“Not them. Any sign of an unknown group or shuttle we missed as we were landing?” Jagger asked. They hadn’t expected anyone other than the pirates and their shuttle. After they found the pirates, they hadn’t looked any longer.
“No, but I’ll go start a thorough search. We did only a cursory scan as we came down to the planet.” Cort grimaced. “I’ll be back as soon as it’s started and I have someone on it.”
Jagger knew there was a good possibility that it was someone within the camp. The problem was, he had no idea why they’d attack, what they’d want in the medical tent or who it was. It went against the grain to wait for something else to happen.
He was going to ask questions. It might antagonize whoever had done this, but he needed information. It was the trade crew that was the big unknown. The men with him had been chosen because they could work well with humans. He didn’t believe it was one of them. He needed to know more about the trade ship crew and about the attack on them.
“Go get the captain of the trade ship.” Jagger looked at Burris. He had questions for the man.
“Yes, sir.” Burris nodded and left the tent.
“Your turn, Jagger.” Dafin came over to him. He had the instruments he’d need in his hand.
Dafin checked the small gash behind Jagger’s ear and gave him something to ease the pounding head and dizziness. It helped. Jagger knew that if he had a concussion it was mild. He’d heal before the human did, but the attack angered him.
“Can you tell if anything is missing from here?” Jagger winced as his own voice rattled through his head.
Dafin looked around the tent. “Well, they focused on the drawers and tore apart those with any drugs or medical supplies, but I can’t see anything obviously missing. We’d need the inventory and Kairn’s notes to see what he’s used so far.”
“I’ll start checking things here.” Kairn reached for a cart. “If something was taken, we might be able to discover the motives in the medication or tool’s purpose.”
Why had they attacked? More important, who were they? He suspected that the pirates did have help from a person inside the Setona’s crew. Someone who for some reason was still focused on getting the information the pirates wanted. It infuriated him that someone had snuck up on him and managed to hit him. He’d have to be more on his guard. Especially since he had something to lose now.
Burris returned with the captain of the trade ship. The man’s eyes rounded as he walked into the tent. He stopped and looked at the woman, Kairn and then Jagger.
“What happened? Is Keegan all right?” Captain Thomas asked.
“She has a concussion. She was attacked, as were Kairn and I. I found them at the back of the tent unconscious. We’re checking to see if there’s anyone other than us and the pirates on the planet, because we know it wasn’t the pirates.” Jagger glanced over at the woman. “We haven’t asked her questions yet. She just became conscious. I have some questions for you after we talk to her.”
“Of course.” Captain Thomas nodded.
Jagger stood and was relieved when there was no dizziness or spike of pain through his head. He walked over to stand near the portable table but didn’t get too close to her. He didn’t want to scare her. After being attacked, she’d probably be nervous if anyone came close to her.
“Can you tell us what happened to you?” Jagger asked softly. The medication she’d been given had longer to work, but with a concussion, he wasn’t sure if the headache would have faded completely.
“I went around the tent to go for a walk. I wanted to move. I thought about heading to the river but decided that the trees would be cooler. I didn’t want to walk far, but I’m used to doing things almost all the time and was feeling restless.” Keegan put a hand up to her head.
“Did you see anything as you came around the tent?” Jagger tilted his head and frowned. Maybe she’d seen someone trying to steal something.
“The back of the tent was cut. There was no one there. I remember that. I remember hearing something, but I don’t remember much after that until I woke in here.” She bit her lip, and her brow furrowed. “I’m pretty sure I heard your physician call to me, but I don’t remember seeing even him until a moment ago.”
What someone could steal or even why was beyond him. They had packed necessities but only a few luxuries. Because they’d known the victims would likely be injured, they’d wanted to ensure their comfort. Someone had gone through the supplies in here, but he didn’t know yet if anything was missing. If that was what they were after, there was no reason for the person to still be around the camp after they’d searched the medical tent.
Why had they returned? Could they have returned to get Keegan or perhaps another of the stranded traders? They might have knocked her out and gotten the drugs but been spooked when Kairn arrived. They didn’t seem to be experienced at this. Returning to take one of the traders was the only thing that made sense. They might have thought if they could get her alone, they could make her tell them what they wanted to know.
Jagger looked at Keegan. Her pain was obvious and she couldn’t tell them more. Her lack of memory about the incident didn’t worry him. She’d probably been attacked from behind. On top of that, she had a concussion. It would affect her recall of the assault for at least a short time.
“Burris will escort you out in case you get dizzy.” Jagger glanced at his man.
“I don’t know if you’re tired, but I want you to stay awake,” Dafin urged.
Keegan nodded. “I’m not sleepy. It’s just a headache.”
Jagger watched her walk out of the tent before turning his attention back to the trade ship captain. “Are there any new people among your crew? Maybe someone unstable. It’s not the pirates. My men are checking to see if there’s an unknown group of people here, maybe from a crash or an emergency landing, but I want to know everything.”
“There are three new people on the ship. Rogan, Jeff and Lucan have been with me for a few months. The rest have been with me for years. If I knew anyone on my ship was unstable, they wouldn’t be there. We travel from planet to planet and some our contracts are lucrative. The last thing I need is one of my crew members going crazy and destroying trade relations with one of them.” Captain Thomas shook his head.
“Any idea what someone would be after? Because other than a refugee trying to steal supplies, I don’t have a clue about who or why. The only thing I can come up with is that one or more of those new men are part of this. Perhaps paid to spy on you by the pirates.” Jagger scowled.
“We have nothing anyone could be after. Those pirates have my ship and the cargo. And I still don’t know what they wanted so badly that they tortured all of us for it.” Captain Thomas shook his head. “All three of those men would know that we’re not carrying anything of extraordinary value.”
“We’ll have to keep watch and keep aware then.” Jagger tapped his fingers against his thighs as he thought. That was what they’d do even if they had an idea of who it might be, but now, they’d have to look at everyone.
“Jagger, there are two drugs missing as well as the injectors to administer them. They’re basically relaxants, but they would also relieve inhibitions,” Kairn said as Captain Thomas turned to leave.
“Other than the reprehensible option that sprang into my head, that of making someone pliable sexually, what would the drugs do?” Jagger looked toward the physician. The idea of someone using the drugs to rape any of the females made his blood boil.
“There is that, but strong relaxants such as these can be used to lower someone’s guard and make them reveal something they’d normally keep to themselves.” Kairn lifted a shoulder. “Someone might think they can use it to get a person to tell them a secret they hold.”
Chapter Six
Ada sat with some of her crewmates at one of tables in the camp, enjoying the warmth of the day. It was a small group at the table. Only four of them, and all were longtime friends. Other members of the crew lingere
d in the camp, but only their small group gathered at the table. They’d worked on the Setona together for years. With them, she could be at ease and perhaps get her mind off one very annoying man. Even if she couldn’t, she enjoyed the relaxing chat and companionship.
Frustration simmered through her whenever she thought of Jagger. After that kiss in the clearing, she’d thought that there might be something between them. Over the last few days, he’d given her no reason to believe had any interest in her. Since Keegan had been attacked, he’d been watchful, but it wasn’t as a potential lover. Nor was it as if he suspected she was responsible for the assault. No, his gaze had seemed protective, almost brotherly.
She wanted him. Even thinking about him was enough to start a slow burn of desire. Part of her wanted to walk over to him and ask him straight out if he wanted her or if he simply thought to be nice to someone who’d been hurt. She didn’t though. The only things that stopped her were that they wouldn’t be here very long and the intensity of the feelings scared her a little. The powerful pull made her cautious of chasing him. She could feel something very deep for him. If they managed to get together in this short time, she wasn’t going to fight or regret it.
“So what do you think the attack was about?” Lauren Dessaint looked around at the group of people gathered around the table.
Ada frowned. She had no idea. Her first thought had been the pirates were behind it, but the Zarain men had already verified that the pirates weren’t near here. It could be about anything. She was more worried about who did it.
“Doesn’t really matter what it was about.” Owen popped a berry from the bowl in the middle of the table into his mouth. “I doubt it’s as simple as someone’s a kleptomaniac, but the problem is who? Because they did more than panic. They didn’t just knock out the person or persons who possibly saw them. They waited around and attacked again. More than stealing was always on the agenda.”
Fuck. Owen was right. If they’d simply been trying to grab something, they would have taken off when they were first seen. No one knew if Keegan and the physician Kairn had been hit at the same time. Neither of them remembered being hit and they were found together. After that, the attacker should have left, but he was still there when Jagger found the two people. The only reason she could think of that the attackers would come back was that perhaps they thought to take Keegan.
“The what might lead to whoever is behind the attacks.” Lauren frowned. She idly ran her finger around the top of the cup.
“Yes, but unless the person does something again and says something revealing we won’t know that until he’s caught. We’ll just have to be more watchful and take care of each other.” Owen reached for the bowl and took a few more of the berries.
“That’s all we can do now.” Carson Taggert took a gulp of the purified water in his cup. He slanted a glance to Ada. “Your admirer is back to watching you.”
Ada didn’t bother to look over her shoulder. Jagger had watched over her in the last few days, but the man hadn’t come close her otherwise. She didn’t know what he thought he was doing, keeping an eye on her but not even talking to her. It certainly wasn’t winning her appreciation.
“An admirer usually approaches the one he likes. He’s been watching over me as if he’s some overprotective big brother. I grew up without that kind of attitude and I don’t need it now.” She scowled and resisted the urge to direct the expression Jagger’s way. She was confused about what he really wanted.
Carson looked beyond her and shook his head. “No, definitely not a big brother there. The way he’s watching you, that man is not thinking of you as a little sister that needs protection.”
Ada resisted the urge to look. She’d caught him watching a few times and there was nothing possessive that she’d noticed. He simply seemed to be watching over her.
“I’ve seen the way he’s acted, which tells me more than a look. He hasn’t approached me or tried to touch me since that first day. I know the man’s not shy.” She raised an eyebrow at Carson’s assertion.
“Not shy. I think he’s been giving you some space. It hasn’t been a week since we were all walking wounded, left to survive or die by those pirates.” Carson leveled a serious look at her. “He’ll make his move as soon as he’s sure that you’re healed.”
She thought about it for a moment but shook her head. That didn’t explain why he’d backed off so completely and simply watched over her. She could see not wanting to get into a heavy petting situation when he thought he might hurt her. That didn’t explain him not talking to her.
“And the silence and the distance? What about that? He certainly doesn’t act as if he’s a man who wants someone.” She lifted her chin and looked at Carson.
“I don’t have all the answers to that, but I’d say he’s interested in more than a simple fuck and definitely more than a protective relationship.” Carson smiled at her as if he found her funny.
“A simple fuck is all it would have been. I don’t do relationships.” She frowned. That watchful attitude was getting on her nerves.
“How about we test him. See if he’s feeling brotherly or if maybe he’s feeling something else? Owen could give him a little something to be concerned about if he’s feeling more than protective.” Carson flicked a glance across the camp to a group of the Zarain.
Ada wanted to turn around and look. The urge thrummed through her, but she fought it as she’d fought the urge to go to Jagger over the last few days. She wanted to be close to him. It was almost a physical need. Not to fuck him, but simply to be near him. The unusual feeling scared her a little.
“This isn’t going to solve anything, Carson.” She frowned at him. She didn’t want to be playing that kind of game. If he couldn’t make up his mind, provoking him into a move would only cause trouble.
“We can’t solve this. But maybe it can help you two stop avoiding each other.” Carson nodded to Owen.
For a moment, she thought that Owen might not do anything, that he’d tell Carson where to shove his suggestion. Owen’s arm lifted and curled around her shoulders. She stiffened and glanced at Owen. This wasn’t a good idea.
She shrugged and tried to get his hand to fall away from her without being too obvious about it. Owen’s arm remained around her regardless of what she did. She didn’t want Jagger to come over because he was trying to protect her in any way. This wouldn’t prove anything other than that he was a little possessive.
Ada felt a hand on her arm. She looked back and saw Jagger standing behind her. A frown knitted his brows and turned the corners of his mouth down. His silver eyes looked hard and cold as ice.
“Do you want to come for a walk with me?” His hand lifted from her shoulder and turned palm up in invitation.
She took a deep breath. His voice sounded tight. He definitely had reacted to Owen’s arm around her. She didn’t know what it meant though. Was he still trying to protect her? She wasn’t going to find out sitting here. They needed to talk privately and couldn’t do that here.
“Yes, let’s walk and we can talk.” She turned to him.
Owen’s arm fell away from her. Jagger helped her up and ushered her away from the people at the table. She raised an eyebrow at the tension she could feel in his arm. What was he thinking? She kept pace beside him, although she had to rush a little to do it. She waited until they were away from everyone in the camp before she asked the question that held most of her attention.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so…” Her voice trailed off as she tried to find a word to describe what he was. Angry? Not really. Tense. That fit, but it was more than that.
He kept leading her away from the camp but stopped while they were still in one of the groups of trees. “What’s wrong? He had his arm around you.”
“What’s it to you?” She heard the possessiveness in his voice, but she really couldn’t believe it. Not after the way he’d acted in the past few days. “You haven’t even talked to me since that day that we went for
a walk.”
“You were hurt. I wanted to make sure that you were fully healed.” Jagger faced her. He scowled and his feet braced apart.
He looked like a man getting ready for a fight. Ada smiled. Well, at least she had his attention.
“What’s your excuse for after I healed, because I haven’t even felt a pang of pain in days.” She put a hand on her hip. She knew she was provoking him, but he’d seemed interested in her and then it had shut off without a single word or clue as to why. That had hurt and left her with doubts and questions.
“You needed time. I know you as well as some of the others have nightmares and haven’t been sleeping much. You need to be sure.” Jagger’s hand cupped her shoulder and slid down over her arm in a slow caress.
“After the way you’ve behaved, I don’t know what you want so I’m going to make this simple for both of us. Do you want me? No past, no future. I don’t know if you’re afraid I’ll think this is more or something, but for us, there’s just now.” She blurted it all out quickly, afraid that if she tried to explain it better, she’d lose her nerve.
“There is always a past and there will be a future. I’ve wanted you since I saw you.” His hand lifted to her face, and his fingers trailed over her cheeks.
His answer bolstered her confidence, but she didn’t think beyond the words “I want you.” Nothing else mattered. She stood up straighter and smiled. She hoped he wasn’t one of those men who felt they had to make all the moves, because she was definitely going to make some demands.
“I want you now.” She peeled the green shirt over her head and stood before him wearing only the baggy pants and shoes.
She wished she had more of her own clothing. She wanted to look sexy and attractive. The only thing she could say about the clothing they’d provided was that it covered her. Specifically, the shirts covered more than she’d like. She wanted to feel pretty or eye-catching, and the shirts covered her from neck to waist without even the possibility of showing a little cleavage.
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