Grabbed by Vicious: 1

by Lopez, Lolita

  “Really? He wasn’t angry?”

  She shook her head. “No. I think he was relieved that I wasn’t mixed up in something much more illegal.”

  Bernie stared at her hands as she asked, “You’re happy with him, right? I mean, he treats you well? It’s just that the stories we were told as little girls, Hallie. They were pretty scary.”

  “He doesn’t hurt me, and I’m very happy with him.” Hallie reached out and grasped her sister’s hand. “I swear. I wouldn’t lie to you about this.”

  “I figured you were happy. He seems to think you hung the three moons.” Bernie smiled. “I needed to ask, just in case.”

  “I get it.”

  “I’m sorry that the others wouldn’t come.”

  Hallie shrugged. “I knew it was a long shot inviting the rest of our family. I’m a little sad but I’ll get over it.”

  “Did Lenny’s family come to her ceremony?”

  Hallie shook her head. “Apparently, they did a small private wedding in their quarters with a few of Hawk’s friends in attendance. She hadn’t reconnected with any of the women from Harper’s Well aboard the ship yet.”

  “Well you’ll have me and Lenny and some of the women from the new wives group you started. That’s something, right?”

  “It’s the best,” Hallie said softly and smiled at her sister.

  Bernie started to get teary. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Okay. Change the subject. Hormonal pregnant lady here is ready to cry at the drop of a hat.” She gestured to the sketch pad in Hallie’s lap. “What’s that?”

  “Just some cartoon ideas for the newsletter we’re putting together for the wives and children on the Valiant.”

  Bernie shook her head. “No. That.”

  Hallie followed her gaze to the loose page peeking out from under the one she was working on at the moment. She pulled it out and let her gaze fall on the sketch combining her initials with Vicious’. “Our family crest.”

  Bernie frowned. “Your what?”

  “In Vicious’ culture, the men have a crest designed when they take a wife. They tattoo them on their bodies. On the left side,” she explained. “My name will go here on Vicious.” She touched the same spot on her chest. “When we have children, their names will branch out from there along his arm.”

  “Really? That’s awfully sweet.”

  “I know.” Hallie laughed. “Surprising coming from them, right?”

  “Extremely,” Bernie agreed. “Who would have thought they were so sentimental?”

  “Not me,” Hallie admitted. “I had all these ideas about Vicious based on what we were told. Some of them—most of them—were right. Quite a few were dead wrong. These men absolutely cherish and adore their wives and families.”

  “But he makes you wear a collar,” Bernie said, her discomfort obvious.

  “I choose to wear it.” Hallie fingered the new white collar embroidered with silver thread and the silver tag emblazoned with his initial. “If I asked to leave it off at home, he wouldn’t blink an eye.”

  “And if you didn’t want to wear it in public?”

  Hallie shrugged. “I’m sure we’d come to a compromise of some kind. It would be too much of an insult not to wear it at military functions. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

  “Because you love him?”

  Hallie nodded. “Because I love him.”

  “So he’s letting you design the crest?”

  “Well, I’m doing a mock-up. Their tattoo artists will do a final for us.”

  “Us?” Bernie looked scandalized. “You’re going to mark your body?”

  “Yes.” Hallie grinned. “I want Vicious’ name on me. It’s not uncommon for a woman to have a tattoo applied in this culture.”

  “Wow.” Bernie blinked. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You never were the traditional type.”

  Hallie snorted. “To put it mildly.”

  “Are you going to let your hair grow now?” She broached a subject that had been taboo at home.

  “No.” Hallie fingered her shoulder-length locks. “I think I’ll keep my hair short. It means something to me. It’s a symbol of me surviving that nightmare and coming out stronger on the other end.”

  “Speaking of nightmares, I heard about Deniva from a friend of mine at the shelter in Safe Harbor. She’s doing well, apparently.”

  “Lenny and I get updates on her every week or so. I’m just glad she won’t have any lasting physical damage from what her husband did to her. The emotional damage…well.”

  “She has a fighting chance there. Believe me,” Bernie said with a sigh, “there are women at that shelter who have stories even worse than Deniva’s.”

  “Really?” Hallie’s heart ached for those women. “That’s awful.”

  “At least Deniva’s husband will go to prison. Most of the women I met live in fear their men will track them down.”

  “Sergeant Crow is being shipped to a military prison. He won’t ever get out.”

  “When?”

  “Today.” Hallie grimaced. “It was supposed to be yesterday but there was some issue with the transport ship. Vicious was so annoyed. He wants that man off his ship as soon as possible.”

  “Let’s hope he gets his wish. I think I’ll pee my pants if I have to deal with an annoyed Vicious. The normal, everyday guy scares me to death!”

  Hallie laughed and glanced at the clock. Just a few more hours and she’d get to marry the man who’d stolen her and her heart.

  *

  “I don’t think that’s right.” Vicious glared at the pale-pink and white flowers on his desk. He showed Menace the picture on his tablet screen. “This is what a bouquet looks like.”

  Menace frowned. “Look, I went down there to Connor’s Run and got the damn things from their market. Don’t expect me to put them together for you too!”

  Vicious snorted at his friend’s irritation. “Carrying pink flowers back to the Valiant really bothered you, huh?”

  Red tinged Menace’s ears. “It was humiliating, Vicious. I’m a fucking weapons specialist. I’m not your errand boy.”

  “Keep running your mouth and you might be.”

  Menace narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  Vicious laughed. “No, I wouldn’t, but I bet I had you wondering for a second there.”

  “Maybe,” Menace grumbled. He studied the screen of the tablet. “I think we need something to wrap the stems. See? They used ribbon in this image.”

  “Where the hell am I going to get ribbon?”

  Menace chewed his lower lip. “What about tape? You’ve got some silver fix-all tape, right?”

  “Somewhere, I’m sure.” Vicious eyed the loosely grouped bouquet of flowers. “Do you think silver will look okay?”

  “Are we really having this conversation?” Menace shook his head. “You and me, sitting here discussing flower arrangements? What the hell happened to us?”

  “I’m not sure what’s happened to you but I fell in love.”

  Menace grimaced. “Remind me not to do that.”

  “Really? Because the rumor is that you’ve filled out the paperwork for the next Grab on Calyx, the one in Connor’s Run.”

  Menace glanced away. “I’m considering it.”

  Vicious clapped his friend on the back. “Do it, Menace. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You won’t regret it.”

  Menace started to speak but the door to Vicious’ office opened suddenly. Terror stepped inside and looked grim. Vicious rolled his eyes, certain Terror was about to try to talk him out of this wedding idea. “What?”

  “We have a big problem.”

  “Not again, Terror.” Vicious slashed his hand through the air. “I don’t want to argue with you over this ring-and-ceremony business. It’s done. It’s happening. Let it go.”

  “I wish it was that, Vee.” Terror exhaled loudly. “It’s Sergeant Crow. He escaped his escort.”

  Vicious shot up out of his chair
. “How?”

  Terror shrugged. “I assume someone took advantage of that extra twenty-four hours he had in holding and slipped him something to bust his cuffs. Raze and Venom weren’t on the escort team today. Someone reported a hostage situation in the fuel depot so the SRU team was deployed but when they arrived, there was no one there.”

  “That’s too much of a coincidence.” Menace frowned. “An inside job? A friend?”

  “Probably,” Terror agreed. “I sent two of my men to your door. There are two others on their way to Lenny Hawk’s door. I shut down the elevators.”

  “Thank you.” Vicious breathed a bit easier knowing Terror’s men were guarding Hallie and her sister. “I think it’s likely he’ll try to escape this ship. Do we have someone on the docks yet?”

  Terror nodded. “I was in security when the call went out. They’re shutting down incoming and outgoing traffic until he’s caught.”

  “Boy, that’s going to piss off a lot of people.” Vicious activated his com screen and contacted security. Once he had all the facts, he crossed the hall to speak with the admiral who was already up to his eyeballs in angry complaints from the ships stuck in a holding pattern. As the heads of the two military bodies aboard the Valiant, they coordinated on the recovery effort and put their teams in contact. While the admiral made a public announcement to stay indoors and report any suspicious activity, Vicious returned to his office to find Terror and Menace staring at the bouquet.

  “So now she’s got you playing with flowers?” Terror shook his head in apparent disgust. “I’m amazed.”

  “Easy,” Vicious warned. “It may be my wedding day but I’ll still kick your ass.”

  Terror laughed and turned his gaze back to the flowers. “Don’t use tape. I’ve got something in my quarters that will work better. I think Hallie will appreciate—”

  Vicious’ com screen flashed and beeped. He tapped the device and was greeted by Major Raze, the Special Response Unit commander. “General.”

  “Major.”

  “We have a twenty on our escaped man. He’s in the air ducts near the cargo decks. His ID chip is still active. If you want to end this now, I’ll give the order to flush him.”

  Vicious wasn’t surprised by Raze’s suggestion. The man hadn’t become the leader of their SRU team by being nice. “Negative. Try to bring him in alive. Besides, if we vent him out into space, I’ll have to fill out a shit-ton of paperwork.”

  Raze snorted in amusement. “I hear you. I’ll contact with updates. Raze, out.”

  The call ended. The small relief Vicious felt at having located Sergeant Crow faded with one look at Terror’s face. “What?”

  “What if he’s not just using the vents to move, Vee?” He hesitated. “I’ve taken out entire crews with one canister of gas.”

  “Shit.” Vicious hit the com screen and brought back Raze. “Vent him.”

  “Sir?”

  “Now, Raze. Vent him.”

  “Yes, sir.” Raze stepped away from the screen and gave the order. “My specialist is preparing the flush now.”

  “Good. Terror thinks he might possibly try a gas attack.”

  Raze’s jaw tightened. “Understood.” He turned and shouted, “Cipher, blow that vent now!”

  Vicious’ anxiety level skyrocketed as he waited for word from Raze. When he heard swearing, he knew it wasn’t good. “Status update, Raze.”

  “It wasn’t Crow. It’s a damn vacuum sphere.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m watching the damn thing floating outside now. Our chip detector is pinging it. It looks like Crow removed his tracking chip and placed it in the cleaning device.”

  “Shit.”

  “Double shit.” Raze stepped away and spoke to his men. Back on the com screen, he said, “I’m pulling my team. We’re fanning out. He could be anywhere.”

  “No. He’ll go after Hallie or Lenny Hawk.” Vicious believed that with every fiber of his being. “I’m going to my wife. You secure Sergeant Hawk’s wife now.”

  “Understood. Raze, out.”

  Vicious was on his feet and headed toward the door before he even realized Terror had already left. Menace, hot on his heels, explained, “He took off the second Raze said it was a vacuum sphere. Let’s hope he gets to Hallie first.”

  Vicious couldn’t consider any other possibility. With Menace at his back, Vicious raced across the ship. Taking the various stairwells and back access bridges was a nightmare but the elevators had been shut down as part of protocol. The similarities to the last time he’d raced across the Valiant didn’t escape him. This time he refused to be late. He would reach Hallie on time.

  The attention of the two guards outside his door snapped to his face as he and Menace burst from an access door on the far end of the hallway. Both men saluted. He gave them an at-ease. “My wife?”

  “Safe inside, sir.”

  He motioned them aside and entered his quarters. “Hallie?”

  “We’re in the bedroom, baby.”

  He paused at the odd use of a pet name. It wasn’t like her. The few times she’d used a name other than his own, it had been master. He stopped and held up a hand, halting Menace. He gave the sign for enemy. Menace tapped his shoulder, confirming he understood, and held back to alert the SRU that there might be a hostage situation.

  Vicious headed for the bedroom as if nothing were wrong. “Kitten, there’s a small problem. We may not be able to get married on time.”

  “Yes, I know,” she answered weakly, her voice quaking.

  His heart seized in his chest when he stepped inside their bedroom.

  Hallie stood in front of their bed. Sergeant Crow, wild-eyed and thinner than Vicious remembered, stood behind her and held a wicked knife to her neck. Already, a trickle of blood dripped onto the blade.

  Fury exploded in him at the sight but he managed to keep it in check. For Hallie’s sake, he had to play this just right.

  “Sergeant Crow.”

  “Where the fuck is my wife?”

  “Not here, obviously,” Vicious replied. Where the hell was Hallie’s sister? “Let my wife go and I’ll take you to see her.”

  “Bullshit!” Crow sweated profusely. “You took her from me. She was mine.”

  “You tried to kill her. You killed your child.”

  “She killed the baby!” Crow spat back angrily. “She said it was an accident and that she’d been feeling sick all day, but I know the truth. She hated me. She killed our son to get back at me for taking her away from her home.”

  Vicious didn’t know if that was true or not. He didn’t much care. It occurred to him, though, that Raze or Venom would have known exactly what to say. As officers in the SRU, they both had training in negotiation and excelled at talking down crazed psychopaths. What would they tell him right now? To find a way to connect with Crow?

  “I’m sure that hurt very much to discover your child had died.”

  “Don’t patronize me.” He pulled the knife tighter against Hallie’s neck. Her eyes closed and a tear slid down her cheek. Vicious tore his gaze away from her pained face. He had to think clearly.

  “I’m not patronizing you. I understand the desire to have strong sons. It’s the only reason we take these women.” That was a lie, of course, but he was willing to call the sun blue and the sky green if it made this man put that knife down.

  “She didn’t understand that. She found a way to prevent a pregnancy. I almost killed her that night I discovered what she’d been doing but then she promised to do better. And she did,” he added. “She took my seed and gave me a son.”

  Vicious spotted movement in the ceiling panel above Hallie and Sergeant Crow. His gut clenched as the vent screen moved silently. Any second, Terror would pop through the hole. He needed to buy his friend some time. “You must have been very happy.”

  Crow faltered and gulped. “Yes.”

  “You can have that happiness again.” Vicious took a step forward, hoping to draw the
man’s attention. “I’m a general now. I can make anything happen.”

  “You can’t take away my conviction. That follows me everywhere.”

  “You removed your ID chip. I’ll get you a new one with a new identity. You can start over on another planet. Go to the colonies. Find a woman there.” He tried to keep talking as Terror, upside down and knife at the ready, slid through the hole. “You can have your son. Let my Hallie go and I’ll help you.”

  “No!” He moved his wrist, as if preparing to slit Hallie’s throat. “You took my wife. Now I’m taking yours.”

  “No!” Vicious lunged at the crazed sergeant just as Terror swung forward and stabbed the man in the arm. Terror twisted and sliced backward, severing the tendons.

  Crow screamed and dropped the knife, his fingers no longer under his control. Hallie scrambled forward and fell into Vicious’ arms. He snatched her safe and shielded her with his larger body as he hauled her out of the room as quickly as possible. Terror and Crow grappled on the floor behind them. Hallie’s hands flew to her ears as Terror made hasty work of gutting the man and putting him down for good.

  Vicious nearly slammed into Raze and Venom, who stood just outside the doorway. Menace was behind them with Bernie sobbing in his arms.

  He carried Hallie to his favorite chair and cradled her on his lap. Venom came forward with a wad of gauze from the small med kit in one of the pouches on his pants. “Here.”

  “Thank you.” Vicious lifted Hallie’s chin and dabbed at the nick there. “It’s not very deep, Kitten. You’ll be fine.”

  Hallie glanced around frantically. “Where’s Bernie?”

  “I’m here.” She scurried over and grabbed Hallie’s hand. “Why did you lock me in the laundry room? I could have helped you!”

  “No.” Hallie shook her head. “That man is crazy. The second I heard the warning from the admiral and then that weird thumping in the ceiling, I knew it was him. He would have killed you, Bernie. He wanted to hurt me. Killing you would have done that.”

  “Why didn’t you hide with her?” Vicious demanded.

  “I worried he’d find us both. He came through the panel in the living room and I ran to the bedroom. He was faster. He caught me and that was that. I didn’t dare call out to the guards. I hoped that you’d get here in time. I knew if anyone could save me it would be you.”