Trapped: A SciFi Convict Romance (The Condemned Book 1) (15 page)

He closed his eyes, his whole body folding in on itself as he
sat back on his heels.

She was too angry to care.

She kicked out, hitting him square in the chest. He toppled
over the side of the bed.

Seizing the advantage as he’d taught her, she leapt off the
bed and stood over him. She knew he wouldn’t come after her again. That he’d
never really physically hurt her. It wasn’t in his nature. But pushing her
away—well, that apparently was in his blood.

“The Council might have marooned you on Dragath25, but you’re
the one making the sentence lonely and miserable. Look at this place.” She
flung her hands outward. “It’s like a jail cell. And the only time you let
yourself feel good is during sex. You’re punishing yourself for no good
reason.”

He snarled up at her. “You’ve been on this damn planet for
less than two weeks. You think you have the right to judge? Dragath25 is one of
the most dangerous places in the universe. You have to stay on guard all the
time or you’ll be dead.”

“What an excellent justification. But staying on guard
against outside elements isn’t the same as guarding yourself against any kind
of joy or happiness. Against another person.”

He bristled, jumping to his feet, forcing her to stumble
back. “I’m not sure what you’re complaining about. Our deal was protection for
pleasure. I’m fulfilling that and then some.”

“You’re right.” A wave of pain swept through her. “You
promised me nothing else. And you’ve given me all you agreed to and more.” She
took a step back. And then another. “I’ll always be grateful for how you saved
me and my colleagues. I’ll always be grateful for your patience and your
kindness when you could have used force and taken without giving anything in
return. But I won’t stay with you if fear is all you can offer.”

His hands fisted by his side. “You’re making a mistake. It’s
too dangerous for you out there without me.”

“Maybe so, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. We could have
forged something great here on Dragath25, but you won’t let that happen.” Her
hand closed over the door latch. She looked back, taking one last look at the
room where she’d been surprisingly happy these last few days. “Looks like I
lied about the anything part, huh?”

His haunted gaze met hers.

“Good-bye,
Caine
. Be safe. I truly
wish you only the best. You may not believe it but, Dragath25 criminal or not,
you deserve it.”

Chapter Eighteen

“I like you bent over like that, Cadet West. Gives a man
ideas.”

Ignoring Pogue’s crude comments, Bella slid her hands a
little farther under the heavy boulder and heaved. No luck. It didn’t budge.
After almost a week, her sprained ankle was pretty much healed, but that didn’t
mean she could lift such a huge rock by herself.

She swallowed her pride. “Any chance you can grab the other
side of this rock? I need to stack it with the others.”

“No way.” Pogue’s gaze lifted to the sky. “I’m not doing a
damn thing to discourage the rescue team’s arrival.”

“Even if it means their deaths?” She’d told him a hundred
times about
Caine’s
explanation for what had happened
to their ship and what might happen to the next that tried to land.

“Just because you’re willing to believe the ravings of a
prisoner stuck too long on this planet doesn’t mean I have to.”

He’d been against her idea from the start. Only Winthrop’s
backing had saved her project from being dismantled while she watched.

Maybe Pogue was right. But she didn’t think so. Which was
why, despite Pogue’s displeasure, she was so intent on using the rocks to spell
out a warning. Sure, it was ridiculously low tech, but at least it was
something—and something was better than doing nothing.

“Will you at least help me improve our camp’s defenses?” She
kept hoping she would find a way to lessen tensions between her and Pogue. “I’d
like to use the leftover rocks to narrow the cave entrance.” She wanted to be
prepared for anything—especially a future on Dragath25. Bleak as it now seemed
without
Caine
in her life.

She rubbed at her chest. Darn thing wouldn’t stop aching.
Maybe
Caine
had been right all along. Maybe Dragath25
wasn’t the kind of place that brought anything but pain.

 
Not that she was
simply going to curl up and wait to die.

She carried a spear with her everywhere she went. It might
not have been as strong or well-made as
Caine’s
, but
it would get the job done against beast or man. She’d even managed to catch one
scrawny Elkin, though that had probably been more luck than skill.

She was still waiting on Pogue’s answer when a shadow fell
over her. Her heart gave a tiny leap before she could stop it. Stupid thing was
always doing that even though it had been a week now and still no
Caine
. That particular organ didn’t seem able to accept it
wouldn’t be seeing him again.

But out of sight didn’t mean out of mind. She still intended
to do everything in her power to have his sentence absolved if she and her crew
were, by some miracle, actually rescued. No matter how things had ended between
them,
Caine
was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die
on Dragath25. Protecting him had become as essential to her as safeguarding her
siblings and all the others depending on her and this mission to save them from
famine and death. Fortunately, the seeds of a plan had finally started to
germinate.

Shading her eyes against the sun, she looked back at the
source of the shadow and forced a smile. “Hello, Dr. Winthrop. How are you
feeling?” Things between them had been decidedly awkward since her return.

“Better, thanks.” He patted his chest, his movements stiff.
“The bandages are definitely working and the ribs holding.” His smile was
tentative. “Thanks to you, I’ll be back to one hundred percent very soon.”

“But not today,” taunted Pogue. He stepped forward, forcing
Winthrop back. Tension between the two officers was worse than ever. “Now,
where did you want this, Bella?” The reason for his sudden pretense of
cooperation obvious, he flexed his bare chest as he picked up the rock she’d
thought would require two people. “The Doctor here may not be able to get the
job done, but I can. Fact is, I can go as long as you need.”

Unfortunately for her, Pogue seemed to have an unending
supply of annoying innuendos.

She honestly wasn’t sure how best to handle the man. She
needed him and his guns, but it felt like a devil’s bargain. One that was
slowly unraveling. His smirk when she’d first returned had been irritating, but
the way he’d been looking at her since made her skin crawl. Like she was his
for the taking. And he followed her everywhere she went. Made crude comments
and promises whenever he could. She feared it wouldn’t be long before the last
of the Council influence disintegrated and he moved from innuendos to action.

Another reason she always had her spear at hand.

She’d wanted to steal a gun and strike out separately with
Winthrop and Ava, but they’d adamantly refused. Winthrop, with typical Council
arrogance, had assured her he could handle Pogue. While Ava was obsessed with
the soil on the nearby ridge—and growing more edgy with every day closer to the
rescue shuttle’s scheduled arrival. She’d become convinced that solving the
mysteries of Dragath25 soil held the key to not only saving Earth, but herself.

So, unless they changed their minds, Bella was stuck with
Pogue. She wasn’t leaving Winthrop and Ava again.

“Please bring the rock to the cave entrance.” Choosing to
capitalize on Pogue’s short-term willingness to cooperate, she picked up a
smaller rock and crab-walked it over to the cave to show him the exact
location. “I want to shrink the opening so that only one person can enter at a
time. It will make it too small for
tigos
to get
through and give us the chance to pick off any unwelcome human visitors one by
one.”

“Blood-thirsty.” Pogue dropped his rock and crowded in far
too close. “I knew you were more than a great piece of ass.”

“Get back.” Annoyed, she jammed her elbow into his side.

He didn’t even grunt. “Why?” His voice was an ugly growl.
“You only do lowlife convicts?”

“Officer Pogue,” Winthrop appeared behind them, his
expression full of righteous fury, “we may not be aboard a Council shuttle, but
protocol still applies. Watch yourself or the Council will be hearing about
more than your initial indiscretion.”

Pogue’s face turned bright, angry red. “I’d watch yourself,
too, Doc. This planet can be a dangerous place.” Then, with his threat hanging
in the air, he stalked off.

Bella watched him go, her unease growing.

“Sorry,” Winthrop’s apologetic stare was fixed on the
unfinished tower of rocks. “I didn’t mean to run him off when you needed help.”

“No, I’m grateful. He’s more aggressive every day.”

Winthrop ran a hand through his hair, his usual short Academy
haircut having been replaced by a long, shaggy look that made him appear all
the more boyish. “Damn planet is turning everyone into someone else. Savages,
criminals; it’s impossible to know who anyone is any more. And he probably
thinks because you were willing to fuck that convict, you’ll fuck anything.” He
flinched. “Not that I meant you….”

“No, it’s good to stop dancing around it.” She took a deep
breath. She would never be so blunt if they were still on Earth, but things had
changed.
She
had changed. “I’m sorry
you were disappointed by some of my recent choices, but I did what I thought
was best for me, my brother and sister, and you. I don’t regret it. Not for a
second.” She met his gaze straight on. “
Caine
isn’t
just some convict. He’s a good man.”

“So why didn’t you stay with him if he’s so great?”
Winthrop’s voice was tinged with anger.

“I wanted more than he could give.” It was weird to say it
aloud. She hadn’t even discussed it with Ava. It had felt too painful.
“Everyone is always saying Dragath25 is so different, but when it comes to
people, we’re the same any planet over. Same needs. Same stupid fights. Same
ability to get mad and wound each other.”

Apparently, the more you cared about someone, the more
furious you were when they disappointed you—and the more stupid you behaved in
the aftermath.

“I never had much luck at relationships back on Earth,” she
admitted. “I guess I should have realized going to a different part of the
universe wouldn’t change that. But that doesn’t mean
Caine
doesn’t deserve our help. He saved our lives. He should be allowed his as well.
”

Winthrop’s hand gripped hers. “What a mess.” Red shaded the
tips of his ears. “I thought we’d come here, find the answers we needed to save
Earth, and together, you and I would find fame and glory and…more.” His blush
grew deeper. “It was a foolish fantasy for an officer who’s been wrapped up in
his work too long.”

This time her smile was real. “It’s not a foolish fantasy.
You deserve all that and more.” She squeezed his hand. “You just need to find
the right girl.”

His expression sobered. “And get the hell off of Dragath25.”

She let out a long sigh. “If that’s even possible.” Her gaze
shifted to her pile of rocks before finding his. “Did you know before we left
that other ships had been brought down? That this mission might not be the
simple in and out you said?”

He kicked the dirt with his boot. “The Council informed me
there’d been trouble with a few past ships, but the cause of the crashes
weren’t known. There was no reason to believe it wasn’t pilot error. Or simple
bad luck. Certainly none clear cut enough reason to keep us from our
humanitarian mission.” His eyes were clear of deception and begged her to
understand. “I would never have put you in danger if I’d thought there was
really a chance we’d crash, too.”

“Thank you.” It would have to be enough. She and Winthrop
would never again have the clear-cut, protocol-sanctioned relationship that had
guided their interactions before the crash, but they were on their way to
building something more real.

“Try not to worry too much,” he urged. “The rescue team will
definitely be more cautious in their approach. Dismissing this latest crash as
pilot error won’t be so easy yet again.”

“How do we know they’ll come at all? Maybe they’ll decide
it’s too dangerous.”

“They’ll come. They know there is at least one Command
Council survivor.” The tips of his ears turned red again. “It’s why we put the
tracker in me as opposed to the ship. To contend with precisely this kind of
scenario. Not to mention that the Command Council is desperate to know what
we’ve found. It’s why they insisted I keep mum about the potential dangers of
this mission in the first place. I shouldn’t discuss Command Council business,
but they need this mission to succeed.” His voice dropped. “They’re nervous.
Too much more failure and famine and they’ll lose the hold they have on the
people.”

Such a tangled web.

She could only imagine how complicated it would become if the
Command Council learned replicating the same conditions on Earth as Dragath25
would be impossible without extensive water supplies. Not only would the race
be on to civilize and then strip Dragath25 of all its plants and soil, but all
its water as well. The Council would stop at nothing to protect their power and
add to their coffers. A scenario she didn’t think 225 and his pack would easily
allow. And
Caine
would be right in the middle of it
all.

She swallowed hard. At least now, thanks to Winthrop’s
revelations, she knew what she had to do.

Winthrop’s gaze shifted to the sky. “By my calculations,
they’ll be here any day now.” His expression brightened. “We’ll be able to go
home.”

“Not if the shuttle crashes.”

Winthrop was as bad as all the rest on this point. Despite
knowing about the previous crashes, he seemed almost deliberate in his refusal
to consider what would likely happen to the rescue shuttle when it tried to
find them. She’d witnessed it before with him. He preferred to bury his head in
the sand when the predicted outcome didn’t suit what he wanted.

But she couldn’t let him get away with it this time. After
all, she couldn’t save anyone, least of all
Caine
and
her siblings, if she couldn’t stop the rescue shuttle from crashing.

“We have to figure out how to warn them. We can’t just hope
for the best. Or think my pathetic pile of rocks spelling out danger will be
enough of a warning.” She didn’t think
Caine
would
stop working on his jammer, but she couldn’t know for sure—and even he hadn’t
been certain he could ever get it to work in the first place. “Let’s meet in an
hour to brainstorm more ideas. But first I’m going to bring some more rocks for
defense. You should have Ava check on your bandage. And tell her we’ve made up.
She worries about us all.”

She turned to go. His hand landed on her shoulder. “I don’t
want you to think what happened before…with that prisoner…matters. Once we get
off this hellhole, everything here will seem like a bad dream. Easily
forgotten.”

Her stomach turned over. She knew he meant his words as a
kindness, but what if she didn’t want to forget?
Caine
was a memory she intended to hold onto forever. And she was never going back to
the accepting lump she’d been under Command Council protocol. She understood
why Winthrop clung to the system. It served him well. But she wanted better for
her brother and sister. For herself.

“Pogue, come quick!” The panicked shout of one of the
soldiers drew her attention. Within seconds, she was hurrying to where the
soldiers had gathered. Winthrop right behind.

“What’s wrong?” Her words came out in a wheezing rush.

Pogue looked worried. “Ransom says he can't find Pratt or
Cadet Davies.”

“What?” She grabbed Ransom’s arm. A short squat guy with a
permanent blank stare, he was content to take orders and ask no question, the
perfect underling for Pogue. “Where did you last see them?”

“On the plateau.” Ransom pointed up and to the left. “I was
on watch.”

It was the small plateau they’d all climbed numerous times.
Ava had been particularly keen on collecting soil samples from there these last
couple of days. Dirt was her specialty, and she’d agreed that those reflective
mineral arrowheads might just be the most critical discovery of this mission.
Though Bella had noticed her colleague had also taken to just going up there to
stare at the sky, a haunted look on her face.