“Yes, I can see in the dark. And heal from major wounds in hours or days. And break bones with my bare hands.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “I tell you everything and that’s all you have to say?”
The reminder wiped the humor from my face. “No, I have plenty to say, most of it to Father and the rest of the Consortium. I’m sorry about what happened to you and your squad. So very sorry. It must’ve been devastating to realize you were stuck with a House daughter on Mayport.”
“Actually, I planned to use it to my advantage. But then you turned out to be so damned nice, even when you were trying to manipulate me. I thought it was another act. It wasn’t until you risked your life coming to get me that I started to think that maybe you weren’t like the rest.”
“I am exactly like the rest,” I said. “I just hide it better.”
Loch met my eyes again. “You may think so, but you’re wrong. Every House member I’ve ever met would’ve sent me to investigate the bunker on XAD Six while they stayed safely with the ship. They wouldn’t have thought twice about it.”
“It was my responsibility,” I said. I looked away. “You were so cold to me when I said goodbye. I thought you were still mad and expected you to try to steal the ship.”
Loch turned to face me. “I was furious that you insisted on going alone. I kept imagining all the things that could go wrong for you before I’d even hit the ground. I should’ve handled it better,” he said, running a hand down his face. “I meant to talk to you sooner—that’s why I followed you into the maintenance area. But I bailed at the last second.”
His fists clenched. “You’re not the only one with history. I jumped to conclusions and said things I regret. I’m sorry.”
Someday I would get the story from him, but for now, I let it go. “Apology accepted.”
“I want you,” he said bluntly. “I know we’re too different and I don’t care. We can make a relationship work.”
Warmth and nerves fluttered in my belly. Loch had rescued me from Richard’s ship when he stood to gain a great deal more by taking Polaris to Father and leaving me to rot. I trusted him.
“I want you, too,” I said with a smile. “And I want to make it work.” I blew out a breath. “But I have to go home. It’s not just about duty and honor, it’s about love.”
“And I can’t go with you,” he said. He made to stand up.
I put a hand on his arm before he could retreat. “Wait. Talk to me. If we’re going to make a relationship work, we have to get better at communication. I want you to go, but not if it means risking your life. Help me think of a solution that works for both of us.”
“I’ve tried. Short of the Consortium pardoning me, there’s no way visiting House von Hasenberg would be safe, even if old Albrecht let me in—which he won’t.”
I was pretty sure I could get him in, but he was right, it wouldn’t be safe. But a full pardon . . . that had potential. “I might be able to get you a pardon,” I said.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
I shook my head. “While the Consortium thrives on scandal, it only likes internal scandal. Public scandal is to be avoided at all cost. DNA experiments that killed RCDF soldiers would be a huge public scandal. I might be able to twist enough arms to get a vote for clemency passed. It’ll be harder with the war with Rockhurst, but I think I can swing Father and Yamado. The vote doesn’t have to be unanimous.”
“And what prevents them from killing you to keep the secret?”
That surprised a laugh out of me. “The same thing that always has: luck, skill, and the reams of documents that will be publicly released upon my death. It’s how the game is played.”
Chapter 25
Rhys landed in Sedition without any trouble. The enclosed hangar made me a little nervous, but I knew it was better than sitting out in the open. He and Veronica immediately departed for his house. They promised to return in the morning for breakfast, even if Veronica decided not to continue with me.
I watched their transport slide away from the cargo ramp. Loch stood beside me. “What do you think she’ll choose?” I asked.
“Rhys will push hard for her to stay,” he said. “But she is tougher than she looks. She’ll make him work for it, whatever she decides. What do you want her to choose?”
“The selfish part of me wants her to stay with me because I enjoy her company. But I know she’ll be safer if she stays here, especially if Rhys can talk her into staying at his house.”
The hangar door closed behind their vehicle, blocking out the sun and leaving us in twilight. Weariness pressed in. It might be late morning on this planet, but I’d reverted to Universal Time and it was past time for me to sleep. Maybe by the time I woke up my arm wouldn’t feel like I was getting jabbed with a hot poker every time I moved.
“I’m going to bed,” I said. “I’ll message Father in the morning. He’s on Universal Time, so if I stay up to do it tonight, he won’t see it until the morning anyway.” I knew I was making excuses, but I really didn’t have the brain capacity to do it justice tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough.
“How’s the arm?” Loch asked as he followed me upstairs.
“It hurts, but I’ll live. The painkiller is still keeping the worst of it at bay. It only really hurts when I move.” After I’d answered, another reason for the question occurred to me. “I’m going to bed to sleep, I’m afraid. You’re welcome to join me but I might not be good company.”
“I’ll take my chances,” Loch said.
Once we’d made it to the bedroom, I shucked my pants with weary motions. I instinctively reached back for my bra closure and hissed in pain.
“Let me,” Loch said. He reached under my shirt and unhooked it as easily as I would’ve. He helped me ease it off while keeping my shirt on.
“I see you know your way around women’s undergarments,” I said, trying to break the weird tension that gripped me. I felt unaccountably shy considering I’d already slept with him.
“I live to serve,” he murmured against the nape of my neck. I shivered. “Now stop stalling and get in bed.”
I set my com to wake me up in seven hours then climbed into the bed still wearing my shirt and underwear. Loch stripped down to his boxer briefs. All of that warm bronze skin tempted me to play with fire, but I yawned in spite of myself. He climbed into bed and curled around my right side, being careful of my injured left arm.
Sleep hit me like a frigate.
The alarm came too early and too loud. I groaned and tried to burrow deeper into my pillow.
“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Loch said drowsily. His voice rumbled through me. “I’m all for sleeping more, but you have to turn off that racket first.”
“I can’t,” I grumbled. “I have work to do. And Rhys and Veronica will be back soon.” I threw the covers off before I was tempted to stay. I sat up and turned the alarm off. Shower first, then coffee, then maybe I’d feel like facing the rest of the day.
My left arm almost felt normal again. The bandage would have to stay on for another day or two, but it was waterproof, so I enjoyed a long shower. By the time I had gotten dressed, I almost felt human again. Human except for the lack of boots. I’d have to do something about that because I couldn’t return home in socks.
Loch was still sprawled in bed when I came out of the bathroom. He cracked one eye. “I see you were serious about getting up.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have to. I’m going to be writing a message to Father for the next few hours.”
He blinked in surprise. “That long?”
“It’s going to be a legally binding contract, so yeah, that long. I want to make sure there aren’t any loopholes for him to exploit.”
“I’ll be down in a little while,” he said.
I grabbed my com then headed down to the mess hall. After fortifying myself with a tall glass of iced coffee, I went through the complicated ritual necessary to authorize my necklace and cuff. When I didn’t hav
e anything left to prolong my procrastination, I pulled out my com and got to work.
I started with our basic House contract. I added the things I wanted. First up was the ability to pick my own spouse, the freedom to come and go at will and without supervision, and the immediate cancellation of my bounty. All three of those things were hard requirements. I loved my family but I wasn’t returning if it meant a prison sentence or a forced marriage.
I added the ability to choose my own staff and security detail because if I didn’t, I might as well count on having Father’s spies following me everywhere. I also added diplomatic immunity for my staff and five people of my choosing. It probably wouldn’t survive the cuts, but it was worth the ask.
Next, I required the return of Polaris in working order within three months. Father would balk, but I wanted my ship back. Three months would give the scientists and engineers enough time to study the alcubium FTL drive and get started on their research.
Lastly, I asked for Father to vote yes in a clemency hearing of my choice. I doubted the request would survive the negotiations, but it worked as an opening salvo. Father would know I was serious when I later came to him about the Genesis Project.
In return, I would let his people pick over Polaris for three months, hand over all the alcubium I had on board, and submit to no more than a week of debriefings about everything I’d learned about the alcubium FTL and while on XAD Six and the Santa Celestia.
With the rough draft complete, I began revising, tweaking the language until it was ironclad. Loch came down sometime during the first pass, but when I muttered something vaguely intelligible at him after he questioned me for the third time, he laughed and left.
I didn’t make any changes on the fourth pass, so I figured it was as good as it was getting. I’d dealt with enough contracts to at least be familiar with the common pitfalls.
With the contract done, I began working on the accompanying note. It had to strike the right balance between friendly and threatening or he’d gut my contract without a second thought. By the time I was happy with it, my back ached from hunching over the table for so long.
I signed the message with my personal key, encrypted it with our House key, and sent it highest priority. Because APD Zero was within minutes of the gate, Father should receive the message in the next twenty minutes.
I also sent a copy to Bianca. Perhaps she could be the voice of reason if Father got carried away.
My stomach twisted as anxiety dumped adrenaline into my system. I stood and stretched. I needed to move and not just because I’d been sitting for hours. Fight or flight rode me hard even though the danger was likely sitting behind a desk a million light-years away.
I slid down the ladder to the bottom deck. My arm stung just enough to remind me to take it easy. I heard the rattle of weights before I entered the exercise room. Either I’d found Loch or the ship was haunted.
Loch was doing deadlifts with some ridiculous amount of weight. He wore a pair of low-slung athletic shorts and no shirt. Watching the muscles play across his body as he lifted the weight was a thing of beauty.
“Hey,” I said once he was done with the set, “I sent my message and need a distraction. Care to spar?”
“You going to run away?” he asked.
I grinned at him. “Probably.”
“What do I get if I catch you?”
“I’ll give you a pat on the back and permission to feel smug for a whole thirty seconds.”
He chuckled. “With an offer like that, how can I refuse?” He turned serious. “How’s your arm?”
“Mostly fine, but still a little tender. Try not to directly hit it if possible.” I moved to the sparring mats and dropped into an alternate stance with my right side forward. It was my weaker stance, but it kept my left arm farther out of harm’s way.
Loch mirrored my stance. It didn’t surprise me that he could fight reversed. He threw a slow right jab at me. I danced back, out of range of the left cross I knew would follow.
Unfortunately, I’d forgotten how quick he was when he wasn’t purposefully slowing down.
Instead of the left cross I expected, he closed the distance between us, changed his stance, and threw a right cross at me. I deflected it—barely—but it cost me. His left hand connected with stinging force to my right side. If he’d been hitting me at full strength, he would’ve broken ribs.
“Do I get my pat on the back yet?” he asked. He retreated to let me regroup.
“Sure,” I said with a grimace. “Come closer and I’ll give it to you.”
A flash of a grin was all the warning I got before Loch tackled me to the mats. He held his upper body so that his chest just barely brushed my breasts, but his hips were wedged firmly between my thighs, pinning me in place. “Is this close enough?” he asked. His deep voice was huskier than usual. I shivered as lust blazed hot and fast.
I patted him on the back before his growing erection destroyed my ability to think. “There you go. Shall I count for you?”
“I have a better idea,” he murmured against my jaw. He trailed kisses up to the corner of my lips. I clutched his head when he would’ve moved on and slid my tongue into his mouth. He groaned and kissed me deeply.
I spread my legs wide, planted my feet, and lifted my hips to rub against him. We both hissed in pleasure. Loch helped me shimmy out of my clothes, and I pushed his shorts down to reveal he was commando underneath. I reached for him, but he backed away with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
He ran his hands from my ankles up to my knees, then pressed a kiss to my inner thigh just above my right knee. His hands inched higher and kisses followed their path. Anticipation tightened my stomach as I fought the conflicting desires for him to linger and to hurry. When his breath ghosted over my clit, I moaned and tilted my hips in invitation.
His lips closed around me and two fingers pressed inside. I clutched his head and rocked against his mouth, desperate to come, desperate to prolong the pleasure. Release roared toward me, driven by his clever lips and fingers and tongue. His name was a chant and a prayer as I tipped into bliss.
Loch barely gave me time to recover before he rolled me over onto my hands and knees. “Is this okay for your arm?” he asked, his voice tight.
Truth be told, I couldn’t feel my arm over the pleasure still pulsing through my system, so I nodded. He groaned and rubbed against me. I shifted, impatient. He gripped my hips and entered me with one smooth thrust. He felt huge from this angle and hit every still-sensitive nerve I had. “Yes,” I hissed.
He thrust slowly, once, twice, then froze. “Ah, fuck,” he growled. “I need—” His control shattered, and he set a frantic pace that ratcheted my desire higher with every stroke. I dropped my chest to the floor and he felt even bigger. The pleasure nearly blinded me.
When he reached under me to pinch a stiff nipple while he continued to thrust, I hurtled into another orgasm with a gasp. He followed with a muttered curse and a groan. He pulled us over onto our right sides, still buried inside of me. He pressed a kiss to my shoulder and I sighed in bliss.
“For future reference, I like your ideas,” I said.
He chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Calmer. I don’t feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin,” I said. “But it’ll only last until I check my com. If Father has responded, expect me to go neurotic again. If he hasn’t, well, same result really.”
The proximity alarm went off. “Polaris, show me the location of the alarm,” I said. A vid screen in the wall showed Rhys and Veronica on the cargo ramp. Veronica held a shopping bag, but my heart sank. If she was planning to go with me, she would’ve brought Lin and Imma. “Scan the immediate vicinity for life-forms.”
“Two people detected in the cargo ramp quadrant,” the ship replied.
“Open the cargo door and tell them we’ll meet them in the mess.”
By the time we cleaned up and redressed, Rhys and Veronic
a had beat us to the mess hall. Rhys grinned when we walked in. “It’s good to see you two getting along again,” he said. “I thought I was going to have to knock your heads together.”
“You’re welcome to try,” Loch growled at him, but there was no heat behind the words.
It had been nearly an hour since I messaged Father, so I checked my com. No response yet. I set it faceup on the table and tried to ignore it.
“Ada, I brought you boots,” Veronica said. “I didn’t know if you planned to go shopping, but I noticed you came out of Richard’s care”—the word was heavy with sarcasm—“without any. I got a few different sizes.”
“Thank you so much. Richard confiscated my only pair.”
“I think this is the brand you wear,” she said. She pulled four different sizes of my exact brand and style boot out of her bag. She had a brilliant eye for detail and noticed things that would slip past me.
I found the right size, pulled them on, and laced them up. They fit perfectly. “You’re my hero,” I said seriously.
She blushed and ducked her head. “Think nothing of it,” she said.
My com vibrated against the table. I snatched it up. The breath whooshed out of me. Father had responded. I tapped the message with a trembling finger. This was the first direct communication we’d had in nearly two years.
“Is it from Albrecht?” Loch asked.
I nodded as I read. The message was mostly bluster, going on about how I should bring the ship in because it was my duty as a von Hasenberg and not because I wanted something from him. But under the bluster was a thread of reluctant respect—he was impressed that I’d captured an enemy ship.
I opened the contract. He’d modified a few minor wording issues but largely left it unchanged. He’d signed the contract with every request I’d asked for, even the ones I thought I wouldn’t get. I double-checked that it truly was his signature, both physical and electronic. Both checked out.
He must be desperate to get his hands on Polaris.
“He agreed to everything I asked,” I said. “I can get you all diplomatic immunity. He’ll let me choose my own spouse and come and go freely.” I looked up and met Loch’s eyes. “He’ll vote however I ask on one case of clemency.”
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