Dalton, Tymber - Bightmares [Deep Space Mission Corps 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (24 page)

Lethal.

Aaron and Caph pried the door open wide enough to pull Emi out. She sobbed and fell into their arms as Ford took the rifle from her. “I shot him!” she cried. “I think he’s dead, but don’t take any chances!”

Ford handed her off to Aaron, and with Caph’s help, he overrode the lights and decon chamber controls.

Eckhart lay on the hydro lab floor. With half his face missing, there was no question as to his condition. Aaron cupped Emi’s chin in his hands. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head. “He didn’t hurt me.”

He pulled her tightly against him, crushing her against his chest. She felt his heart racing, his jumbled emotions finally settling as she wrapped her arms around him and held on.

“Get him out of there,” Aaron hoarsely said. “We have a couple of body cases in cargo.”

“We can’t eject him while in a jump,” Ford softly reminded him.

“I know. Seal him up in it, then lock it in the small life pod. We’ll dump him with the authorities on Mars.”

Emi closed her eyes and didn’t look as Ford and Caph carried the man’s body away.

Aaron scooped her into his arms and carried her to their cabin and into the head. There, he stripped her, and they engaged in a short real water shower. He soaped her body, never letting go of her, kissing her.

“Jesus, I thought he’d got you,” he hoarsely said.

Ford and Caph soon joined them. Together they stood, the men tightly wrapping their arms around her and each other, as the hot water sluiced down the drain.

Chapter Seventeen

Ford and Caph took care of cleaning up the worst of the mess in the hydro lab. They couldn’t repair all the damage, especially the cosmetic issues, but they did their best. The next time Emi went down there, Ford and Caph went with her.

It would take a while for her to regain her sense of security and serenity when working there, but she’d damn sure try. As it was, she couldn’t leave their crew quarters area, between the bridge, their cabin, the rec area, and galley, without one of the men with her. Nerves on edge, despite repeated scans to reassure herself they were alone on the ship, she couldn’t bring herself to do it at first.

She spent several private conversations on the com with Donna, as a fellow doctor, not just as a friend, trying to talk out her fear.

After two weeks, Emi forced herself to return to the hydro lab alone.

As she stood inside the inner doorway and stared at the few visible scars of Eckhart’s attack, her nerves twisted and churned, but she forced herself to remain still and calm.

After a few minutes, she walked into the lab and overrode the decontamination chamber, forcing both doors to remain open. Her peace of mind was worth more to her than losing a few plants.

She picked up a pair of small pruning shears and set to work. An hour later, she jumped when the com whistled.

“Emi? Are you okay, babe?” Ford’s voice sounded tinged with worry.

“I’m okay.” She realized what time it was, and while she wouldn’t say she felt happy, she was glad she’d lost track of time. “What’s up?”

“Need any company?”

She suspected Ford had been tracking her throughout the ship. It was his turn on watch, but Caph would be coming up for duty soon. Aaron was catching up on his sleep in their cabin.

“I’m okay. But if you want to come help me cart some of these veggies up to the galley when you finish watch, I won’t refuse the help.”

He sounded relieved. “I’ll be there as soon as the big guy shows up.”

She smiled and turned to look at her progress. Weeds weren’t an issue, thankfully, and she’d pruned back the plants needing it while picking everything that had ripened.

Ford arrived a few minutes later.

“Did you wake Caph early?” she chastised.

He grinned. “Won’t hurt him.” He glanced at the walls and ceilings where they hadn’t been able to erase all evidence of Eckhart’s attack. “We’ll get the retrofit crew to take care of this as soon as we get back to Mars, babe. You’ll never know anything happened.”

She let him pull her into his arms. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about Aaron’s nightmares?”

She felt his body tense. “Oh.”

“Uh, yeah. Oh. You are in sooo much trouble, buddy.”

“He didn’t want me to worry you. Captain’s orders.”

“I’m going to put up an official crew medical decree that he can’t use that excuse anymore.”

“Did he tell you everything?”

“Yeah,” she quietly said. “Everything.”

They stood there for a moment in each other’s arms. “Are you mad at me?” he asked.

“Irritated.”

“Oh.”

“You ever withhold information like that from me again and I’ll set your chip so you can’t have any sex for a month.”

He laughed, squeezing her harder. “That would deny you too, babe.”

She evilly grinned. “I didn’t say I would stop you from being able to go down on me and the other guys, just you couldn’t get your rocks off.”

His grin slowly faded. “Um, you’re kidding, right?”

She turned away and picked up one of the baskets of veggies. “Maybe not.”

He grabbed the other two baskets. “I mean, you
are
kidding, aren’t you?”

“Who says?” She headed for the door.

“Babe, seriously, ha ha.”

“Fair warning, Ford.”

She fought hard to stifle her laughter at his softly muttered, “Oh, fuck,” as he followed her.

* * * *

Ford helped her throw together a large pot of soup that would be ready in a few hours. They left it to simmer on the galley stove and joined Aaron in their cabin.

Aaron awoke as they climbed into bed with him. “What time is it?”

“Not time for you to get up yet,” she said.

“Oh, good.” He cuddled an arm around her and reached for Ford. “I didn’t want to get up yet.”

“She threatened me, Cap,” Ford snarked.

Aaron arched an eyebrow at her. “What’d you do to make her threaten you?”

“I told him the truth, that the next time he withholds important information about other members of this crew, I’ll set his chip so he can’t have an orgasm.”

Aaron snorted. “Well, Ford, she
is
the medical officer—”

“Man, this is so unfair! I thought you’d at least back me up on this, Cap.”

He kissed Ford. “Well, I am the one who ordered you not to tell.”

“Yeah,” Emi said, reaching between Aaron’s legs and grabbing his package. “About that. We need to have a little talk, mister.” She squeezed, a little, enough to gain his firm interest.

“Oh, really?”

“No more holding stuff back and hiding behind ‘because I’m the Captain, that’s why’ bullshit.” She squeezed harder.

He flinched. “All right, uncle.”

She kissed him. “That’s better.”

“And we joked about Rob and his grunts being pussywhipped?” Ford snarked.

* * * *

When they returned to Mars and docked, this time at the Galileo base in Utopia Planitia, there were officials from both the ISNC and DSMC waiting to claim Eckhart’s body.

Including Admiral Bill Eckhart.

He looked on sadly as security guards removed the body case from the
Tamora Bight’s
cargo hull. “Captain Lucio, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am about all of this.” Emi felt a keen wave of grief and sadness wash from the older man. He truly had loved his nephew. “I thought once that bastard was dead and gone that maybe James would break the cycle. Make something of himself.”

Emi laid a gentle hand on the admiral’s arm. “You did all you could, Admiral. No one holds you accountable.”

The man’s eyes looked moist. “No, I am responsible for this. I should have paid attention. I’d signed off on him going on assignments before. I didn’t think anything of this. I should have looked into the details.” He shook his head. “To think of how many innocent people might have died…” His gaze dropped to the ground. “If you want to lodge a formal complaint against me, Captain, I won’t fight it.”

The twins stood behind Aaron, both of them remaining silent, their arms crossed. Emi felt their indecision. They would abide by whatever Aaron wanted to do.

Aaron looked at Emi and pulled her to him. “No, Admiral, it’s time this insanity finally dies for good. I’m sorry we couldn’t bring him back alive, but he attacked us. He nearly killed Dr. Hypatia. If it wasn’t for the fact that she’s an empath, she might not have realized he was there with her.”

Admiral Eckhart nodded. “I understand.” He offered his hand to Aaron, who shook. “Again, I’m truly sorry for everything you and your crew had to endure.”

When the four of them were alone again in the cargo bay, Emi, followed by Ford and Caph, put her arms around Aaron. “That was a good thing, Aar,” she said.

She felt him relax as they all held him. “I meant it. It’s time this is behind us for good.” He kissed the top of her head. “It doesn’t change the past, but I want to live for our future together and quit letting ghosts ruin my life.”

Chapter Eighteen

They were on Mars for three days before Emi found time to get away from the
Tamora Bight
. She knew her men would be busy with maintenance, cargo, and official duties that afternoon. She told Aaron she was going shopping and kissed them good-bye. Before she left, she stopped by the galley, found the thermal bag, carafe, and brewed a batch of mint tea.

It wasn’t hard to find her way back to the memorial dome. She found Kelsey’s name on the list and took a beacon from the front information booth. Emi easily made her way to the marker. The park setting hadn’t changed much since their last visit. As she approached, the crystal geode glowed as it had before.

Sitting next to it, she pulled out the carafe of mint tea and two cups she’d brought. She poured tea into both, set one on the ground next to the geode, and hoisted the other one.

“I worried for a little while there, Kels,” Emi said aloud. No one around to hear her, she might as well say it. “I was afraid I would lose him.” She studied the crystal marker. All that physically remained of a vibrant, loving woman who’d left a lifelong impression on her men. The only reason Emi was with them now, when she thought about it and condensed the history to its starting point, lay squarely in the lap of a vengeful, vindictive man who fathered an equally vengeful and vindictive son.

“I know you died loving them. You died because you loved them, but it wasn’t their fault or yours, and I know you knew that.”

Emi sipped her tea. “They still love you. I’ll never replace you in their hearts, and I know that, too. There will always be part of them that loves you. I’m okay with that. Because I’ll be honest with you, I feel guilty. I feel guilty that I get to love them and you only had a couple of years with—”

“You shouldn’t feel guilty.”

Emi nearly screamed at the sound of the woman’s voice. She turned and saw Delaney standing there. Emi laughed as her racing heart slowed to a more normal pace. “Jesus, you scared me!”