Knight, Dee S. - Bride of the Pryde (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (11 page)

“When was this?”

Charlie bunched his brows. “A year ago last October, Earth time.”

Susan tried to remember that long ago. Rumors had flown about that Jackal had managed to capture himself a cargo ship and kill the crew. Could he have been bragging about Erik and
Erik’s Pryde
?

In all her years working within the DAT, she’d never met anyone as cruel as Jackal. “How did you escape?”

He shrugged, looking as perplexed as she felt. “He let us go. He’d torn the ship all to hell. It’s a wonder she ever flew again. Even after that, she was in better shape than we were. Jackal and his men worked us over pretty well. Adam’s ability probably saved our lives.”

Charlie tipped his head and smiled. “It helps to know what punch your opponent is going to throw before he hits you. But Dilly was the real hero. He got us out of their space, repaired the ship, and acted as nurse until we were back to our old selves.”

“Why didn’t they short-circuit
him
while they were wrecking the ship?” she asked. She didn’t care how dry she sounded. Dilly was a thorn in her side.

“I hid,” the object of her derision said from behind her. “Discretion being the better part of valor.”

Hiding for self-protection went against everything she’d been taught, everything she believed in. Susan had spent her life fighting, first with her brothers and dad and then with anything that got in her way. She used whatever she needed in order to win—her looks, her brains, and even her body when necessary.

Funny, but under the influence of Pheron, for the first time in her life, she hadn’t wanted to fight. She had accepted the men as equals in their quest for relief from the drug’s effects. Again she asked herself why the drug acted differently on her than she had always expected.

“You hid instead of fighting?” she asked the bot.

“Indeed. Hiding meant I was around to do the things Charlie just told you about. Who would have taken care of them and the ship if I lay scattered about on the bridge?”

Susan held up her hands in surrender. “It’s not for me to say.”

“So true,” he said dryly.

Erik and Adam entered then. “We have decisions to make,” Erik said, pulling up a chair. “Adam and I have been looking at the course he plotted. I’ve contacted a buddy who will meet us on Alpha2. He’ll pay for most of the load and deliver it.” He focused on Charlie. “I’m sorry, but he won’t take the shipment to your brother. That bull is with us, whatever happens.”

Charlie nodded. “I understand.”

Erik continued, “My buddy knows how to deal with the Gov-men if they’re there looking for us. But what to do then? We can’t go back to Centre City this soon.”

“I don’t see how you can go anywhere. The DAT is looking for me,” Susan admitted for the first time, “and they will have spread word across the galaxy by now.”

“Can we hole up somewhere?” Charlie asked.

“I know of places,” Erik said, “but none that we can get to with our fuel limitations.”

Had she waited she might not have made the offer, but Susan spoke before she thought. After the shit she’d brought their way, she owed the men something. “I have a place where you can wait out the trouble.”

The men focused their attention on her. “Where?” Erik asked.

“Olympus III. I have a…well, call it a vacation home there.”

“A hideout,” Dilly said with a sneer. “Imagine that.”

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I’m just laying it out there as an alternative.”

“Olympus III is close enough that we could make it and still have enough power to make a fueling station when the Gov-men have backed off a bit,” Adam said quietly.

Susan tried to hide her feelings from the men. Yes, she owed them, but she resented having to offer up her bungalow, her only place away from the world, the one place she knew she would be safe, the one thing she had to herself. What was she doing, offering the crew her only refuge from the cesspools of the universe in which she worked?

She looked at Adam and saw her resentment reflected in his eyes as he studied her. His love for his mate shone there, too, making her ashamed.

“We will find another way,” Adam said. For him, their sex had meant so much, and with his understanding he had given her as much in return.

“No.” Taking a ragged breath, she unclenched her hands and said, “It’s all right. It’s the best choice.” She felt better immediately and smiled at him.

“Or…” Should she bring this up, knowing what she did about their capture last year? “We could take down Jackal and get your money.”

* * * *

“What did you say?” Erik asked. He shifted his gaze to Charlie but addressed Susan. “How do you know about the money?”

“Don’t blame Charlie. I asked about the ship, and he told me why you haven’t bought anything newer than”—she flailed her hands—“this.”

Erik sighed. He should have known someone would mention their run-in with Jackal sooner or later. Susan had that way about her. She revealed little but inspired others to talk. Or at least she inspired Charlie to talk. And Dilly. He’d never known the cyberbot to be so irascible or vocal.

She had Adam wrapped around her finger, too. There was something going on with them. Adam alluded to a mating or marriage or something more than just sex. What was that about? Hell, he had feelings for the woman himself beyond mere sex, but he wasn’t thinking about
marrying
her.

He looked at Susan. “What do you know about Heron?”

“A great deal, actually. I worked there. In fact, I worked with Jackal.”

“
What?
” God damn it! Erik would have bet everything he owned and loved—he would have bet his ship—that Susan was a decent person. But not if she worked with that bastard, Jackal. He’d have her off his ship so fast she wouldn’t know what hit her, and then he’d be in touch with the DAT. If they wanted her, by God, they could have her.

He shook off Adam’s hand on his arm. He realized the conversation was still going on around him, blocked by his anger and feelings of betrayal.

“…trying to find out who controlled the Pheron trade,” Susan was saying. “To my knowledge, the drug doesn’t act as it has on us. It releases inhibitions, yes, but most often in violent ways. I can’t tell you how many rapes and murders have been put down to Pheron. And it’s becoming rampant on Earth. That’s why I was there.”

Realizing his mistake, Erik’s emotions did a double turn. “Good God, woman.” He exploded from his chair and scraped his hand across his head, ruffling his hair. “Do you know how dangerous that is?”

Susan burst out in laughter. Adam smiled, and Charlie cackled.

“Guess that was a dumb-ass question,” Erik said, smiling sheepishly. “But I don’t like the idea of you in that situation. Why, you’re a woman.”

“Something you’ve already proven for yourself a couple of times,” Dilly put in with a completely straight face.

“Shut up, Dilly,” Erik said automatically. “So, if you’re one of the good guys for the DAT, why are they after you?”

She held her hands palm up in question. “I have no idea. That is, I think it has to do with the Pheron. Jackal didn’t know I was DAT, I’m sure. It had to be someone on Earth, and only a few people knew I was there.” She shook her head. “I think all of them are dead.”

He studied Susan. “Then who betrayed you is what we’ll need to figure out before going back to Centre City. And there’s one person who can help with that.”

To say he didn’t worry about coming face to face with Jackal again would be a lie. But Erik already would have gone back for his money if he hadn’t wanted to keep Charlie and Adam away from a situation that had almost killed them before. Now he had a secret weapon. The odds were ever so slightly in their favor. “Knowing Jackal and his gang of cutthroats, what do you have in mind?”

“Nothing, specifically.” She bit her nail and stared at the wall. “But what if I could get back inside? Actually…They’re expecting me in a week or so. Jackal thinks I’ve been called to Earth for a family emergency.”

“How can we get you there?” Erik paced back and forth. “The asshole knows the ship.”

“Captain,” Charlie said, “we can’t let her go back. Not now.”

“What do you mean, ‘not now’?” Susan faced Charlie, a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

He blushed. “I mean not when you mean something to us. It’s up to us to pro—”

“Don’t you dare say
protect
me,” she spit out. Her lips formed a thin line, and the gleam in her eyes turned to fire. “Charlie, I know what I’m doing. I’ve protected my
self
for a good many years.”

“You were alone then. You aren’t now.”

Her expression changed immediately, softening. From one second to the next, she shifted from a blazing warrior to gentleness. Her eyes glistened. Erik never would have imagined the brash woman who boarded his ship only a few hours ago to be capable of crying at the words of a young pilot. That drug really had changed them. Too bad the effects would soon wear off. Even with the prospect of squaring off against Jackal and the battle that might loom ahead, at that moment he wanted nothing more than to bend her over the table and sink his dick into her wet, warm pussy. Or simply hold her. He wasn’t sure which would feel the best.

Charlie looked at Susan. “I’ll help if that’s what you want. But if there’s trouble, know that I’ll do
any
thing to make sure you get out.” When they met—hell, just a few moments ago—Susan would have ranted that she didn’t need the man’s help. Now she smiled.

Poor Charlie. The kid was an open book. Obviously, he was already half in love with Susan. And Erik had to admit, her smile
did
hold sunshine. She should do it more often. But then, he might find himself coming under her spell, too. Bad enough that his exec and lieutenant were both wrapped up in her.

“There’s not much we can do to disguise
Erik’s Pryde
. They’ll know us, which will compromise you.”

“You’re right,” she said. “We have to come up with a story.”

“Far be it for a
steward
to have an imaginative idea,” Dilly said dryly, “but why not say that she was trying to esca
pe being
arre
sted—”
He cast Susan an ironic look, brows raised. “I’m sure there are many scenarios from which to choose. She stowed away, and by the time we realized it, the law was already after us. Too late to turn back, so we promised to deliver her to Heron for a substantial reward.” Everyone stared, dumbfounded.

“Dilly, have I ever told you that you have strokes of genius?” Erik clapped him on the back.

“Not often enough,” the bot replied.

“The first thing the DAT tells undercover agents is to stick as close to the truth as possible.” She frowned at Dilly. “It’s not very imaginative, but the story might work, especially when Jackal hears I offered you a ton of money. Money is everything to him.” She grinned. “And a ton of money
is
what I’m promising you.”

Erik thought for a moment, never taking his eyes off her. “We’ll vote on this. It could mean all our lives. Adam?”

“We go.”

“Charlie?”

“I don’t like it, but I agree. We go.”

“Dilly?”

Susan frowned. “The bot-steward gets a vote?”

“The bot gets a vote,” Dilly said and then raised his brows as though daring her to contradict. “I say we let her go.”

“Do I assume you say go, Susan?”

“I’m not a crewmember, just a passenger, Erik.”