Ever So Madly (23 page)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Madden

I shoved my helmet down onto my head, tearing my eyes away from my friend. I could see it in his eyes. He knew what was in my mind. He had somehow read me well enough to see through me. It was something only Jocelynn had been able to do before, so either my mask was fading, or maybe Colton paid more attention than he let on.

I look at him hard as we brought our bikes to life. The horn sounded, and I dragged my eyes away, firing forward like a rocket.

The first turn I took recklessly, using my heels to kick out my back tire, spraying those behind me with dust as my front wheel slipped around the corner. I used a tap with my opposite foot to stop myself from spinning out. Hammering my throttle, my wheel caught and shot me past two of the men who had taken the corner carefully. I was using the freshly settled track to my advantage. Riding forward on my handles I kept my weight evenly spread on the bike. Flipping open the turbo switch, I sat poised waiting for the next long stretch. I flew around the second and third turns passing one more man. Now, only Ted and the Gray helmet stood in my way. I knew Gray. He was a formidable opponent having run more than one man over the edge in his time on the field. Teal was nowhere in sight.

Ted had ten years on everyone, the only person still racing who had a wife and kids at home. I think his wife valued the credits he brought home more than his life, but I could have been wrong. She used to come with him to all the races, so maybe her fear of falling over the side had evaporated with the excitement.

I wove around the large tower coming around for my second lap. This one would be a true test of who was paying attention. I flew into the thick cloud of Ore flavored dust, feeling the burn in my eyes instantly. I fought to see, but it was impossible to catch anything more than the occasional light marking the path, and glimpses of the helmets illuminated by the scant light. I punched the turbo on the first long straight, skidding over the smooth ground. The roar of the engines in front of me got closer, and I passed one of them. It wasn’t until I got close enough I saw who was still ahead of me. Gray helmet, and I had a feeling one of us wouldn’t survive this race.

What was even stranger was I didn’t care. Licking over my cracked lips I clenched my jaw, sucking air between my teeth resisting the urge to cough and lose focus. My palms were wet against the rubber handles of my bike, and my vision blurred with the mixture of dust and Ore now coating my eyeballs. I squinted seeing his back wheel. There was a set of zigzagging turns coming up, and I knew I could pass him there.

I cut him on the inside right, then hit it hard left trying to claim the inside for the second turn. We were neck and neck, and our shoulders touched as he held his balance. I could have sworn he looked over at me large teeth showing in a scowl. I glared back, taking the inside again for the right, pulling ahead as I cut the corner close. I whipped around back to the left, getting half a length ahead of him to take the front path for the corner. He didn’t let up fighting as I gained the lead on that turn. But he cut quicker over to the right turn again gaining on me. I took it fast trying to get to the final turn in the zigzag before he did. I was half in front of him as we both took the inside track.

I held my breath knowing what was coming. When our bikes connected we were both thrown, and I tumbled through the air. I landed hard, my momentum causing me to skid across the ground toward the far edge. I dug my fingers into the earth trying to stop my forward progress. But it didn’t even slow me. I pressed my toes into the ground, using every part of me as drag. The dust had cleared enough to this point that I could see the blackness approaching. I released my hold on the ground curling into a ball accepting my fate.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Jocelynn

I watched the sun rise over the airfield. The star was an eclipsing binary, two stars circling one another. The bright blue giant created most of the heat for this system, while the smaller yellow dwarf intensified or detracted from the light put off, depending on its place in the orbit. But the effect was this green glow that cut through the atmosphere giving the world an almost eerie feeling at this time of day. This far out from the stars, Harden could barely be seen. Gavin 9 was really a moon that orbited a gas giant planet and was never more than fifteen degrees Celsius on the hottest day. I pulled my black cloak closer around me. I saw the ship I had contracted, powering up. The captain walked around the outside checking it. The trip to Harden was an easy one.

I kept my hood shadowing my face as vids of the coronation would be on replay as well as me shaking hand with every delegate in the system and I dreaded to think what more. I had played my role with Phillip well, but he would wake up and not remember most of the evening. I wasn’t sorry.

I would be lucky not to be spotted getting out of Harden’s main city. But it was a risk I had to take. I knew the Baron would follow the trail, cold or not, so I had to stay a few steps ahead of him, at all times.

“Everything is set. You have the funds?” He said the last as “foons”.

I resisted the urge to laugh and offered him the first of the credits. He took it, opening it to inspect them. When he was satisfied I breathed easier.

“The rest before you step foot off my ship, girly.”

“When we have landed safely you can have the rest.” I picked up my bag, and he made no offer to carry it from me. It was nice to not be made to feel helpless.

He trudged up the gangway, and people moved at his command as he took the bridge of the massive ship. He had an art to the way he set things in motion, more like conducting an orchestra than the cold command I was used to on a ship. His people worked seamlessly, and the ship lifted off as I took my seat. The scale of the ship was about half what I normally flew on, but it had a massive bridge, as well as all of the same facilities. I wouldn’t need to venture into a cabin as the trip would only take most of the day at Light2.

The view screen took on the view of the sky, artificially projected and enhanced on the main screen. We broke through the clouds, and I could see the greenish halo of the atmosphere. Captain Vex called for full power as we approached to break through the hold of it. My fingers tightened around the arms of the chair, and my heart started to race. I was really doing this. I was really getting away.

We edged closer to my escape, and soon we would be out of radio communication, out of even the possibility of being stopped and searched before we left. It was one of the reasons I’d picked dawn as a departure time. The customs agents were lazy, either just ending their shift, or just starting. I never thought for a minute he bought my story of legit business, but it covered both our asses. The closer we got to the green shimmer, the more relaxed I became. We would get through the outer defense shield soon, and then there was nothing between me and Madden.

I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I was holding when we passed through. Vex called himself for clearance through the shield, and they granted him immediate departure. I squealed to myself. For all my planning and nerves, this had turned out to be a smooth ride. I laid my head back against the rest and closed my eyes. In a moment I would feel the Light2 drive kicking in.

“Captain, we are getting a call from Gavin central command,” one of the men in front of the viewing screen said.

“Are we past the shield?” Vex returned, and I could feel his eyes on me.

Ice ran through my heart, spreading out through my veins. They knew I was gone.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Jocelynn

The heat burned my skin through the wrap I wore. I pulled the cowl further up to hide my face. The sun blazed eighteen hours a day here this time of year, and was just setting. The winter palace was in the same system, but the temperature difference was striking. I kept my head down as I walked, trying to avoid any attention my clothes already brought to me. I was dressed far too nice for this part of town, and the fine cloak was the least of my concerns. When Madden had explained where he came from I never pictured this. On all my tours to Harden I’d stayed in the nicer areas where all the metals were polished and the streets were free of sand. Here, everything had a layer of sandy Ore covering it. It was pushed into all the corners against the buildings, and the metals were dull and worn. The dry wind carried a microscopic film coating me as I walked.

Two men watched me as I walked toward where Madden had told me he lived. Their eyes trailed down my black cloak. I was so stupid. The fabric gave me away. I hadn’t even thought when I’d had it commissioned. On Trenton it wasn’t anything unusual, but here it was a sore thumb.

“Are you crazy?” I was grabbed roughly and pulled down an alleyway.

I tried to pull away. “Let go of me.”

The grip was like iron, so I spun aiming my fist at his throat. But he countered my move twisting my arm behind my back and shoving me into a wall. I gasped in pain as my eyes watered.

His hot breath blew down my ear. “Shut up.”

I struggled for a breath still fighting against him. “I’ll scream. Let me go.”

“So you want those guys to find you?” He released me. “Then you deserve what you have coming.”

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of the two men passing by the mouth of the alley. They peered down. Instinctively, I leaned closer to the man who had grabbed me. He pressed his hands into the wall behind me shielding me with his body, the air between us stagnant and raising the already sweltering heat.

“You need to do better,” he said under his breath, barely loud enough for me to hear him.

I didn’t allow myself to look over at the men who I could hear still standing in the mouth of the alley. What would Jacob do? I swallowed looking up at the young man. Under the caked on sand and dirt he was handsome. Blond hair which looked like it had been cut with a dull knife. It was slicked up with dirt. His hair extended down his face in a patchy beard, also heavily soiled. I closed my eyes, giggling louder than normal like I had too much drink as I squirmed into him.

His lips turned up at the corners as he used both hands to push down my hood exposing my neck. He lowered his face to my neck, rubbing his facial hair over the sensitive skin there. I thrust a hand into his hair yanking hard as I pressed my body into his.

“Looks like you can act.” He nipped at my ear, and his large chest rumbled into mine with a laugh.

I tightened my hand in his hair turning into his to speak in a whisper. “Why are we doing this?”

“Don’t scream.” He said then grabbed me by the ass, picking me up off the ground to wrap my legs around his waist.

I bit back my scream, letting out a tiny squeal. I was sure I felt his arousal against me, but I ignored it.

Footsteps echoed around the entrance of the alley, and it took everything for me not to look in their direction. He pulled back to meet my gaze. His eyes weren’t blue, but the distinct silver that only came from working the mines. He held onto me long after the sounds of the men faded into this distance.

“Why are you here?” he said when he finally dropped me.

“I’m here to see someone.” I bit back my fear as I righted my cloak.

He scoffed. “I know who you are. I’ve seen your face, and more than that I know who you’re here to see.”

I took a step back and bumped into rough stone behind me. The clouds parted spilling light down on both of us.

“Jocelynn.”

“How do you know my name?” I glanced around. Who was he?

He grabbed me by the arm, dragging me deeper into the alley. I started to struggle. If he knew who I was, what would he do to get to my father? Panic clutched at my chest making it impossible to draw breath. His fingers tightened on my arm until I knew they would bruise my flesh. I was going to have a hard time explaining the marks in a dress. If I survived this. What was I thinking?

“Stop struggling. Had I wanted to kill you you’d be dead.” He wrenched me forward and I stumbled, but he kept me on my feet, weaving through the back streets.

“Who are you?” I kept fighting him. He knew me, but I had no idea who he was. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

When we ducked around a corner I caught him off guard and pulled out of his grasp, taking off. I was quick on my feet, and in the right shoes I got a lead on him. I glanced over my shoulder seeing him gaining on me. His blond hair almost glittered in the moonlight.

“Shit.” My breathing came in ragged gasps as I ducked my head to put on a burst of speed.

He slammed me into the wall of a building, keeping his body between me and my escape.

“If you run again I’ll knock you out and carry you. Understand me?” He grabbed me by the arm forcing me forward.

We didn’t walk long, and my heart was racing when we stopped in front of a black door. I looked over at him. “Where are we going?”

“He’s home. You’re lucky you caught him.” He scoffed. “Go see for yourself. If he isn’t dead from being left alone all day.”

My blood ran ice cold in my veins. He couldn’t be…

“What happened?” I demanded, setting my hands on my hips as I turned on him.

He scoffed. “You happened. He was happy before you.”

I turned on him and ran to the door.