by Autumn Dawn
For all she complained about her family, they were the dearest thing in her world. She’d give the inn and all she owned up if that’s what it took to save them. Changing her behavior was the least she would do to help.
“Yes.” Gem sighed. “You know how I get. I’m super calm during a crisis, but get twitchy when it passes. I’m losing my hair. I know it doesn’t look like it, but it’s falling out in the shower by the handful. My stomach’s all knotted and I can’t eat. I’m depressed. I want to be strong for you, but I need to be strong for my children. I can’t seem to do both. I’ve tried. I’m sorry.”
Disturbed, Brandy went to her sister and knelt. She squeezed her arm. It wasn’t often she was called upon to soothe Gem. “You don’t carry this weight for me, sis. That’s for me to do.”
“It’s what love is for me,” Gem whispered. “It’s who I am.”
It was true. Brandy knew her sister couldn’t change. She was a strong woman, but she had a soft heart. It made what had to happen easier to do. “I’ll buy a ticket, then. I’ll go.”
Gem gave a little laugh, but it wasn’t happy. “To Xera, please. I know you’ll take care of each other, and I’ll worry less with both of you in the same place.”
“You think?” Brandy asked sardonically, but she didn’t mean it. In the face of Gem’s distress, all her worries seemed meaningless. She’d travel across the star system if that’s what it took to make things right. “I’ll go see her. I’ll make sure she’s all right.”
Gem made a face. “I know; she’s an ambassador, married to a wealthy lord, a guy she claims invented romance, and I worry. That’s how it is.”
“We all need hobbies,” Brandy assured her, though thinking of Ryven sent a surge of acid to her gut. Even without the vision, she now felt hostile toward him. The hallucinations were training her to see him as the enemy.
Feeling lost, for the enormity of her promise had set in, she stood. “I think I’d better go make some arrangements.”
“It’s done,” Gem said with a hint of her old assurance. She managed a half smile at the face Brandy made. “I was determined I’d find a way to talk you into it.”
Brandy blew out a breath. She knew when she was defeated. “Well, I know you didn’t pack my travel case for me. My socks were still in my drawer as of this morning.”
Gem raised a shoulder. The smile was more definite now. “I had to leave something for you to do.”
Brandy rolled her eyes as she made for her bedroom.
As soon as she’d closed the door, Gem looked at Azor. “You’re going with her, right?”
“I have some leave coming up,” he said in assurance. “And I said I would.”
“All the way?” she pushed. “I know it’s a long way, Azor, and I’ll owe you one.”
“You’re not concerned about me kissing your sister?” he asked, just to be clear. There was no sense letting it fester.
“At this point, it’s the lesser evil,” she said frankly. “If she stays here, her life is over. She’ll die an unhappy woman. She has too much potential, too much life to live for me to allow that. If it comes to it, I think you’d make a decent brother in law.”
“I’m not ready to make that deep of a commitment,” he said with a trace of humor. He didn’t want to offend her. “I will promise not to dishonor her, though. I don’t know about going as far as the Scorpio home world, however. We’ll have to see.” It would depend on a lot of things.
Gem and Blue exchanged a look. Blue took her hand, his thumb gently stroking her knuckles. “You look tired, hon. Why don’t you go rest while I walk Azor out?” She looked ready to refuse, but he said firmly, “Trust me.”
After a moment of silent conflict, she finally sighed. She even seemed a little relieved.
Blue kissed her hair as they left the room and watched her as she went her way. He waited until she entered a lift before he walked Azor out to the garage.
“There’s more to this than just the pending trial,” he said quietly once they were alone. At Azor’s inquiring look, he added, “Brandy doesn’t know it yet, but we’ve already heard whispers. Someone recognized her in the ER, most likely, and couldn't wait to spread rumors. We've already had one blackmail attempt over it.” He laughed shortly. “We told them to shove off. Even if I were inclined to pay to keep the word from spreading, it's just a matter of time. I'd love to have a chat with the scumbag who put her in this position.” His eyes glittered.
Azor looked at him sharply. “Did you report it? That blackmail, that is.”
“Of course. I talked to the Chief just an hour ago. He promised to do what he could.” They exchanged a look. Blue didn't consider the matter a police concern. Taking care of his family was his duty. “The important thing is getting Brandy out of here. Once Brandy’s off world, it won’t matter what people say. You needed to know why Gem’s so desperate to get her sister to leave. We can weather another scandal—she can’t. At least, that’s what Gem’s convinced of. She doesn’t want her sister to get hurt.”
“Why haven’t you told Brandy?”
“You know how stubborn she is. Telling her would encourage her to stay and fight. If we could convince her to leave at all, it would take twice the effort. She wouldn’t back down from this if she knew.”
He stopped and looked Azor in the eye. “The odds are we won’t be able to keep this out of the media for more than a day or two; it’s one reason I’ve convinced Gem to get away for a little while. It’ll go easier if they’re not here to fuel the storm.
“Besides, if Brandy does get wind of this, I want her to be far enough away that coming back will be impractical. Regardless of what she thinks, her life here is over.”
Azor regarded him. “She’ll see the news feeds at some point, even if you manage to distract her for a few days.”
Blue sighed. “It's not a perfect solution, but it's the best I can think of. I think we can tell her the news feeds aren’t working on your ship. After that….” He shrugged.
Azor nodded and resumed walking. He wasn't surprised to hear of the rumors. Polaris had an active grapevine, and the Harrisdaughters were definitely persons of interest. In light of the gossip that would fly after the trial, the threat of some sleazy opportunist was hardly noteworthy. Everyone with a grudge would be out to smear their names. Not everyone was happy with their success. He could think of some jealous competitors who’d love to see The Spark go down in flames. It wouldn’t even matter if the rumors were true. This was just going to speed things up.
They didn’t say much as they walked. Both of them had things on their mind.
Blue’s mood was still grave when they reached the garage. He stopped beside Azor’s transport and gave him a steady look. “Concerning that little scene on the carpet earlier…she’s not to be toyed with.”
He didn’t have to ask whom Blue meant. “No, she’s not.” He had no intention of hurting her. Whatever became of the spark between them, he was determined on that much.
So much depended on her, on how they were together. It was too soon to say what might develop. She would not be an easy woman to live with, not even for the duration of an eight-month voyage, should he chose to travel that far. The close confines of space could make them lovers…or bitter enemies. He’d seen both happen.
He let his serious intent show. “If I have her, Blue, I’ll marry her, but I haven’t reached that stage of desperation yet.”
“Careful.”
“I intend to be.” He wasn’t privy to the private details, of course, but he knew Blue. He’d always assumed that Blue’s marriage was the result of a seduction that had gone deeper than he’d intended. He’d been sucked in, albeit pleasantly, which is what happened when one messed with nice ladies. He wasn’t sure if Brandy qualified as ‘nice’, but she was definitely a lady. He knew to be wary of that.
He fished his keys out of his pocket. “Can I go now, or do you have any other brotherly warnings for me?”
Blue snorted. “Go
.”
Azor smiled as he slid into his transport. “She’d be touched to know you care.”
She was touched. She had to be. Brandy brushed the hair off her face as she tried to forget what Azor had made her feel. Even with the chaos of her choice to leave marching around in her head, that was what she kept coming back to. It had kept her up for half the night, it seemed. Maybe it was her way of forgetting that she was about to travel far, far from home.
What would it have felt like if they’d had time to complete that kiss? If they’d been alone five more minutes, what might have happened?
She grimaced. They would have stopped, that’s what. That’s what responsible adults did. They came to their senses and quit fooling around. It’s not like it would happen again.
She let her gaze wander aimlessly around the room, seeking distraction, but the room had been professionally decorated and designed to be low key, soothing. They’d had breakfast in Gem’s suite that morning while they discussed arrangements, and it was the best room to be had. The walls were painted a soft, soothing butter-yellow and the décor was elegant, but homey. Rugs woven from natural grasses warmed the hardwood floors and white shelving had been built into the walls to hold blue glass accents. The white shutters were open to the balcony and allowed the sweet scent of garden flowers in to stir the sheers.
She felt a wave of melancholy. How could she leave this place? There was no place closer to paradise.
Gem was still talking, discussing her plans. It took an effort to focus on her words. When they registered in Brandy’s sleep fogged mind, she frowned. “No, you can’t go with me. You have a zillion kids and a house.”
“You need a chaperone. Besides, it will be the last time I see you in a long while. I want to travel with you at least a little way. It will give us time to talk.”
“How far is a little way?” Brandy asked suspiciously. Now that she was going, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be trapped with her family in a tiny little ship for weeks on end. She’d murder someone for sure—probably her nephews. As for talking, they were doing that now. Surely Gem could say whatever she needed to without trapping her on a ship first. She couldn’t imagine anything stressful enough to warrant that.
Gem ignored Brandy’s irritation. “Just to that planet, Ictharus II. Blue says there’s enough room on Azor’s ship. He’s ridden on it several times.”
That was news to Brandy. “Wait—he has a ship? I thought we were taking a pleasure cruiser or something.”
“You might, later. This is the arrangement for now. Azor has already agreed.”
Brandy raised a brow as she sipped her tea. She wondered what persuasion Blue had used to arrange that. It must have been powerful. She couldn’t imagine Azor being thrilled about the company, either. He wasn’t a social kind of guy.
Azor, razor. She smiled. It rhymed. Azor, laser. She blinked as she realized what she was doing, and uneasily examined her thoughts. She really was loopy from lack of sleep. Maybe Gem had a point; a few weeks of semi-suspension might be good for her after all. Maybe she’d get away with doing it while Gem and Co. were on board. She smiled.
“Besides, it’s obvious you need me along. Until you two wrap up whatever it is you’re calling this thing with Azor, you need to be watched.”
Brandy gave her a warning look. “There is no ‘thing’, between us. You know I’ve always detested him. For that matter, I don’t require watching. I’m not a child.”
“That’s what worries me,” Gem said grimly. She hesitated. “I know how men can be. Blue…let’s just say he could be intense, too. Before we were married, I mean.”
Interesting, though hardly relevant to her case. Brandy assessed her sister’s expression, absorbed what she didn’t say. She’d often wondered. “He seduced you.”
She hesitated. “Some.”
Brandy raised a brow.
Gem scowled. “Anyway, you can bet we’ll be watching you closely. I know, you see. The temptation is there.”
“Little hypocritical, don’t you think?” Not that she thought there was anything to Gem’s fears. It might have been a unique way of doing it, but Azor really had been intent on distracting her. Worked, too.
“Protective,” Gem said firmly. “I want you to be sure before you get so tangled up you have no choice left. I want you to be happy. Really, there’s plenty of time for friskiness once you’re married.”
“Apparently.” Brandy looked at Gem’s stomach. She felt a grain of mischief shift inside her. It had been a while since she had bugged her sister. She made sure her eyes wore a teasing glimmer. In her condition, Gem didn’t need to know she spoke the truth.
She might admit it to Blue later, though. She’d been serious when she told Azure she would tell her family about him. “You may be right about my not getting mixed up with Azor. I do have another admirer. A girl should be sure.” She smiled slyly.
“Who?” Gem asked, a little furrow between her brows.
“He’s a stripper.”
Gem relaxed. It was apparent she thought Brandy was pulling her leg. “Sure he is.”
Blue walked in as she made her announcement. “Who’s a stripper?”
Brandy regarded him calmly. “I’ve been talking to guy who works at a strip club. He goes to school during the day. He’s getting his degree.”
“What’s his name?” Blue asked calmly, but there was a protective gleam in his eyes.
Gem gave him a droll look. “Ignore her. She’s mad because we’re going on Azor’s ship. She’s teasing you.”
Brandy gave her a bland look, the one she used when telling her nephews about adventures that never happened. “He’s twenty-three. He’s using his paycheck to pay for his sister’s doctor bills. She’s been sick and they don’t have insurance.”
“Uh huh. He should write a novel. With a story like that, he could sell some books. His money problems would soon be over,” Gem said, clearly bored. She never had played along when her sisters told her yarns. She’d been a tough one to fool.
Brandy had to smile. She’d told her sister what she needed to know in a way that wouldn’t upset her. She was ready to let the subject drop.
She thought Blue was, too, until he stayed behind when his wife headed out to go visit the gardens. “I’ll be right there,” he assured her, then waited until she was out of earshot. “What’s his name?” Blue asked again. “This stripper you know.”
Brandy was almost surprised at his persistence. Had he always been this protective? “Azure,” she said seriously. “Gem doesn’t need to know, of course.” She knew he’d be discreet, for Gem meant the world to him, and she had to trust someone with the information. As she’d learned from painful experience, keeping secrets could be deadly.
His knowledge, however, wouldn’t necessarily affect her actions. She still wanted to know more about Azure. She was…curious. It wasn’t everyday she met someone like him. He’d certainly never hold her reputation against her. That would be refreshing.
He was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Where did you meet him?”
She canted her head curiously. Did he know the guy? “At the track, after Azor told me I was lucky to be alive. He rides a nice tryck. We did a couple of laps. He called once. That was it.”
There was a thick silence. Blue had his arms crossed and was regarding her like a suspect he’d relish interrogating. Finally he said, “All right.”
He didn’t say anything else, though. It was probably a bad sign. She knew him well enough to suspect he wouldn’t let it go.
That was fine. Unlike her sister, he could handle the stress. He could do her snooping for her. If he dug up any dirt on her caller, he’d be prompt about sharing. As a former cop, he was good at that sort of thing. It would save her all kinds of work, and in the meanwhile, she’d enjoy a flirtation that was a welcome distraction from the chaos of her life.
In fact, if she got the opportunity…or made one herself, she wanted to see him. The idea occupied h
er mind long after Blue quite hovering. How hard would it be to dig up a location on the club? There were ways finding things out, especially if you offered a bribe. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how Azure would react to seeing her tonight? If he were displeased, it would be revealing, and if he were glad…her heart rate sped at the idea. Her evening should be anything but boring tonight.
Azor was at his desk, working, when the com rang. He picked it up and answered absently, “Azor.”
“What are you doing?” Blue demanded, not bothering to identify himself.
His concentration broken, Azor said curiously, “Doing? Working, or I was. I need to wrap a few things up before we leave.”
“More than one,” Blue said ominously. “Brandy tells me she’s been getting calls from a guy who calls himself Azure. Ring a bell?”
“Ah.” Azor sat back. Blue knew a few things about his background, enough to recognize the grains of truth in the story Brandy must have told him. It was his fault for assuming she’d keep their interaction to herself. She’d changed over the years, grown cautious about secrets. He was glad, but not eager that her openness had led to this conversation. “At the time, it seemed like a way to comfort her.” That fact that he'd been wondering what it would be like to kiss her he kept private. Blue wouldn't appreciate the honesty.
There was a long silence. His lip lifted in a snarl. “Comfort her? You’re going to have to explain that one, because from where I sit, you’re looking like a fool, my friend.” Blue didn’t like scandals upsetting his wife; definitely not when she was in a delicate situation.
Azor sighed. Already he was regretting his offer to let Blue and his family tag along on his vacation. The man had his back up over Brandy already, and they weren’t even on board. “There’s a tea house across the street. Meet me over there in about twenty minutes, all right? We’ll talk there.”
“Twenty, then.” Blue hung up.
He was already waiting when Azor walked in, and he had two cups of tea and a tray of appetizers in front of him. Obviously, he was impatient.