by Shona Husk
“I’m not working with Noga.”
Callen looked at her as though she’d just claimed to have wings. “So you know who he is. I think you use your orphanages and the fame as a cover. And it’s good, very thorough. But you’ve fucked with the wrong person. And I intend to get to the bottom of who you are and what you are up to.”
He let her go and turned away.
Haliday tried to think, but the music and the heat were making it hard. It was better for him to know what she used her cover for than dig into who she had been five years ago. “Have you heard of the Kingfisher?”
Callen turned. “All good bounty hunters know the competition. Unregistered, secretive, works alone. What’s the Kingfisher got to do with you?” But even as he asked the question, she could see the wheels spinning in his mind, his yellow-green eyes narrowing as he studied her.
“Golfrin, six million chits. Roghu, ten million. Swin, fifteen million.” Only bounty hunters kept score of their scalps. And she was counting on Callen knowing who the recent scalps were. If he was as good as he said, he’d know the scalp and the chits and who’d claimed the reward.
His gaze changed from one of suspicion to one of skepticism. “You?”
She smiled as if she was going to cut his lungs out while he was still using them. “Me.” She pushed him against the wall. “Where do you think the chits come from for my charities? I spend far more than what is donated.”
“I need Noga’s scalp or a loaner is going to sell my body parts to make up the shortfall.”
“That was your misstep. Not mine. The children need help. You ever had to wonder where your next meal is coming from? Ever wondered if you would sleep without nightmares? I am making a difference. Noga is mine.” She kept her voice low but firm. She wouldn’t let him have Noga.
Callen spun her against the wall. “So you were an orphaned brat and now you want to save the world. Good for you, but you are out of your league. Do you know why Noga is here?”
She was very aware of the press of Callen’s body, the way his hips were hard against hers and his response to her scent—the rise of his shaft was unmistakable. But a man like him wouldn’t let himself be caught again. “Business.”
He shook his head. “Wrong. Heard of firemoss?”
The air whooshed out of her lungs. Firemoss was a class one prohibited item. Just carrying it in space was enough to get someone locked up for ten cycles. Whole zones were off limits to ships because of contamination. “You’re not suggesting…” While she knew Noga enjoyed blowing things up, she couldn’t even say it. She was on a Moon that was set to explode.
“I know.”
“Then why haven’t you reported it, why are we here?”
“In small amounts, it’s undetectable. Scans now will show nothing, then I will get thrown off for making trouble and get first-row seats to the end of the Moon. I’m waiting for it to grow so I can report it. I also need to get Noga alone to take him down without breaching the rules.” He kissed her. His tongue stroked over her lip as if he couldn’t resist tasting her before pulling away. “You know, the ones you broke by tying me up.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t let you get to him.” The silk of her dress hid nothing as her nipples pressed against the fabric. Every breath she took was laced with his scent…and it was changing. He wasn’t immune to her this close, but that didn’t mean he’d act on it.
His fingers trailed along her arm. “I know how you work now, but Noga doesn’t want you in his bed. You’re in a bit of a bind.”
“And what’s your plan?”
“Don’t know yet.” And there was something in the way he spoke that she knew she was going to be part of it.
“I work alone.” But even in her ears, it didn’t sound convincing, not when she wanted him. She tried to block him out and make her body behave. He had the power to find out who had owned her. And yet, she didn’t think he’d turn her in even if he knew—there’d been something in his voice when he’d called her an orphaned brat. He’d understood, even though he was trying to hide it. Callen wouldn’t do anything that hurt her charities.
“So do I.”
She tilted her head and tried to sound flip. “Good, then we go after him separately. Winner takes the chits.”
Callen shook his head. “You know that’s not going to work.”
There was a pause as he looked at her. Was he waiting for her to agree? She wouldn’t. “You got blockers?”
He laughed. “This isn’t about the sex—although I admit I wouldn’t mind more. This is bigger than us. Do you remember the Solar Bird?”
She nodded. Everyone knew of it.
“I almost had him.” His lips twisted. “It was my fault the liner was lost, along with my team. I was discharged from the APM. He has to be stopped.”
“How are we going to do that when you can’t keep your hands off me?” Her free hand slid over his thigh to his hip.
“I believe it was you who started this by trying to give me a lap dance in the Aqua Bar.”
“I don’t remember you saying no.” The music changed to something heavier, deeper and more hypnotic. It pulsed in her blood and made her want to move, to press herself against him and feel his skin against hers again. Liquid heat filled her belly and slicked in her slit. She swallowed and tried to ignore the need that grew with every breath. He did this to her.
He cupped her cheek. The simple touch sent a shiver of heat through her.
“Noga isn’t stupid. He’ll have done checks on you. I have no doubt he’ll know what I know and he’ll want to know who you were five years ago. I’m not interested in your past. But I can’t protect you now and get Noga if I don’t know.”
Haliday shook her head. “No. No one knows.”
“Someone does, and Noga has plenty of illegal channels to do the digging. The longer we give him, the more he will find.”
She considered Callen for a moment. The music pulsed and his scent filled the room. Her body hummed, eager for his touch, but she made herself focus instead of drowning in lust. “How can I trust you?”
“You can’t. But you can look me up. I was a cop on Lekithia, special ops in the APM. I catch the bad guys. While I think you walk a fine line to get what you want, I think you are doing it for the right reasons. But that won’t stop him.” Callen released her and took a step back. “The choice is yours. But either way, I will get him. Whether he gets you first is the only question.”
Haliday closed her eyes and fought for breath. Would he really be able to find out Yem owned her? Would he turn her in? Noga would. He didn’t care about anything except his own skin and his people. She was an obstacle to be removed. And Callen?
She undid her dress, baring her chest. In the center was a scar. But if looked at with the right frequency, it would be Yem’s mark. Since Callen was APM, he should have the bio-engineered mods in his eye.
He looked at the mark and she watched as he blinked, an alien glimmer in his eyes for a milli-tric.
“Fuck.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “Pull your dress up,” he said, as if worried someone else might see.
“You know it then.” She wasn’t even game to mention the name of the fish that had been imprinted on her skin as a sign of ownership in case someone overheard.
“You are crazy.” Callen shook his head. “Why aren’t you in hiding?”
“I am. No one can touch me while I’m always being watched.”
“And I’m guessing this isn’t the face you were born with.”
“I changed more than my face and name.” At first she’d used makeup and disguises, bagging small-time crooks until she had enough chits to change her skin tone, then remove some of her spots, then the more expensive surgeries that had altered the shape of her cheekbones, her chin and forehead. By that time, Haliday had started appearing at parties—screwing her way in, faking wealth and making charitable donations of the bounties she was claiming. It had been two years of fear and pain, but it was worth it to be f
ree. She looked him straight in the eye. “If you betray me, I will hunt you down and kill you.”
“You have nothing to fear from me. I know the state of the orphanages.” He sat on the sofa in the alcove. “I swore to join the police when I was seven. It meant I got an education and was pushed through the system instead of having to fend for myself. I left for the APM as soon as my minimum service period was up. I wanted away from it all. To forget, to escape. I never expected to find one of my own here. Even when I was researching and it said you’d be here, I never planned to meet you. Then you were everywhere I was. Now I know why. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Then you know why he’s mine.”
He considered her for a moment. “Fifty-fifty, I don’t want to sell an eye.”
She didn’t want him to lose an eye to a loaner either, it would spoil his good looks. On the other hand, working with a partner, a man she barely knew, went against everything that she’d ever done. A little voice at the back of her mind told her she had to trust someone eventually; she couldn’t go through life always watching over her shoulder. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone at her back? Wouldn’t it be nice to have Callen in her bed? She bit her lip, then caught herself and freed it. This once to get Noga and save the Moon. If they failed, it wouldn’t matter anyway…and if they succeeded and she could work with him?
She’d worry about that later.
Callen wouldn’t fit into Haliday’s life. He wasn’t rich enough. If he didn’t fit into Haliday’s life, she couldn’t have him no matter how much she wanted him. She moved closer so he was forced to look up to meet her gaze. His thigh was between her knees.
“Fine, you got a plan?” She tried to keep her words clipped as though she was thinking business, not what she would like to do to him.
“No, not yet.” He caught her hand and brought her wrist to his lips. “You?”
She shook her head, not trusting her voice as his tongue made tempting circles on her skin. With her free hand, she yanked the curtain closed.
“He can’t go anywhere and it’s too soon to start scanning, so we might as well stay here and plot.” He drew her down to sit in his lap, then whispered in her ear. “I wouldn’t want people to overhear.”
“Of course not.” She traced the hard length of his cock. The cloth of his pants was doing nothing to hide what he was thinking. “Something more subtle than this?”
He grinned. “No. I think we have to walk up and take him for everything.” He pushed her dress up and slid his hand beneath. “Underwear?”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Now she just wanted them off. She stood and shimmied out of them, then repositioned herself on his lap.
His pants were still done up, but he moved a fraction so his cock pressed against her slit. His hands slid around her hips to keep her there—but not with enough force to stop her from moving. She rolled her hips, teasing him and herself. As she moved, his shaft pressed against her clit in a way that made her want to strip him and straddle him. But despite the scent of lust around them, this time she felt more in control. It wasn’t controlling her and clouding her thoughts as much and yet it still affected her body. Her blood was hot and her skin needed to be touched. She leaned forward and placed her lips on his, needing to taste him.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she opened her mouth and let his tongue glide over hers, taking his time to deepen the kiss until she could feel it all the way to her toes.
“Is it always this good without blockers?” she murmured, her body moving against him as if trying to find relief from the building tension that made her empty core clench with need and her clit throb. He knew how to use his mouth to do more than kiss. She bit back a moan at the memory of his tongue on her clit.
“No.” He kissed below her ear and down her neck. “Some pheromones smell better than others.” He inhaled against her neck as if proving his point. He nuzzled her skin, a sensation that half tickled and sent shudders of delight through her. As before, he was doing things that would make her happy and make her come if she let him continue. So few had ever bothered.
Just being around him made her slit slick with desire, but sitting on him with her legs spread, and knowing only one layer of clothing separated them, was almost too much. She couldn’t walk away, knowing he wanted her as much as she wanted him. His cock was thick and hard against her, it would be a pity to let all that raw lust go to waste. She took a breath and looked him in the eye. He was watching her, his hips slowly moving. Was he waiting for her to decide?
She’d let herself enjoy him while she was here, but after that there could be no more. Haliday Fisher wouldn’t waste too long on a male who couldn’t give her any chits. Callen gave her more. He gave her everything that mattered. Himself. It was more than she could ever give anyone.
She pulled open the fastening of his pants and freed his cock, determined to think of nothing but these few moments. What happened after this…she shut down the thought. Next time she would be more careful. While she’d rather take a bigger scalp less frequently, smaller, less dangerous ones would be smarter, but both involved risk.
Every breath she took free was a risk and yet she managed.
She would go on without him. She had to.
Haliday drew in a deep breath as her fingers traced the ridges of his cock, hot and smooth against her fingertips. She fisted her hand around his thick shaft and gave him a couple of firm strokes. He groaned and pre-cum seeped from the broad head. She brought her fingers to her mouth and flicked her tongue out to taste him on her skin. Salty and musky and male. He drew in a sharp breath as he watched, but she smelled the change in his scent. It laced the air like expensive perfume. She was having that effect on him with only a few touches.
His hand slid under her dress, across the bare skin of her thigh, while he placed small kisses at the base of her neck. Then his fingers dipped into her core. They eased in easily, she was so wet. As he brushed against her clit, she drew in a breath and tried to stop the tremor that wanted to spread and consume her.
Beyond the flimsy curtain, there were people. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure it was still closed. It was, of course. No one would be that rude. Beyond the music of the show, there were only muted murmurs.
“Too public for you?” His fingers moved inside her, teasing her core and tightening every nerve ending.
Usually, yes. She had her back to the curtain, but Callen was looking over her shoulder. She turned back to him. “It’s fine.”
But she wasn’t going to take her clothes off or dawdle for too long. Even as she thought it, the edge caught in her blood—the remote risk that someone would open the curtain and catch them. With Callen, everything was exciting again. It was more than part of the job or part of her cover. She wanted to be here. Her hips rocked as his fingers fucked her. Thrusting in, then drawing out and smoothing over her clit, circling and then pushing back in. It was maddening.
Her grip on his cock tightened a fraction, her stroke short and urgent. That was what she wanted; she needed to feel him inside her. Her palm was slick on his skin as her thumb brushed the head of his cock. He kissed her, his lips moving against hers. Her tongue flicked against his, tasting him, but wanting more. The edge was so close! His fingers continued to tease her clit. Her breath hitched and she closed her eyes as she fractured into a million stars of pleasure.
“Ride me.” It was a plea, not an order. His voice was rough with desire as his breath caressed her lips.
Her legs shook as she lifted up, then resettled with her knees on either side of his hips on the sofa. His cock arced toward her, slick with pre-cum. Slowly, she eased down, enjoying the stretch and feeling of fullness as she took him deep into her core. She almost came again as the rush of sensation raced through her body. He was a drug that she had to keep tasting. How had she existed and not known?
How would she go on afterward, alone and empty, yet knowing what she was missing? But she knew she wouldn’t take it
back. She’d rather live knowing what was missing than having never had it.
He drew in a breath as she began to move. One of his hands was firmly on the back of her hip; the other was under her dress, his fingers brushing her clit. She dug her nails into his shoulders, bunching the fabric of his shirt. She wanted to see him naked again. Be able to run her palms over his chest. Run her tongue over his skin and taste him.
So why shouldn’t she?
She raked her nails down his chest. He arched his back, thrusting deeper into her core. Haliday gasped, her breathing coming in pants. She was sure people beyond the curtain would be able to hear, but she didn’t care. This was for her, not them. She tugged at his shirt and undid it. He didn’t resist as she pushed it off, avoiding his raised spines, and tossed it on the sofa next to him.
“Hmm.” The moan of pleasure remained locked in her throat as she palmed his chest. He was fit and lean and nothing like the businessmen she normally seduced out of their chits. But this wasn’t business. This was as far from business as she’d ever been. And she was enjoying it. Taking something for herself for a change.
He pushed down the straps of her dress, exposing her peaked nipples. She went to cover herself out of habit. She didn’t want people seeing the scar and looking past the usual wavelengths to see Yem’s mark.
Callen stopped her. “I already know.” He drew her hands away and replaced them with his. The heat of his skin against hers, the gentle touch as his fingers circled her nipples, drawing them tighter so they ached for more. He slipped one arm behind her. “Lean back.”
She hesitated for a milli-tric, then did, trusting that he wouldn’t let her fall. She closed her eyes as his tongue swept over one peak. The air became locked in her lungs when he took it into his mouth and sucked. Her clit throbbed in response as if the nerves ran directly from nipple to clit.
It was his scent. Their pheromones mixing. Once she was back on blockers, the lust would end. She didn’t want it to end. But he’d said it wasn’t always like this. She made a mental note to ask him later what he meant…if there was a later.