departing the moment they had clearance. The entire feel of the place had changed from only a day earlier. The burned-out hulls of the damaged ships still remained, the scent of scorched metal, wires and chemicals still hung heavy in the air. Why the hell was Amy still here? Putting herself at risk like this? He didn’t stop moving until he reached the Drake. The door was sealed shut and there was a security perimeter set. He could feel the energy shimmering around him, making his skin tingle. One step forward and he’d get a shock strong enough to knock him flat on his ass. Considering how badly his head ached at the moment, it was the last thing he wanted to deal with. Sean didn’t say anything, just stood there, staring at the ship’s door. He knew they would have been alerted to his presence by the ship’s computer. They’d set up recognition protocols before the fire. The fact it hadn’t disengaged for him meant either Amy or Gaz had removed his access from the system. He’d register as an intruder and the alarms would be sounding right now. He only had to wait to see what would happen—if she’d let him in or turn the guns on his sorry ass. They made him wait over twenty minutes before the ship’s door hissed open. Gaz stood there, arms crossed over his chest. They stared at each other, Sean memorizing everything he could about the younger man. “You walked out on her,” Gaz finally said, his voice oddly flat. “I didn’t think you would mind considering what you’d said.” “I was being an ass. What’s your excuse?” “I thought it was for the best.” “Then why the hell are you back? You can’t just swoop in, break her heart and swoop out. She’d not a fucking toy you pick up whenever it amuses you. Asshole.” “Can you drop the shield so I can come in?”
78
The Bond That Saves Us
“No.” “Gaz.” “Don’t fucking Gaz me. You have no idea the crap she’s had to go through in the past. Men screwing with her, dropping her when they find out about her…abilities. Or worse, using her for a quick rush. I thought you were different.” “I’m not like that,” Sean said softly, not sure who he was trying to persuade. “Not really convincing me with the whole running away thing.” Anger rushed through him and Sean gripped the strap of his bag a bit tighter. “You were the one who said I’d put everyone in danger. Practically laid the blame for the whole fucking fire at my feet. What did you expect me to do, Gaz? Stay and I’m a menace. Leave and I’m an asshole who doesn’t give a shit about your friend or anyone else. I can’t make everything better for everyone all the time.” Gaz closed his eyes, his body tense under his loose shirt. Sean knew he was starting to get through, but he wasn’t sure if this was going to be for the better or not. Swallowing, he scooted closer to the energy field, the hair on his arms and his head standing up. “What the hell should I have done, Gaz? What do you want me to do? Because I’m not seeing many options for myself at the moment.” Nothing, no comments, sarcastic or otherwise. The moment stretched on until the hiss and pop of the energy field dropping snapped them both out of it. “What the hell?” Gaz started, his body turning to look back into the ship. “Let him in.” Amy. Sean didn’t say anything, but stepped to the door and hauled himself up. Gaz moved out of the way only at the last second. The younger man snorted, casting a quick glance at him before he turned and marched away. “I’ll be in engineering with Ryan.” Standing tall, Sean turned to look at the woman who now haunted his every thought. He was shocked to see how tired she looked, how worn down by everything she really was. Guilt and anger threatened to drive him away once more, but he couldn’t let it. There was something between them. Something soft and slow, far deeper than pheromones and attraction to her beautiful face. It took walking away from it to realize it was there at all. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Sean understood Amy. And for the first time in a very long time, he felt like someone actually understood him. If he was going to make this work, he needed her to understand where his confusion and anger came from. It wasn’t something he often shared—not even with his friends. Letting his gaze drop, he closed his eyes. “I have this…tendency to leave when things get hard. Before I came to Eurus my life was…so frustrating. My parents, they’re the heads of a major research conglomeration on Earth. They had…” God, their disappointed faces when he’d told 79
Christine d’Abo
them of his posting on Eurus had been almost too much for him back then. “Expectations?” Amy offered. Sean nodded. “Pressure to do what they wanted, be the man they wanted…I always did what I could to piss them off. When it wasn’t enough I’d run away.” All the way across the universe to a colony where he had complete control over his life. “Sometimes it’s a hard habit to break.” He could feel Amy’s gaze on him, encouraging him to look up. She smiled. “Thank you.” “It’s a crap excuse, but it’s the truth.” Her gaze slipped to his bag and he tightened his grip on the strap. “I wasn’t sure if I’d still be welcomed, but I thought I’d take the chance.” Her smile twitched wider for a moment before she wiped it away and grew serious. “I still need a copilot. But things…can’t be like they were before.” The sex, attraction…mind-numbing want all had to go. It was a small price to pay if it meant regaining Amy. He’d take her any way he could. “I never expected they would be. But I didn’t want you to be alone in this. Not for the race at least.” “You’ll have to bunk in one of the back rooms. I’m keeping the ship locked tight until race day. Not taking any more chances with security and we’re not leaving this ship until we take her up for launch.” Sean nodded. Amy tried to move past him, but he stepped forward, halting her progress. “I talked to a friend, a former pilot. He might try to get in touch with me.” They were so close he could smell the light citrus, but more than that, he could smell her. The soap and sweat on her skin, the light scent of coffee on her lips, calling to him. Things were different from before, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. His eyes slipped from hers to her mouth and he shuddered as her tongue darted out to lick the fullness of her bottom lip. He wanted to follow its path with his own. “I’ll make sure he can get through to you,” she whispered, her voice husky. Sean moved in closer. His chest brushed against her arm, forcing her to shift her hand so it wasn’t close to his groin. Even that fleeting contact made his cock swell and stiffen. Shit, how was he supposed to ignore what was painfully obvious between them? He didn’t stop, couldn’t prevent his head from dipping down so his mouth hovered above her ear. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” He knew his words would do nothing to repair the damage, but he had to try, start somewhere. “I’m sorry I proved to be just like everyone else.” “You’re…” She bit on her lip. “I’m what?” She shook her head. “Tell me, Amy. I’m what?” “You’re not like them.” Her breath hitched. “That’s why it hurt…a whole lot more
80
The Bond That Saves Us
than I thought it would.” Fuck. “I told you I was a bastard. I always seem to get sucked into this bullshit. I think I got cursed, part of some universal joke. I don’t want to see you…damaged like I am.” “Sean—” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Amy’s neck. “Not saying it will be easy, but I’m going to try to stay away from you…like that.” “Don’t you think part of it is my decision to make?” Her words shook him. No one had cared enough before to take the risk. He hadn’t really cared before now. Still, more than a small part of him was thrilled that Amy cared, even a little. “Let me put my things away. Then I’ll see if I can help Gaz down in engineering.” Amy nodded, turning her head enough for him to see the pout of her full lips. “I’ll set an extra plate for you in the mess.” “Appreciate it.” Ignoring the tightness of his pants and the buzzing in his head, Sean turned and made his way down the hall to the crew quarters. He needed to keep his head, focus on the problem, on getting Amy into the race and keeping her safe while making sure Tyrell and his men did nothing to hurt her. He pressed the door release, but stopped to look over his shoulder at where Amy stood, hands on hips. The look on her face told him things between them were far from over.
81
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Nine Amy found it hard to keep her eyes open. They’d been fine-tuning the engines for the past three hours, and for once they were actually making progress. She’d worked side by side with Sean for two days now, trying to ignore the way his body moved, the ripple and pull of muscles barely hidden by his shirt. The challenge had been with her body’s reaction to his proximity. The burst of her pheromones would be so strong in the close quarters, it got to the point where she knew even Gaz and Ryan were starting to feel the effects two rooms away. At the very least they weren’t going after her. The irony of the entire situation was that Sean, the object of her desire, was seemingly unaffected by it. With every wave of arousal she projected, his body would stiffen, but within moments would return to its previous relaxed state. He made no move toward her in any way that could be considered sexual, flirting or otherwise. It would figure, he was able to keep his head around her. She desperately wanted him to lose control. She didn’t want to admit how much it had hurt her when Sean had walked away or exactly how thrilled she’d been to see him standing outside the Drake’s protective shield. Gaz had been completely against letting him back in, but Amy knew it wasn’t out of malice or any disregard for her feelings. Gaz loved her. He’d been the one to help her through when Malik had left her, taking with him the remnants of her dignity and her heart. Even her dad hadn’t known the extent of her depression. Speaking of whom. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes in a vain attempt to wake herself. She’d promised her dad she’d check in with him before the race and she was starting to run out of time. Two days was all they had left before launch day. It was unusual that he hadn’t gotten in touch with her over the past few days. She’d been so wrapped up in getting ready, Tyrell’s men…Sean, she hadn’t thought on it. He’d been raving mad the day after the fire. Shit, when he’d come down to see if there was any damage to either her, Gaz or the Drake, she thought he was going to go after Tyrell himself. It had taken her over an hour to calm him down and then another ten minutes convincing Gaz not to tell him about Sean. The last thing she needed was her dad getting arrested for assault. When she’d finally convinced him to go back to his quarters and relax, it had only been with the promise of getting in touch with him when she had the chance. Pressing the code he’d given her into the com panel, Amy held her breath and waited. It took several attempts before the screen popped to life. Except her dad wasn’t there. The screen was live, but no one came to sit in front of it. Frowning, Amy leaned into the screen. “Dad? Hello?” 82
The Bond That Saves Us
Still nothing. Panic raged through her, fleeting thoughts of him going after Tyrell after all, getting his throat cut and body dumped out an airlock flooding her mind. She took a breath and tried to keep the panic from her voice. “Dad?” “Amy-girl! Hang on.” She relaxed her grip on the panel and sat back, waiting for her dad to pop in front of the screen. When he finally poked his face around, she couldn’t stop her grin. “What the hell are you doing?” She laughed, giddy from relief and the sight of him in a Shay meditation tunic. “You better not have found religion.” “Hell no.” He scratched both hands through his snow white hair. “But your mom taught me years ago about this meditation stuff. Helps when I’m stressing.” “You’re stressing? I thought I told you I had everything out here under control. You’re not going to go after Tyrell—” “Sweetheart, I told you I wouldn’t and I mean it.” She let out a sigh of relief. “I’m holding you to that.” He grinned, shrugging slightly. “You can’t blame a father for worrying. Besides, my girl is about to run in the biggest race this sector has seen in years. Of course I’m stressing. How is the old girl doing anyway? Did you get her back in one piece? Need me to come down and give her a few tweaks for you?” Panic threatened to return, but she did her best to quickly quash it. She grinned back at him, hoping it reached all the way to her eyes. “Naw, I’m good. I’m giving the new crew members a nice and proper breaking in. Have them flushing out the heating systems and filling up the food prep units.” “That’s my girl. Need to make sure they know who’s boss.” They chatted for a few more minutes about the ship, her plan for the race route and how she was going to try to pull everything she could from the engines. Purposely, Amy did her best to steer clear of any mention of the fire, Tyrell or anything that would fire up her dad. She loved him to death, but she couldn’t do this if she had to worry about him coming down and taking over. She needed to prove she could do this, that she wasn’t the little girl who used to sit on his lap and help him plot navigation courses. She thought everything was fine until he leaned far back into his seat, crossed his arms over his chest and lowered his chin. “Now tell me what the hell has got you all wound up. I’ve purposely kept clear so I don’t make matters worse for you and while I know the fire had you freaked, this isn’t about that. I have to say, I haven’t seen you like this in years.” Amy blinked. “What? No, Dad, there’s nothing wrong.” “Bullshit.” “Dad!” “I changed your diapers and had your puke on my shoulder more than once. I know when my girl is lying to me.”
83
Christine d’Abo
He held her gaze until she had to look away. There was so much wrong, so much she didn’t want to tell him, so much she didn’t know how to tell him. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed. “There’s this guy.” “Ha! I knew it. His name?” “Sean.” “Do I need to come down and pound him into the ground?” “No, Gaz already offered.” “Good boy. I’m glad you two are still together. So what’s with this Sean?” “He’s…I’m attracted to him. And it’s proving a bit…complicated.” Her dad sat forward, his face so close to the screen his eyes took on a wide, distorted look. “Your gift, he hasn’t taken advantage of you, has he? Because I really will come down there and beat the shit out of him.” “No, Dad, don’t. He hasn’t done anything wrong at all. Perfect gentleman in fact.” “Even with your…stuff?” “They’re pheromones, Dad. Not stuff.” “I know. I also remember how hard it is to resist them when they get going. Never could walk away from your mother.” Amy smiled. She remembered getting shooed out of the cockpit on more than one occasion growing up. She never realized what it meant until she was older and she would hear low moans slip out from beneath the door. “Well, you’d be impressed with Sean.” Amy bit down on her bottom lip, fighting back the urge to sigh. “So, let me tell you about the modifications Gaz made this morning to the engines.” “That sounds like a change of subject to me.” “It was. A very obvious one I thought.” “Amy…” “I know, but not right now. Okay?” He smiled, leaning back against his seat. “For now. Don’t think I’m going to let this drop. I’ve never met a man who could walk away from a Shay woman who had the hots for him.” Amy rolled her eyes, but was thankful to let the subject drop. They chatted for at least fifteen minutes before they were interrupted by the chirp of the door alarm. “Hang on, Dad.” Amy pressed the privacy button on the com, changing the image to black, before opening the door. Gaz stood on the other side, arms across his chest. “You going to be hiding in here all afternoon?” “I’m not hiding. Dad’s on the vid.” Like she was about to tell Gaz the truth. Besides,
84
The Bond That Saves Us
what did it matter if she was hiding from Sean? It’s not like he wanted to spend time with her anyway. Well, not in the way she wanted at least. “Well, say hi for me and then get your ass out here. Your boy is going to kill himself if he doesn’t take a break soon.” Amy wanted to laugh, but got the feeling Gaz would punch her arm if she did. “I thought you didn’t want him around? Now you’re all huggy, kissy and concerned about his welfare.” Gaz snorted. “Look, he might be a pain in the ass, but he’s one who knows what the hell he’s doing. If we’re going to actually run this race, we need him as a pilot.” The smart-ass response Amy had ready died on her lips. “Wow. That’s something I never thought I’d hear.” “Yeah, well,” Gaz shrugged, “I like the guy despite the fact he’s an ass. Plus Ryan has been telling me some stuff…look, I’ll leave you be. But hurry the fuck up.” She waited for the door to close before returning to the vid. Her dad was turned away, looking at something off to his right side. “Dad?” “Hey, hon. Everything okay?” “Yup, but I need to get back to work. Maybe once we get things cleaned up a bit you can come down and take a look at the Drake one last time before the race. Be nice to get your stamp of approval.” Her dad grinned. “You got it, sweetie. Now go…work. Do me proud.” Amy saluted. “Yes, sir.” The vid screen went black and with the picture gone went her excuse for hiding from Sean. With a huff, Amy pushed herself to her feet and made her way out to the hall. The air was cool but stale. They’d have to purify the system and flush everything out before they went into space. The last thing they needed was to get halfway through the race and have the entire ship reeking of sweat and burned electrical wires. They’d end up gagging their way across the finish line. She peeked into the engine room as she passed. Gaz had returned and was already standing hip to hip, thigh to thigh with Ryan as they worked on the stardrive capacitor. She couldn’t stop her smile at the sight. It had been a long time since Gaz had taken an interest in anyone for more than a one-night stand. That the two men had been practically inseparable since Ryan’s arrival on ship was boding well for her friend. Maybe if Gaz’s luck could rub off on her there’d be hope for her love life when this was done. Sean sat in front of an open console as she walked into the engineering systems bay. She knew he was aware of her arrival by the way his shoulders tensed for a moment before relaxing. They’d played this game for the past day now—both aware, both doing their best to ignore the obvious attraction between them. Really, she knew she should respect his desire to keep things professional. Not only did it make sense given the
85
Christine d’Abo
timeframe they were under, the added distraction could cause one or both of them to make a critical error. But standing there, looking at him, none of it mattered. She wanted him. Not just in her bed, but in her life. She’d enjoyed the brief time they’d shared and wanted more. Not to mention the mind-blowing sex. She’d had partners over the years—what Shay woman didn’t—and Sean had been one of the best. He’d quickly learned her body, discovered how to make her moan by rolling her nipples between his fingers. Her body responded at the memory, her clit pulsed and demanded she go after what she wanted. Amy refused to give in to the urge to tuck her hair behind her ears and instead laced her hands together behind her back. She closed her eyes, and willed her pounding heart to slow down, the flutter in her stomach to stop and generally for her body to settle the fuck down. “Can I help you with something?” There was something in his voice, something that had Amy taking a step forward. Her fingers twitched, but she didn’t release them. “Just wanted to see how you were doing. Gaz and Ryan seemed…busy.” Sean turned to look at her over his shoulder. A small smirk crossed his lips. “I don’t think Ryan knew what he was getting himself into when he signed up.” “Well, if it’s any consolation, I haven’t seen Gaz this taken with someone in ages. And I don’t think they’ve fucked yet.” “Your friend isn’t known for restraint?” “Not when it comes to sex. Regular pirate, that one. Sees the prize and jumps in with both lasers blasting.” She stepped farther into the room, her gaze locked onto Sean’s body as he shifted, giving her a clearer view of what he was working on. “Is that the ventilation gauge? I though the air was a bit stuffy earlier.” He nodded, waving the spanner in the direction of the wires and circuits. “There was a short. I wanted to try to fix it before we brought up the secondary systems. No sense in flushing crap from the vents into the backups.” Amy squatted, the front of her knees brushing Sean’s lower back and side. He stiffened, but didn’t pull away. Heat seeped from his body through the heavy material of her pants to her skin. The scent of his sweat made her shiver, her mouth watering at the memory of what it tasted like on his skin. She shuddered, wanting to lick his body, run her fingers through his hair, moan her encouragement against his ear. There was a change in the air around them, practically screaming Sean’s growing arousal. She couldn’t smell her pheromones, but still knew the moment they were released into the air. A light flush crept across the back of Sean’s neck as his breathing became more rapid. Shit, they really didn’t need this right now, especially since she was trying to win him over, not freak him out. But she couldn’t stop it—couldn’t help herself. “Are you going to be flushing it anytime soon?” Her words came out in a soft
86
The Bond That Saves Us
whisper, far huskier than she intended. Sean dropped his chin to his chest and sighed. “You’re really not making this easy on me. You know that?” She did, she really did. But right now, she didn’t care. “I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but I’m not able to hide my feelings like other women. I like you. You know what that means.” He closed his eyes, jaw tight. “Yeah.” “Do you want me to leave? Because I think I’m at the point where the only way I can control myself is to keep the hell away from you.” When his tongue dipped out, swiping a moist path across his lips, Amy shivered. She remembered what it felt like to have him lapping at her pussy, teasing her clit until he drove her to orgasm. More, she really wanted more. “Sean?” Amy wasn’t expecting Sean to move as quickly as he did. She was off balance from resting on the balls of her feet, knees bent. When he turned and pushed forward, she fell back with a loud yelp, the air forced from her lungs. Sean quickly covered her body with his, his thigh pressed against her heated cunt—his mouth hovering above hers, stealing her breath. They stayed there for a moment, both staring at the other as they lay on the floor, panting. Amy’s grip tightened when Sean shifted, his arm pressing firmly against the side of her breast. “Sean?” “Just…don’t.” “Don’t what?” Don’t move? Don’t breathe? Don’t leave me? Before she had a chance to catch her breath, Sean’s lips were on hers. His mouth licked and nipped at her lips until she opened them, letting him slip in further. With her heart pounding in her chest and her head spinning, Amy knew there was no way either of them could stop this now. Gods, the last thing she wanted to do was stop. She wanted more of everything—his company, sex, warmth from his body. Everything. “I can’t even think when I’m around you,” he muttered, sliding a hand under the hem of her shirt. “Don’t think I want to. Just feel.” His fingers captured her nipple, rolling the tip hard enough to drag a moan from her. Amy squirmed, grinding her pussy against his thigh and enjoying the rush of heat and pleasure splintering out from her core. Sean shifted again, his mouth pressing moist kisses to her jaw, cheek and throat. She reached up to card her fingers through his hair. The short blond strands felt soft clenched in her fingers. “I didn’t intend this when I came here.” Sean chuckled against her neck, biting gently at the skin beneath her ear. “Weren’t looking to get molested?” “I was trying to get you to take a break.” “This can be a break.” He rolled his hips, pressing his erection against her stomach. 87
Christine d’Abo
“A very pleasant one.” “You’re not going to hate me after, are you? Cornering you in a small room and make you insane with lust and all.” He pulled up, looking intently in her eyes. “I don’t hate you. Never did. It’s just…” There was something in his gaze, something that made her stomach flip and her chest tighten. She didn’t stop to analyze it and instead lifted up to press another kiss to his mouth. This time, it was Sean’s turn to groan and her turn to buck up against his stiff cock. She needed him now—to feel him inside her. “Please,” she whispered. “I want you.” Sean pushed up far enough to rip his shirt from his body and throw it into the far corner. Amy’s fingers shook as she pulled open his pants, wanting to feel the firm heat of his cock in her hands. He hissed when she wrapped her hand around his shaft. She couldn’t stop herself from grinning when he bucked his hips forward to thrust into her tightening grip. It was perfect, this mutual need. Amy swiped her thumb over the head of his cock, smearing the tiny bead of pre-cum as it seeped from his slit. Her mouth watered at the memory of the salty taste and she knew before they were done she’d have a chance to suck him down once more. “You still have on too many clothes,” he muttered, tugging at her shirt wrenched halfway up her body. “Let me help.” Ignoring the cold harshness of the metal floor on her skin, Amy stripped quickly and efficiently. Sean waited until her pants were pulled free before he pulled her into his lap and rearranged her legs so her thighs hugged his sides. The position had his cock rubbing snuggly against her clit. “Ride me,” he commanded in a low voice. “I want to feel you ride me hard.” Amy couldn’t speak and only just managed to nod. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he helped lift her up enough so she could impale herself on his shaft. As she sank down, she closed her eyes and relished the feel of him inside her. Every inch of his cock rubbed the sensitive skin within, sending bolts of lust and want racing through her. She loved it, the way he made her feel. When she didn’t think it could get any better, she lifted her body up enough to drop down hard on him once more. The jolt against her sensitive clit had her cry out. “Fuck.” He pressed his face against her neck. “I’m going to come fast.” “Me too,” she said, trying to keep her body under control. “So good.” Words between them stopped, lost in their gasps and moans. Over and over she rose and fell on his body, leaning into his sweat-slicked chest. His hands raked trails up and down her back, squeezing and kneading her ass, encouraging her steady rocking. His mouth and tongue were busy devouring her neck, ear, shoulder. She was on fire and there wasn’t a better feeling in the universe. The scrape of his teeth against her skin as he bent his head lower sent an explosion
88
The Bond That Saves Us
of goose bumps across her body. Gentle nips were chased by the moist heat of his tongue. Amy held her breath when his mouth sucked the skin just above her left nipple hard. It would leave a mark, a brand identifying her as his. A pleased hum morphed into a gasp as it left her lips. Sean chuckled briefly before latching on to her hard nipple to suckle her hard. “Gods.” The word was barely a whisper as it escaped her. Sean’s only response was to flick his tongue across the tip of her nipple at a maddening pace. Each brush of his wet tip sent a jolt to her clit, encouraging her to screw herself down even harder. Her thighs began to quiver, not just from the constant movement, but as she crept closer to her release. She needed this, was almost there, but couldn’t quite push herself over. She didn’t need to worry—Sean knew. He moved one hand from her ass to his mouth, where he sucked in two fingers. She watched with rapt attention as his pupils grew even wider, his tongue snaking around the digits, soaking them. When he reached between them to caress her clit, Amy nearly screamed. “Yes. There,” she sighed. “You’re so close. I can feel you. Come on, come on, come on. You want this…me…us fucking. I want to hear you scream. Now.” The command only just left his lips when her body seized up and her orgasm rolled through her. Her moan came out low but strong as she squeezed his shoulders, driving her body down hard to extend the waves of pleasure coursing through her. She felt his sharp intake of breath as she clenched around his cock. He didn’t give in, didn’t come. Gods, she wanted to feel him flood her pussy with his cum. “Sean.” She reached up and pressed her hand against his cheek. He shifted them, leaning back so he lay flat on the floor with her on top. She raised an eyebrow at him in silent question. Sean chuckled. “I don’t want you to be hurt. Ride me.” Oh yes. Grinding down, she pressed her pussy tight against his pubic bone, her ass slapping against the tops of his lean thighs. Sweat from their bodies mingled on their stomachs. The scent of sex was thick in the air, highlighted by the faint hint Sean’s musk. She couldn’t help but smile at the expression on his face. His eyes were screwed shut, mouth open, as he struggled to pull in a breath. His cheeks were flushed and the corded muscles of his neck were stretched tight from the effort of chasing his orgasm. Sean was on pleasure’s edge and she would be the one to push him over. Amy leaned forward as she rode his body, licking the shell of his ear. “You’re so fucking big inside me. Your hands…yes, on my ass like that. Maybe I’ll let you fuck my ass next. Would you like that? If I take you into my bedroom and let you screw me until I can’t walk.” “Amy!”
89
Christine d’Abo
Sean took over the pace, driving up hard and fast into her body. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and held on. It didn’t take long for his frantic rhythm to falter and for him to come with a shout. Sweat made it difficult for her to keep her grip. With the last dregs of energy she could muster, Amy closed her eyes and fell forward onto Sean. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his warmth between her legs. When he reached up and looped his arms around her shoulders and back, the small hollow of dread finally melted away. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For what?” She hadn’t really thought about it before the words slipped from her, her gratitude almost an instinct. Still, she was thankful. “For not running.” Sean chuckled. “I might be an idiot sometimes, but I’m not stupid.” Amy smiled and nipped at his earlobe. “Yes, you are an idiot. But I don’t really mind.” They slipped into a comfortable silence, lying on the floor. Sean began to trace lazy patterns on her back with his fingertip as his entire body began to relax and his softening cock slipped from her body. Amy began to drift, which was why she didn’t register what the noise drifting from the hall was when it first reached her ears. It took another long, low moan for her to clue in. She sat bolt up, her knee pressing hard into Sean’s thigh. “What the hell, Amy?” “Oh my Gods.” Another moan. Sean heard it this time, his head cocked to the side. “What’s that?” His voice was a low rumble in his chest. She let her gaze drift to the ventilation console. “We just had sex.” “Yes, I was here for that part.” “You were working on the vents.” “And I’ll need to get back to finish those…oh.” The look of realization was comical on his face. “The vents were open.” Amy giggled. “I think so.” “And your pheromones—” “Have now flooded the ship.” Sean let his head fall back against the floor. The hollow thunk echoed in the small room. “Ryan is going to kill me.” “Well, that wasn’t Gaz groaning don’t stop. Please, don’t ask me how I know what Gaz sounds like having sex, the memory is far too traumatic. I think your friend won’t be complaining too loudly.”
90
The Bond That Saves Us
They were silent for a few more minutes, listening to the muffled groan coming from down the hall. Finally, Sean shifted, lifting Amy up with him. “We should get cleaned up. Maybe get something to eat.” “We’d have to sneak past them.” Amy winked. “Are you up for it?” Sean began to shift, already looking for his clothing. “Guess I’ll have to be. We can see if Davin has heard anything.” “Okay.” They dressed as quickly and quietly as they could, both refusing to look at the other for fear their smirks and soft chuckles would turn into full-fledged laughter. Amy was only a little surprised when Sean took the lead through the door, reaching for her hand as he moved. The contact was comfortable, intimate and not unwelcomed. They paused outside the engine room, the door now closed, for only the briefest of seconds, before scurrying past. She really didn’t want to be subjected to seeing Gaz’s naked ass again. Never, ever, ever! Freedom was theirs as they made it to the mess hall, letting the door slide shut behind them. Amy pressed her back to the cool metal of the bulkhead and watched as Sean made his way over to the food processor. His hair stuck up as he scratched his fingers across his scalp. The movement sent the muscles in his back moving, a ripple under his tight shirt. Her fingers itched to reach out and trace a path over them. “Coffee?” His voice was loud after their sneaking around. “Please.” Sean began to press buttons when the computer signaled. He looked at her, eyebrow raised in question. “Incoming call.” She walked over to the panel and activated the system. “This is Captain Bryson of the Drake.” A tall, tattooed man filled the screen. His long brown hair was tucked behind his ears and he wore a fierce expression on his face. “My name is Davin. I believe Sean Donaldson is with you.” “I’m here.” He’d appeared so quickly beside her, his shoulder pressed hard against her. “What’s wrong?” Davin didn’t respond right away, his gaze lingering on Amy. She didn’t know what exactly Sean had asked him to do, but she was quickly getting the impression she wasn’t going to like it. Straightening a bit more, she lowered her chin, meeting the other man’s gaze directly. Davin nodded slightly before shifting his gaze to Sean. “Remember that thing you wanted me to check into?” “What did you find?” “Can’t do this over the vid. We need to meet in person. I’ve setup a meeting for us tomorrow morning.” Davin nodded in Amy’s direction. “Bring her.” Sean stiffened. “Why?” “Tyrell’s running dust.” 91
Christine d’Abo
Amy’s stomach clenched. She was screwed.
92
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Ten The conference table was filled with everyone who’d become important to Sean over the past few years. Kamran and Haylie sat at the front, heads bowed close, deep in conversation. He could tell by her rigid posture Kamran was proposing something she didn’t like. Still, when Kamran reached up and took her hand in his, the tension in her shoulders melted. She smiled, nodded and squeezed back. Sean squashed the sudden rush of envy. Davin sat side by side with Taber, while Sara kept Amy locked up in conversation across from him. The two men spoke softly, but sparingly, each keeping an eye on the women. Sean could see the fleeting glances Sara would shoot at her husband and the soft smiles he’d return. He knew Davin would get over his fear of fatherhood and make Sara happy. If Fallon had been here, he knew Taber would have a similar expression of contentment on his face, even if the Briel would deny being besotted with his wife. He’d been there when they’d first met, had watched as the other man had changed for the better. Then there was Amy. He should feel relief. Instead, the cold hollowness which lived in his chest seemed to have spread, consuming what was left of his calm. Amy was in greater danger than she’d led him to believe. He should have suspected there was something more, something greater. The attacks on her ship, her crew, herself, were brutal. Not the work of a man who is looking to make money on a quick bet. Once again, he’d let himself get blinded by what was in front of him. Amy had distracted him, hiding the problem, hiding herself from him. Fuck, he was such an idiot. Davin shifted next to him, his shoulder bumping Sean’s. Turning to look, he saw the Raqulian frowning. “Don’t blame her.” “I don’t,” he managed to say. I blame myself. Kamran cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. Not for the first time, Sean envied his friend’s ability to command with so little effort. Even before the Ecada, he’d struggled with himself, with feeling he didn’t deserve the respect he’d been given as colony administrator and needed to continuously prove his worth. Even if it was only to himself. Something else he could thank his parents for—a warped sense of selfworth. Kamran didn’t have those doubts. Neither did anyone else. “Haylie tells me her team has completed their security check. Sean and Amy’s arrival wasn’t tracked and no one else was followed.” Kamran leaned forward, resting
93
Christine d’Abo
his forearms on the edge of the table. His piercing blue eyes landed on Davin before shifting over to Sean. “Davin, now that we are all here, please present your report.” The Raqulian pushed himself to his feet and tapped his fingers against the side of his thigh. “At Sean’s request, I did a little digging into a man named Tyrell. He was reportedly trying to fix the race in an attempt to win in the betting pools.” As Davin spoke, Sean moved his attention to Amy. Her gaze was locked on the other captain, every muscle in her body ratchet taut as he spoke. Sean hated that Amy had kept the truth from him. What he wanted to know was why. “But that’s not what’s going on?” Haylie said, hands laced together and resting on her lap as she leaned back in her chair. Davin shook his head. “Tyrell’s company and gambling ring are fronts for his real business. He and his men are the largest runners of dust in the sector. Maybe even farther. Captain Bryson, would you be able to confirm this report?” No one said anything at first. Gazes shifted from Sean to Amy and back, each one waiting for one of them to say something. All he could do was watch as Amy shifted in her seat, lowered her chin and looked directly at Davin. “That would be consistent with what has happened to me and my crew.” Conflicting emotions raged together inside him. Pride she hadn’t tried to deny it, hide behind lies and misdirection—not that anyone here would fault her for it. Anger she hadn’t told him sooner. He could have helped her, maybe prevented the fire and damage to the other ships. She must have sensed his thoughts. Turning, she looked at him, unshed tears in her eyes. “Sorry.” As much as he wanted to find blame, he couldn’t. Sean waved her off. “You did what you thought you had to.” “Exactly.” Kamran’s voice rang clear in the room. “Now that we are aware of the threat, perhaps Captain Bryson could tell us what she knows. Seeing as I was the one who lobbied to have the Catallian race here in the first place, I’d like to see Tyrell dealt with.” Sean watched as her face flushed and she began to pick at her thumbnail. “I don’t have a lot I can tell you. To be honest, I tried to keep my distance as much as possible. I haven’t seen Tyrell himself in over a year. It’s been mostly his…staff who’ve paid us visits.” “Anything you tell us will be of service,” Taber said, his voice harsh in the small space. Amy swallowed, her gaze now fully locked on her hands. She wasn’t going to say anything. Sean could tell by the way she held her body. This wasn’t going to get them anywhere. It certainly wasn’t going to get her the help she needed. “Can I speak to her for a moment?” He looked at Amy, but he was addressing Kamran.
94
The Bond That Saves Us
He saw the administrator nod out of the corner of his eye. “You can use the prep room.” Before Amy had a chance to protest, Sean stood, made his way over to her side of the table, ignoring the looks Sara and Haylie were giving him, and held out his hand. “This way,” he said softly. She didn’t look at him, but after several heartbeats she shifted, put her hand in his and allowed him to tug her to her feet. Ignoring the looks from the others, Sean didn’t stop moving until they were across the meeting room and through the small door that led to the prep area. They didn’t have a lot of space. They weren’t going to need any. The second the door slid shut, Sean dropped her hand and walked to the far end of the room. He knew she’d need space. He needed it himself. “I know you have no reason to trust them,” he started, stopping only when the words got stuck in his throat. He sucked in a deep breath and started again. “But I hope you trust me.” “I—” Pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, Sean started talking. “They all saved me in one way or another over the past few years. My life went to shit, hard and fast. Every one of the people in that room helped me pick up the pieces. I’m still not there, not one hundred percent better. I doubt everything I do and say. I still don’t trust people the way I should. But I trust them to help you, and believe me when I say they wouldn’t put you in any intentional danger.” “I know.” Amy stood beside him now, the warmth from her hand now resting on his shoulder. It helped to calm his pounding heart. Dropping his hands to his sides, Sean turned his head just enough to be able to see her. “You’ve got me so confused inside, I don’t know which way is up right now.” His confession was barely a whisper. Amy smiled and moved her hand to cup his cheek. “I can’t say I was expecting this myself. My track record with men is pretty much shit. And I do trust you, but I don’t trust that Tyrell won’t find out about this. No matter what your friends intend, he’ll know.” The idea of Amy being in danger more than normal made him sick. He moved, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I won’t let him hurt you, Gaz or even that damn ship.” “I know you’ll try.” He squeezed tighter. “No trying. It won’t happen. Tell them and we’ll look after everything else.” She didn’t say anything. He could see the internal battle she was waging and knew if he didn’t do something she’d make the wrong choice. Fuck it. Leaning forward, he kept his eyes open as he pressed a kiss to her lips. He felt the rush of air across their lips
95
Christine d’Abo
as she sighed. Amy swayed closer to press in, but not as much as Sean would have liked. Her hand was still on his face, so when he darted his tongue out and swiped a path across her bottom lip, he felt her fingers curl against his skin. The sudden burst of pheromones wasn’t unexpected, but the shiver of pleasure was. He wasn’t reacting to her scent as much as the idea he had that kind of effect on her. They’d developed a bond so quickly he hadn’t realized they were even moving toward one. This time when he deepened the kiss, he let his lids slip closed. The surrounding heat and scent screamed to his body, this is Amy, eclipsing everything else he was thinking and feeling. His tongue danced over hers, caressing and tasting, memorizing everything about her. Blood rushed to his cock, making him swell painfully fast. Without thinking, he pressed his hips forward so the pressure of her hip against his shaft offered some relief. Amy’s nipples were hard, pressing against his chest through the fabric of her shirt. Sean knew they would both get lost in their mutual lust if one of them didn’t do something fast. Far quicker than he would have liked, Sean broke the kiss and pulled back. Amy’s eyes were closed, her lips swollen and wet. He brushed his thumb across her cheek and up over her temple. “You’re not alone in all this.” His voice sounded rough. He ignored it and continued. “I may not always listen to my own advice, but the people out there are good, very good at what they do. They want to help you. We’ll figure out a way to shut Tyrell and his men down, but you need to trust me.” “I do,” she said, her eyes still closed. “Will you let them help?” She didn’t say anything at first. Sean watched and listened as her shoulders finally relaxed and her breathing slowed. When she opened her eyes, she looked into his and smiled. “Okay.” His nervous tension shifted from the muscles of his neck to somewhere deep inside. They could do this, stop the drug ring and let the race go forward. But Amy, Gaz, shit, even Ryan were all counting on him to get them out of this in one piece. Squeezing her hand, Sean tugged her in the direction of the door. “Let’s do this then.” No one looked directly at them when they walked back into the room. Amy slipped her hand into his, and for once in a very long time he didn’t feel the urge to pull away from the intimacy. With him at her side, Amy stopped by the table, but made no move to sit down. “If we are going to do this,” she said, her voice clear and confident, “then I need your promise you’ll do everything possible to keep my crew safe. We’ll be a major target once Tyrell figures out what’s going on.”
96
The Bond That Saves Us
Kamran stood, facing Amy. He bowed deep at the waist, his gaze locked on hers. “We’ll do our very best to ensure he doesn’t learn anything until it is too late. Regardless, you have my word your ship and crew will have our protection.” Amy nodded, chewing on her lip for a moment before continuing. “I also want you to promise to give any crews found to have agreed to run dust shipments a fair trial. Many of them would have been forced into it.” Taber cleared his throat. “I will ensure all aspects of each case are taken into account after our investigation.” With a quick glance to Sean, Amy took a deep breath and started. “Tyrell’s men first approached me on Chi Lan base in the Demic sector. I’d stopped to drop off my last shipment before coming here. They were basically asking a lot of questions about the Drake. What her cargo capacity is, how fast she could get up to, those sorts of questions. They told me they were interested in having me haul a load for them.” “Did they tell you what?” Taber asked as he added the information into a data pad. “No, but his reputation is well known on my planet. I wasn’t going near him, no matter how much they offered me.” Davin snorted. “Bet that went over well.” “He’s known for his ego and temper. Surprisingly, he didn’t do anything, I left and brought the Drake here to get ready for the race.” “When did they approach you next?” Kamran prodded when Amy hesitated. Sean moved closer, could feel her tense again and knew it was more than stubbornness or pride that made her reluctant to share. It was fear. “It’s okay,” he said softly, pressing his shoulder to hers. Her lips twitched in a smile. “I know.” Louder, she looked at Karman and continued. “The next time was almost within the hour of me landing here. Bastards tried to attack me and Gaz as we were looking for the docking bay chief to register. We managed to run them off, but not before they got their message across. Tyrell owned the race. He was using it to move dust. We could either play his game or leave.” “But you did neither,” Haylie stated, her voice full of admiration. Amy shrugged. “I never did do what I was told. Ask my dad.” “He’s here on the station?” Taber asked, a frown deep on his face. “Yes. I checked in with him last night. He was fine. Didn’t mention anyone was bothering him.” “Still.” Taber tapped out a command on the data pad. “I’d feel more comfortable with him under protective guard.” “No!” Sean had his arm wrapped around Amy’s shoulders, holding her back. He knew exactly why she was freaked. If he hadn’t been on the receiving end of a few of those attacks himself, it would have been harder. The idea of her father being put in Tyrell’s
97
Christine d’Abo
sights didn’t sit well with him either. “Bad idea,” Davin jumped in. “He’s probably been under observation since she arrived. The second anything odd happens with her dad, Tyrell will know. They’ll shift their operation so deep we’ll never find them. It also wouldn’t be a guarantee Amy and her dad would stay safe.” “They’ll take my dad down with them as retribution.” Amy jerked out of Sean’s grasp and strode to Taber. “Please, I’ll look after him. Let him know what’s going on.” Taber stretched his hand flat out on the table, fingers going white. “This is a mistake. These men are making a mockery of our security because people are scared to move against him. It has to stop.” “It will, my friend.” Kamran returned to his seat, sliding a hand down his wife’s arm as he went. “Amy will notify her father of the situation to the extent she feels is necessary. Please give him Taber’s security line in case something happens and he requires assistance.” “I will. Thank you, Administrator.” “Sean will stay with you. It will give us advanced warning of any concerns on your end. Now I think it’s about time we come up with a plan to kick this dust runner off our planet.” Still not comfortable taking the lead, Sean sat by Amy while they worked out a plan. There were a few moments when he was tempted to jump in, voice his concerns, but didn’t. Fuck, what was it about these people, his friends, that made him question everything about himself? They were supportive, respected his opinion, wanted his advice on matters. He could feel Kamran’s gaze move to him occasionally and he knew every time his friend was trying to gauge how he was doing. They all were, like they had for the past several years. He was tired of it. Amy jumped slightly when her com unit chirped. He didn’t wait for her to respond, snatching it from her hand before she could activate it. “I’ll check it,” he said, quickly looking around the table. “You keep at this.” “Thanks.” She smiled. “It’s probably just Gaz wondering where the hell we are.” She pressed the communicator into his hand, taking a moment to run her thumb across the pulse point of in his wrist. She smiled when he shivered, making him move just a little bit faster to the back of the room. A quick look at the com told him Amy’s guess was right. Putting the earpiece on, and slipping the unit into silent mode, Sean turned his back to the meeting. “Gaz, it’s Sean.” “Where’s Amy?” The panic in the younger man’s voice was clear. “She’s fine. In a meeting to…get some additional resources for us.” No sense in putting him into any additional danger. Not until a plan has been worked out. “What’s wrong?” 98
The Bond That Saves Us
“Shit.” “Gaz?” “Shit. I mean, she’s going to freak and I don’t know what to do.” “Just slow down and tell me what the hell is going on.” “It’s her dad.” The silence felt like it stretched for minutes, when he knew in reality it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. Still, a torrent of thoughts slammed through his head and left him shaking. “What happened?” “He came down to see the ship. Amy had talked to him last night, but I thought she’d told him not to come down until the repairs were done. He was going to wait, but then he said he got a message from her. It apparently said she needed to see him right away.” Shit. “When was this?” “About an hour ago. You guys had disappeared on Ryan and me, so I didn’t know when you’d be back. He hung out here for a while and left twenty minutes ago.” “Amy didn’t send the message. We’ve been tied up in meetings all morning.” “I was afraid of that.” “Where’s her dad now?” “I don’t know. I saw him leave, kept an eye on him as he walked out of the hangar. Except, he never made it to the hall.” Sean looked over at the others, still locked in conversation. “Tyrell?” “Yeah. I’ve gone over every possibility in my head. Checked with some of the other crews, just in case he saw someone he knew and ducked into a ship for a drink. But he’s nowhere.” “Dammit, Gaz.” “Don’t fucking tell me, I know. She’ll go ballistic.” “I’m coming down.” There was no reason to worry Amy about her father now, not when they were close to working out a plan of action. If it turned out he’d just run into an old friend and was now getting drunk in a cargo hold somewhere, then there was no harm. If it was Tyrell…well, then whatever plan they worked out would need to be changed. “What are you going to tell Amy?” “Nothing. Not until I know what’s going on. I’ll be there in fifteen.” “Okay. Out.” If Tyrell actually had her father, then it would only be a short time before he’d get in touch with her. He couldn’t let that happen until he’d had a chance to figure out what was going on. Slipping her communicator into his pocket, he turned back to the table and cleared his throat to get their attention. “Sorry, but I need to leave for a moment.” 99
Christine d’Abo
Amy frowned, turning to face him. “What’s wrong? Was that Gaz?” “Yeah, it was. Could be nothing. I’m going to check it out before I start a panic. I’ll be in touch within the hour.” He could tell from the look on her face she didn’t fully believe him. They’d been together just long enough for her to get under his skin, learn things about him he didn’t think anyone ever would. All without trying. He didn’t want to lose her trust or faith in him. Sean straightened and smiled softly. “Trust me. I’ll be in touch soon. Keep working on the plan.” Not wanting to give her time to protest, he spun on his heel and raced off in search of her father.
100
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Eleven Amy couldn’t shake the feeling of dread which had curled up in the middle of her chest the moment Sean left. The meeting was moving along far better than she’d originally thought it would. Administrator Kamran was willing to allow whatever needed to be done if it meant putting Tyrell out of business. Taber kept pushing to have a squad of security personnel on her ship for the race. He was hoping Tyrell would be stupid enough to have men attempt to board her ship during the race. Davin had put a stop to it for her. “He’s not going to do anything that will attract attention, Taber. The man didn’t get where he is today by acting rash.” “Then what do you propose?” Taber ran a hand across the back of his neck. “We can’t have her show up and suddenly want to take a shipment on for him. It would look more than a little suspicious.” “He’s right,” Amy conceded. “Tyrell is simply out to make my life miserable now. He’d be more interested in teaching me a lesson, one the other captains will hopefully hear about. It makes cooperation a whole lot easier.” “There’s got to be something, some reason you can think of to convince him you’d finally given in. Switched sides.” Davin reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “We just need to make it believable enough.” They chatted, discussing plans and options, but she was finding it difficult to concentrate. Inside, her emotions were whirling, unable to settle or calm. Sean should have been in touch with them by now. It wasn’t until after he’d left that she realized he’d taken her com, so she wasn’t easily able to get in touch with him or Gaz. Someone cleared their throat, grabbing Amy’s attention once more. She turned to look at Sara, who smiled back at her. “If no one minds, I think we need to take a break. We’ve been running in circles now for a while. Fresh air and a chance to stretch our legs will do everyone some good.” “I told you my wife is a genius,” Davin said to Taber, grinning. “Your wife also needs to pee.” Standing, Sara returned her attention to Amy. “Mind coming with me?” She wasn’t dense enough to miss the not so subtle request. “Sure. I could use the walk.” The two women left together and headed in the direction of med bay. “My office has a private area. I’m too lazy to go home and I hate the public facilities.” “I don’t mind.” Amy laced her fingers behind her back. “I get the impression you wanted to chat anyway.” Sara looked at her briefly before smiling. “Hey, I was far more subtle than I 101
Christine d’Abo
normally am. How are you doing?” There was the question of the century. “I’m okay. Tired. Not really sure what the hell is going on, to be honest.” “Welcome to Eurus. I’ve felt like that pretty much since I moved here.” Amy chuckled. “Yeah, I can appreciate that. I’ve got a few things I’m trying to work out. Tyrell and his men are just making it a lot worse.” “One of those things you’re trying to work out happen to be Sean?” She felt the blush heat her cheeks and neck at the mention of his name. Inwardly cursing, Amy tried to act as relaxed as she could. “Possibly. Why do I get the impression everyone back in the room is more than a little curious about me?” “Oh, that’s because we are. In fact, Haylie, Fallon and I are downright nosy when it comes to Sean. We’re trying not to get our hopes up that maybe he’s found himself the right woman.” Med bay was directly in front of them, but Sara led her a bit farther down the hall. “Don’t want to go in there or else I’ll get pulled into a case. We can use my office entrance.” Private was good. Trying to clamp down on her nervousness, Amy knew this was an opportunity to find out if the doctor had something that would help her with her pheromones. She waited until they made their way inside the office, only thrown for a moment at the state of the desk off in the corner. “Nice to see I’m not the only one who has a hard time keeping things tidy.” Sara laughed as she disappeared into a back room. “Hey, this isn’t half bad. You should see it after Davin’s been here for a visit. That’s a real mess. Have a seat. I’ll be back in a minute.” Amy took one look at the chair in the corner, but knew there was no way she’d be able to relax if she took it. She was too strung out, too worried about Sean and why he’d been called away. It didn’t help she’d soon be a hormonal mess and more of a menace to him than anything. She’d taken her last reduced dose of her inhibitor this morning and the effects were starting to wear off. It was the reason she’d reacted so strongly to Sean in the side room earlier. If she couldn’t get control over her feelings toward him soon, they would have a major problem in the cockpit. “There we go.” Sara spoke as she came back in, practically bouncing as she walked. “Now I’ll be able to sit still for the rest of the meeting. Not that Davin won’t tease the hell out of me when we get home tonight.” “You’re known for fidgeting?” “Davin keeps threatening to tie me to my chair and then time it to see how long I’d last before begging. I think he was hoping it would be a sex game, but we’ll have to take it easy for a while.” Something in the way she’d said it had Amy smiling. “Pregnant?” “How did you…” Sara grinned. “Yeah, I am. Just found out a few days ago. Davin 102
The Bond That Saves Us
was a bit freaked at first, but I think he’s coming around now. God, I hope he’s coming around.” It was nice to see someone so happy with their mate and how their life was going. Amy wanted that sense of peace more than anything. She’d thought it would have come with winning the race. Now, after having spent time with Sean, she wasn’t so sure anymore. It was never the lifestyle that had bothered her about running the cargo runs with the Drake. It was the long days and lonely nights. Having someone to share a life with her, like her parents did, was what she wanted. Clearing her mind of wishes, Amy smiled and moved closer to Sara. “I’m really sorry to do this, but I have a small problem and I’m hoping you might be able to help me with it.” “Something medical I take it?” Amy nodded. “I really should have come to you sooner, but I honestly didn’t think this was going to be an issue. With the stress I’ve been under, I’m not sure what is going to happen once the inhibitor is out of my system.” Sara grabbed a scanner from her desk and took some readings. “What kind of inhibitor?” Gods, this was too much. “With my people—the Shay—the females produce a pheromone to attracts males. It helps with reproduction. We can take an inhibitor to help curb the effect on the men we live and work with. It makes life a lot easier. It normally wouldn’t be an issue unless I was…aroused around a male.” “Like Sean?” Sara had the decency not to grin. “Yes.” “I take it you’re almost out.” “Finished what little I had left this morning. I’ve been on half doses for the past month, trying to stretch out my supply. That’s caused some problems though.” The scanner beeped low three times, which immediately drew a frown on Sara’s face. “Well, admittedly I’m not familiar with Shay physiology. Based on what the computer can determine, your pheromones are definitely on the rise.” Shit. “I can’t get any more inhibitor myself. Not until after the race. I put in a request for some from my home planet when I realized I couldn’t buy any locally. They said it would take at least another three weeks to get any here, due to flying restrictions and the race.” “I don’t think I have anything that would work, but I’m willing to investigate. Let me see what I can dig up and I’ll let you know. Let the others know I won’t be joining you.” Relief loosened the muscles in her back. “Thanks. I better get back.” “Hey!” Amy turned to face Sara. “What will happen to Sean if you don’t get this inhibitor?” Amy ignored the flip of her stomach and the rush of want through her body. “He’ll 103
Christine d’Abo
feel the effects in a far more aggressive way. Intense arousal, possessiveness…he’ll be…distracted.” She couldn’t sort out the mix of emotions that flowed across Sara’s face, wasn’t even sure she wanted to try. Amy recognized amusement when she saw it. The fact Sean’s closest friends wanted him to let go and give in to this scared her just a little. “I’ll let you know the minute I find out anything,” Sara said and waved her off. Amy took a calming breath once she left the office. This really was all too much. She was used to living on a ship, only having a small number of people to contend with. Politics, the complicated dance of relationships, held little appeal for her. If this was the world Sean was used to, what chance did she have of convincing him to give it all up and come with her on the Drake? Trying to push everything else from her mind, Amy retraced her steps back to the room they were using for their meeting. She’d just turned the corner leading to the security section when a man grabbed her arm. In a second she found her back pressed against the wall, a beefy arm across her throat. The man stank of alcohol and sweat, the mixture of which threatened to turn her stomach. “Tyrell says hi.” His voice was low and he pressed harder against her windpipe. Amy couldn’t talk, was barely able to get air into her lungs. Black spots lined her field of vision and her head began to spin. “I want you to listen very closely. You’ve pissed off my boss by saying no to him. Others were starting to do the same thing and it’s hurting our business. We can’t have dissention with the troops, you know. So he’s giving you a little incentive to change your mind.” Her thoughts flew to Sean. He hadn’t checked in since leaving to investigate whatever it was Gaz had called about. They’d been seen together frequently since his arrival. It wouldn’t take much to figure out they had more than just a working relationship. She tried to swallow, tears springing to her eyes. “Your father is going to be staying as a guest of my boss until you deliver a very hefty shipment of dust to a designated location. If everything goes well, and if the authorities don’t interfere, then maybe, if you’re really good, your dad will be returned to his home safe and sound. Now isn’t that a good deal?” “Please,” she managed to squeak out. “What was that? Yes, that is a very fair deal?” Somehow in the back of her head she’d known it would always come to this. She’d been avoiding getting too close to anyone since her arrival. Her dad had even tried to warn her of the dangers, wanting to stay closer to her. Instead of her being the target, they’d jumped onto him. She should have realized. Tyrell’s threat was always there, looming in the background. Now she had no choice but to play his game. “Yes.” The single word felt like a shot to her chest. Instantly, the thug released the pressure on her throat and shoved a data chip into
104
The Bond That Saves Us
her hand. “Here are the details. We’ll be in touch.” Then he was gone. Tears slipped down her face as her body was racked with coughs. She tried to ignore her panic, but wasn’t making much headway. They had her dad. Gods knew what they were doing to him. She highly doubted he’d be treated with kindness. He’d been just as stubborn as she had when it came to running smuggling shipments. His reputation wouldn’t endear himself to a man like Tyrell. She couldn’t get help, not anymore—they would have her under surveillance now. Even going back to the meeting could tip them off. They must have been watching her anyway, saw her come out with Sara and were simply waiting for an opportunity to get her alone. Waging an internal debate, she decided it would be far more suspicious for her to skip the meeting than showing up to try to deflect their plans. Righting her shirt so it didn’t look out of sorts, Amy pulled herself up straight and walked calmly back to the meeting room. She didn’t have long to fix her face into a detached mask. She wasn’t used to this, always having enjoyed the support of her family and friends. They understood the delicate nature of a situation like this. While Sean’s friends meant well, she knew they would act in the best interest of the colony, and not necessarily herself or her father. Her resolve was shattered the moment she walked back into the meeting room, to see Sean, leaning over the table, deep in conversation with the others. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but from his tone, it was urgent. The remaining three men wore similar expressions of concern and anger. If it were under different circumstances, she would have been impressed with the protective nature of their demeanor. They hadn’t noticed her return and she was forced to clear her throat to get their attention. “Sara is looking into another matter and wanted me to pass along her regrets.” Davin stood, fists pressed to his sides. “Is she okay?” “Just fine. She was trying to locate some information that was a bit time sensitive.” The Raqulian relaxed and took his seat again. “Haylie had to excuse herself as well,” Kamran added. “There was a security matter down at the bazaar she needed to see to. I’m afraid you’re left with us.” “Amy.” Sean finally turned around to face her. He looked tired, which was odd, considering he’d only been gone a little over an hour. “Is everything okay?” She moved closer to him, trying not to give him any indication of her panic. “I was wondering where you’d gotten off to.” With a quick look back to the others, Sean moved toward her with sure steps. With an arm around her waist, he led her to the nearest chair, gently pushing her down. “We need to talk.” He squatted so his body rested by her knees. “There’s a problem.”
105
Christine d’Abo
He knows. Her stomach soured, forcing her to swallow down the sudden buildup of saliva in her mouth. Something must have shown on her face because in the next instant, his hands were rubbing up and down her thighs. “Gaz was on the ship when your dad decided to pay you a visit. Something about you calling him and telling him to come down. It was a very slick chameleon program from what we can tell. He would have thought it was you on the vid. They grabbed him when he was heading back to his place. The only reason we know is because Gaz was watching on the vid to make sure he got out okay.” “They haven’t hurt anyone else?” She knew what the answer would be, but it didn’t hurt to confirm matters. “No, everyone else, the other ships, are all fine. But everyone down there knows what happened. They’re scared.” Amy couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter from popping from her. “They’re scared? It’s not their family who’d been taken by some psychopath, being held hostage to make them do something they don’t want to go near. They’ll probably end up killing him no matter what I do.” Sean moved, pulled her hard against him and Amy sank into his warmth. Gods, she couldn’t do this anymore, be as strong as she needed to. She was tired, the constant worry about what Tyrell and his men would do next exhausting her. “You knew?” he whispered after a while, tightening his hold around her. “On my way back from med bay. One of his men grabbed me, told me if I didn’t cooperate they’d kill him.” “Amy, baby, did they give you anything? Something we can use to track these fuckers down?” When she tried to move away, Sean tightened his hold on her. “No you don’t. You’re not in this alone.” “You don’t understand. I can’t involve any of you. He’ll know.” Sean pulled back, cupping her face, forcing her to look at him. “He won’t, not if we do this right.” “I’m not going to risk my dad’s life.” “I’m not asking you to. But you need to trust me.” There was a quiet pleading in his gaze, something that told her fixing this was just as important to him as it was to her. The man she’d become attached to wanted to help her, wanted to fix everything dark and nasty in her world. This wasn’t the same Sean who sat brooding at the table earlier. This Sean was confident. This Sean could help her. She moved her hand so her fingers laced over his. “Okay.” That one word had him smiling. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, before standing. “I know none of you are going to like the plan I managed to come up with. But after talking to Gaz, I think it’s our best shot.” Davin crossed his arms and leveled his gaze at Sean. “You’re going to take the shipment and run it in the race.” 106
The Bond That Saves Us
Sean nodded. “And you’re going to do it without a tracker on either the ship or the cargo. Right?” Davin lifted an eyebrow. “You’re smart for a Raqulian,” Sean goaded. “Naw, just know what I’d do in your place.” “I don’t like this.” Kamran moved around the table. “Anything could happen to you and there is still no guarantee you’ll get her father back. Without a tracker, there’s nothing we’ll be able to do to help.” “Administrator,” Taber said, reaching out to place a hand on Kamran’s shoulder. “In this particular instance, I have to agree with Sean. We need to step back, pull as far away as we can given these new circumstances. Any equipment we use will be easily detectable by Tyrell. All their lives will be in danger if we directly interfere.” Amy stood by and watched as the friends came to the painful realization they couldn’t do anything to help her or Sean. They would be on their own. “I know none of you like this, but believe me when I say the chances of getting my dad back are far higher if you let me do this on my own.” “Not on your own,” Sean corrected. “Don’t think for a minute I’m about to let this bastard get away with what he’d done. By the time we’re done, he’s going to wish he’d picked a different profession.” Amy smiled. “That’s something I can’t wait to see.” “Kamran, we need your promise you won’t try to stop anything. If Tyrell gets any indication there is a problem or that Amy went to the authorities at all, her dad is dead. We need to do this without backup.” Sean walked forward, his hand held out in front. “Please.” The administrator paused and Amy couldn’t help but wonder what exactly the history was between the two of them. Sean didn’t back down, his hand held firmly out between them, his gaze not wavering. She wasn’t sure what it was Kamran saw in his look, but after a time he smiled and firmly clasped Sean’s hand in his. “Promise you’ll be careful. Use the emergency frequency if you need to. Only I and Taber will have access to the message.” “I will. But don’t count on hearing from us until after the race.” Sean nodded to the rest of the men, before walked to Amy, sliding his arm around her waist. “We better move if we’re going to pull this off.” “Thank you for your help,” she said to the others as they left. Sean didn’t say anything else to her until they reached the lift leading to the hangar. Once they were underway, he hit the emergency stop and pressed her back against the wall. “I’m sorry,” he muttered against her neck. “I tried to get him back.” She slid her hand into his hair and pulled the strands firmly in her grip. “Not your fault. There’s nothing anyone could have done. If anyone is to blame it’s me. I should 107
Christine d’Abo
have warned him.” “You couldn’t have known.” “I should have. It was the next step. The logical next move of an insane man. I could have gotten him off the planet or at least gotten him on the Drake. But I did nothing.” “Amy, listen to me.” Sean placed a kiss on the spot just below her ear. “Your father will be fine. We’ll get him back, stop Tyrell and win the race. Everything is going to work out.” As much as she wanted to believe him, Amy was far too practical. “I’ll be happy just to get my dad back unharmed.” They stayed there a moment longer, Sean inhaling deeply against her skin, her fingers twisting the material of his shirt into a ball. On some unspoken cue, they both pulled back, releasing each other from their grip. “I promise, I’ll make this better,” Sean whispered one final time before pressing the button and activating the lift once more.
108
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Twelve Sean frantically ran every possible scenario of what they were about to walk into through his head as he sat waiting for Amy to upload the information from the data pad. Both Gaz and Ryan were hovering in the back of the room, flat out refusing to leave. “This is just as much my fault as anyone’s,” Gaz argued. “I should have walked him back to his room. I should have known you hadn’t sent the message.” “There was no way you could have anticipated what would happen,” Amy fired back. “None of us really could have guessed Tyrell’s actions. All we can do now is play his little game until we can set things right.” He knew this would turn out to be far harsher than any of them intended. In the hour he’d been working with Gaz to try to find Amy’s dad, the younger man had filled in him on exactly what type of person the drug runner was. Murder and torture were pastimes, amusements to keep him happy. Dust was his lifeblood. He’d only started to reach out to this sector of the galaxy, which was the only reason why Sean hadn’t heard of him before now. It had pissed him off knowing Amy had been dealing with this shit on her own since her arrival. Why the hell hadn’t she come to him, especially when she knew he could have done something? Amy’s fingers shook as she pressed the data chip into the computer. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and running his hand across her shoulders, trying to rub some of the tension away. Without looking, Amy leaned back into his touch and reached up to capture his hand in hers. It was something at least. “Here we go,” she said softly. Sean wasn’t sure what to expect, but it wasn’t the display flashing to reveal the image of a man tied to a chair in a cell. His face was bloody and swollen, a large gash obvious above his left eye. Two large men moved in and began to beat on him. Amy jerked with every punch, the muscles of her shoulder tensed into a rocklike state. “Oh shit,” Gaz muttered. “Amy?” Sean squeezed her fingers as he watched the color drain from her face. She shook her head, pulling her hand out of his grasp to fall into her lap. Sean knew she was trying to pull away, hide her feelings from him. It’s what he would have done in her place, feeling the insane need to stay strong and self-reliant. He wouldn’t let her feel isolated. He draped his arm around her neck and prayed she could take some comfort in his presence. The image finally—thankfully—faded away, only to be replaced with a starmap and a series of coordinates. He swallowed hard and released her, shifting his position to get
109
Christine d’Abo
a better look at the screen. “I know this,” he said, pointing to the first rendezvous marker. “This is the farside asteroid belt. He probably has a ship hidden in the rock field.” Gaz moved in close, crowding Sean as he hit several keys on the computer panel. “It will take us a bit of work to get the shielding reinforced. We’ll have a lot of rock to repel if we are going to last any amount of time in there. Even still, it’s going to be a big strain on the engines.” “I don’t think we’ll be there long anyway.” Sean hit a few more buttons to reveal the next waypoint on the map. “It looks like it will be a snatch and grab maneuver as we are coming out of the fifth turn for the race. We’ll be less than an hour in when we have to slip out and hit the rendezvous mark. The shitty thing is this will take us out of the running for the race.” “I doubt we’ll be the only ones there.” Amy’s voice was raw when she spoke. Sitting forward, she raked her fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ears. “Once people know we are running for Tyrell, others holdouts will fall in line. It’s one of the reasons I tried to fight this as long as I could.” Even though he knew it was the case, Sean hated that Amy’s blackmail would have such a large impact on others. “Hey,” he said softly. She turned, hesitating for just a moment before leaning in and pressing her forehead to his. “This fucker is going to ruin everything I ever wanted.” “I know. We’ll fix it.” She snorted softly. “Every time we give in to men like Tyrell, it opens the door for others to do the same thing, use the same tactics. No one’s family will be safe.” They’d continue to dance around this repeatedly, taking and placing blame until they were all racked with guilt. Sean pressed a kiss to her lips without thinking and instantly felt the surge of want hit him. Cock swelling and chest clenching tight, Sean fought the urge to drag Amy back to her room and fuck their worries away. Pulling back was harder than it had ever been before, to the point where he thought something was seriously wrong. “Hey now,” Gaz teased. “None of that. I don’t think my boy here has recovered from the last time your pheromones went wacky.” Sean turned his head and glared, a jealous impulse nearly driving him to lash out and punch the other man. “Then why don’t you take your boy and disappear for a while.” “Sean?” Ryan stepped forward, frowning. “You feeling okay? You’re not looking right.” He tightened his grip on Amy, his fingertips pressing hard into her arms. “I mean it. The two of you need to leave. Now.” Gaz stiffened. “Don’t get all fucking pissy and possessive on me. I’ve been around a hell of a lot longer than you.”
110
The Bond That Saves Us
“Shit,” Amy muttered. The three of them turned to look at Amy, a look of startled embarrassment. She slipped an arm around Sean’s neck, his panic subsiding slightly. “It really is my pheromones. I’d been taking half doses of my inhibitor trying to extend the supply. I’m out…in more ways than one apparently. It must have passed completely out of my system by now.” Ryan stood there looking confused, but Gaz’s eyes grew wide. He took a step away from Amy, not taking his gaze off Sean. “Ryan, time to leave.” “What?” “I’ll explain when we get somewhere…well, not here. We’ll have to lock the doors and turn off the high recycle function on the ventilation. Unless you’re up for a repeat performance of me trying to suck your brains out through your cock? In which case, we’ll leave them on. In fact…yeah, leave them on.” Sean didn’t hear Ryan’s response as the door slid shut. The frustration he’d been feeling started to dissipate, but his annoying possessiveness still ran high. Amy began to coo in his ear, her hands rubbing a soothing pattern over his back and arms. “I’m sorry,” she said, kissing the side of his neck. “I should have warned you, but I wasn’t expecting things to move so quickly.” “Why?” he managed to croak out, his throat suddenly too tight to speak properly. “I’m…emotionally weak right now which means my physical side can run a bit rampant. When that happens a female Shay’s mate picks up on the heightened feelings. Seeing Dad…like that was a shock. I think I’m just a chemical storm right now, my body not knowing which way is up. Then you started touching me and you’re so warm…” Explanations be damned! He couldn’t hold back anymore. His mouth sought out hers, his hands pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. Amy gasped, but didn’t move away. She leaned in and opened her mouth, letting him run his tongue across the tip of hers. Shit, she tasted like sex and lust—he wanted nothing more than to eat her up, devour the scents gathering on her skin. No, no, fuck, stop! Sean moaned and bit the side of her neck softly. “This is wrong. Your father is hurt. I need to be helping him, helping you. Not wanting to fuck you against the wall.” Amy gasped, her fingers tightening their hold on him. “I know. But if we don’t…Gods…do this now, it will only get worse.” Heart pounding, Sean let go. If they were going to go there, he wanted it to be right. “Bed,” he gasped out in between kisses. “I want to do this in a bed.” “Against the wall?” “Next time.” “Not the floor?” She nipped at his bottom lip. “No.” 111
Christine d’Abo
“Or the couch?” “Hell, no.” “Good. My back can only take so much.” Somehow, they managed to get to their feet. He couldn’t let go of her, the burning need to keep her close, make her his, stronger than anything else. He would have gladly killed anyone who tried to stop him. Shit, he almost wanted to kill himself for not moving fast enough. “Fuck, this is so wrong. The timing’s bad. But I need you. Naked,” he muttered, latching on to her shoulder with his mouth. He pinched her nipple until it was a hard tip. The material of her shirt grew damp from his saliva. “Now.” “Not…yet. Need to get to the room.” “Why?” “You promised me a bed. Remember?” “The wall’s looking good again.” “Bed!” A quick look around revealed they’d only managed to make it as far as the corridor. He wasn’t sure where Gaz and Ryan were, but the thought of them being near her, the idea they’d try to interfere and take Amy as their own sent a wave of rage through him. Alone—he needed to get her alone. Yanking himself far enough away from Amy to allow them to move, Sean managed to keep a hand on her lower back as he guided her to their destination. His fingers teased the skin just below her beltline, and he grinned at her small gasp of shocked pleasure when he fingered the cleft of her ass. “The things I want to do to you.” “Bed, Sean. I’m not doing this in the hall.” “Then hurry the fuck up.” The door to Amy’s quarters hissed open and they immediately fell inside. Amy spun him around and pushed him to the mattress as she gripped the bottom of his shirt. “Off. Naked.” She nipped at his collarbone. “Thirty seconds.” “Yes, Captain.” He let her help pull his shirt off while he went to work on the opening of his pants. He was surprised to see his hands shaking, causing him to fumble with the buttons. It didn’t help matters when Amy bent down and dragged her tongue across one of his nipples before latching on hard. He moaned loudly, hands stilling in the progress. “Hurry up,” she whispered, licking the nub taut. “Can’t if you keep that up.” “Scared you might go off too soon?” “I haven’t come in my pants since I was a kid. Don’t plan on doing it now.” Amy chuckled, deep and soft in the throat. “Sounds like a challenge for another time.” 112
The Bond That Saves Us
“Yes, later. But for now…” He popped the last button, giving his straining cock room to move. Amy’s hand was there, squeezing and teasing, her fingertip dragging softly around the tip before she dragged a nail down the length of his shaft. He couldn’t breathe, his blood buzzing through his body from arousal and the effects of her pheromones. The scent of citrus permeated the small room, seeped into his very being, making him realize the extent to which he wanted this woman. Sean dropped to his knees, immediately missing the heat of Amy’s touch. He pressed his face to her stomach, lapping at her dark skin, circling her bellybutton with his tongue. Her pants were only held by her belt and the smallest of clasps. With surer fingers than before, he pulled them open, allowing him to lick the soft skin just above her panties. “So strong, but so delicate.” He tugged at the pants and panties, letting them fall to the floor, pooling over her boots. Running his hands down along the back of her thighs, Sean nosed the front of her panties, inhaling deep. The tip of his nose brushed over her clit, causing Amy to gasp and clutch at his head with her hands. Sean ignored her, shifting down until he could lift one, then the other of her feet to strip her boot and pant leg off. With Amy now clothed only in her shirt, Sean stood and ran his hands up the front of her legs as he went. When he got to his feet, he let his fingers capture the hem of her shirt and slowly stripped it from her chest and arms. He tossed it aside, going to work on the remainder of her clothing until she stood before him bare. Amy was panting, her harsh breathing filled the room. Her pupils were wide and her lips were red from both their kisses and her own teeth. There was a wild look to her that had his heart beating even faster in anticipation of what was to come. She raked her nails down across his chest, over his nipples, making him buck his hips forward. She chuckled, moving her fingers to carve a light path out over his sides. “Enough teasing,” he practically growled, lifting her up and setting her down hard on the mattress. She didn’t seem to mind, breaking out into a fit of giggles. “Your pants are still on.” She reached up and twisted one of her black curls around her finger. “I can fix that.” Slowly, he pulled the fabric wide, exposing his erection. Before he released his pants, he managed to toe his boots off, kicking them to the side. After that, it was only a few moments before he lay beside her. The heat from her body seeped into his, supercharging his libido. He couldn’t think, his only focus was Amy—her smell, feel, the way her body moved under his. With his cock trapped between their stomachs, sweat combined with the friction of their thrusts nearly pushed him over the edge. Fuck, he wanted to rut against her, come across her skin to sear his scent—his mark— over her, claiming Amy as his. Only his. He wrapped his fingers around her breast, sliding his thumb across her nipple, 113
Christine d’Abo
studying her every reaction. Twisting her body, Amy arched her body and pressed up into his touch. “Like that? Want more?” She frantically nodded her head. Pressing his thumb between her lips, he groaned when she sucked hard on the digit, running her tongue around to wet it. His cock twitched and ached at the feel and he wanted nothing more than to press inside her, fuck her cunt until neither of them could see straight. Instead, he withdrew his thumb and brushed it lightly over her clit. Amy moaned and spread her legs wider. It gave him better access to her pussy and decreased the pressure on his cock. He pressed two fingers deep inside. “Fuck, Sean.” “That’s it. Open up for me.” She started to fuck herself on his hand, her head thrown back and breasts thrust up high. Sean had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life—one of complete abandon. He couldn’t wait, needed to taste her. Climbing with ease between her legs, Sean dipped his head down and sucked her clit into his mouth. Hard. “Oh Gods, yes.” She pulled at his hair, holding his face in place. “There.” He didn’t need any additional motivation. Sean teased her with his mouth, head buzzing from the high of her arousal, while he caressed her with his fingers. Once again, he pushed two fingers inside her, crooking them enough to find her pleasure spot. The second he connected, Amy’s back bowed off the bed and her cunt clamped down hard around him. Yes, he knew her body now, knew every little secret spot. Starting a steady rhythm, Sean began to fuck her with his fingers and he assaulted her clit with his tongue. Amy’s body tensed, her fingers pulling his hair so hard it would have hurt under normal circumstances. It didn’t. He wasn’t going to stop. Faster and faster he twisted his fingers inside her welcoming pussy, pushing her harder than he’d ever pushed a partner. Amy could take it—her body wanted it. Wanted more. It took what little self-control Sean had left not to reach down and stroke his leaking cock until he came across her body. No, he wanted to be buried deep in her pussy when he came. Amy’s moans increased until they overpowered everything else in the room. There was silence for a split second before he heard her pull in one last deep breath and let out a long cry of pleasure, coming hard around him. He licked at her until every last drop of her cream was swallowed and her thighs released his head. Looking up, he was in time to see her slowly open her eyelids. The flush across her face and her open mouth beckoned him up. Crawling across her body, he made sure to drag his chest across every inch of her skin. Settling over her, he held the tip of his cock just against her entrance of her pussy, shuddering at the intensity of her heat. “Do it,” she begged. “I need you.” “What? You want this?” He pushed forward just enough to wet the crown of his cock.
114
The Bond That Saves Us
Amy squeezed her eyes shut. “Yes, Gods. More.” Still, he fought against every instinct in his body to surge forward, give them both the contact they wanted. No, if they were going to be together, he needed to show them both he wasn’t a complete slave to her pheromones. He could control his reaction, be in control as much or as little as she wanted him to be. “Amy.” She didn’t respond, her head thrashing. “Amy, look at me.” She hesitated for a moment before opening her eyes. The lust-filled gaze coming back at him had his blood boiling. Sean tightened his grip on the sheets, ignoring the shaking of his arms and legs. Desperately trying to ignore the voice in the back of his head screaming, do it, do it, take her, fuck her, she’s yours. “I’m in control,” he managed in a harsh whisper. “Nothing else. Me. I want this, you. I want to keep you safe.” Amy’s strangled cry, a mix of heart-wrenching relief and pleasure, sent a shiver through him. His hips bucked forward and Sean pushed his way into her. He didn’t stop until he was fully seated in her body, the wet and heat of her pussy enveloping his cock perfectly. Then he paused and tried to catch his breath, calm his responses. The need to lose himself to a punishing rhythm, to her warmth and the tangle of her limbs, only rivaled his desire to carve out more of a life with her. She didn’t say anything else, but the soft rocking of her hips told him the time for demonstration was over. Pulling out nearly all the way, he took great satisfaction in the way her body bowed and the moan of pleasure that slipped from her when he drove back in. He did close his eyes then, memorizing every sensation as he moved. The way her muscles clenched around him, like her body didn’t want to let him go. The way her fingers dug into his shoulder, marking his skin like a brand. How hot her breath was against his ear, the wetness of her kisses. He shifted so he was able to wrap his arms around her back, so his hands could grip her shoulders from beneath. Sean pressed his face to her neck, needing to connect to every inch of her skin possible. God, he loved this. Loved her. His hips stuttered for a second before he found the rhythm again. His heartbeat increased as his mind spun. He loved her. The how and why of things would wait until later. Moving to capture her mouth in a bruising kiss, Sean squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block everything but the physical sensations out. Amy pulled back, gasping, her lips still connected to his. “Yes, fuck. Going to—” Her body seized beneath him as she screamed out with her second orgasm. Her muscles gripped his cock so hard, it was all he needed. Pounding into her, he managed to hold off his own release until he felt her body relax. Then the rush of his orgasm overtook him, chasing everything from his mind. Time stopped. Everything that had been building up inside him over the years, the guilt, blaming himself for the Ecada attack, sectioning himself away from the others, simply stopped. His disappointment about the man he’d become simply washed away. He couldn’t think past the feel of Amy’s soft skin on his cheek. Slowly, he began to 115
Christine d’Abo
recognize the feeling permeating through his body—peace. “Sean?” Amy’s whisper was loud in the silence. “You okay?” He swallowed down the lump threatening to rise in his throat. Instead, he pulled in a breath, counting to three in his head before shifting to the side so he wouldn’t crush her. “Yeah. Just, that was intense.” Amy chuckled, pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “I wish I could have explained all this…before. It’s because there’s no inhibitor. It makes everything more…there, if that makes sense.” It explained so many things, but he wasn’t willing to concede that everything he was feeling was a result of some chemical reaction. “It does, in a way. Did I hurt you?” She nipped at his jaw, pushing her hips against his. “Gods, no.” “Good. You’ve been through too much recently. I didn’t want to add to your troubles.” Lying back against the mattress, Sean ignored the way Amy moved and the feeling of dread and responsibility which threatened to seep back into his mind. He needed this, one moment of nothing, to get a grip on who he was as a man. Gone was the cocky young man who’d come to Eurus, ready to rule the world. The administrator who took everyone’s problems on as his own and struggled to match what was right with what was fair. Now he was stepping away from the angry, guilt-ridden survivor. I don’t know who I am anymore. “Look at me.” Amy’s words pierced through the veil of his thoughts. He turned his face and opened his eyes. “Sean, what’s wrong?” “Nothing that can’t wait until we find your dad.” She frowned. “Is this going to be too hard on you? Do you want to back out?” “No.” The thought of leaving her to deal with this on her own was completely unacceptable. “Don’t even put that thought in your head. It’s just…” “What?” He sighed. “I’m starting to figure a few things out about my life. About what I…what I need in order for things to make sense. But there’s been no time to think and this isn’t something I’m going to have the luxury to work out when I know that bastard has your dad tied up somewhere.” She shifted so they now lay side by side facing each other, their breath mingling between them. “I promise you, when we get him back we’ll talk.” She looked at him for a good long time. So much so, he had to make sure to keep his warring emotions in check, not wanting to give her more cause to worry. “Please, Amy. Let’s deal with one crisis at a time.” “Okay,” she whispered out. She cleared her throat, and tried again. “Okay. We’ll get Dad back, punish Tyrell, then we’ll talk.” Amy frowned, creasing her cheeks and
116
The Bond That Saves Us
forehead. “Now we just need to figure out how.” “Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
117
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Thirteen Amy’s heart pounded loud in her ears as they settled into the cockpit. Today was it—the launch of the race. Any other time, she’d have been giddy with excitement. Bursting with the knowledge everything they’d worked for, all the battles they’d fought and won to get them here, had been successful and gotten her one step closer to the prize. But she couldn’t revel in the pleasure, couldn’t enjoy even a moment of their triumph so far. Her dad was out there, alone, beaten. She couldn’t afford to dwell on it either. She and Sean had talked long into the night, working out the details of his plan. The man had balls, she’d give him that. They were going to try to fly in under the scanners and see if they could land in a deserted part of the moon they were destined for. If they could manage it, then they’d be able to breach the defenses and find her dad. If they were detected, then they would go in as normal, but Sean would try to stay on ship, slipping away when Amy had Tyrell distracted to go in search of her dad. Barring that, they’d drop off the drugs, hope her dad was still alive and try to track Tyrell down once they were safe. There was, of course, no guarantee either plan would work. Best case, they’d be guilty of running drugs, but would manage to get her dad back. Worst case, her dad would have his throat slit and they’d blow her ship out of the sky. Ignoring her rising pessimism, Amy concentrated on the readings coming in to her now from the nav system. Their takeoff from Eurus had been shaky. The engines didn’t like the added pressure of the extra shields and it took Gaz and Ryan a solid twenty minutes before they were able to stabilize things. She didn’t know how they were going to react once they got a full cargo onboard, plus the need to keep up with the other ships who were actually participating in the race. Still, they were now moving out in the direction of the asteroid belt, to the coordinates Tyrell had provided and with any luck they’d make it there without blowing anything critical. She didn’t turn around when the door to the cabin opened. There were only three possibilities of who the new arrival was. Right now, she didn’t think Gaz and Ryan were brave enough to come near her given how Sean had reacted the last time. Sean shuffled his feet and she heard him take a deep breath. “I think we may need to keep this door open.” She turned to look at him from over her shoulder. The pained look on his face told her so much. “Too strong?” “You’re potent, baby.” “That your way of telling me I smell?”
118
The Bond That Saves Us
She jumped when she felt his arms wrap around her shoulders and his nose press against her neck. “Smell only the very best.” He kissed her neck. “But if we have any shot at running this race and getting your dad back in one piece, I’m going to need a clear head. So we’ll leave the door open and pray I can keep it in my pants.” Yeah, she got that. It didn’t matter he’d been only mildly affectionate since they’d gotten up this morning. The rational side of her knew he was simply trying to concentrate on what they had to do. He was putting himself through all of this as a way of helping her and her father. The small, insecure part of her psyche was screaming he’d put the distance there so when this was all said and done he could walk away. Or worse, that he’d turn out to be another Malik. “It looks like we’re the only ones heading to this side of the starting field,” Sean said after the silence stretched on for several minutes. “Maybe Tyrell didn’t manage to convince as many people as we’d feared.” “Or he’d given them a different rendezvous point so as to not draw attention to what was going on,” she countered. “He hasn’t lasted this long without playing smart.” “I’d thought of that too. We’ll have to be extra cautious when we get out there.” Amy snorted, feeling her face flush immediately. “You have no idea. Dad was telling me about this race years ago. He said people got pretty vicious once the start signal went. They rammed their ships together, hacked into other systems to send false readings. Hell, he told me about this one time…” The words died in her mouth. Oh Gods, she’d forgotten. For a split second, she didn’t remember her dad wasn’t safe and sound back in his rooms, watching the coverage on the vid. He was tied up, beaten, at the mercy of a criminal. What kind of daughter was she to have forgotten that for even a moment? “Amy?” Bile rose in her throat and she had to swallow several times to keep it down. She focused her attention on the computer, doing her best to ignore her own stupidity. “Amy, what did your dad say?” When she didn’t respond, he sat down in the copilot’s seat and faced her. “It’s okay to talk about him, especially if it’s a story that can help us get through this race. It might even be something we can use to get him out of this mess.” She turned to look at him, her stomach turning over. “But I forgot. Just for a moment…I forgot he wasn’t okay.” “Amy, you didn’t forget. You were getting yourself focused on what we have to do.” He shifted closer, placing both his hands on her knees. “Take a breath, then I want you to tell me what your dad said.” Gods, this was so fucked up. She tried to calm her nerves and trepidation about what would happen. Sean was right. Her dad wasn’t dead, not yet, not if she could do anything to stop it. There was no reason to act like he was and she’d be damned if she’d give in to the terror Tyrell was forcing down on her. Looking up, she couldn’t help but smile at the look of concern on his face. 119
Christine d’Abo
“He told me about this one time when a ship tried to hijack his nav computer. The guy must have been terrible because Dad said they’d detected his attempts within seconds. Instead of blocking him, Mom sent back an information loop. Ended up confusing the other guy’s computer into thinking they had a fuel leak. It slowed him down enough that they were able to pull away. I think they came in tenth that year.” “It sounds like your parents made a pretty good team.” Memories of laugher filling the ship, the games of hide and seek they’d play in the cargo holds when they were between shipments. Even the rare sound of them fighting all came rushing back to her then, bringing with it a torrent of feelings. “They were the best together. It just about killed my dad when she died.” Sean adjusted their approach angle and pitch. “What happened?” “It was stupid. They’d stopped over at an outpost to refuel and get supplies. She’d happened to walk into the wrong section of the station at the wrong time. There was a gas leak. The area was sealed off before it could spread and kill everyone in the main section of the station. There were twelve people caught, including Mom.” Even though it had been ten years, the loss of her mom still hurt. “The only good news was that her death was fast. She wouldn’t have felt anything.” “I’m sorry.” “Dad never really got over her. He used to tease that it was because her pheromones had saturated his blood, he couldn’t look for another woman because she’d tainted him. But he really just missed her. They were best friends.” A loud beep from the computer sensors snapped her out of her memories. Sean quickly brought up the readings and they both leaned in to get a better view. “Looks like another ship,” he said, pressing the button. “A frigate.” “How the hell did something that big get out here? Is it part of the race?” Amy typed a series of commands into the computer, sending out a ping to receive an information packet. The response came quickly, sending a small shiver of panic through her. “Shit, it’s the race officials. They just sent us a warning that we are heading off course.” If they couldn’t get to the asteroid belt and get the dust, her dad was as good as dead. She had to stop typing in command codes to wipe her damp palms on her pants. “Wait a second,” Sean said and began to sort through the information on the data chip. “Got it!” She hadn’t a clue what he was going on about until he started punching in a string of numbers and sending an encrypted message off to the frigate. The silence made Amy twitchy, nervous like she’d never been before. Shit, she really didn’t need to deal with this now. The computer finally beeped, indicating they’d received a response—clear to proceed. “What the hell?” she said, looking at Sean. “What did you tell them?”
120
The Bond That Saves Us
“Tyrell must have bribed someone on board. He’d supplied the security code for the race officials on the data chip. We are free to proceed to the belt to get our…shipment.” Amy didn’t want to think about the extent of the corruption with the race. Gods, the whole thing was tainted now and no one would be able to look back on the race without questioning every aspect. It was something she’d be sure to address when this was all said and done and her dad was safe back home. Maybe she’d get Kamran to step in after all. The race committee thought they were doing everyone a favor, instead they’d caused a nightmare for so many. “Well, let’s not keep this bastard waiting.” She throttled up the engines and blasted past the checkpoint toward her destination. They fell into a steady work pace, each hitting their computer controls, taking readings as necessary. They didn’t speak much at first, as Amy tried to ignore the pull of her attraction for the man working at her side. But as time crept on, she found it increasingly difficult. More than finding Sean attractive, she genuinely liked spending time with him, laughing with him. The more they talked, the more he relaxed, which made everything sweeter. “So what was the best thing about working in the mines?” she asked, nudging him with her shoulder. “I mean you did it for a few years now, right? Something must have kept you there.” He chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” “Try me. I’ve seen a lot of strange shit out here on the trade routes. I can’t imagine there is anything odd under the ground.” He lifted an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, the best thing about working in the mines was the bartering system. You could pick up the most amazing things down there. I’m not even sure you could pick up half this stuff at the bazaar.” “Like?” “One time, there was someone down there who was trying to trade for a mimic tree. I don’t know how they managed it, but someone got one for him.” “Gods! What did he have to trade for it?” “A kazoo.” “A what?” “A fucking annoying, old Earth musical instrument. Damn thing nearly drove us all mad.” Amy laughed. “I haven’t seen a mimic tree since I was a kid. Gaz had one and used to play practical jokes on vendors at the stations we’d stop at, which usually ended up with us in trouble with the authorities. Drove my dad nuts.” “I imagine it didn’t take much. Gaz is something else.” They were both smiling and laughing. When they settled, Sean had an odd expression on his face. She reached out and squeezed his leg. “What?” 121
Christine d’Abo
“Nothing.” “Sean, come on. What?” He sighed. “I was just thinking this is nice. The quiet of space, just us on the ship, well, and the boys. Even with all this shit with your dad and the race, this is the most relaxed I’ve been in ages.” She didn’t know what it said about his life over the past few years. Oh, she recognized the concerned looks from his friends in her time on the station. With the little she’d learned from Sara and Haylie, she knew he was scarred far deeper than he’d ever admit. The problem was she didn’t know how to fix this for him. Instead of trying, she moved her hand up his leg until her fingers brushed over his. “You know, when this is over—” “When we get your dad back, safe.” “Yes, home safe…you don’t have to go back to all that.” He frowned. “What do you mean?” Not quite able to meet his gaze, she kept it fixed on how her fingers curled around his. “You could always come with me,” she murmured. She hadn’t intended to make the offer just then, but she immediately knew it was the right thing to say. She didn’t want him to leave her life. Despite how happy she thought she’d been, she’d only been going through the motions. After Malik had become obsessed with her, killed himself after leaving his family, she hadn’t thought she’d be able to be in a relationship with another person, let alone actively seeking one out. But with Sean, things just seemed…right. He needed her just as much as she needed him. They fixed each other, even though she hadn’t realized she’d been broken. Sean still hadn’t responded. When she finally got the courage to look at him, she could see the muscle in his jaw clenched, the line of his back now rigid. Fuck. She wanted to take things back, reassure him he had nothing to worry about. But when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t say it. She did mean it, did want him to stay around and be a part of her life for however long he was willing. And really, maybe some gentle nudging in this direction was what he needed. Sitting up to adjust their approach, she moved her hand away from his, immediately missing the warmth. “Look, you don’t need to make a decision today, or shit, even next week. I’ll be around Eurus for a short time once we get Dad back. There’ll be time for you to think about it.” “If I say no?” He said the words so softly, she wasn’t sure he’d spoken at first. “Then you know I’ll be back every few months to visit my dad. It’s an open offer. No pressure, no commitments if you don’t want them. Just…a chance to do something different.” A part of her heart broke. She knew even if everything went the way she wanted here today, they got her dad back and got Tyrell out of the way, chances were Sean wouldn’t go with her in the end. He’d disappear back underground, bury himself and
122
The Bond That Saves Us
his pain under miles of rock and dirt. It killed her to think of him alone in the dark. “We’re coming up on the asteroid belt any moment now,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral, devoid of her fears and sorrow. Pressing the com, she waited for Gaz to acknowledge. “Get the hold ready. This is going to be a snatch and grab from what I can tell.” “My boy Ryan is standing by. He’s got the loading bots primed and ready to move. Even if we are getting a full shipment, we should be in and out of there in twenty minutes.” “That’s too long,” Sean piped in, pressing against Amy’s arm. “I’ll come down to help.” “No point. The bots do most of the work and Amy-girl will need you to help jumpstart the engines to get this bucket back in the sky fast.” “Gaz—” “Shove it, miner. We’ve got it covered.” Gaz disconnected the com. Sean growled and punched the disconnect. “I hate doing nothing.” “You’re not doing nothing. You’re getting my ship ready and keeping your captain calm and ready to run this race. Now I think we’re still having an issue with the nitrogen mixture. Can you check the levels? See if you can smooth them out?” He gave her a pointed look before rolling his eyes. “I’m not a child who needs to be distracted.” “Could have fooled me. For a minute there, I thought you were going to take Gaz up on his offer to compare cock sizes.” “Girl, you kiss your father with that mouth?” “Fuck you.” She winked, somehow keeping a smirk off her face. The Drake shuddered as they approached the coordinates they’d been given. Floating dead center was a heavy cruiser, cargo hold already open. Amy couldn’t help but smile as she easily maneuvered the ship into place. She didn’t even bump the side. As soon as the docking clamps connected, she buzzed Gaz. “You’re on. Fifteen minutes, on my mark.” “Fifteen? You’re nuts if you think—” “Ready?” “Amy.” “Mark.” The Drake vibrated softly as the bots began their work deep in the belly. It felt normal, almost reassuring, if it wasn’t for the fact she was loading cargo that would be sold on the black market, killing most of the people who got addicted. Her stomach fluttered with nerves and dread as anxiety ran through her body. Fuck, she hated this. “We’ll be out of here soon,” Sean said, leaning back into his seat. “But to where? Tyrell can’t actually expect us to run the race. They’ll be scanning all 123
Christine d’Abo
ships on the starting line, checking for illegal modifications to the hulls and engines. On top of that, things will get pretty nasty out on the field. This ship is going to get beat around a lot.” “I’m sure the code he gave us is good for many things. I’m assuming we’ll be taking a detour once we get going. Someplace safe for him to get his shipment.” A loud bang and the ship was shaking violently. Amy froze, waiting for another impact. Gods, she’d hoped they’d be able to avoid this. “Blaster fire?” Sean asked. “Nope, asteroids.” The com channel buzzed again. “Gaz?” “Boost the shields. I can’t get them to modulate properly. It’s going to be a bit rocky until we clear this place.” Another powerful hit had Amy off balance, falling sideways toward the computer. Sean reached out and managed to pull her into his lap before disaster could happen. She hesitated only a moment, reaching out to increase the shielding, before turning and capturing his mouth in a kiss. “My hero.” She smiled and ran her hand through his hair. She felt him shudder and the swell of his cock under her ass. The brief contact had her arousal jolting her apprehension away. The pull of wanting to lose herself in his touch, giving up control to him, nearly won out over her other emotions. “You’re going to be the death of me.” He slid his hand along her lower back, lightly scraping his nails across her skin. “Can’t say I mind though. You are…so beautiful.” Amy leaned down, rested her head on his shoulder and willed her heartbeat to slow down. They stayed there until the computer told them the cargo bay was loaded. Far slower than she should have moved, Amy pushed herself off Sean, away from his heat, and fell back into her seat with a thud. When they got out of here, she was going to seriously have to cool down her libido. Forcing the fog of desire from her mind, she pressed in the commands to move them out of the asteroid belt. “Let’s get this shit off my ship as quickly as possible. What does the chip say we need to do next?” Sean typed in a few commands. “We start the race as normal. When we get close to Argon Four, we’ll receive commands. Think things will get nasty before then?” Argon Four was just before the midpoint of the track. There would be a lot of jostling for position before they reached the marker and she knew the ship would take quite a beating just getting to there. If they were very lucky, most of the serious racers would be ahead of them, giving them a smoother ride. “Yeah. Gaz and Ryan will have to keep a really close eye on both the engines and the dust. If the containment units get compromised, there are enough drugs there to kill us all within minutes.” “Great.” “Could be worse ways to die.” 124
The Bond That Saves Us
Sean snorted. “Could be better.” “Like what?” “Having a heart attack after the best orgasm of my life.” “That’s just morbid.” Amy rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the computer. “Coordinates punched in. It’s race time.”
125
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Fourteen Sean had never seen so many ships in his life. Even at its busiest, Eurus never had a large amount of traffic to contend with. Until a few years ago, they’d been mostly selfcontained, even having broken off contact with Earth for nearly a decade. It wasn’t until Kamran took up the title of administrator they’d slowly become an important hub for trading in the sector. But here, now, there were thousands of ships fanned out in the quadrant, ready for the race to begin. The Drake was one of the older ones, though he could tell, one of the better equipped. There were a few large, sleek racers, though Amy assured him they were less maneuverable in space, lacking the thrusters of the smaller ships. He’d been impressed with the flying she’d done back at the pickup point, the little sliding turn that had neatly jumped them out of the oncoming asteroids. She handled the commands with practiced ease, her long fingers lightly caressing the controls. If it wasn’t for Tyrell and his fucking dust, Sean honestly thought she had a shot at winning the race. She was hungry for it, skilled enough to handle it, and all in all, a fucking amazing pilot. He could kill Tyrell for doing this to her. Amy had grown quiet since their arrival. He watched as she toyed with the curls of her hair, repeatedly tucking the same strand behind her ear. He knew it was her concern for her father fueling her nervousness. Fuck, they needed to get him back. Not only for his own sake, but also for Amy’s. Her family didn’t deserve this. They’d passed the ship’s inspection easily. They didn’t even have to provide the code Tyrell had given them. Either the inspectors had already been bribed or else this was going to fast become an anything goes race. He had no problem believing the former, but knew regardless of Tyrell’s influence it would be an insane ride. Sean looked over in time to see Amy chew at her bottom lip. He’d only seen her do it a few times before, usually when she was nervous. “You okay?” He made sure to keep his eyes averted, not wanting to increase her discomfort. He also didn’t want to risk her getting even a little aroused. This close to the race, he couldn’t afford to lose his focus. “Yeah.” She didn’t say anything else right away and Sean was about to prod again when she sighed loudly and threw herself back against the chair. “This really fucking sucks.” He couldn’t help it, he chuckled. “What does?” “I’m looking at these sorry excuses for spacecraft, knowing I could kick their collective asses in this race, and I’m not going to even be in the running.” “I know, baby.” He felt her gaze shift to him and frowned at the shocked look on
126
The Bond That Saves Us
her face. “What?” “You called me baby.” Inwardly wincing, Sean tried to keep his body relaxed. It wasn’t really a big deal. He used terms of endearment every day. He was so fucked. “What, you’ve never been called baby before?” Amy groaned. “Gods, no. Do I strike you as the baby type? Usually, men are either high on my pheromones and the only thing they can manage to get out are drooling noises. Or they are treating me like one of the other captains and baby would be the last thing they’d say. Maybe asshole.” Sean laughed. “Yeah, I can see that going over well.” The computer vid system chose that moment to spring to life. The pinched-nose face of a woman in her mid- to late-twenties filled the screen, the spinning logo of the TyCo Shipping Corporation spun behind her. “Welcome racers! TyCo Shipping is pleased to be bringing the Catallian race back to the Devanian system.” “Shit,” Sean whispered. “Did you know it was Tyrell’s company?” “I had no idea. They’d never announced who was backing it.” Amy pressed her hand to her chest. “This is such a bad idea.” He was beginning to agree with her. “Don’t panic. We can still do this, get your dad back.” “Sean, our plan counted on the fact we’d be able to use the racing commission’s resources to put pressure on Tyrell once we got him out, have them run interference. It’s really not looking like that’s going to happen now.” “I’ll think of something.” Gods dammit, he fucking better. “Just get us to the rendezvous ahead of the others. We’ll get your dad out, even if I have to go in myself with two laser blasters and break him out on my own.” The woman had continued talking, verbally reviewing the rules of the race and the route they would take. Barrier after barrier was being placed in front of them and the chatter on the ship-to-ship coms began to explode. This wasn’t what people had signed up for and it was becoming painfully obvious Tyrell was going to push the limits. It would serve to piss off the pilots, making for a harder race. His attention snapped back when he heard the word penalties. “Any ship having found to go out of bounds will be immediately disqualified from any chance of winning the prize. We’ve spread Riax radiation along the border of the route. That should keep everyone in line.” The small grin on her face looked far from pleasant. “Are they serious?” Gaz’s voice crackled through the coms. “Riax will eat through the hull!” “Three guesses where we are supposed to drop off the dust,” Amy responded. “That bastard has us all tied up nice and neat.” 127
Christine d’Abo
The woman on the vid leaned forward, so her face nearly took up the entire vid screen. “Good luck, racers. I hope to see you all at the finish line. Captains, start your stardrives.” “Here we go,” Amy said, pressing buttons to start the ignition sequence. Looking over at Sean, she paused and smiled. “Thank you.” “For what?” “Everything. Being here, helping with my dad. I couldn’t have done this on my own.” “Bullshit. I have no doubt, Captain Amy Bryson, you could do anything if you put your mind to it.” He could feel the heat rolling off her body, the unmistakable scent of her beginning arousal in the air. “Stop right now, unless you’ve suddenly developed the ability to fly in a race with your hands behind your back and my tongue on your pussy.” Amy groaned. “After? Gods, please say after.” “Oh, most definitely after.” “Captains, on the third tone, you will launch your ships.” The woman smiled, too perfect teeth filling the screen as she crossed her hands on the table in front of her. “Good luck!” The tension in the cabin shifted, the mood heavy and the air thick. Neither of them said anything else, waiting for the computer to announce the beginning of the race. Sean was stunned to realize his heart was pounding and there was a hum of excitement making him squirm in his seat. This is what had been missing from his life—excitement. The computer made a low tone as Amy punched a button on the computer, bringing the stardrive up. On the second tone, she fired the engines, but held the ship steady. The final, high-pitched tone signaled the ships. Light burst ahead of them as engines came to life. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sean imagined the powerful roar of flames blasting from them. There was, of course, no sound at all. But the mental image fit perfectly with the jolt he felt as the Drake leapt to life. Amy let out a small, clipped laugh as they immediately overtook three shuttles, diving ahead of them into the fray of ships. As hard as it was, he tore his gaze away from the look of adoration on Amy’s face and forced himself to concentrate on the computer readings. It wouldn’t do to get themselves killed now. “Gaz,” he spoke into the coms. “There’s a drag on the third engine. Might be a leak. I need you to take a look at it fast.” “Or it could be we are racing this bucket with her belly full. I’ll see what we can do.” For a few tense minutes, it looked like they might slip out of their position, sixtyfifth out of three hundred. Sean tried to unclench his jaw and tapped in an adjustment to the coolant system. With a lurch, they bolted forward with a burst of speed that made his head spin.
128
The Bond That Saves Us
“What the hell did you do, Gaz?” Amy shouted down to them, laughing. “We just skipped past six ships.” “Wasn’t me. That was my boy. Let me tell you, he’s going to get a big treat for his little move when I get him home.” “Shove it, Gaz.” Ryan’s voice echoed in the background. “Oh, I’ll shove it, all right. Right up your—” Sean cut the coms. “Thank you very much, Gaz.” “The boy is in love. Leave him be,” Amy said, chuckling as she throttled up the engines even further. “I don’t care what he does, I just don’t want details.” “Trust me, if Gaz thought you did, you would get them in all their glorious—” The rest of what she was going to say was cut off as the ship jerked violently, throwing them hard to the left. “Amy?” He twisted his body back upright, and reached for her. “What the hell?” “Someone’s trying to ram us.” Getting to her knees, she checked their status. “Shields are holding thanks to our little boost we needed for the asteroid belt.” “Then let’s get them back.” He flopped down into his chair, and boosted their power. “Ramming speed, Captain.” “Shit, yes.” He shouldn’t have been as excited as he was at the idea of ramming another ship, but he couldn’t help it. Sean laughed out loud as Amy throttled up the engines, aiming at just the right angle to drive the Drake toward the other vessel. What he wasn’t expecting was for them to bounce off their shields like a springboard, sending them flying ahead of the next three ships. “Where the hell did you learn to fly?” He laughed, adjusting the coolant flow to compensate for the sudden change. Light from the stars filled the small compartment, casting a soft glow over everything. Amy smiled. “My dad. He would have loved this.” “He will love this, as soon as we free his ass from Tyrell. We should be approaching the coordinates of where we need to deviate from the course route in about twenty minutes.” They worked their way through the pack, pulling up and out of sensor range as much as possible. Sean winced at the moan from the hull buckling from the sudden change in direction. A few quick adjustments and Amy had them flying smooth again. If he was lucky, his stomach would recover sometime this week. “There’s another ship coming in hot, about four hundred klicks off our asses,” Amy said, leaning closer to the computer. “Wait, I think I know them.” “Were they on Eurus?” This wasn’t going to bode well for their plan if they had a large number of other pilots and crews to deal with. “Should we try to let them pass?
129
Christine d’Abo
Go in after?” “Maybe. It’s the Sicox. Bunch of assholes. Probably willingly signed up with Tyrell when they heard the money involved. Any chance to get around the authorities and they’re all over it.” “Great. That’s just fantastic. So on top of dealing with a masochistic drug dealer, we get to deal with some gun-happy psychotics. This will be fun.” He grinned and shot her a wink. “Can we do it again next week?” Amy looked at him, shocked for a moment, before bursting out into laugher. “You’re insane.” “I’m starting to agree with you.” “I’m going to swing off course and get us out of their computer scanner range. Maybe we can let these guys pass us, let them get their load off and get out before we dock.” As Amy slowed the ship, Sean tensed, his hand flying out to stop her. “No, don’t.” “What? Why the hell not?” The grin he was starting to get used to wearing slipped back onto his face. “We can use them. It will give us enough of a distraction to see what we can find out.” “You don’t think they will actually have Dad there?” “Why not? If they are planning on killing us, they’ll want to have the least amount of effort put into it. It means all targets in one place. With the other crew on board, we can use them to occupy the guards while we look for your dad.” “I stand by my earlier statement. You’re insane.” He turned to look at her. “We don’t have a lot of options here. This makes the most sense given the circumstance and might help us get him out faster.” Amy closed her eyes, her breath hissing out between her teeth. “If you get us killed, I’ll never forgive you.” “I’ll keep that in mind.” The computer began to beep and the vid screen activated. “Warning. You are approaching the race boundaries. Riax radiation has been deployed and will damage your ship. Warning.” Amy shifted in her seat. “Get ready everyone. This is going to be nasty.” It was surprisingly quiet as they slipped over the invisible line of the track and into the out-of-bounds area. Sean had been expecting a jolt, a shake, something to indicate they were now slowly starting to disintegrate. He wouldn’t have thought anything wrong if it wasn’t for the bright red warning on the computer, indicating the increasing strain on the shields from the radiation. “Where are we headed?” he asked, trying to get a feel for the region. “There’s a small moon circling a gas giant this way. No life and no reason for anyone to come this way. Perfect for a dust smuggler to set up a base of operations.”
130
The Bond That Saves Us
The disgust in Amy’s voice was clear. A moon was good. It meant they would be able to get out of the ship and being mobile would give them an advantage. Pressing the com, he waited for Gaz to acknowledge. “You’re bothering me, Donaldson. Not a good thing when we are about to land this bucket.” “Put Ryan on.” “What do you want with my boy? Hey!” “It’s Ryan.” Sean smiled. “Remember when Bas held the food depot hostage?” “Yup.” “We’re going to do the same thing here, with a slightly different decoy. Fill your boy in.” “Will do, boss.” Amy held the throttle tight. “We’re falling out of jump speed…now.” The ship lunged forward as the engines were cut. “I’m assuming you’re going to fill me in?” “Nope. Part of the plan is that you don’t know what the plan is.” “You’re kidding?” He ignored the panic in her voice. “Trust me. Ryan and I have done something similar before and it worked flawlessly. We’ll be able to pull it off again.” “Don’t have much of a choice,” she muttered. No, he couldn’t have that. Grabbing her wrist, he gave her a squeeze to get her attention. “Amy, look at me.” She lifted her gaze, looking him in the eye. “I need you to trust me if this is going to work. I’m going to do everything in my power to get us all out of here without getting hurt. That includes your dad. It’s going to be tight, but Ryan and I have worked together a long time in the mines. We’ve dealt with situations like this before. Gaz may be a pain in the ass, but he’s damn smart and strong. We can pull this off if we all work together. I just need you to have faith in me a bit longer.” When she didn’t answer right away, he thought they were going to have a problem. Instead, he was caught off guard when she leaned in and kissed him. “I trust you. With everything.” Sean felt the ice-cold tension that had taken up residency in the pit of his stomach years ago finally start to give way. How he’d earned this respect from Amy, considering how hard he’d been toward her, how distant he’d been from anything that remotely felt like human connection over the years, he wasn’t sure. But it felt good. “I’m so going to lock you in a room when we are done all this,” he muttered, placing a soft trail of kisses along her jaw, “and I’m going to lick every inch of your body until you’re begging. I want to hear you pleading in that wonderful accent of yours.” “Gods, don’t do this to me now.” She arched her neck, giving him more room.
131
Christine d’Abo
“Sean.” “I’m going to strip you naked. Peel back inch by inch of your clothing until every smooth curve and patch of your beautiful, dark skin is revealed. And I’m going to run my tongue over it. Nipping, tasting you. I want to learn everything I can.” “Sean! We’re on an approach vector. I need…Gods…to land the ship.” He pulled back, fighting against the rush created by her sudden burst of pheromones, and looked her in the eyes. “Every inch for hours.” Amy swayed toward him, but he managed to gently push her away. “Land the ship, baby.” “You really need to stop calling me that.” “Why?” “Because babies are innocent and sweet. What I want to do to you is anything but.” Sean chuckled and turned his attention back to their approach to the moon. The rest of the descent went surprisingly smooth. The code they’d been provided wasn’t necessary, as they were granted clearance the moment they came into range. The docking bay was small, the gap leaving little room for error. In the hands of many pilots, it would have been a difficult landing. Not for Amy. The engines cycled down as landing clamps reached up to hold them in place. It was standard procedure for any docking bay, but here it felt ominous. They wouldn’t be leaving until Tyrell let them go. “Let’s get down there and look the enemy in the eye.” Sean stood and held out her hand. “My lady, may I have the pleasure of escorting you?” Amy rolled her eyes, but it didn’t prevent her from slipping her hand into his and letting him tug her close. He only held her by her hand, but she made no move to pull away. Even when he licked around the shell of her ear. Her responding shudder made him smile, as did the new surge of pheromones. While his plan was bordering on insane, it had a strong chance at working. As long as Amy could forgive him when everything was over, it would be fine. They ended up meeting Gaz and Ryan in the cargo hold. Both men were checking over the dust containers, making sure they hadn’t been compromised in any way. “The last thing we need is to overdose on this shit,” Gaz said, patting the side of the nearest container. “But it looks like we’re good. The faster we can get rid of it and get out of here, the better.” “Okay,” Amy sighed, rubbing her hands along the tops of her thighs. “I know they’ve run a scan on the ship, so they know how many of us are in here. I’m assuming they are also scanning us for trackers, anything that could lead the authorities back here to them. We’ll have to play it safe for the first bit until we unload this shit.” “There is another ship coming in hot behind us,” Sean added. “We’re going to use them as a distraction to get Amy’s dad back.” “You haven’t explained how you are going to do that.” She turned to face him. 132
The Bond That Saves Us
Sean ignored her and looked at Ryan. “Bas?” Ryan and Gaz both nodded, matching solemn expressions on their faces. “All set,” Ryan said, casting a quick glance at Amy. Ignoring exactly how hard his heart was pounding and the sound his blood made as it rushed through his ears, Sean slipped an arm around Amy’s waist and navigated her in the direction of the door. “This should prove interesting,” he muttered in her ear and hit the door release.
133
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Fifteen Amy really hated being kept in the dark. It wasn’t reassuring having Sean pressed hard against her side or that both Gaz and Ryan were in on the plan and walking just as close. She had a feeling the reason she wasn’t told what was going on had little to do with her being a woman or that they were scared she wouldn’t go along with things, but rather they were trying to protect her. Old-fashioned, overbearing men. When this was finished and Sean was following through on his promise to lick every inch of her skin, she planned on making him pay for this little stunt. Probably doing something involving rope, a chair and a longpostponed orgasm. Maybe not the most subtle of ways to make her point, but it would be worth it in the end. Stepping out into the hollowed-out shell of the landing pad was far different from their reception at the Eurus docking bay. There was no station crew running and jumping to assist with refueling. There certainly weren’t any other ships and staff milling about, laughing and carrying on. Instead, armed thugs pointed high-powered laser rifles at them. Tension crawled up her back, making her body taut like a guide wire. She had to keep control, let them know they weren’t going to get to her, frighten her into any rash moves. “Now is that anyway to treat company?” She was pleased her voice came out clear and strong. “And I came all this way. Showered, brought presents and everything.” “Well, since you got all prettied up, I’d hate for you to have wasted it.” The woman from the vid at the beginning of the race walked out from behind the guards. She was a petite thing, but she had an edge to her. Her back was ramrod straight, and while her brown hair hung loose around her shoulders, it didn’t move with her. Like it was scared to fall out of place. “I’m Cyanna. I hope your trip in wasn’t too uncomfortable. The Riax can leave a bit of a nasty bite.” “Where’s Tyrell?” Amy stepped away from Sean and crossed her arms across her chest. “And where the hell is my dad?” “Patience, Captain Bryson. We need to check the shipment first. Once I know everything is as it should be, we’ll discuss your father.” Cyanna nearly spat out the last word, like it was poison. Amy didn’t move as the woman waved three men in the direction of the Drake’s cargo hold. She didn’t stop them when they slammed into her ship with little regard for the Riax radiation which would have made the hull hot to the touch. All she could do was keep her eyes fixed on Cyanna and tried to make sense of what was going on
134
The Bond That Saves Us
around her. Something was off. “It’s all here. Undamaged,” one of the guards shouted out after several minutes. “Start unloading it,” the woman called back. Amy felt Sean move closer beside her. She couldn’t help but react to his proximity, the richness of his scent closing around her. After his mini-seduction back in the ship, her body was hyper-aware of his presence. Trying to take a deep, calming breath without it being obvious, she lowered her chin and glared at the woman. “You may want to know there is another ship coming in hard and fast. They’ll be landing any minute now.” The woman smirked. “I’m well aware of what’s going on and who is en route. Don’t you worry about a thing.” “When are we going to meet Tyrell?” Sean said from behind her. He pressed his hand against Amy’s lower back. The back of her thigh connected with his leg, allowing his warmth to seep into her. The heat from his touch sent a shiver through her body. Her cheeks heated and her hips pushed back, increasing the contact between them. If he didn’t stop soon, she wasn’t going to be able to hold back her response. The woman’s giggle snapped Amy’s attention away from Sean. “What?” “What makes you think you haven’t met Tyrell already?” Mind racing, Amy frowned and tried to figure out what was going on. Then she really looked hard at the woman. She’d only seen grainy vid shots of Tyrell over the years, none of them recently. Still, what she’d seen back then struck a striking resemblance to the woman. “You’re his daughter?” She grinned. “Cyanna Tyrell. Guilty as charged. Dear old dad was starting to bring the company down, losing what little he had of his psychotic mind. I think it was collective damage from all those years being around the dust. I did everyone a favor by shooting the bastard. Put him out of his misery, really. I’m sure you can appreciate wanting to take over the family business, Captain.” “Great,” Sean muttered. Amy couldn’t agree more. “Well, that’s fantastic. I hope you’re doing a bang-up job replacing daddy. Now I’ve done what you wanted. I brought you your dust shipment. Where the hell is my father?” She felt Sean flex his fingers against her in warning. She didn’t care. This little bitch was responsible for destroying the integrity of the Catallian race, was supplying dust to most of this sector of the galaxy and had dared to hurt her only remaining family. It would be over her dead body she’d let this woman get away with it. “Bit of a hothead, are you, Captain? Well, I’d hate to set you off and be responsible for my men needing to blast holes into your body. Take her to see her father. The rest of 135
Christine d’Abo
the crew stays here. Consider it collateral to guarantee your good behavior.” Well, she wasn’t sure if that went according to Sean’s mysterious plan, but she wasn’t going to miss a chance to see her dad. Unwilling to look back at Sean, she strode forward following the guard, aware as a second fell into step behind her. Despite the fact they were on an actual base, the construction was flimsy, the craftsmanship shoddy and very quickly done. Cyanna hadn’t been at things too long, that much was obvious from the way her guards hesitated slightly before following her orders. Maybe taking over her dad’s operation now wasn’t part of her original plan. Maybe Tyrell’s actions forced her to move before she was ready, far too close to the launch of the race. It meant there was a chance she’d forgotten something, left a hole somewhere in their security Amy could exploit. Given half a chance, she intended to bring this entire organization crashing down around them. But her first order of business was to find her dad. The guards led her to a small room off the main corridor. There was little to no security. Given what someone would have needed to breach in order to get this far, they probably felt it wasn’t necessary. The room itself had little to no natural light. The air stank of sweat, blood and excrement, which spoke volumes as to the condition her dad had been kept in since his arrival. “Where is he?” she ground out, ignoring the way one guard swung his gun toward her. When he stepped into her personal space, Amy pushed past him, ignoring how he tried to grind up against her. Her dad, she needed to focus on getting him out. “Dad?” “Amy?” The low rasp of a voice came from the far end of the room. She moved as quickly as she could in the half-light to the end. There was a small closet of a space where they’d shoved her dad. Dried blood was caked on his forehead and cheek, his left eye was now swollen shut. “Oh shit! Let me get you out of here.” When she saw the heavy bindings holding his hands cuffed behind his back, Amy spun on the two guards. “Free him now.” She was shocked when, instead of the resistance she’d anticipated, both men moved to do her bidding. More than once they moved against her in the small space, not allowing her to get too far away from them as they worked to free her dad. Despite his injuries, he moved his head, taking in the reactions and shooting her a questioning glance. Amy gave her head a small shake and shrugged her shoulders. She really hadn’t a clue as to what was going on, but she wasn’t about to kick fortune in the face, not if it got her what she wanted. Her dad fell from the chair and landed in a heap on the floor. Amy dropped to her knees and pulled him into her grip, burying her face in his neck. “Shit, Dad. What did they do to you?” “Ah, my girl, nothing similar bastards haven’t done to me in the past. I’ll live. Are you okay? Have they hurt you?” 136
The Bond That Saves Us
She brushed tears she hadn’t realized she’d been shedding from her cheeks and plastered a grin on her face. “I’m good. Fine. The Drake was kicking ass in the race, Dad. You would have loved it.” He grinned at her as much as his split lip would allow. “I knew she would. You’ve always known how to make my baby fly. You have your boy with you then. Your Sean?” “Yeah, he’s here. He came with me to get you. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” It took some effort, but she managed to get him to his feet, his arm draped around her neck for support. They barely took two steps when one of the guards pressed a hand to her ass, cupping and squeezing it hard. “I’d like to take you out back and fuck you.” His voice was low, rough and far from pleasant. “If you don’t move your hand from there, I’ll break every finger,” she snapped back at him, tightening her grip on her dad’s hand. “I’d like to see you try, bitch.” He pinched her hard. Ignoring the pain, Amy hauled her dad out of the room and out into the hall. The air was fresher there, making it easier to breathe. “You’re potent, sweetie,” her dad whispered. “Did you miss taking your drugs?” “I ran out of my inhibitor a few days ago. Couldn’t delay to get any and risk something happening to you, so I’m going without.” “Ah sweetie,” he started, only to groan when they stumbled into the main area. She struggled under his weight until she felt another arm wrap around and brush hers from the other side. Looking over at Sean, she couldn’t help but smile. “Dad, this is Sean. He’s been helping me out.” “Sir. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.” “So do I, son. Just get me over someplace I can sit.” “Now isn’t this touching,” Cyanna crowed. “I only wish I had a vid camera to take a picture for you.” “This bitch is really pissing me off,” Amy muttered. “Dad, can you lean on Sean?” “Yup. What are you doing, Amy-girl?” She extracted herself from her father’s grasp, and marched over to the other woman. Amy was about to say something when she saw a group of five men saunter over from another dark passageway. The leader, dressed in a bright red jacket and black leather pants, eyed her up and down with a leer before turning his attention to Cyanna. “Where’s Tyrell, bitch?” Amy stopped where she was, unwilling to get any closer to the newcomers than necessary. From the way the leader kept glancing in her direction and the amount of stress she’d been under over the past several weeks, her body would be throwing off a crazy amount of chemicals. Sean’s earlier attentions already had her spiking, and if the
137
Christine d’Abo
guard’s reactions were anything to go by, then she was still actively attracting men. The background hum of arousal was still there, waiting for someone to stoke it. “Your ship will be attended to shortly,” Cyanna snapped, her sharp eyes colored with disgust. The next few minutes played out instantly in her mind. Cyanna clearly had no concept of how to deal with men like this, if the way she was posturing with the new captain was anything to go by. The idiot was relying on her father’s reputation and fear to keep everyone in line. For the majority of the crews that might work, but for the experienced smugglers and career criminals, it would take a whole lot more to keep them tame. If Cyanna didn’t do the right thing quickly, then there was a very real chance everything would explode. And they would be caught right in the middle of the firestorm. She was going to say something when she felt Sean move beside her once more. For a moment she thought she’d heard him mutter sorry in her ear before sliding his hand along her ass. “What are you doing?” She tried to push him away, but he didn’t move. Sean pressed his mouth to her ear, licking and sucking the lobe, swirling his tongue around the flesh. As if tuned into his very thoughts, Amy’s traitorous body reacted. Despite everything, the danger unfolding in front of them, the drugs, her injured dad, Amy found herself getting aroused. “Dammit, Sean, you have to stop!” His mouth heated her neck with wet kisses as his hands caressed the sensitive skin of her lower back. She shivered, wanting to fight against the desire, but quickly losing the battle. When he pressed his erect cock against her ass, rolling his hip, Amy felt the burst of her pheromones fill the air. She moaned, knowing this was so very wrong, but completely unable to do anything to prevent her reaction. Without her inhibitors, she was defenseless and everyone around her would be affected. The one thing she wasn’t expecting was the sudden loss of heat at her back when several of the men in the room turned to look at her. “Sean?” Her voice shook, heavy and lust filled. The captain of the other ship pushed past Cyanna, ignoring her squawk of protest, and stalked over to Amy. His two large hands gripped her hips, squeezing her hard as he jerked her close. “You smell fucking great.” He licked his thin lips, gaze trolling over her body. “Maybe I’ll say fuck the race and take you as my prize instead. How would you like that, eh? Be my little fuck friend?” The high-pitched whine of a laser rifle powering up had heads snapping up. One of the guards who’d taken her to her dad now had the muzzle of his gun fixed on the captain. “Over my dead body, asshole.” Leaning into the weapon, the young man clenched
138
The Bond That Saves Us
his teeth. “I saw her first.” Fuck, this was her worst nightmare come to life. Trying to hold her body still as to not attract any more attention to herself than necessary, she frantically searched out where Sean and the others had gone. They wouldn’t abandon her like this, she knew that about each and every one of them. But somehow they’d slipped away out of sight and Amy had the sneaking suspicion this was Sean’s doing. Part of the plan he’d refused to tell her. Still, she was alone in the room with a dozen men and one bitch of a drug lord, with pheromones pouring off her. Simply fantastic. A movement on the far side of the hangar bay caught her attention. Pressed against the side of the Drake’s hull was Sean, a stun grenade held in his hand. He held it up enough for her to see it, lifting an eyebrow in question. That was when it hit her. When she realized what he’d done. She’d been the distraction, the bait to pull everyone into a tight circle. A glance around told her things would turn bloody shortly very soon, as the men began to fight each other for the chance to win her. There was no way she’d be able to avoid the blast and no way to escape before Sean threw it. She needed to be the center, the binding which kept everyone in place. She let her gaze drift back to Sean, took a deep breath and nodded. Amy closed her eyes just as he lobbed the grenade into the middle of them. The last thought she had before collapsing to the floor was just how much she hated Sean right then.
***** Nausea and a throbbing in her head were the first things Amy was aware of as her consciousness returned. She moaned, instantly regretting it as the vibrations sent a flare of pain through her skull. Her mouth watered, filling with thick saliva and forcing her to swallow repeatedly to keep her stomach contents in place. “Don’t move, Amy-girl. It will take a while for the effects to wear off. Just rest and give your body a chance to right itself.” “Dad?” Her voice came out as a barely more than a whisper. “No talking. You were very close to the blast center, took a good jolt.” She let him fuss over her for a few minutes. When he pressed a straw to her lips, she did her best to suck in some of the cold water. “Thanks.” “Sweetie, can you open your eyes? I need to check you out. Make sure there’s no major nerve or brain damage.” The dim light that shone through her closed lids hurt her head. She didn’t want to imagine what it would feel like if she opened her eyes to the full light. Still, she managed to crack them just far enough for her dad to check her out. “Well, that’s something. Doesn’t look like a concussion or any damage to your retina.”
139
Christine d’Abo
“Sean?” He sighed. “He’s on the coms with his security friend from Eurus. They’re rounding up all the ships with Riax radiation signature on them. At best, they are cheaters. At worst, they’re our dust runners and we can take out Cyanna’s entire operation. I’m sure there are others who will slip through the cracks, but we’ll get most of them.” Amy couldn’t stop the anger from welling up inside her. Oh, things had gone just perfectly for Sean and his little plan. He’d stopped the bad guys, gotten her dad out and prevented a lot of drugs from getting out there where it would do damage. If this was one of the stories her dad had told her as a little girl, Sean would also win the girl and get to fly off into the starlight. Not this time. He’d used her without her knowledge to lure those men into a trap. It’s no wonder he wasn’t willing to tell her what the plan had been. She would have flat out refused to take the chance her pheromones would work, that the men would give in to them. He knew her well enough to know that—or at least she thought he did. Fuck, she couldn’t believe Gaz had gone along with this. Not after Malik and all they’d gone through. Closing her eyes, she rolled onto her side away from her dad. She didn’t want to be with anyone just then. She couldn’t handle pitiful looks flashed her way. Poor Amy, draws all the men to her, but can’t find one worth keeping. She’d get her dad back to the colony and then she was leaving. “Amy, you okay? Can I get you anything?” Can you wipe out the last month of my life? “No, Dad. I just need to sleep.” “I’ll leave you be then. Just hit the com if you need anything. Don’t worry about getting us back into port. I’ll fly the Drake home.” She didn’t say anything, despite him waiting by her side. He finally sighed, patted her shoulder and got up from the seat by her bed. Amy bit her lip, doing her best to ignore the guilt building up. When she heard the door open, she turned her head to it. “Dad?” He looked back and smiled. “Yeah?” “I’m glad you’re okay.” He pushed a hand through his thinning hair, raking his fingers through it much the same way Sean did. “I just wish things had turned out differently.” “Me too, Dad. Me too.”
140
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Sixteen Sean sat in the cockpit beside Amy’s father, fiddling with the controls to ensure the extra shielding would hold long enough for them to survive the reentry to the Eurus’ surface. It would be tight given the amount of damage, but he’d make sure every last scrap inch of this ship would arrive safe and sound. He owed Amy that much. The older man had done his part, flying the ship effortlessly. It was obvious who had taught Amy what she knew about flying. They’d spent the last hour mostly in silence, except for the occasional communication with Gaz and Ryan down in engineering. Sean had made a point, though, of not leaving the cockpit. He could practically feel Amy’s anger seeping through the ship all the way from her quarters. Her mood had been confirmed by Gaz earlier, who got a data pad thrown at him the moment he’d tried to talk to her. “That was some impressively fast thinking down there on the moon, son.” Sean jumped slightly. “Thank you, Captain Bryson.” “Oh shit, don’t call me that or Amy will pitch a fit. Seeing as we haven’t officially been introduced, I’m Andy.” He held out his hand for Sean to take and didn’t pull it away when he didn’t reciprocate. Not wanting to be more of an asshole than he already was, Sean reluctantly took the other man’s hand and squeezed back just as firm. “Sean. I’m glad we were able to get you out in one piece.” “Well, I was scared to be honest. Thought Amy would be blind enough with anger and hurt to attempt something on her own. She always hated other people trying to dictate what she could do. Ever since she was a kid. Only got worse when she got to be a young woman.” Sean didn’t respond. What the hell could he say anyway? Gaz had told him it wasn’t the best idea as they’d dragged Andy onto the Drake, but what other choice did they have at the time? It had worked. They’d all gotten out uninjured and managed to stop the drugs. Amy couldn’t have been aware of the plan or else it wouldn’t have worked. She wasn’t into public displays of affection, not that he was, and she would have been too tense. It had just about killed him to see all those men reacting so strongly to her, lusting after the woman who he was starting to love. He pushed the thought away and concentrated on the controls. “I don’t think she would have done anything to risk your life. God, she was ready to take the dust anywhere Tyrell wanted if it meant getting you back safe.” “She wouldn’t have liked it.” “She didn’t much enjoy my solution either.” Sean looked over at Andy, hoping he
141
Christine d’Abo
could pick up something, anything to help him figure things out. Sure Amy was mad, but at the time he’d honestly thought it was something they would be able to work through. Instead, she’d shut him out. Andy looked at him with a steady intensity and Sean got the distinct impression he was being evaluated. “Amy has gone through a lot in her short life. And being half Shay has only made things hard for her. I think a lot of it is my fault. Didn’t know what to do half the time after her mother died.” He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have to rear a daughter on his own, let alone one who had a natural ability like Amy’s. “I think she turned out just fine.” “Well, that may be so, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt like hell at the time.” Andy sighed as he adjusted their approach vector. “Did she tell you about Malik?” Sean sat up in his seat. “No. Who is he?” Andy leaned back in his chair, picking at his nail with his finger. “She doesn’t think I know all the details. I know she and Gaz did all they could to keep things from me. But one thing you learn quickly out here is that pilots and crews talk.” There was something in the other man’s voice that told him he wasn’t going to like this story. With one last glance at the controls, Sean turned to face Andy. “She was young, eighteen and a bit. She’d met a man on one of our runs, Malik Jaz. He was a lot older than her and came from money, which is never a good idea in my opinion. Amy fell for him hard and fast. Too fast, and I’d tried to tell her as much. That it was her Shay half creeping out to cause her problems. But what the hell did I know, I was just her dad. She told me as much right before she ran off with him.” Sean could just see her, young and wild. Wanting to shake off her father’s hand, and take on the universe full speed ahead. That was the passion he saw when they’d been together, the spark that drove the sex up to the next level, to something far deeper than he’d experienced ever before. “The problem was, Malik had been playing her. Well, in fairness to the bastard, he was pulled in hard by her pheromones. It happens. Anyway, when she found out he had a family, a wife, Amy tried to leave him.” Sean couldn’t help the anger he felt. No wonder she’d been so reluctant, why she’d wanted her inhibitors as much as she did. “Shit.” Andy shook his head. “Gets worse. The stupid fucker was so messed up, he killed himself. I’ve seen it happen in rare cases. The man gets addicted to the pheromones and goes into withdrawal. He couldn’t handle it.” God, it explained so much. “And Amy?” “She had a hard time accepting she wasn’t to blame. That it was his mental state, and her pheromones weren’t the only factor in his death. She didn’t go near men for a long time. I don’t think I’ve seen her even remotely interested in anyone until…well, you.” Sean lowered his head to the dash panel. “And I fucked it up. Did to her what
142
The Bond That Saves Us
others had done to me.” “What?” “Nothing. It’s just…nothing.” The com crackled to life, revealing the face of one of the Eurus security guards. “This is Eurus control, please respond, Drake.” Andy reached over and opened the channel. “This is the Drake.” “We have you landing on one of our secure docking bays. There will be a crew of engineers there to inspect the damage done to your ship. Medical personnel will also be on hand to check out your prisoners and any injured.” “We read you. On approach now.” Sean didn’t say anything else. He blindly went through the motions of coordinating reentry. If he wasn’t so distracted, he’d find it amusing he’d come to learn the ship as well as he had in such a short period of time. It was a shame he hadn’t taken the time to learn her captain just as well. “I’ll get down to holding,” he said, standing the moment they were safely docked. “I’ll need to fill Taber in on the details.” “What about Amy?” The question of the century. “I don’t think I’m the person she wants to see right now.” “Not even to explain?” “It wouldn’t matter. I’ve been where she is right now, there’s nothing I can say to make this better.” He left without looking back.
***** When Amy woke the next time, her head ached, but her stomach didn’t feel like it was going to empty itself any longer. Chancing the light, she opened her eyes and looked around. Still in her bed on the Drake, but the ship itself wasn’t humming, which means they’d landed somewhere. Probably Eurus, which meant Sean would be going soon. Pushing her body so her feet reached the floor, Amy sat long enough to catch her breath and fight off the dizziness. She was still mad. Gods, she wanted to kick his ass into the next sector. He of all people should have known what it would be like to be used like this, the feelings it would bring up. Even if he hadn’t known about Malik, he should have known better than to put her in such an impossible position. It took her a bit longer than normal to get dressed, her boots proving to be extra difficult. The movement helped her focus, calm her desire to throttle Sean, even if it didn’t remove it completely. She knew she was almost being irrational with this, with her feeling of betrayal. There were worse things that could have happened. No one died. Her dad was safe. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to pull the knots
143
Christine d’Abo
from her curls. She’d look for a mirror later, but for now, she needed to get out of here. The ship was strangely quiet as she moved through the corridors toward the hatch. She’d half expected Gaz to tackle her the second she’d walked out the door. Despite her anger at him, it would have been nice to see a friendly face. Hell, seeing anyone at this point would be nice. It would help her shake the feeling something had gone terribly wrong. The hatch release button was cool under her fingers as she pressed it, allowing the door to whoosh open. The harsh light of the hangar bay made her cringe, her eyes scrunching into a squint. Amy only gave herself moment to recover before jumping down to the ground on weak legs. It took her a moment to locate any noise. They’d been put into a different bay than the one where the Drake had sat before the race. No other ships were docked and there didn’t appear to be any station crew on duty. Amy ran her hands over her bare arms and longed for the comfort of Gaz and Ryan’s banter, Sean’s constant presence, the ease they’d had together before the start of this mess. They’d grown into an odd sort of family over the past month. It surprised her to come to the realization Sean and Ryan filled the holes the others had left when they’d abandoned her so easily. Gaz was actually happy, and while she didn’t know the other man as well, she suspected Ryan was as well. What about her? If someone had asked her a day ago what she felt for Sean, she knew her answer would sound something like, I think I love him. But now? Gods, she didn’t know. How could she after what he’d done? Mentally kicking her own ass, Amy pushed her conflicting thoughts aside and focused on the tapping sound coming from the far corner of the bay. If there was a problem with some equipment, she could try to fix it. It would be a great distraction and keep her mind off of— “Sean?” He was sitting on a cargo container, legs spread wide, leaning forward, arms on his thighs. He didn’t look up at the sound of his name, but he did stop the rhythmic tapping of his boot against the side of the metal container. “How are you feeling?” His voice was rough, like he hadn’t used it in a while…or like he’d been crying. Amy knew her mouth was open. Why the hell she was surprised to see him here, like this, she wasn’t sure. If she’d learned nothing about the man in the past month, it was he had a hard time confronting things. It was the one aspect of his personality Amy wished she could help him with. Here, today, after everything they’d gone through, she wasn’t in the mindset to be of any good. She wanted to push him, make him see that not only couldn’t he treat others the way he’d treated her, he had to stop punishing himself for the past. “I feel like shit. That’s what happens when someone lobs a stun grenade at a 144
The Bond That Saves Us
person.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I was improvising.” “No, I somehow don’t think you were.” He finally looked at her, his hazel eyes blazing. When he opened his mouth to speak, Amy expected to hear an angry growl or a tone filled with annoyance. Instead, his too calm, “Sorry about that,” made her heart ache. She stepped closer to where he sat. He made no indication of moving, his body rock still as she moved inch by inch, until she stood a foot away. It was then he started up the banging once more, boot heel against metal. The echoed thuds were in time with her heartbeat. “I wish I could believe you…that you are sorry. But you’re not. Are you?” There was a pause in the rhythm. “Not really.” It started up again. “Will you stop the noise and talk to me?” “I hate the man I’ve become.” Amy stepped back as Sean jumped down from the container. She swallowed and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from speaking. Sean stood straight, hands balled at his side, gaze locked on the space between them. “I hate…” He pulled in a ragged breath, let it out and sighed. “I hate that I did to you what they did to me.” Her head felt light and she had to fight the urge to sit down. She knew if she did anything, it would break the spell Sean had fallen under. Instead she licked her bottom lip and asked, “What did they do to you?” Sean’s head snapped up. Where there had been anger before, now there was fear— and tears. “I worked so hard to get the position as administrator of this colony. I was the youngest one, you know? No one back on Earth could believe it. But I’d done it, given up everything for this place. Drove my parents fucking mental knowing I’d happily given up the chance of my family, a social life…to look after a bunch of unknown men and women who made Eurus their home. When the Briel came, I knew it was what we needed, a chance to become independent and get away from Earth’s corruption. I closed off contact with home until we could get our feet under us. Become our own people.” Amy couldn’t hold back any longer, she stepped closer. Sean didn’t back away, but nor did he make any move toward her either. When she was close enough to touch, but didn’t, she stopped and waited for him to continue. Sean swallowed hard, and having no other option, looked up into her eyes. “What I hadn’t expected was the Ecada. They hated the Briel so much, everything they stood for, they were willing to do anything to stop them. Humans here weren’t a threat to them, never really gave them any reason to invade. Problem was, they were losing the war against the Briel. They needed a weapon and a chance to wipe out the elder council controlling the Briel armed forces.”
145
Christine d’Abo
“That was you?” she asked when it didn’t seem like he would continue. He finally nodded. “We were betrayed. They got into my head and made it so I couldn’t think straight. Half the time I didn’t know where I was, who I was. It was just me, alone in the dark. I hated it, hated myself so much, Amy. I couldn’t get out and help the people around me. It was like every bad thing my parents had predicted about my life had come true. I’d let everyone down. When I was able to finally break free, I was forced to see the destruction I’d caused. So many people dead…” Amy wanted to wrap her arms around him, pull him tight against her body to try to help chase the monsters away. She knew about that feeling of helplessness, had to live with it herself for so long. Catching his wrist in her hand, she ran her thumb over the underside, the soft skin hot under her touch. “When I was standing there,” she said, giving him a squeeze, “I kept thinking this was Malik all over again. That these men were going to lose their minds, they wouldn’t be able to stop and I’d be the cause of their deaths and violence. They would have killed each other if you hadn’t thrown the grenade when you did.” “I know. Gaz was freaking out.” His words were soft, but she could hear the slight smile in his voice. “He was all for it at first, but then when he saw you standing there he started yelling.” Amy felt a returning smile tug at her lips. “Yeah, he tends to do that. It’s just because he’s seen the aftermath before. Probably didn’t want to deal with it again.” “Your dad was the only one who could calm him. I wouldn’t have let them hurt you, you know.” The words were spoken so quickly, with such conviction, Amy had to fight against moving away from him again. Sean sighed, shifting his hand so he could lace his fingers through hers. “I don’t know what came over me, but the way they were looking at you, with every step they took closer, I wanted to kill them.” “That was the pheromones. They can make you—” “No.” Sean pulled her forward hard, sending Amy crashing into him. His scent rolled off him, riding on the waves of his body heat. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by everything. What little anger she had left evaporated with the contact. He wanted her, and Gods help her, she wanted him too. But she still needed to understand why. Pressing her nose against his neck, she sighed. “How do you know? That it isn’t the pheromones? They are there, always driving men toward me. You’ll always question me, my actions, whether or not I’ve done something to lure another man to my side.” “It’s not.” He rubbed his nose and cheek against the top of her head. “I was so scared when I first met you. That those damn pheromones were the only reason I felt the attraction I did. But it’s more than that. I’ve talked to your dad. They only govern the physical, the lust. What they don’t control is how I feel about you when I’m lying in my room in the dark.” Amy’s heart was racing now, and her grip tightened on him. She couldn’t look up, not yet. “What do you feel when you are alone in the dark?” 146
The Bond That Saves Us
“I’ve never felt like this about anyone,” he said, placing a kiss on her forehead. “Oh good. That means this will hurt a whole lot more.” They both spun to see Cyanna standing behind them, holding a laser gun—and it was pointed directly at Amy.
147
Christine d’Abo
Chapter Seventeen Panic squeezed his chest when Sean heard the laser blaster power up. Cyanna was grinning like a madwoman, her eyes wide, almost too bright for her to be sane. They were frozen in spot, Amy between him and the blaster, the very last place he wanted her to be. “Don’t be a fool,” he said, trying to move Amy aside. “You fire that thing and half the station will be here within seconds.” “If you move another inch, your girlfriend will end up with a hole in her back and it will be worth it.” She powered it up to full and stepped closer to them. “Believe me when I say I can fire faster than you can move. I don’t believe you want to test me today.” Amy stiffened in his arms for a moment before letting out a short huff of breath. “What do you want?” “Out. You have a ship and you can fly me.” Cyanna waved the blaster in the direction of the Drake. “Move.” Sean shifted, thankful to finally be able to act as a shield between Amy and the blaster. “How did you get away from security? You know they will be looking for you.” “No, they won’t. I was able to bribe one of the guards. Seems he has a taste for dust and was more than willing to look the other way while I walked out the door. Shame I had to kill him, he could have been an excellent resource for me. I’ll have to find another.” They reached the door to the ship, the security features still turned off. Cyanna shifted to the side, away from Sean, and waited. “Open it up. Captain, you stay here with me while your boy goes in first. If I don’t like the look of anything, you die. Understand?” “If you think for a moment I’m going to let you take my ship—” “Amy.” Sean shook his head. “Just do what she says.” “That’s right, listen to the man. Seems he’s not as stupid as most of the ones I meet. My father included.” Ignoring her jibe, he pressed the door release button, waiting for the hatch to open. Careful not to make any moves she would see as threatening, Sean stepped into the ship and turned to face out, his whole body in clear sight. Willing Amy to listen, for things to finally be on their side, he held his breath, helpless to do anything but watch. “That is fine, Mr. Donaldson. Now you, Captain. Move slowly.” He could tell by the way Amy walked she was still weak from the stun grenade. It didn’t do anything to dissuade her from coming directly toward the ship, hands fisted 148
The Bond That Saves Us
as she moved with measured steps. Now only a step of the Drake’s hatch, Amy paused and looked up into his eyes. The second she gave him a small smile, he knew what she was about to do. Oh shit, don’t! No, no, no. He shook his head ever so slightly, trying to project his fear, willing her to stop. There was something in her eyes, a prideful steel that shouted back to him. She wouldn’t let Cyanna get any farther and she’d be damned if she’d let her take the Drake. Not on her watch, not when she could do something about it. Before he had a chance to react, Amy swung her elbow around, managing to connect with the side of Cyanna’s head. Sean jumped forward, but they were just far enough away he couldn’t get to her in time. Cyanna, though stunned, had enough of her wits about her to pull the trigger. The sickening whine of the laser melded with Amy’s scream as both filled the hangar bay. Both noises were quickly followed by the automatic security alarm. Help was coming, but it wouldn’t get here soon enough. Sean jumped to the ground, ignoring the amount of blood now covering Amy’s upper body, and ran full speed at Cyanna. Throwing himself on her, he heard the blaster scrape and rattle as it slid away from them. She wasn’t going down without a fight though. Cyanna clawed at him, dragging her nails so hard down his face she tore the skin. Sean tried to restrain her, grabbing her wrists and prying them from his body. Rage circled around inside him. Fuck, he was just figuring this out, his feelings for Amy, what he wanted from his life. Without thinking, he looked over at Amy, her eyes closed, blood soaking her shirt, and a strangled sob escaped his lips. “You bitch,” he choked out. “You killed her!” Cyanna’s only response was to laugh hysterically. The pounding of boots on the floor soon reached him. Three security personnel dropped beside him. The second he was able, Sean released his prisoner and leapt to Amy’s side. “Amy, baby, look at me.” He pressed his fingers to her throat in an attempt to find a pulse. His breath died in his lungs when he couldn’t find it right away. Closing his eyes, he concentrated, blocking out all the external noise and confusion, shifting his finger to the left. “I’ve got a pulse!” “Medical team in en route. They will be here in a minute.” “Tell them to hurry.” Please God, let them hurry. Sean rolled Amy onto her back and pressed his hands against the blast wound. “Come on, baby, open your eyes. Look at me. I’m so sorry for everything and I really need you to look at me.” A pained groan escaped her as her head flopped to the side. He had to push harder, blood escaping through his fingers as it refused to stop. Everything centered down for him to the contact between them. He’d gotten so close to happiness and hadn’t even realized it, and now it was about to be wrenched away from him. “Come on, Amy. I need you to open your eyes. I need to know you’re going to be
149
Christine d’Abo
okay.” A body pressed against his side as small hands covered his. “Sean, I’m here.” Somewhere in the back of him mind he recognized Sara’s voice, knew help had finally come. “Amy, open your eyes, dammit.” “Sean, you have to move so I can help her.” God, he couldn’t do this, wouldn’t survive another death, another one he was responsible for. Large hands curled around his shoulder and he was pulled back away from Amy. Sara and another member of her team moved in, tearing at Amy’s shirt to reveal a large hole in her shoulder. It was quickly covered by a med compress, hiding the red blood and damaged skin. “Open your eyes, Amy,” he whispered, willing her to listen to him. “Sean, you need to let Sara do her job.” Davin’s voice. “She’ll fix her up.” “Why won’t she open her eyes?” It didn’t make sense. If she could just do that, then he knew she would be okay. She’d pull through and the universe would be as it should. “She will. Just give us time to get her better.” Sean turned, looking his friend in the eye. “Will you help her?” He knew it was asking a lot of Davin, knew he shouldn’t, but didn’t care. Davin’s gaze flicked from Sean down to Amy and back. “If I have to, I will. But right now my job is to look after you. I think you’re going into shock. You need to come with me.” Sean resisted the pull of Davin’s hands on his shoulders. “No, I’m not leaving her.” “Not asking you to. I wouldn’t be able to leave Sara either. But they’re going to take her down to med bay. You need to get checked out too. Make sure none of the blood on you is yours.” He found himself nodding his agreement before being led toward med bay by his friend. Time became skewed as Sean let his body get pushed and pulled through the corridors and onto a bed in med bay. When they took Amy into surgery, his body went numb. He couldn’t look away from his hands or the blood covering them. Even after someone had cleaned him, Davin maybe, he couldn’t look up. Coldness seeped into his body and mind until he wasn’t able to move. When a warm body sat beside him, Sean didn’t have the energy to look up. “Are you okay?” The voice snapped him out of his trance. He looked up at Kamran, his face locked in a frown. “No.” The single word hurt him more than he thought it would to say. “Davin told us what had happened. He’s in with Sara right now trying to fix her up.” Sean stared at his friend, not knowing what to say. Kamran smiled and squeezed
150
The Bond That Saves Us
his shoulder. “Don’t worry about anything. We’re all here to help.” “Why?” Sean shifted his gaze to look in the direction of the surgery. “After everything I’ve done to the colony, why would you even want me around? I never understood that.” Kamran let out a snort. “Besides Taber, you are the most stubborn man I know. You seem to have forgotten everything you’ve done for this colony, practically since the day you arrived.” “I haven’t—” “Will you shut up and listen for once.” Kamran sighed, running a hand down his face. “You can’t keep blaming yourself for something you had no control over. Any law-governing body in this sector would agree you’ve more than paid for any responsibility, either real or imaginary, since the attack. They used you. You didn’t offer to let them into your head willingly. You didn’t give them the codes to the colony. You were just a man who had put too much on his shoulders, was tired and vulnerable. They used you, nothing more.” “I should have been stronger.” “You are seriously trying my patience as a diplomat.” Sean couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sorry.” “You have a woman in there who, if my wife is to be believed, is completely in love with you. You have a chance to make a new life for yourself. No more needing to be the wounded martyr, simply Sean. She doesn’t care about anything that’s happened in the past. Just like you don’t care about what she sees as her own faults. Am I correct?” “She’s perfect, Kamran.” The whispered confession pulled some of the weight of his guilt from his mind. “And she really doesn’t care. But I keep screwing things up with her and I don’t know if she’ll want me even if she pulls out of this.” Before Kamran had a chance to answer, the doors to the surgery opened up as Sara and Davin walked out. Sean was on his feet and by them, heart pounding. “Is she okay?” Sara smiled, taking Sean’s hand in hers. “I managed to get the bleeding to stop. There was some damage to the muscles in her shoulder. Davin was able to repair it, but she’ll need rehabilitation to strengthen the area. She’s going to need a lot of help over the next little while to get things back to where they were before.” Help was something he could do if she was willing to accept it. “Can I see her?” “You can, but she’s not conscious yet. She’s lost a lot of blood and it will take time for her system to recover.” “It’s okay. I’ll stay with her.” Sara really smiled this time. “I figured you would. There is a chair set up by her bed for you already. She’s in recovery. I have to notify her father about her injury and status.” He didn’t wait to hear anything else and quickly pushed through to the small room 151
Christine d’Abo
off to the side. The sight before him left him breathless. Amy was surrounded by so many computers and monitors, half of which he didn’t know what they did. Her dark skin and hair was a stark contrast to the white sheets around her, making her look so much smaller than she really was. Sean forced his body to move to the side of the bed, his hands shaking as he pulled the chair out enough to allow his body to slip onto it. Gone was the spark of life that had drawn him to her, replaced now by a fragile shell. “Amy?” He swallowed, hoping it would relieve some of the gruffness of his voice. “Amy, baby, can you hear me?” There was nothing. No movement, flutter of her eyes, no indication she’d heard him at all. He knew this would be hard, but Sara wouldn’t have sent him in here if she didn’t think Amy was going to pull through. Reaching across her body, he slipped his hand around the one that lay across her stomach, and gently moved it to her side. It was difficult, but he managed to lace their fingers together. “I’m really pissed off at Cyanna’s timing. We were finally having that talk we really needed. Well, I really needed to at least. I can’t tell you how sorry I am I wasn’t able to stop her from doing this to you. I would say it was one more thing I’ve screwed up in a long list, but I think there would be a bunch of people ready to hit me if I did.” Sean shifted forward, his knees now pressed up against the side of the bed, his head hung just above their joined hands. “See the thing is, I’ve spent the last few years blaming myself for a bunch of shit that happened. I guess I thought if I didn’t forgive myself, then I could understand it if others didn’t either. But here’s the kicker. All those people who should hate me don’t seem to. I’m not sure why, maybe they are just kinder souls than I am, but they don’t. I couldn’t figure it out for a long time. Especially Kamran. He almost lost everything just at the moment he finally got it. I never understood how he could just shrug it all off like it never happened. But that’s Kamran for you. “I do understand now, though. Seeing you lying here, knowing you could have been taken away from me, I’m just so fucking relieved. I don’t care about Cyanna, or the race, or about what your dad thinks about me. I’m just so happy you’re okay and you’re going to pull out of this in one piece.” The heart monitor began to increase in rhythm and a soft groan bubbled from Amy. He held his breath, waiting for some sign she was actually going to wake up. The monitor didn’t let up in intensity, but she didn’t make any further moves. “Hey now, you were doing really well there. You need to get yourself back here with me. Especially since your dad is going to be here soon. You need to be awake enough for him to kick your ass. He’s not going to be happy you tried to take on the world alone again. Because you’re not…alone. You have me…if you want me.” Still there was nothing, no response. Sean bit the inside of his cheek to keep his frustrated cry inside. The pain did little to distract from the ache in his chest. He reached up and brushed down one of her black curls, tucking it behind her ear.
152
The Bond That Saves Us
“Amy, I need you to open those eyes for me. I need to you be looking at me when I tell you.” Another blip on another machine. From what little he knew about the medical equipment, it appeared to be her blood pressure and it was rising into the normal range. Sean was on his feet, leaning over her body when her moaning started again. She reached out, swinging her arms weakly at him, nearly pulling off the dressing over her shoulder. “Amy, stop. You’re okay. You’re in the med bay. Baby, stop.” She froze, panting, her head moving from side to side. “Sean?” Her whisper was weak and pained. “Yeah, it’s me. You were shot, but Sara and Davin patched you up and you’re okay now.” Blinking, he lowered his head closer to her. “Amy, I need you to open your eyes. Can you do that?” She held still for so long, Sean thought she’d slipped back into unconsciousness. Slowly, her lids fluttered and she carefully opened them. When he finally saw the deep brown of her irises, he let out a strangled laugh. “There you are,” he whispered. “Hi,” she whispered back, cringing once she spoke. “Ouch.” “Don’t try to speak or move just yet. I’ll get Sara and let her know you’re awake. Just…not yet. There is something I need to tell you now because I can’t risk waiting any longer.” He flexed his fingers against hers, and breathed in deep. “I think…that…I’ve fallen in love with you.” She opened up her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Sean didn’t let it stop him. “I know you may not feel the same about me and I’ll probably screw things up a hundred times if we try this, but I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance. If you ever decide you don’t want me any longer, you can have Gaz flush me out an airlock.” “You…want to leave…here?” He hadn’t given it much thought, if he were being honest with himself. “I want to be where you are. I’ve spent enough years on and under this planet to last a lifetime. Maybe I need a fresh start. Somewhere in the sky.” “With me?” “With you.” Pulling her hand free of his, she ran her fingers down across his wounded cheek. “You’re crying.” “Amy, please. I need to know.” She cupped his cheek in her hand, running her thumb across his stubble. “I’m not really sure when this happened, but I think I love you too.” Sean knew the grin that burst onto his face could have lit up a room. He laughed,
153
Christine d’Abo
leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. “I’m so sorry for everything. I should have thought of something to stop Cyanna from shooting you. I thought I was going to die when I saw you lying there. There was so much blood.” “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. Takes more than a little blaster fire to take me out of action.” There was a rise of voices drifting to them from the other side of the door. Looking over his shoulder, Sean tried to make out who it could be. “Oh, Gods.” Amy groaned and tried to sit up. “Don’t you dare move. It will still be a few days before everything is back to normal, even with Davin’s help.” “You don’t understand. That’s my dad, and if he comes in here and sees me like this, he won’t let me out of his sight for a year.” “Should have thought of that before you took on a psycho with a blaster.” In a heartbeat, they were back to the teasing ease they’d fallen into over the past few weeks. Another loud shout and Sean stepped away from her side. “I’ll go let him in. Sara will want to take another look at you as well.” “Okay.” “I’ll be back.” Amy smiled. “You better be or I’ll hunt you down and flush you out the airlock myself.” For the first time in a very long time, Sean didn’t feel dread eating at his insides. He moved, smiled, knowing things were finally going to turn out right.
154
The Bond That Saves Us
Chapter Eighteen Amy waited in the cockpit for Sean, knowing his goodbyes would take longer than her own. It’s not like they were leaving forever, but the run to and from Chieve Beta would take them the better part of a year. Sean had been on this colony for a very long time and she didn’t want him to feel pressured, to know he could stay here if he really wanted. Without turning on the coms, she watched as he spoke to his friends, taking the time to hug Sara, Haylie and Fallon while clapping Davin on the shoulder. Turning to Taber, Sean bowed low at the waist, his back straight. Taber stiffened for a moment before returning the precise bow. When he came to Kamran, Amy found herself leaning forward to watch. Over the month it had taken her to heal up and be declared fit to fly, she’d learned a lot about Sean and his relationship to the Briel administrator. He moved in front of Kamran, hesitating for a moment before pulling him into a hug. Amy’s throat tightened with a sudden rush of unshed tears and she had to look away, feeling like a voyeur in a private moment. Instead of dwelling on exactly what Sean was giving up to be with her, she began the prep work for takeoff. “Gaz, you and Ryan ready down there?” There was a pause before the com crackled to life. “This is Ryan. We’re all set and waiting for your signal.” “Where’s Gaz?” “Ah…he’s, ah, a bit tied up right now.” Amy smirked. “I hope that’s not literally.” “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be free soon.” Amy could hear the smile in his voice. “He just needs to learn how to behave.” “Well, make sure he’s learned his lesson in the next ten minutes. We’re taking off soon.” “Yes, Captain.” When she looked out of the cockpit window again, Sean was gone and the others had moved to the safety zone. For some reason, her heart beat a bit faster and she found it difficult to sit still. It wasn’t until she heard the whoosh of the cockpit door opening up she felt herself relax. Not wanting to give away her nervousness, she kept her attention fixed on the control panel. “All ready to go?” She somehow managed to keep her voice casual and steady. Sean slipped into the seat beside her, hands resting on his lap. His gaze was locked on the group of people waiting, watching them go off. Amy stopped her calibrations 155
Christine d’Abo
and reached out to grab his hand. “Do you want to change your mind?” She prayed he wouldn’t, but she’d understand if he did. This was his home and the people out there were his family. It would be like asking her to walk away from the Drake after all these years. She didn’t know if she was strong enough to do it. When Sean turned, the hard edge of his jaw was gone and the lines around his eyes almost seemed to have faded. “Let’s get this ship in the air, Captain.” Her stomach flipped and she felt a shiver of arousal jolt through her body. He was hers, he wasn’t going anywhere. “Absolutely.” For the next thirty minutes, they only spoke to issue and acknowledge commands in order to get the Drake into the air. Hands flew over keys, typing in commands to make the Drake’s engines sing. Roaring to life, they broke orbit and bolted out into the darkness of space. “Course for Chieve Beta plotted and locked into the nav computer. First stop is Hellios Major in two days.” Amy turned and grinned at Sean. “Engine room, you boys are free to play for the next little bit.” “Thank you, Captain,” Gaz’s voice drifted up from the com. “You may want to avoid the lower level for a bit. I have some payback to dispense.” Amy cut off the communication before she got an earful of something she’d rather not. The air in the cockpit felt warm and she found herself tugging on one of her curls, before jamming it behind her ear. She could feel Sean watching her, knew he was letting his gaze roam down her body. The jolt of lust that had hit her earlier flowed back, making her squirm in her seat. “So,” she smiled at him, cocking her head. “What would you like to do?” “Did you get your supply of inhibitors from Sara?” The question came out of nowhere and had her stiffening. “Yes.” “Have you taken any?” “No. Why?” Without another word Sean stood, pulled Amy to her feet and pressed her back against the door. His thigh was pushed hard against her pussy, the heat from his skin seeping through the layers of their clothing. She squirmed, both trying to get closer and farther away at the same time. He shifted his leg higher, increasing the pressure against her clit and causing her to shudder. Gods, if she’d let him continue like this he’d make her come without actually touching her bare skin. Sean attacked her neck, dragging his teeth lightly across the skin, nipping as he went. Amy couldn’t help but roll her hips, sending the warmth of her arousal out through her stomach and up into her breasts. Her nipples tightened, pressing hard against the material of her shirt. He must have sensed her increasing arousal and reached up to cup her breast. The thumb swiping across her nipple increased in frequency as her soft moans and gasps of pleasure filled the cockpit.
156
The Bond That Saves Us
“I’ll never get tired of this, how you smell.” He bit down gently on her shoulder, only moments later licking away the sting. “How you taste.” “Gods, don’t stop.” “No. Never.” He pulled away long enough to pull her shirt from her body. The air in the cabin was cool, making her skin pucker with goose bumps before Sean’s heated and nownaked chest was pressed back against her. The feel of skin on skin wiped away all remaining thoughts in her head, forcing her to run on instinct. “I want to taste you.” He spoke the words slow and distinct, each syllable rolling off his tongue and onto her body. Amy tightened her grip on his shoulders, digging her nails into his arms. “Yes. Please.” He lifted her up and Amy immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. Sean dipped his head down to catch one of her nipples in her mouth as he moved her over to the captain’s chair. Lowering himself to his knees, he set her down and pulled her hips forward so she was slumped at the right angle to give him access. Fingers fumbled at the opening of her pants, her hands shaking from want as her mind screamed yes, mine and now. Sean yanked her boots free and pulled the tight fabric from her legs, tossing them somewhere behind him. Moving his shoulders under her thighs, he pressed his face against the inside of her thigh and breathed in deep. “You’re so fucking beautiful.” The words were mouthed against her skin. “And you’re mine.” “Yes, yours. Sean, please.” She knew he liked to hear her beg, knew it turned him on almost as much as her pheromones. If she wasn’t insane on lust just then, she might question whether or not she should be disturbed by the fact she liked to beg for him. At the moment, she wasn’t able to think about anything else. The first caress of his tongue against her clit had her crying out. Biting down hard on her bottom lip, Amy tried to fight against giving in to the sensations. Sean hadn’t touched her in the month of her recovery. Nothing beyond the gentle brush of fingertip on her cheek, a light press of lips against her forehead. She knew he didn’t want to hurt her, want her to think he was using her in some way, so he didn’t push. But every man has a limit and right now she wanted to throw Sean over his so she could fuck him through the floor. Gods, she missed this, the way he could play her body, drive her higher than she ever thought possible. He dragged his tongue around her clit in a lazy circle, once, twice, before flicking it hard and fast over the nub. Her body tensed, only to relax again when he pulled back, resuming his slow assault. Canting her hips, silently pleading with him to increase the pace, only got her a strong arm across her stomach, holding her lower body down so he was in complete
157
Christine d’Abo
control. To retaliate, she reached down and buried her fingers in his blond hair, squeezing the strands as she tried to direct him. “You’re getting bossy,” he muttered, voice muffled by her thighs. “You’re not listening.” “What? You don’t like this?” He licked a path the full length of her pussy. “Should I stop?” “I’ll kill you, Donaldson.” “I’m just trying to do what my captain wants. What about this?” There was a slight pressure as he pushed two fingers deep inside. Amy groaned and her body shook from the onslaught of the sensations. Heat seeped through her, making her skin tingle and her blood pound. “Yeah, you like that.” He took her clit back into his mouth and sucked in earnest as he fucked his fingers into her willing body. Amy squeezed her eyes shut, wanting the feeling to last forever, but scared she’d die from the magnitude of the feeling if it did. Sean kept the rhythm steady, not letting her run away from him, yet not going fast enough to push her over. The noises he was making, groans of pleasure and encouragement, should have been illegal. They made her mad, knowing this strong, powerful man was on his knees, losing control, all for her. When she didn’t think she could take any more, he crooked his fingers and pressed against the one spot sure to send her over the edge. Arching her back as best she could and squeezing his hair in her grasp, Amy screamed as her orgasm blinded her body and mind. She felt Sean groan against her clit, the vibrations sending her off on another wave of pleasure. Finally, she fell boneless back against the seat, gasping for air and trying to hold on to consciousness. “Gods,” she managed after a moment, “you’re going to kill me before we reach our first waypoint.” Sean stood, pushing his pants down to kick them aside. His eyes were hooded, pupils wide and lust filled. “Oh no. I plan on making the most of this trip. You’re going to come so much and so frequently, you’ll want to use all of your inhibitors on me.” Her breath hitched in her chest as he pulled her to her feet. Switching their positions, he took her place on the chair, spread his legs wide for support and pulled her onto his lap. “Straddle me. I want to suck on your breasts while you ride my cock.” Amy closed her eyes and steadied herself against the computer panel. She hadn’t realized the power words could have over her, how they could make her react. Getting her bearings once more, she turned the chair so she could easily straddle him, pausing only long enough to let him line his cock up with her entrance so she could slide down. Sean held her hips, keeping her in place. The look on his face was one of intense concentration, the muscles of his jaw and neck taut. He flexed his fingers, squeezing her hard, his breath coming out in a ragged pant.
158
The Bond That Saves Us
“So tight, good. Almost too much.” His words were strangled, like his body was afraid to let them go. She leaned forward and sucked his earlobe. “Let me take you there. Take you to where you take me. Show you how good we can make it. Just the two of us.” He relaxed his grip and Amy swiveled her hips without lifting up. Sean’s head fell forward against her chest and she could feel his sweat mix with hers. She grinned, couldn’t help it. He was completely hers, and for the first time in forever, she was happy to give herself over to a man. Over to Sean. Planting her feet firmly on the floor to use as leverage, Amy lifted her body up until she felt the head of his cock threaten to fall out, and then with as much ease and care, lowered herself down. The pace was painfully slow, but every twitch and cry she elicited from him was worth it. She repeated the motion until her legs shook from the strain. Sean tried to help by shifting his hands to her ass, pulling her up as she rose. It didn’t matter. When she didn’t think she could take any more, when her body practically vibrated with the need to release, Sean moved again. He leaned back in the seat and sucked two fingers into his mouth. She watched him wet the digits, swirl his tongue around them, before pulling them out of this mouth and pressing them to her clit. Her body gave up and instead of the slow returning stroke, she slammed her body down on his cock. They both cried out as Sean pressed his fingers even harder against her, trying to coax a second orgasm from her. He didn’t have to wait long. Two more punishing jolts against his cock and Amy came. There was no cry this time, only a wordless shudder as her body imploded. Before she was finished, Sean moved his hands to her hips and held her still as he fucked up into her. The snapping of his hips was a powerful driving force. His face contorted with pleasure and he shouted her name, cum filling her. Amy fell forward, no longer having the strength to hold herself up any longer. Sweat-slicked and hot, Sean’s skin felt amazing. She couldn’t stop from running her fingers along the back of his shoulders, fingers trailing up to brush the back of his neck and his hair. His heartbeat beat against her, mirroring her own. “You okay?” he whispered. “Hmm.” “We need to move.” “Sorry, Captain Bryson is unavailable at the moment. Please blame her copilot.” “Cheeky.” “And you’ve signed up for a whole year of it.” The brush of his fingers through her hair made her shiver and snuggle in closer to his body. The gentle massage threatened to have her drift off, sleep the one thing she’d been lacking in the past few days of preparation to leave. Turning her face into his neck, she placed a kiss against his pulse point.
159
Christine d’Abo
“Do you regret it?” she asked, not sure where the question came from. “What?” “Leaving the colony. Is this going to be okay for you?” Unlike the Sean she’d met when she’d first arrived, the man in her arms shifted, pulling her back so he could look her in the eyes, and talked. “I never want you to doubt this for a moment. I’m here because I want to be. You have no idea the self-imposed hell I’d been living in. Had I stayed there, I would have eventually died in some freak mining accident or in a bar fight. Something pointless. Meeting you, the things we went through, made me realize there was still a life out there I wanted to be a part of. You saved me, Amy.” She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she had to touch him, run her fingers across the face of the man who’d not only saved her life, her father and her ship, but made her no longer afraid to live. She smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I love you.” He smiled. “I love you too. But if we don’t stand up soon, my ass is going to fall asleep.” Amy laughed and got up with him. “Well, we can’t have that. I still have plans for you.” “I’m happy to hear it, Captain.” “There are engines to recalibrate, the bottom hold needs to be cleaned out—” “The captain needs to be spanked.” Her eyes grew wide. “You wouldn’t dare.” “Wouldn’t I?” He grinned at her and took a step closer. Amy squeaked, bolting for the door, Sean hot on her heels. Their laugher could be heard echoing through the vastness of space.
160
About the Author It took Christine a lot longer than the average bear to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. When she was home on maternity leave, she decided to take a stab at saving her sanity and sat down to write a romance novel. After dabbling with various sub-genres, she realized she really enjoyed creating strange new worlds and writing about sex. Whether due to the pregnancy hormones or sleep deprivation, she thought this was a great combination. Many years later her kids are in school and she’s back at her day job, but the writing bug is here to stay. When not torturing her characters, she’s busy playing with her children or conducting “research” with her husband. Christine welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Tell Us What You Think We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at
[email protected].
Also by Christine d’Abo Chasing Phoenix Eternal Bonds 1: The Bond That Ties Us Eternal Bonds 2: The Bond That Heals Us Eternal Bonds 3: The Bond That Consumes Us Primal Elements Sweet & Spicy Spells with Renee Field Wizard’s Thief
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
