Rebel Souls (13 page)

Elbows. Fists. Blood. “Enough.” She leapt onto the bunk to avoid them. Brodie pulled his laser. Seth grabbed his hands, keeping its business end from his face. They rolled the other way again. A bolt misfired and hit the ceiling, leaving a blast mark and red hot metal steaming where it impacted. Ava looked up. “Gods damn it, you’re wrecking my ship!”

That or they’d kill each other—her—the baby
. Her hand dropped to cover her belly. Too much was at stake to let this continue. Ava glanced around for anything to stop them. Another shot went off and hit the wall near her shelf.

She dashed for the latrine and a cup she kept there. She filled it with icy water and ran back into the room, tossing it on them. It neither slowed them down, nor cooled them off, but it did cause Seth’s grip on the weapon to slip.

And it was all Brodie needed. He ended up on top, wresting the laser free. Seconds later, he had the barrel pressed against Seth’s forehead. The Regulator lifted his hands by his ears.

“So, you like fucking my wife?”

“Very much.”

Oh crap
. Ava snatched her boot-knife off the shelf, desperate to stop what was coming. From that point forward, everything seemed to go in slow motion.

“I’m sorry about this, Ava, but he can’t be a part of our world. I didn’t want to do this in front of you,” Brodie said, glaring at the Regulator. “He’s too dangerous.” The laser whined as it charged to fire.

On instinct, Ava put all her weight behind it and threw the knife. It flew straight at Brodie’s right shoulder, embedding just shy of his lung.

The laser dropped from his hand. He turned his head, eyed the blade buried to the hilt, and returned his gaze to Ava, devastation on his face. “You stuck me, Duchess,” he whispered and staggered to his feet, his left hand cradling his injured arm.

“You were going to kill him.” Her heart squeezed in her chest.
My gods, what have I done?

He gave her a sad smile and then spat blood at Seth, stumbling toward the door. “When you’re done playing with this bastard, you know where to find me.” He exited the room, the door sliding shut behind him.

“No.” Ava ran for the door. The Regulator was already on his feet. He hooked her waist and spun her around, pressing her back against the closed door. She kicked and struggled but didn’t get anywhere. After a minute of fighting, she blew out a breath and looked Seth in the eyes. “Release me.” She had to go after him—beg forgiveness. She couldn’t let their friendship end like this.

“Let him go.”

“I hurt him.” Emotionally and physically. She’d never seen Brodie look so lost. Defeated.

“He’d have killed me.” He held her gaze, daring her to deny it. “You saved my life.”

Ava’s eyes filled with tears. She hadn’t wanted to hurt Brodie, but she didn’t want him to shoot Seth either. How could she have allowed herself to get into this situation? To hurt a man who’d been there all her life, for a man who would arrest her if he’d knew what she’d done and still intended to do one last time, a man who was also the father of her child.

Seth pulled her against his chest and stroked her hair. “You missed major organs. He’ll survive the wound.”

She nodded and blinked away the tears. Yes, he would. Seth spoke the truth. Brodie didn’t break easy, and it would take more than a knife in his shoulder to take him out. But that wasn’t what tore her up. She’d lost some of his trust, his friendship when she’d chosen Seth over him. She’d never get that back. Inside she hurt as if she’d been the one stuck with the knife.

Seth raised his com to his mouth. “I need an all-points bulletin out on a fugitive named Brodie Mark, for assault on a League officer with intent to kill. Last seen in the Blue District. Contact the local authorities. I want a warrant, and I want him in custody.”

Ava’s heart jumped. He couldn’t, wouldn’t let Brodie go. “Seth, please.”

He shook his head. “I’m a Regulator first, Ava. He’s a killer. I can’t overlook this or let him go.” He fixed her with a stern look. “Don’t ask that of me.”

She nodded, only agreeing because they wouldn’t find Brodie if he didn’t want to be found. Gods, she’d tried for years and had finally given him up for dead. He’d be safe. But why couldn’t Seth just let him go? Couldn’t he understand what drove Brodie to act the way he had? He loved her and had lost her to another man.

“He only did it because he loves me.”

“Then he should have thought about that before he ran off with my tech officer.”

Ava swallowed. “Is this true?”

“I would never lie to you, Ava.”

But she’d lied to him, continued to hide things from him.
Why did love have to be so complicated
?

Chapter Ten

Seth stroked her cheek with his thumb and stared into her eyes. “I want to take you out. Show you the man outside the Regulator.” In a short time, Captain Frost had come to mean more to him than he’d ever dreamed she could. He envisioned a future, with her in his arms, maybe a couple of children, retirement, and their own home—maybe here on New Xiera.

“You didn’t need to call the locals on him.” She pulled her face away and stared at the damned door where the Underground leader had exited. The pain in her eyes told him she wanted to chase Brodie and fix things between them.

Not happening
. That bastard had his chance and threw it away. Seth didn’t share, and he wasn’t about to back off a second time to give the fuck-up a chance to patch up what they’d had before. This time he’d be the one to stake claim. He’d seen the emotion in her eyes when they’d made love. This thing between them had grown into something much more than a casual encounter, and gods, for once in his life he wanted it to be. He wanted to show her he could make her happy, give her what she needed and that he’d be there for her anywhere, anytime she needed him.

He slid his palm down her arm, grabbed her hand, and lifted her fingers to his lips to give them a soft kiss. “Put something comfortable on, but nice enough to go out somewhere special.” He released her, popped the hatch to her cabin, and stepped outside. Turning around, he leaned against the frame, keeping the hatch open. “I want to show you something.”

“Seth, I…. Can we just call it a day?”

How could she call it a day? The star had just risen and morning had yet to start. No way would he leave her here to sulk and blame herself for the Rebel leader’s injury. Brodie brought it on himself. “No. I want to show you something you’ve missed, the beauty of this world.”

“I grew up here. I’m aware of the beauty.”

“Have you ever seen the star rise from the embassy balcony? Or watched the light as it hit the mountains in the distance. Most of all, have you done it with a lover beside you, soaking in the romance of this world?”

She bit her lip and shook her head.

He smiled. “You’ve spent most your life here and call New Xiera home, but you’ve never really
lived
here, have you? I don’t know what this is between us, but I want to explore it further. I have three weeks left of my leave, and I don’t want to spend it chasing Brodie Mark. I want to spend it with you, watching the star rise and fall, dancing to erotic music in the hottest clubs,
living
my life, here with you. I want to show you I can be more than a Regulator.”

“One moment, then.” She gave him a smile. “I can’t say no when you ask like that.”

***

They strolled down the walk, hand in hand. The smell of freshly baked bread floated in the air from one of the many bakeries that sat along Market Street. Still early in the morning, the late night partiers hadn’t risen yet, and New Xiera had taken on the calm serenity of a world waking from pleasant dreams.

Various wild birds and flying lizards of brilliant colors drifted on the breeze blowing off the sea. Their soft songs floated in the air in a musical lilt that made her heart and soul feel light.

Merchants began to set their products out, chattering with co-workers and family while they worked. An elderly couple cuddled up on the edge of a fountain, tossing crumbs to colorful fishes swimming in the water, whispering to each other with adoration on their faces.

A friendly nod here—a smile there. It all seemed so new, so different than she remembered. Ava had always been in a hurry, not really taking the time to enjoy what New Xiera offered and as Seth had pointed out, never sharing it with a lover. Even when he’d followed her from the beach, she’d been too distracted by him tailing her, to think about what was before her.

Bright colored fabric awnings rolled out from the sides of the tall buildings, shading wares from the heat of the star that would come mid-day. They passed a farmer riding a glider, pulling a cart full of fruit. He gave a gracious nod as he passed, calling out a friendly greeting. A citrus and berry smell followed in his wake.

The street was covered with brilliant-colored stone tiles. The opalescent colors were carefully laid out, creating mosaic patterns that danced when light illuminated them. Patterns of local flowers, vegetation, and wildlife wound along the street in a graceful stone tapestry. The masterpieces could be admired from above as ships approached the city to dock, on foot as lovers strolled across them, or from the tops of the towering buildings, kissing the clouds.

“Hungry?” Seth asked and tugged her toward one of the bakeries.

“Starved.”

He strode up to a smiling woman and nodded at several sweet rolls wrapped in paper cones with icing and cream drizzled over them. He lifted a finger and pressed a credit into her palm. She handed Seth one of the sweet breads.

“Thank you,” Seth said in Old Xieran dialect, one Ava hadn’t heard in a while.

“You’re welcome,” the woman replied in Terran, showing him he couldn’t fool her with his accent, no matter how well he spoke the language.

“You speak the old language?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me that I want to share,” he said. They strolled away to a courtyard and found a seat overlooking the bay. Ava reached for her bread, and Seth pulled it back. “You’re not supposed to feed yourself lover’s bread.” He plucked a piece from the cone and lifted it to Ava’s lips so she could take a bite. “The pleasure is in the giving as much as the receiving.”

She smiled and accepted the treat from his fingers, closing her eyes and groaning. “Gods, that’s delicious. I can’t believe I grew up here, and I’ve never had it. My mother and father never allowed me to leave the Blue District, and then later, after they died, I was lucky to get away from the ship. My uncle kept a pretty tight rein on me.”

“So your parents died when you were young.”

Ava frowned. “Yes. Their ship got caught in Nexian and Rebel crossfire.” She kept that they were one of the Rebel ships to herself, not wanting to volunteer too much of her past, something that could be used against her in the future. She wanted to trust him with details of her past, but there were some bones that should remained buried. Moving forward would be impossible without leaving them behind.

And she would. After this last run, she’d retire. Brodie was a fool to believe that the revolution would end, and that his form of violence would bring peace.

Fact was, she was tired, wanted something more than the perpetual pain the revolution had inflicted. She wanted to raise her child free of the violence, with parents who’d loved as deeply as hers had. Seth was her future. Never had that been clearer than now.

He nodded but didn’t probe. “I, too, lost my parents when I was young. It’s why I chose to become a Regulator. My grandfather was a Regulator. I traveled all over the galaxy with him, but I think this was his favorite destination. We often came here when he had leave. He never told me why, but years later I figured out he had a woman in this port. He always left smiling, and every time he saw New Xiera from space, he glowed. Love has that effect on people.” He used his thumb to brush a crumb from the corner of her mouth.

She looked into his eyes, pondering his words. Had he just claimed to have fallen in love with her? The words sat on her tongue, and as she opened them to ask, he stepped closer, his lips a scant breadth from hers. “Gods, you’re so beautiful.” He captured her lips, kissing her softly. The combination of sweet bread and his kiss sent a buzz through her body. Ava’s mouth fell open, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Nothing but the two of them existed in the moment.

As quickly as he kissed her, Seth pulled away. He tore another piece of the wonderful bread free and slid it along her lower lip, waiting for her to open up and take it.

“I’m really enjoying myself,” she said and sucked his fingers in her mouth along with the bait he’d held, letting the moment take her toward bliss.

“You keep that up and you’ll be enjoying the view of the ceiling in my room.”

She released his fingers, slowly sliding her mouth off, giving him a wicked smile as they popped free. “Promise?” Ava licked her lip.

“I promise that, and so much more.” He grabbed her hand. “But, we have places to go, things to do, and a lifetime ahead of us. I don’t want to rush anything.”

A lifetime
. Gods that sounded wonderful. Ava tipped her head back and laughed. “Ah, Legatus Reynolds, you’re such a tease.”

“Ava, I’ve been meaning to….” His com beeped. Seth lifted it and sighed. “I have to go.”

“Now? I thought you wanted to spend the day exploring.”

“I do, but they’ve caught a Rebel Nexian ship outside New Xieran space. My presence is required for interrogation.” He frowned. “We’ve been looking for a shipment of quadradium, and this could be a break in the investigation.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

“Initially—yes.” He handed her the bread. “Can we finish this tonight?”

She nodded. Seth gave her a tender kiss before turning and walking away.

Shit
. They knew the Rebels had it, but what they didn’t know was it was already on the planet. Could Brodie have called for the freighter to get it out of the city? She tossed the bread in a waste disintegrator and lifted her com. “Brodie, we need to talk.”