A Break in Time

by Michelle Miles

  Sheesh.

  He didn’t need another sign to get out these bindings. He wiggled his arms and tried to loosen the knots. All the while the ropes burned into his wrists, his hands.

  Men from the village swarmed the ship in droves. Every man from that village had to be accounted for. Some carried machetes, others had bows slung over one shoulder and carried a quiver of arrows.

  The pirates fired at close range but they didn’t stand a chance. They were cut down mercilessly by the village men and Dane had to wonder who or what could inspire them to fight so passionately.

  And then he had his answer. Skye stepped onto the main deck of the ship, a machete in one hand and her beautiful face glistening with sweat, her chest heaving from exertion. She spotted him and her face flooded with relief. For a moment he thought she might burst into tears.

  “Skye, what the hell—” he began.

  She ran toward him, swinging the machete in a high arc and chopping the ropes in half, freeing him. He shrugged out of the bindings, rubbing his raw wrists. Luckily, he hadn’t thrashed enough to tear the skin.

  “Careful with that thing, doll.”

  She dropped the machete and collapsed against him, her face buried in his chest and one hand fisting his tunic. His hand slipped into her hair as he held her close.

  “I’m happy to see you, too,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

  He hoped her sudden arrival meant she had succeeded in getting the time bender back from Ridgewood. Otherwise, they’d be in deep—

  “What does it look like?” She tilted her head back to look at him, tears pooling in her indigo eyes. “I’m saving your ass!”

  For the first time in his entire life, a woman came riding to his rescue. It seemed fitting it would be Skye. He fought the urge to kiss her senseless. He didn’t deserve her, especially after everything he’d put her through.

  “Where’s Ridgewood? Did you get the time bender? And more importantly, how did you manage to get them all fired up?” He nodded toward the villagers.

  “I’ll explain everything later. Let’s get the women and get out of here before he sets sail.”

  The ship lurched, followed by a loud boom from one of the cannons. Conner’s men were firing on the villagers.

  “You get the women,” Dane said. “I’m going below to disarm the bastards.”

  “Dane.” She caught his arm before he dashed away. He met her gaze, her face tear-stained and dirty. “I’m glad you’re alive.”

  He couldn’t stop himself from cupping her face in his hands and claiming her lips hungrily. She willingly opened her mouth, their tongues doing a tango and each one fighting for control of the other. Their scorching collision of mouth against mouth sent heat surging through him, giving him a problem he really didn’t need right now. When he broke from her, her chest heaved, allowing him a nice view of her cleavage in the low-cut shirt.

  “I’ll finish with you later.”

  He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her naked ass, because next time…she was going to be naked. And under him.

  As he left her there, he heard her shout, “That better be a promise, Dane Fortune!”

  It did nothing for the state of affairs in his pants. He’d have to figure out her change of heart later; right now, he had other pressing matters. Another boom sounded as the cannon fired again. As he headed for the hold, she snatched up a gun from one of the dead men.

  Great, Dane thought. Maybe I really am a goddamn pirate.

  “Go! Help!” Skye shouted.

  He saw her waving men in his direction. She was sending in more troops with him. He chuckled. Seeing her in a take-charge moment made him want her all the more.

  As the melee ensued around her, Skye waited on the deck and watched Dane disappear below to disarm the cannons. She hadn’t expected to be so overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of him. But the moment she laid eyes on that man tied to the mast—alive and breathing and looking rather pissed off—relief flooded her. And when those cool green eyes met hers…she nearly melted into a puddle right then and there.

  Getting hot, sweaty and naked with him was inevitable and she hoped it was sooner rather than later.

  Shoving away her lascivious thoughts, she spied a hatch in the main deck. Hoping it would lead to the hold, she pulled it up and was seconds away from stepping on the ladder leading down.

  “Not so fast, missy.”

  Her heart skipped as she looked up into the face of Conner Dade. So what Ridgewood told her had been true, the scumbag. She stood straight up.

  “Conner.” His name felt like acid on her tongue. “I wasn’t sure I believed Ridgewood when he told me you two were business partners.”

  “I wasn’t sure I believed him when he told me Dane Fortune put a bullet in my head, either. Sure am glad I listened or I wouldn’t be standing here.” He grinned at her, a toothy evil grin.

  “I thought you wanted the time bender for your own use,” she spat, trying to stall. She hoped it would give Dane enough time to disarm the cannons and keep the ship from setting sail.

  “I did until Ridgewood showed up and gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Did you know, my dear, Dane is working for the CIA?”

  “I know,” she said quickly. “I know everything. And nothing you can say to me now will make me think you’re one of the good guys.”

  Conner pursed his lips and clenched his jaw. “It’s a shame you can’t see this for what it’s worth.”

  “Oh? That you’re stuck here just like we are? Just like Ridgewood is? Or that you and Ridgewood are the scum of the Earth and you think selling women and children into slavery is okay?” She gave him a smile of defiance.

  “The power of the bender is intoxicating. Or hadn’t you figured that out? Jake did. That’s why he intended to sell it to the Chinese.”

  “Shut up,” she snapped, her anger turning into a scalding fury. “My father would never do that.”

  “Wouldn’t he? He was about to be a very rich man. Exactly why I had to take him out. And your mother would have gotten in the way had she lived. That’s why I had to kill them both. How does it feel to be an orphan?”

  His cool, matter-of-fact manner irked her to the core. She knew he taunted her, but she didn’t like his tone, nor did she like the way he talked about killing her parents as if he were discussing the weather.

  “I find it rather hysterical you hired a CIA agent as a hit man, Conner.” She smirked.

  He clamped a hand around her throat. “I’ll kill you for that.”

  “Go ahead, but all I have to do is scream. The village men think I’m a goddess. They’ll kill you before you can kill me.” She could see the indecision flash in his eyes.

  She could also see the blood-covered blade appear at his neck. One of the natives to her rescue.

  “Told you.”

  Reluctantly, he dropped his hand. Perhaps thinking the threat was abated, the villager removed the blade and turned back into the fray.

  “I should have shot you that day when I had the chance.” He turned on his heel and headed once more toward the helm.

  Enraged, Skye snatched up the machete she’d dropped and stepped toward him. “Conner—”

  He spun toward her, the late afternoon sunlight glinting off a dagger he had produced from his belt. He lunged and Skye reacted with instincts she never knew she had. She swung the machete in an arc and the blade sliced open his neck, blood splattering all over her. He grabbed his throat, still trying to breathe. He fell to his knees, then forward as he gasped a final gurgling breath.

  For a moment, it was as though she stood outside herself, watching this horrific act, as if someone else had committed it. She watched a pool of crimson red spread around his lifeless form…and felt numb. She thought she would have a sense of justice, but instead there was nothing at all. Releasing the machete, it clattered to the deck.

  The ship fell silent. The blur of action around her stopped and all those engaged in hand-to-hand combat
froze, staring at her. The village men fell to their knees, bowing to her.

  The words deusa de fogo whispered through the crowd of men. As she stood, staring at the man who really killed her parents, the village women appeared from the hold, led by Dane.

  “Skye?”

  “Kill or be killed.” She turned to him, her heart throbbing madly in her chest. “I cut the head off the snake. Now let’s get out of here.”

  “Right,” he said. “All of us.”

  Chapter Eleven: Repercussions

  The villagers, Skye and Dane stood on the shore and watched the burning ship. Once they had stepped onto solid ground again, the pirates were taken into custody and the ship set on fire. It ensured there would be no more pirates and no more women sold into slavery.

  Dane couldn’t help but wonder how many women Conner and his band of brigands had traded in Borneo.

  Shoving away the dismal thought, he looked at Skye. She was covered from forehead to waist in Conner’s blood. Her eyes—usually so full of life—seemed hollow and distant. She hadn’t quite grasped she had killed a man; he could see it in her ashen, blood-splattered face. He slipped his arm around her shoulders, though he kept some distance between them.

  “You all right?” he asked.

  “I killed him.”

  “You had no choice.” He didn’t like seeing her like this. She wasn’t a killer, not like him, and she would have to bear the consequences. He hated it for her.

  “I didn’t mean to,” she continued. “But he…he had a knife. And he lunged toward me.”

  “Shh.”

  “He was going to kill me, Dane.”

  “Kill or be killed. Isn’t that what you said?”

  She was silent as she stared at the flames leaping toward the late afternoon sky. He knew she would have to live with killing a man for the rest of her life. Dane still had nightmares about the first man he killed while undercover in Amsterdam.

  “I know you pulled the trigger,” she said then, her voice raspy and tired. “But I also know you were only doing what you were told to do.” She looked at him, a glazed look on her face. “Tell me the truth, Dane. Did you know my father was selling the time bender to China?”

  He stared at her, unable to respond. How could he tell her the truth when he, himself, didn’t know it? “I think we better get you cleaned up.”

  “Don’t change the subject.” She sounded brisk, business-like. “I need to know.”

  “And you will. In time, I promise.”

  She started to object when Sofia, accompanied by Tia, approached, each smiling broadly. He seized the moment of distraction.

  “Skye, you remember Tia. And this is her sister Sofia.”

  Tia stood on tiptoe and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Thank you for everything. We owe you both a very large debt.”

  Glancing at Skye, he said, “How about a hot bath and some fresh clothes?”

  “Yes, yes. Come!”

  She waved them on and Dane followed down the path through the jungle, Skye in tow. Most of the villagers had already started back to the Citadel. She seemed disinterested in the walk, as if she didn’t care whether or not they returned.

  “You want to tell me what’s bugging you? Besides killing a man, that is.”

  “Why won’t you answer my question?”

  “Because, Skye, I don’t know the answer.”

  She pulled him to a stop in the middle of the jungle, the fire returning to her eyes. “You have to know why you were hired.”

  She wasn’t going to let it go and Dane knew it was time to come clean. “I was told your parents posed a threat to national security. I am a hit man, Skye. I just happen to be one for the government.”

  “And Conner?”

  “Conner was being used by the CIA to get the time bender. I didn’t know that at the time, but now I do. They allowed him to ‘hire’ a hit man to off your parents because it was the path to least resistance. The hitch came when Conner decided to kill you, too, and to keep the bender for himself.”

  “So it’s true.” Her shoulders slumped. “My father did intend to sell the bender to China.”

  “It’s possible. That could be the only viable explanation as to why the CIA wanted him dead so badly. If the time bender fell into China’s hands, it would be bad. If it fell into the US government’s…well, it could be worse.”

  “Why is that?”

  “It’s a powerful device, Skye. Ridgewood used it for his own personal gain and look where that got him. And with as many corrupt politicians as we have…” His words trailed off, unable to finish.

  All the color drained from her face as she stared at him, wide-eyed. He had, apparently, got his point across. He took her by the hand. “Come on. Let’s keep going and you can tell me how you got the villagers to ride to the rescue.”

  “Ridgewood told me about the slave ship and the women,” she said. “And since the villagers seem to think I’m this goddess of fire, I sort of used that to my advantage. I told the field workers about the slave ship and word spread like…well…like fire.”

  “It’s a good damn thing you showed up when you did. And the time bender? Did you get it back from Ridgewood?”

  She dragged her lower lip through her teeth. Alarms and warning bells went off in his head.

  “Yeah, um. About that…”

  “What happened?”

  “I couldn’t get it back, Dane.”

  “Where’s Ridgewood?”

  “I don’t know. He took it. I told him about the flaw and he seemed to think he could fix it. I tried to stop him. I really did.” Suddenly her voice hitched and he realized she was moments away from breaking down.

  He stopped, turning to her, and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. He wanted to tell her it would be all right, but even he couldn’t be sure. He cursed himself again for letting Skye go after Ridgewood.

  As he held her close, she gasped, tears in her eyes, and jerked out of his embrace, pushing back from him. Puzzled, he watched, unable to decide if she was simply trying to get away from him or there was something more. Her face was contorted in pain before she regained her composure. Her eyes glistened with tears.

  “Skye?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You realize, of course, the three days is nearly up?” he gently prodded.

  “Yes.” She impatiently brushed at the tears on her cheeks, smearing blood.

  “And we’ll be stuck here if he uses it.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I had to tell him, Dane.”

  “Why?” he demanded.

  “He…he tortured me.”

  “Tortured you?” His stomach knotted with dread. “How?”

  The thought of Skye at the hands of Ridgewood…

  She seemed to consider this for a moment before turning and for the first time he saw the lashes through her tattered shirt. Blinding red rage clouded his vision. A murderous rage. His fists clenched at his side.

  “That son of a bitch!”

  His outburst startled overhead roosting birds, making them flap loudly out of their quiet nest.

  “I’m going to kill him.”

  “Maybe you could do that after you get back our time bender?” she suggested, sounding incredibly calm.

  And for that moment, she seemed like the old Skye he knew. He wrapped her gently in his arms, careful of her wounds. One hand cupped the back of her head, his fingers caressing her neck and slipping through her hair. He kissed her forehead.

  “We’ll find him, Skye.”

  “I’m sorry I failed.” She buried her face in his chest, her words muffled against the fabric of his tunic.

  “Shh. Don’t you worry about that now. We need to get you cleaned up and out of those clothes.”

  He couldn’t stop the thought of Skye naked from popping into his mind. Or the way she would feel or taste against his mouth. Or her long coppery tresses cascading over her shoulde
rs and trailing down his chest as she straddled him…

  She wiggled out of his grasp, perhaps aware of his sudden arousal, and pushed her fingers through her tangled hair. “I’m sure you’d like nothing better than to get me out of my clothes.”

  Skye started up the jungle path, trailing after the others who seemed to be long gone.

  “Well…yeah!”

  He heard her huff out her breath. “Come on, Dane.”

  Skye was well aware of the fact he wanted her. And quite frankly she couldn’t suppress her feelings for him much longer.

  But it went beyond the fact he wanted her for just the sex. Especially the way he had hugged her so tenderly and his hand had tangled in her hair. It made her stomach flutter and gave her the heart squeeze. The urge to bury her face in his muscly chest was irresistible. He was warm and comfortable, smelling of something musky and terribly masculine.

  Still, there were things that bothered her.

  Like killing a man.

  She could justify it all day that it was self-defense. Conner had the knife; he would have killed her. She knew that. She had left the murder weapon on board the ship and as far as she was concerned, she never wanted to see a machete again.

  It gave her new respect for Dane. He killed people for a living—albeit for the CIA. But she wondered if he experienced the same remorse and guilt she had. Did he grapple with taking another person’s life? Or had he become so numb to it he didn’t even feel anything anymore?

  And then there was the little matter of her father’s traitorous acts. Even if they were able to make it back in time to stop Dane from killing them, someone would be out for blood. It would be endless as long as the time bender project lived.

  She had to stop thinking about it or she’d go mad.

  They finally arrived at the Citadel and Skye was not only covered in blood, but drenched in sweat and drained of all energy. Standing at the foot of the steps, she stared at the daunting climb. Dane took her hand and cheered her on silently. By the time they reached the top, her legs were jelly and she wanted to collapse. Her lungs burned with the fiery exertion.