Liberating Lacey

by N. J. Walters

  “You’re coming with me.”

  ****

  Lacey hadn’t been sure her plan would succeed until the first man got sick. Things happened quickly as the noxious herb did its work. None of the people present would die since it had been diluted in a big pot of soup, but they’d probably wish they would before they got well again.

  Fortunately, Angelina had heeded her warning, and the men had followed suit so the three of them were safe. Keeping her head down, Lacey continued to eat. Ian wasn’t stupid and would figure things out eventually.

  He’d kill her, of course. She only hoped that was all he did. Torture wasn’t something she wanted to think about.

  Her entire body shaking in fear of the repercussions of her actions, she was totally unprepared to be plucked right out of her seat. Startled, she dropped her fork. Garth’s deep voice vibrated through her entire body and his words penetrated her terror. “You’re coming with me.”

  Then they were moving so fast they were practically flying. Garth was wasting no time getting out of here.

  “What the hell are you doing?” the man she’d heard called Amos asked.

  “She’s coming with us.”

  “Flynn is not going to like it.”

  “I don’t care.” Garth’s words said one thing, but the sudden tension in him told another story.

  Lacey wondered who Flynn was and why he was feared by two such dangerous men. She didn’t think she wanted to meet him but figured she had little choice. It was face Flynn or stay and face Ian’s wrath, and she wanted off Eden more than anything.

  To stay meant death. If Ian didn’t kill her outright in a fit of temper, she’d end up even more of a prisoner than she already was. She’d rather die than live that way—without any real freedom or choices.

  Their path was taking them near her home. “Let me down.” Patting Garth’s arm was like touching stone. There was no give to the man.

  “No.” His grip tightened.

  “I want to go with you, but my home is just ahead.” She pointed to the tiny shack. “I have a pack.”

  “Too risky.” He didn’t slow down, didn’t break stride. She noticed that Amos and Angelina were pulling ahead of them. Garth was watching their backs.

  “I only need a second. Please. It’s everything that’s important to me.”

  He swore under his breath. “Make it fucking fast.” He practically threw her toward the door.

  She shoved it open, grateful there were no locks on any of the huts. She raced to her pallet, tossed it aside and pulled aside the wooden planks beneath to expose the hiding spot she’d dug months ago. She grabbed the watertight and airtight pack and ran toward the door.

  The flickering of the solar lights made shadows dance over Garth’s face. He looked more like a demon than an avenging hero, but that’s what he was, her hero.

  “Move it,” he ordered.

  Make that a bossy hero. As soon as she reached him, he grabbed her once again, lifting her right off her feet. People were spilling out of their homes, drawn by the commotion. Some of the men carried shovels and picks, but none had real weapons.

  A security guard suddenly appeared. Before she could call a warning, Garth fired. At the blast, the people scattered, most taking refuge in their homes, while some slid into the surrounding forest.

  “Come on,” Amos yelled from down the path. Their shuttle was close. So close, Lacey could almost taste freedom.

  The door to the craft slowly lowered. Angelina raced up the ramp, followed by Amos. The ship’s engine fired up almost immediately. She and Garth were almost there when Lacey saw a guard burst out of the woods.

  “Garth.” She screamed his name as the guard fired his weapon. The laser hit Garth square in the center of his back. He stumbled but didn’t fall. Somehow, he managed to return fire and the guard dropped to the ground.

  Garth had been injured, and it was all her fault for stopping for her pack. If he died, she’d never forgive herself. And most likely neither would his shipmates. She’d likely just traded one death for another.

  Through it all, he kept his hold on her. Now he charged up the ramp. “Get inside.” He practically tossed her through the door.

  “What are you doing?” The man was out of his mind. “Get in here. You’ve been shot.” Maybe it was shock that was keeping him upright. She’d seen such a thing years before when a man had accidentally sliced off his finger with a machete and just stood there watching the blood flow from his hand. It was as if the mind hadn’t had a chance to catch up with what the body already knew.

  She reached out to drag him inside, but the dark glare he sent her made her take a step back.

  He wouldn’t want her near him now. Why would he? She’d gotten him shot. But for a man who’d taken a direct hit, he seemed rather strong and sure.

  “Hitting first target now.”

  She had no idea who he was talking to, but his entire body went still and he fired his weapon. The laser was aimed at a sparsely populated area. What was he targeting?

  A huge fireball lit up the night sky. Lacey fell back, slamming against the wall, as the blast wave from the explosion struck. The door to the shuttle slammed closed. The small craft lifted and banked hard, sending her sliding across the floor. Her hip rammed into a metal post, but at least it stopped her momentum. Grabbing hold of the pillar, she held on as the ship made another sharp turn.

  Garth was still on his feet. She had no idea why he hadn’t been tossed around like she had. He was using one arm to grip a ledge above him. In the other, he held that big blaster that always seemed to be at hand.

  She wondered if he slept with the darn thing and almost laughed at the thought. Yup, she was definitely close to losing what little control she had left.

  “Now,” Garth said. As if someone had been waiting on his word, the hatch dropped open. The shuttle was still in the sky and the wind stormed in, whipping at her hair and clothes. But Garth was like a statue, his arm steady as he shot his weapon.

  Another huge blast rocked the night. Flames danced in the air before the hatch slammed shut again.

  Garth was smiling when he turned to her, but it disappeared when he set eyes on her. As the shuttle left the planet’s orbit, he stalked toward her, his expression grim.

  Lacey wondered if she’d live long enough to meet the elusive and scary Flynn or if this would be her end.

  Chapter Six

  Garth wanted to kick his own ass. While he’d been enjoying blowing up the munitions reserves on Eden, Lacey had been clinging to a damn metal beam for support. He’d practically thrown her on board the ship, but he’d been frantic to get her to safety. Wearing a battlesuit, he could take a hit, but she couldn’t. One strike and she’d be dead. Unlike him, the guards on Eden had their weapons set to kill.

  He strode toward her, coming to a complete halt when she jerked away from him. Then she cringed and grabbed her ribs. She must have stuck the support, most likely sliding into it when the shuttle had banked.

  Releasing the blaster, he held his hands out in front of him. “It’s okay. You’re safe.” She’d risked everything for him and his family. Flynn could go to hell. He was keeping Lacey. If he could get her to trust him, that was. Right now, that was an iffy proposition. She looked more like she’d run at the first opportunity.

  The blaster pressed against his back, the strap keeping it secured in place. It didn’t occur to him to remove it. The weight was familiar, a comfort.

  Lacey’s eyes widened. “You were shot.”

  Was that what she was worried about? He tugged the front of his shirt open. “Battlesuit.” When she seemed not to understand, he tried again. “Body armor.”

  “You’re not hurt?” She pushed up until she was sitting on her knees, her pack slipping from her shoulder. He wondered what was so important she’d risked her life for it.

  “No. I’m fine. I’m tough,” he joked, but it fell flat.

  She stared at him for the longest time. Heat radiated
through his big body, settling in his cock, which was not appropriate at the moment. She’d been hurt. The last thing she needed to deal with was his lust. He was riding an adrenaline high, and the only thing better than blowing shit up was fucking.

  Then she blinked and threw herself at him. He caught her slight weight, loving the way her breasts pressed against his chest.

  “You’re truly all right?” She patted his shoulders and back. She stilled when she encountered a large hole in his shirt, the fabric burned by the blast he’d taken in the back.

  “Yes. Best protection money can buy.” He shoved aside his shirt and flattened her hand against his chest and the thin, but durable layer covering it. I’ll have a wicked bruise, but I’m alive.”

  She pulled back before he was ready to lose such intimate contact. Her frown would have made a lesser man quake in his boots. Fortunately, he was made of stronger stuff.

  “You are hurt.” It came out like an accusation.

  He traced his fingers over her delicate features before spearing them through her short hair. Her breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t object, didn’t try to stop him as he moved closer. Her lips were almost touching hers when the onboard intercom beeped.

  “What the fuck is going on?” an angry male voice demanded.

  Lacey jerked so hard she would have fallen back if he hadn’t caught her. “Who’s that?” she whispered, glancing around as if to find the source of the words.

  “That’s Flynn,” he told her, and then wished he could call his words back when she paled. She scrambled out of his arms and swept her pack into her arms, holding it against her chest.

  Sighing, Garth climbed to his feet and hit the intercom with the side of his hand. “I’m sure Amos told you what happened.”

  “I want to hear it from you.” Flynn was nothing if not tenacious.

  “We have a guest.” She was so much more to him than that, but he wasn’t about to blurt that out to his brother.

  How had he even considered leaving her behind? It seemed like the greatest of crimes now that they were safely on their way to their ship. How would he have felt flying away from Eden, knowing he’d never see Lacey again?

  Every cell in his body rebelled against the idea. He could only be thankful that circumstances had conspired to make sure she was here with him.

  “So I heard. I thought I warned you against bringing some old lady on board my ship.” Flynn’s irritation was obvious. Garth couldn’t help but grin, knowing his brother was in for a shock when he finally saw Lacey.

  “The Vagabond and the Gypsy.”

  “What?” Flynn demanded.

  “They were traders docked at Eden when Abigail disappeared. Get Kal on it.”

  “Will do. But that doesn’t change anything.”

  “We’d likely be dead if it weren’t for Lacey.” He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving a shudder of pleasure when she leaned into him and rested her head against his chest.

  “So Amos told me. It’s the only reason I’m not ordering you to take her back. But she goes at the first stop.”

  Lacey glanced up at him, fear in her eyes. She chewed on her bottom lip but made no plea to stay. Did she not want to stay with him? Why would she when he’d been ready to leave her on Eden?

  He slammed his palm against the intercom to silence it. He had no idea how long they stood there staring into each other’s eyes. Lacey was such a small woman, but she packed a punch. There was so much about her he didn’t know. And he wanted to know everything. Her brown hair was tousled, and there was a smudge of dirt on her face.

  He reached out and rubbed away the mark with his thumb.

  A beeping sound interrupted them. “What’s that?” she whispered. It struck him that she’d never been on a ship before, never been off her planet. She had to be scared out of her mind, but you’d never know it to look at her. She was the strongest person he’d ever met.

  “We’re getting ready to dock on the Abigail. It’s our deep-space trading ship.”

  She frowned. “A trader. I thought this was Ms. Astoferus’s ship?”

  There was so much she didn’t know. “It’s a long story.” The shuttle came to a stop, jerking slightly when it set down on the landing pad. Lacey stumbled, but he caught her before she fell. “I’ll tell you everything, but first we have to placate Flynn.”

  ****

  Lacey wanted the door of the shuttle to remain closed for as long as possible. When it was just her and Garth she could be brave. The thought of meeting Flynn filled her with dread. He’d made no secret of the fact he didn’t want her on his ship. Was he the captain? Would Garth get in trouble for bringing her along?

  She hadn’t stopped long enough to consider the repercussions for him. It was up to her to make sure he didn’t lose his position or get disciplined because of her actions.

  When the door slowly lowered into a ramp, she peered out. It was odd to not be on the ground. She was actually in space. If she wasn’t so scared, she’d be excited.

  A huge man stood waiting with legs planted firmly on the deck and his arms crossed. Lacey’s mouth went too dry for her to even swallow. Garth was big and strong, but this man was enormous. His hair was clipped close to his skull, and a patch covered his right eye. His right hand was made of metal instead of flesh and bone. The scowl on his face made her legs shake.

  She was grateful she’d only picked at her dinner, as otherwise she’d be in danger of losing it right about now.

  Not giving herself time to dread what was coming any more than she already was, she stepped in front of Garth. “Are you Flynn?” She was pretty sure he was, but it was best to be sure.

  He inclined his head slightly, which she took as a yes.

  “I made him bring me.” She tried to stand tall, but there was only so far she could push it.

  Flynn slowly stalked up the ramp until he was standing right in front of her. He was way more than a foot taller than she was, so she had to tilt her head back in order to see his face.

  “Is that so?” His voice was deep and raspy.

  She tightened her arms around her pack to keep her trembling from showing. Unfortunately, it could do nothing to stop the quaver in her voice. “It is so. It’s my fault.”

  Flynn flicked a gaze to Garth, who’d come up to stand behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “So this is the master gardener, the old woman who helped you?”

  Wait. What? She spared a glace back at Garth.

  He only shrugged. “I never said she was old. You assumed.”

  Now it was her turn to frown. Garth didn’t seem to be concerned about what Flynn thought. Up close, she caught a flash of white in Flynn’s hair. It was more difficult to see where it was cropped so close to his head, but it was there.

  “You’re brothers,” she blurted.

  Amos and Angelina joined them. He had his arm thrown over her shoulders. He winked at Lacey when he saw her looking their way. “We’re all brothers.”

  Now she was totally confused. What was going on? They’d come to Eden to talk to Jasper, hadn’t they? “I don’t understand.”

  Flynn’s scowl grew even more menacing. She half expected to be tossed into an airlock and shot out into deep space. Maybe Eden hadn’t been so bad. At least she understood the threats there. Here she was totally out of her element.

  “Deal with her,” he told Garth. Turning, he started back down the ramp, pausing when he reached the bottom. “Thank you for protecting my idiot brothers,” he tossed over his shoulder as he stomped out of the landing bay.

  Garth squeezed her shoulders. “He likes you.”

  If this was Flynn liking her, she really didn’t want him to ever dislike her. He would make a brutal enemy. But he seemed to genuinely care for his brothers, despite his blunt words.

  Amos stepped forward and held out his hands. “Amos Marks.”

  She reached out to take his hand but was swept off her feet before she made contact. Garth w
as already striding toward the door with her securely in his arms. “Nice to meet you,” she called over his shoulder. Amos waved, and Angelina was smiling. “Um, where are we going?” Not that she really minded him carrying her. Her knees were still weak from her encounter with Flynn, not to mention everything that had come before it.

  “My room.”

  Butterflies filled her stomach. Why was he taking her there? Fear and excitement battled for supremacy with excitement edging out the other emotion by the slimmest of margins.

  The hallway passed in a blur. It was all so foreign to what she was used to. There was no fresh air, only recycled. The walls were metal, not wood. The floor was also metal and not dirt. There were no trees or plants of any kind.

  What had she done? She was truly in space. Her breathing quickened and grew shallow.

  “Lacey?” She wanted to alleviate his concerns but was too busy trying not to pass out. Dark spots filled her vision. “Damn it, Lacey.”

  A door whooshed open and then closed when he stepped into a room. It was dark at first, but then a dim light clicked on.

  Garth set her on the edge of a large platform bed, crouched in front of her, and caught her face in his hands. “Look at me,” he commanded. She did, using his blue eyes to ground her. “Take a deep breath, baby.”

  She managed to do as he asked, but it wasn’t easy. Her lungs were constricted, and her chest ached.

  “That’s good. Another one.”

  This time it was a bit easier until finally she was breathing normally. Now that she knew she wasn’t going to die, embarrassment set in. “I’m sorry.”

  One corner of his mouth kicked up in a grin. “Flynn has that effect on people.”

  “It wasn’t your brother.” She didn’t want him to think she was afraid of Flynn, even though she was.

  “Then what is it?” He rubbed one big hand up and down her spine, soothing away the last of her panic attack.

  “I’m in space.” It was what she’d wanted for as far back as she could remember—to leave Eden. But now that she’d done it, she had no idea what came next. Somehow, she’d never got that far in her planning, mostly because she’d never expected it to become a reality.