by Cathy Pegau
Natalia went into her bedroom, Gennie right behind her, and sat Branson on the bed. She removed his pack and his coat. Gennie did the same with his sister. Both women eased the children down onto the bed and removed their shoes. Eyes closed, they reached for each other and held hands. Natalia’s heart thumped hard. What had they gone through?
Gennie tucked the blankets over the kids and kissed them. As she rose, Melaine stirred. “Mommy?”
“Right here, baby.” Gennie sat on the edge of the bed again, stroking her daughter’s forehead. The tenderness and love in the gesture made Natalia’s breath catch.
“I’ll go make us some tea,” she said.
Gennie nodded then leaned down to reassure her child.
Natalia closed the door behind her. She pulled her comm and reset the security on the door and bedroom window, increasing the sensitivity of the system. In the kitchen, she heated water and prepared two cups. Keeping her hands busy didn’t stop her mind from running full throttle.
The only reason Gennie would have come to her was because the Reyeses upped their threat to take the children. Had they tried something? The three of them looked like they’d been traveling nonstop for a while. Why were the Reyeses so adamant? So dangerous? Gennie must feel like she was being hunted.
It was several minutes before Gennie came out of the bedroom. She left the door slightly ajar then looked up at Natalia. Her face was unreadable except for the weariness.
“Have a seat,” Natalia said by way of invitation. Gennie would tell her what happened in her own time. Or not. It didn’t matter, Natalia realized. All she cared about was that they were all right.
Gennie shucked her coat as she crossed to the kitchen area. She draped the worn garment on the back of the chair and sat heavily. “Thank you,” she said and lifted the cup to her lips.
Natalia wanted to question her, to get every bit of information she could to protect Gennie and the twins to the best of her ability. Patience.
She remained silent to give Gennie a chance to regroup, to realize she was safe here, that her children were safe.
“They came to my house the night before last,” Gennie said, looking down into her cup. “Five, six, maybe more of them. I don’t know.”
Anger and guilt boiled in Natalia’s gut. Had the Reyeses found them because she had insisted Gennie go to Grand Meridian with her? They’d sent men to kidnap the children, and who knew what they’d intended for Gennie.
“We fought them off, killed a few,” Gennie continued in a soft, emotionless voice.
“We? You and the kids?”
Gennie shook her head. “Delilah.” She raised her head. Sadness darkened her eyes and tears welled but didn’t fall. Not yet. “My friend. She lived with us and took care of the kids when I went away.”
Natalia didn’t ask where Delilah was now. She didn’t need to. Her heart ached for the grief Gennie was feeling at the loss of her friend.
“We were able to get to the air car. Took it halfway across the South Continent to throw them off before I could get us here.” She lowered her eyes again; tears dripped into her cup. “I didn’t know what else to do, Natalia. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Natalia got out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Gennie’s shoulders, whispering soothing sounds and stroking her hair, as Gennie had done with Melaine. “You did the right thing. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“They killed her.” Gennie’s shaking voice was muffled in Natalia’s side, but she shook with rage as well as grief. “She was trying to protect us, and the bastards killed her.”
Natalia slid her hand to either side of Gennie’s face and tilted it up so their eyes would meet. “I’ll stop them, I swear, and they will pay. But first we have to get you and the twins off Nevarro.”
Gennie shook her head and pulled out of Natalia’s grasp. She rose, stalked across the room and back again like a caged animal. “To hell with that. I want to fight back. I want to kill them for what they did to Delilah and Simon. For the terror they put in my kids’ eyes. For what they’re making us go through, and for whatever the hell they’re doing with that—that crap in the barrels in Grand Meridian.” She stopped pacing and stood in the middle of the room, breathing hard, her eyes blazing.
Natalia displayed a calmness she didn’t feel. For a moment, she was willing to join Gennie on her quixotic journey. Vengeance. Retaliation. Justice. Yes! But cooler heads had to prevail before someone else got hurt or killed.
“Going after the Reyeses personally will only make matters worse.”
Gennie raised her chin, defiant. Angry. “It will stop them once and for all.”
“But at what price? Maybe you’d get away with it, but you’d still be on the run with the kids, if only to escape the law. More likely, you’d be caught, and your children would be put in the system while you rotted in some correctional mine. Or if the Reyeses managed to survive and you were caught, they’d end up with the kids while you were serving time. If they didn’t kill you first.” She stood in front of Gennie and grasped her hands. “I know you’re willing to do everything and anything for your children, but please, don’t do this.”
The anger leached from Gennie’s face, replaced by desperation. “Help me. I—I can’t do this alone.”
Natalia drew her into her arms. Gennie laid her head on Natalia’s shoulder, trembling. Not even when faced with the void had Genevieve Caine seemed so vulnerable, so anxious. It didn’t fit the original impression Natalia had had of the woman, though that picture had changed since Grand Meridian. She’d never imagined herself desiring a woman who could lie as easily as she could breathe. God help her, she wanted—and wanted to help—Gennie.
“You aren’t alone. Here, sit down. I need to make a call.”
She guided Gennie to the couch. Natalia removed the pulser from her waistband and set it on the floor then scrolled down the contact list on her comm. She tapped Connect when she found the name she sought.
Mickelson’s sleepy face popped up on the screen. “Hey, beautiful. Finally decided to give me a call, eh?”
Sterling had warned her Mickelson was angling for a date, but the Department of Corrections tech wasn’t her type. Not even close. She glanced at the woman beside her then back to the screen. “Sorry to bother you so late, but this is an emergency.”
“That’s my specialty, emergency late-night visits.”
She frowned at his antics, even though he had no idea what was happening and couldn’t fault his typical flippant attitude. “This is serious, Mickelson, the life-and-death variety. I need help and I need it now.”
To his credit, he sobered quickly and turned to the SI unit beside his bed. Even a joker like Mickelson understood when it was time to stop playing around. “Talk to me.”
“Three tickets on any off-world flight you can find.”
His fingers flew over the keyboard, the light of the screen flickering across his narrow face. “Last-minute interplanetary flights are tough. Med files are up to date?”
Natalia looked at Gennie. She nodded. Of course they were up to date; she was ready to flee at a moment’s notice. “They are.”
“There are three spaces on a hopper to Kennecott. Leaves in about twelve hours. It’s a combi, so not the best conditions.”
Combis, or combination cargo and passenger vessels, were typically smaller and had fewer amenities than a passenger shuttle. Those took on some cargo too, but a combi pilot was more concerned with hauling freight than hauling peop
le. Natalia didn’t think Gennie would care about private lavs or softer sheets on the bed.
“Book it,” she said, not bothering to consult Gennie. “I need IDs too, one adult female, thirtyish, two children, a boy and a girl both six or so.”
Mickelson kept tapping. “Pics?”
“Just a minute.” Natalia readied her comm and pointed it at Gennie. “Smile.” She didn’t. Natalia hadn’t expected her to. She took the pic anyway. “What about the kids? Got something?” She didn’t want a picture of them sleeping and couldn’t bear the thought of waking them.
Gennie fished her necklace from under her shirt. She activated the pendant, and the happy faces of her children popped up. “Just this.”
Natalia captured a copy of the holo, sending both to Mickelson. “Can you work with that second one?”
“It’ll take a bit of doing, but yeah.” He picked up the comm, meeting her eyes. “I’m sure I don’t want to know what you’re up to, but I’ll ask anyway.”
Natalia ran her hand through the tangles of her hair. “It’s for a case.”
Mostly.
Natalia covered Gennie’s hand with her own and gently squeezed her cool fingers. A small smile curved Gennie’s mouth. Fierce determination to have Gennie with her, to keep her and the children safe, filled Natalia.
“Uh-huh,” Mickelson said. He set the comm down again and returned to the SI. “This is gonna be a while. I’ll need to download from my comm to hers to make it look legit and tweak the med files to match. What are the digits?”
Gennie frowned and shook her head. She wasn’t keen on giving Mickelson, or anyone, a way to track her comm.
“Can you send it to me so I can download it?” Natalia asked.
Mickelson made a face. “With a full-on ID load it has to be direct, or the security protocols get glitchy. Someone might question it.”
“You’ll have to meet us at the station.” Putting Mickelson in physical contact with Gennie and the twins didn’t sit well with Natalia, and from the look on his face it didn’t sit well with him either.
“I guess,” he said reluctantly. “Meet you at the Hub Station at oh-nine hundred. North entrance.”
“We’ll be there. Thanks, Mickelson. I owe you.”
He sighed. “Yeah, you and everyone else. Someday I’m gonna collect all these favors at once and be the happiest man in the ’Verse.”
He hit the disconnect, and Natalia’s comm screen returned to the main page. She set it down on the arm of the couch. “Mickelson’s a good guy. He’ll come through.”
Gennie’s wry grin made her seem more at ease than Natalia sensed she was. “I guess I’ll owe him too.” She turned her hand under Natalia’s and laced their fingers together. Warmth seeped into Natalia’s palm. Tingling need danced along her arm, her chest. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me, Natya.”
The pet name shot into Natalia’s heart, ricocheted through her gut. There was no denying she wanted the woman, but not now. Not when emotions were running high.
She swallowed down a moan and eased her hand free. “It’s been a long day,” she said, her voice rough. “I’ll find you something to sleep in. The lav’s over there if you want to clean up.”
Natalia rose on trembling legs and headed to the bedroom.
* * *
Gennie leaned her forehead on the shower wall, renewed anger and grief making her shake as hot water mixed with her tears. She hadn’t had a chance to mourn for Delilah in the last two days, even managing an unemotional anonymous call to the local law to report her death the day before. Now that she had a few moments alone, she allowed herself the release.
She clamped her jaws against the scream that wanted to erupt from her chest. Her throat ached from the choked-back sobs that became erratic gulps of breath. She couldn’t let Natalia and the kids hear her. The twins were scared enough.
And Natalia. What did she think of Gennie showing up on her doorstep, of her being so desperate she could hardly think straight?
Natalia had immediately gone into agent mode, assuring the safety of her and the twins. That alone was something Gennie would always be grateful for. But then, as Natalia spoke to Mickelson and took Gennie’s hand, there was something else. Something that passed between them. Something Natalia wasn’t quite ready or willing to face.
And who could blame her?
Wrung out and weary, Gennie let the heat soak into her muscles and bones for a few more minutes before shutting off the water. She found a fresh towel on a shelf over the commode and dried off. Natalia’s bathrobe hung on the back of the door. Surely it was better to wear the robe than a towel. Gennie slipped it on and tied the sash around her waist. The soft material caressed her body, coming to just above her knees.
She lifted the collar and inhaled Natalia’s rich, spicy aroma. Her personal scent that Gennie had indulged in during their lovemaking at Grand Meridian. A scent that made her ache for the woman, despite the residual pangs of grief.
She opened the door of the lav and peeked into the living area. Natalia sat on the couch, concentrating on her comm. Folded clothes—the pajamas she’d offered—were on the table in front of her. Gennie approached her, bare feet making no sound on the low carpet.
Natalia glanced up from the comm. Her blue eyes widened, traveled from Gennie’s face to her body, down her legs and back again. She licked her lips. It was there, the heat Gennie had sensed earlier, but Natalia dropped her gaze to the clothing.
“I think these will fit,” she said.
Gennie sat beside her, holding the robe together near her thighs. “Thank you. You’ve done so much.” She covered Natalia’s hand with her own, drawing her gaze to Gennie’s eyes. She had to be sure Natalia understood her. “But I’m not going to apologize for not telling you about the twins. If you had used your CMA position to protect them, too many people would have found out where they were. I couldn’t risk that.”
Natalia turned her palm up and ran her thumb along the side of Gennie’s hand. “Your job is to protect them. They’re your number-one priority and always should be.”
She gave Natalia’s hand a light squeeze. “Thank you for understanding that.”
Natalia squeezed back. “Thank you for reminding me why parents do what they do.” She leaned forward and touched her lips to Gennie’s. “And thank you for coming to me when you needed help protecting them now. For trusting me.”
Realization of just what Natalia had done for her hit Gennie hard in the chest. Natalia had taken them in, called on a colleague to perform a considerable favor, which she was sure was illegal, and never blinked. She just did it. After all that had happened between them.
“No one but Delilah has ever done anything like this for me. I needed you, and you came through. No questions. No qualms, despite how we parted in Grand Meridian. I can’t repay you for this.” Tears burned in her eyes, and Gennie’s throat tightened. She turned away. No one else had ever seen her cry either. Not since Simon.
Natalia laid her palm on Gennie’s jaw and gently turned her head back so they were face to face. “I don’t expect any such thing.” There was admonishment in her eyes, as if Gennie was a fool for even considering it.
“I know, and that’s what’s so amazing to me.” The tears fell, and Gennie didn’t care. She’d let Natalia see what lay beneath the persona she portrayed, let her see the real Genevieve.
Natalia wrapped her arms around Gennie’s shoulders and drew her into an embrace. She rest
ed her chin on Gennie’s shoulder, while Gennie buried her face against Natalia’s neck. Comforted. That’s how she felt in Natya’s arms. Comforted. Safe. Her scent filled Gennie when she inhaled, but the exhalation came out in a sob.
Gennie tried to stop the next one, but a rush of relief overwhelmed her. She thought she’d cried out all her tears in the shower. Apparently not.
Natalia murmured soft sounds of reassurance, rubbed her back in slow strokes, kissed her neck below her ear. “You’re safe,” she whispered. “I won’t let them anywhere near you and the kids. I swear.”
Gennie caught her breath, willed control back into her voice. “I know you won’t.” She eased back to look into Natalia’s eyes. “I just don’t understand why.”
“I want to help. I want—” Natalia swallowed hard then closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there was desire behind the attempt to keep her distance. A thin ring of blue surrounded the expanded black pupil. “You’ve been through a lot the last couple of days. Hell, the last few years. You need to get some rest.”
“Yes.” Gennie laid her palms on either side of Natalia’s neck and caressed her jaw. “But first, I need this. I want this.” She kissed her. “I want you, Natya. Make love to me. With me.”
Natalia fought to control her expression, but Gennie knew she wanted the same thing.
Gennie kissed her again, flicked her tongue against the seam of Natalia’s mouth. Natalia parted her lips, and Gennie deepened the kiss, tasting, probing.
Natalia slid her hand inside the robe. Her palm skimmed Gennie’s nipple, over her breast, sending licks of electricity through her. The other hand on Gennie’s shoulder guided her down, on top of Natalia as she laid back on the couch.
Gennie lay half on top of Natalia, angled so Natalia could touch her. The kiss deepened. Gennie kept one hand near Natalia’s shoulder, the other trailed down her chest, over her breast, swirled over the peaked nipple beneath her blouse.