Stolen By Raze (Grabbed Book 4)

by Lolita Lopez

  Ella’s pouty lips flattened into an irritated line. “I don’t do pleasure, Raze.”

  From what he had pieced together of her life, he had a terrible feeling that she had only ever experienced sexual contact in the worst of ways. Seeing the fresh bruises blossoming on her body, he wondered how many others that rotten shit George had put on her during their tangled history. There were so many things he didn’t know about her—but this wasn’t the time to interrogate her about her past.

  “You listen to me, Elladee.” He tilted her chin so that they were sharing a pointed gaze. “When you’re with me, you will know pleasure. I promise you that you will never ask me to hurry up and finish. You’ll beg me to keep going because I’m going to make you come harder than you ever have in your life.”

  Ella gulped. She reached up and grasped his wrist. Her thin fingers felt so good on his skin. “I want to believe you.”

  “You don’t have to take this on faith, Ella. I’m going to prove it to you.”

  The barest hint of a smile curved her sweet mouth. Feeling like this was finally the right moment, he leaned down to claim her with a tender kiss. But just as their lips were separated by a breath of space, the pounding at the door began. Angry voices echoed in the hallway, and he could hear Orion shouting at Cipher to bust the door open now.

  Growling, he pushed Ella behind him, placing his body between hers and the door.

  “No, Raze.” She grasped his upper arm and stepped back in front of him. “You’ve spent the night keeping me out of trouble. Now it’s my turn to protect you.”

  Before he could protest, the door burst open and Orion stormed into the room. Vicious was only a step behind. Swift came through the door next. Cipher hesitated in the hallway, seemingly unsure whether he should retreat or come inside as backup for Raze.

  Orion wasn’t an easy man to piss off. His ability to stay cool under fire was legendary, but right now, he looked ready to kill. “You have exactly ten seconds to explain yourself before I have the ship’s security haul you down to the brig.”

  “You’ll have to take me with him,” Ella interjected before Raze could say a word. Scowling at her for getting involved in something she didn’t understand, he silently urged her to be quiet and let him handle this. Ignoring him, she moved in front of him, effectively shielding him from the two superior officers and the pilot who wanted to take her.

  “Raze and I have been together since Dizzy and Venom’s wedding.” The lie left her mouth so easily.

  It was a believable lie. They had been seen alone on the beach, and they had spent time together during the wedding and reception. It was entirely plausible that they had spent the night together at that seaside hotel.

  Squaring her shoulders, she faced off with Orion. “Raze didn’t steal me. He didn’t need to steal me. You can’t steal someone that already belongs to you.”

  Seemingly stunned by Ella’s revelation, Orion turned his attention toward him. “Is this true? Are you involved with this woman?”

  Raze confirmed Ella’s story with a nod. “Yes.”

  “Raze, why didn’t you say something before this? Why didn’t you tell me that you were seeing this woman?” Vicious demanded.

  “I didn’t want him to say anything,” Ella cut in quickly. “I’m in a very delicate position in The City. If word got out that I was involved with one of your soldiers? It wouldn’t end well for me.” Clearly expecting their continued line of questioning, she added, “And then we got on this ship and everything went to hell in about five seconds. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise while you two,” she motioned toward Orion and Vicious, “were trying to give me away like the prize pig at the fall fair.”

  Both men looked duly chastised by that comment.

  Orion spoke first. “If I made you feel that way, I apologize. It was never my intention.” Exhaling loudly, he clasped his hands behind his back. “But this only further complicates things, Raze. Whether you have a prior relationship or not, she was promised to Swift. Unless there’s a contract between the two of you, she’s still legally free for the Grab. You know how this works.”

  “Orion,” Vicious growled. “You cannot be serious.”

  Orion shot a sidelong glance at the general. “She’s a young, healthy woman of childbearing age. Swift is a strong, talented, loyal pilot with more valor points than Raze—”

  “Only because Raze was docked points during his Discard proceedings!” Vicious protested.

  Hearing these two superior officers discussing his greatest humiliation like this was almost too much for Raze to bear. His wounded pride had never really recovered and the salt in that still raw wound burned badly.

  As if sick of listening to the bickering, Ella stepped forward and raised her voice. “I can’t have children!”

  Every gaze in that room snapped to her face. Raze’s stomach dropped at her announcement. Was it true? Was she infertile? If she was, that changed everything.

  Vicious and Orion looked her over as if in disbelief. Orion spoke first. “How do you—?”

  “I’ve been pregnant before,” she admitted, her face hot with embarrassment. Raze couldn’t imagine how hard it was for her to admit that. In her world and theirs, pregnancy outside of a marriage was so taboo. “It…it didn’t end well. I can’t have children because of the complications.”

  “Are you sure?” It was Swift who asked the question now. His stormy expression had turned to one of disappointment.

  She nodded. “I’m sure.”

  Swift’s mouth settled into a grim line. Addressing the admiral, he stated, “I don’t want her if she can’t give me sons.”

  Ella flinched at the harsh remark, and Raze hated himself for putting her in this position. Not wanting her to feel alone or vulnerable, he captured her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I still want her.”

  Orion frowned. “They won’t let you keep her, Raze. If she can’t have children, she won’t pass the med check.”

  Vicious grunted. It was no secret that his mate had been struggling to conceive. “You let me handle that, Orion.” Eyeing their entwined hands, the general asked, “Will you consent to a medical check tonight?”

  Ella probably didn’t want anyone poking around on her body, but she seemed to understand there was no other choice. Reluctantly, she nodded. “I’ll consent.”

  “I’ll take them myself,” Vicious decided. Like a father about to scold a child, he settled his disappointed gaze on Raze. “We aren’t done here. Not by a long shot.”

  Fully aware he had put Vicious in a terrible position, he gently untangled his hand from Ella’s and walked over to Swift and Orion. From the corner of his eye, he could see Vicious stiffen, as if expecting the worse. Venom’s warning from earlier that morning came to mind. He should have listened to his best friend and kept his temper in check.

  Raze placed his hand over his heart, his palm flat and his fingers extended in the sign of apology, and bowed his head. Swift and Orion both reacted with surprise at the sight. In their culture, to bow a head to another man was the ultimate sign of apology and contrition. “I was wrong. I should not have struck Swift or stolen Ella. It was unbecoming conduct for an officer in my position.”

  Swift cleared his throat and admitted, “I shouldn’t have taken her like that. I shouldn’t have caused her to fall and injure herself. I should have shown more self-control.”

  When Raze lifted his head, Orion seemed appeased. The admiral nodded at them. “This ends here. No bad blood. No feuds. I don’t want to hear even a whisper of friction between the Sky Corps and the Land Corps again. You two are leaders, and you need to act like them,” he chastised. “We’re at war. We don’t have time for this petty bullshit. Understand?”

  Raze and Swift nodded and answered in unison, “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Because if we have any more problems, I’ll bust you down to prison transports with Hazard,” he warned Swift. “And you?” He eyed Raze with a warning scowl. “I’ll vent you right off th
is ship.”

  Orion gestured for Swift to follow him and they left the office. Vicious waited until they were alone to plant a finger in Raze’s chest. His jaw tight, he stated, “This was your one chance, Raze. Don’t disappoint me again.”

  “Yes, sir.” Guilt soured his stomach. He had abused his friendship with Vicious tonight, and it would take a long time to earn back that trust.

  “Get things settled with Cipher and the rest of your squad,” Vicious ordered. “Then we’ll go to med check.”

  Certain that Ella was safe with Vicious, Raze stepped into the hallway to give Cipher his instructions. He relayed those orders to the Alpha team and made sure they understood that his beef with Swift was finished. Confident his men would finish the job at hand without another problem, he ordered them to resupply and hit their racks once they were released from escort duty. They were all expected back in the SRU headquarters for Grab detail in less than seven hours.

  Taking Ella’s hand, he guided her out of the office and down the hall, trailing Vicious. They traversed the limited access hallways of the ship, using the general’s clearance to steer clear of the more public areas on their way to the med bay.

  When they reached the infirmary, Risk was waiting for them. Did that man ever sleep? He seemed to be always on-call and always at hand.

  “General. Raze.” Risk addressed both of them before smiling at Ella. “Miss Ella,” he greeted warmly. “I’m not sure if you remember me from Dizzy and Venom’s wedding?”

  “I remember you.” She held out her hand to shake, but Risk glanced at Raze before touching her, silently seeking his permission. It was the first public acknowledgment that he was now responsible for and owned her. Noticing the irritated set to Ella’s mouth, Raze quickly gave Risk the permission he sought with a nod.

  After shaking Ella’s hand, Risk motioned to one of the nearby exam rooms. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll get your med check started.”

  Ella hesitated, and Raze gave her hand a gentle tug. He didn’t blame her for being scared. Sure, she had been exposed to the Valiant during her visits with Dizzy, but this was a life-changing experience. Ella’s life would never be the same. She could never go back to the way things were.

  Inside the exam room, Risk handed Ella a gown and pointed to the bathroom. “You need to strip and decon in the shower. Use the blue packet to wash from head to toe. When you’re done, rub the lotion in the green packet into your skin to help prevent or heal up any rash you’ve developed from the tear gas.”

  “Okay.”

  “But first can you tilt your head back for me and open your eyes?”

  “Yes.” Ella did as requested, and Risk stepped close to her, so close that it looked as if he might be leaning in to kiss her. Raze had to tamp down the unreasonable surge of possessive jealousy that the highly skilled surgeon’s action spurred. He watched as Risk checked Ella’s eyes for contamination and administered bright yellow drops that made her hiss and blink rapidly.

  “Sorry,” Risk apologized. “They’re good at neutralizing the lingering chemicals. Your eyes will be stained for a few minutes, but it will fade by the time you’re finished with your shower.”

  Still blinking and with yellow tears running down her face, Ella made her way into the bathroom and shut the door. Raze moved closer to it, ready to help her if necessary.

  “So, I hear you decked Swift,” Risk said as he tapped away at his tablet.

  “Yeah.”

  “I would have paid to see that asshole hit the deck.”

  Raze eyed Risk with surprise. “You have a run-in with him?”

  “We were in the same academy class. He was an insufferable prick back then, and he’s a giant dick now.”

  “We agreed to let it go,” Raze explained. “I don’t like Swift, but I shouldn’t have laid him out like that in front of his men or mine. It undermined his authority, and it created bad blood between our units.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It was stupid.”

  “Women have that effect on us,” Risk grumbled.

  Raze eyed him curiously. “Why haven’t I seen your name on the Grab list? Surely you’ve got more points than any of us.”

  “I do.”

  “But?”

  He shrugged. “When the hell would I have time to take care of a mate? I’m in the med bay or the surgery eighteen hours a day. If I’m not here, I’m running training for the field medics.”

  Risk’s reasons for staying out of the Grab left Raze feeling unsettled. Between his SRU shifts and the hours he spent on the various committees that required his input, Raze had very little free time. He tried to imagine Ella alone in his cramped quarters with nothing but the entertainment console to keep her company for hours on end. She was a vivacious person, a woman who thrived in social situations and had so many friends. She would wither and die like a flower denied sunlight if he kept her locked away in his quarters.

  The door to the bathroom opened and Ella stepped out in the oversized gown. Fresh bruises were blooming on her neck, arms and legs. The sight of them infuriated Raze. His chest tightened when he considered how close he had been to losing her forever. If their intel had been wrong or their timing off by even a few minutes, she might have ended up in one of those work camps or squirreled away somewhere by George.

  “How does your skin feel?” Risk asked as he set aside his tablet. “Any more burning or irritation?”

  “No, it feels much better. My eyes are better, too. Thank you.”

  Risk picked up a sealed package from the rolling medical tray covered in supplies. “Can you hop up on the exam table?”

  “Um…what is that?” She remained rooted to the floor, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed with distrust.

  “It’s your new ID chip. I need to insert it before I do your intake exam. All of your data will be recorded on it. Once it’s in the system, you’ll use it to access your quarters, do your shopping and move about the ship. It’s a necessity if you plan to stay.”

  Raze held his breath and waited for Ella to make her decision. She bit her lower lip and then asked, “How easy is it to take out if…well…if things don’t work out?”

  Risk glanced at Raze before answering her. The medic seemed to be sharing Raze’s thoughts. A failed Grab and Separation after a Discard? Raze would be ruined.

  “It takes a few seconds. We put on the anesthetic and retrieve it with a special syringe. You won’t even be able to see the scar when it’s over.”

  Ella refused to meet Raze’s intense gaze as she listened to Risk’s explanation of the procedure, but she nodded. “Okay. I’ll take the chip.”

  Risk patted the exam table. “Up you go.”

  Certain Ella couldn’t make it up there without having to jump, Raze grasped her by the waist and lifted her onto the table. He shrugged at her bemused expression, and she just rolled her eyes at him. Standing to the side, he watched as Risk cleaned her wrist, applied an anesthetic cream and then injected the chip. Once it was done, Risk said, “There. Now you’re one of us.”

  Ella touched her wrist, just below the spot where it had been injected, and lifted her head, meeting Raze’s curious gaze. She smiled timidly, and there was something in her expression, something innocent and hopeful that made his heart swell. She had been abandoned as a child and left to survive on the streets of a harsh and cruel world. She had clawed her way off those streets and created a successful life for herself.

  A life he had stolen her away from tonight.

  Taking Ella’s hand, he interlaced their fingers and smiled tenderly down at her. She needed to know that he took his responsibilities toward her seriously. She was part of this family now—of his family—and he would do everything in his power to keep her safe and make her happy.

  Chapter Six

  Ella fidgeted nervously atop the exam table. So far, she had been weighed and measured. Samples of her saliva and blood had been taken. Her finger still throbbed from the pinprick that had given Risk the three droplets
he needed to perform all of his tests. Her hair had been combed through—for lice, she suspected—and then her skin was checked for any signs of rash or sores. He had made notes of every single bruise on her neck, arms and legs.

  So far, Risk had let her stay dressed. Raze had taken a heated blanket from a drawer and draped it around her shoulders. During her earlier and very short stay with Dizzy aboard the Valiant, Ella had noticed the way the ship was so cold. These gigantic men were like human torches so they kept their atmospheric settings cool. On top of that, apparently it would take an enormous amount of energy to keep the ship heated out here in space.

  Secure in the heated blanket, she answered the series of questions Risk had about her childhood and her health. There wasn’t much she could tell him. She couldn’t remember much about her mother except that she was a known prostitute and had been only seventeen when she gave birth. Her father had been a nameless John. Her mother had died when Ella was only four or five, and she was reasonably certain she had no siblings. She had contracted just about every cough and fever and stomach illness that had circulated down in The City.

  “Over the next ninety days, we’ll give you a series of vaccinations. You’ll need the protection, especially with all the transport ships Raze comes in contact with every week.”

  “Will they make me sick? Dizzy said she had a really bad fever after hers.”

  “It’s a possible side-effect, but you shouldn’t worry about it. We always keep you overnight for the first series of vaccines, just in case. We’ll take good care of you,” Risk promised. Taking a seat on a rolling stool, he swiped his finger across his tablet before handing it to her. “Can you please go through these questions and answer them for me?”

  “Okay.” Ella took the tablet and awkwardly tapped at the screen. She had played around with the technology in Dizzy’s apartment here on the ship so she was somewhat familiar with how the device worked. The questions were straight-forward and asked about her sexual history and her sexual health. She answered them quickly and then handed the device back to Risk.