A Daamen never gave up on the wench he wanted.
Smiling, Shamon closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep.
~ * ~
Freeman watched Misha and Olin return to the Larceny. Things just kept getting more intriguing by the minute. He disappeared into the rain.
~ * ~
Gabie couldn’t remember when she’d ached so much before, or so deliciously. Hands braced on the wall, she tipped her head forward and relished the warm, fragrant, soapy water that flowed down, beating on her head and sluicing down her body.
The kind of aches she had could only be gotten one way and she grinned.
Okay, she hadn’t planned on actually getting into Shamon’s bed, but once she’d started talking to him, been in his presence... what could she say? No use lying about it to herself, she’d forgotten all about her little plan of deceit.
Hallelujah! Finally, she’d done something right.
Lifting her arms, she washed her hair, moving downwards over her body until she was thoroughly soaped. Touching the button to turn off the soap, she rinsed thoroughly. Turning off the water, she dried herself on a towel and got dressed in clean clothes.
Tugging her boot on brought a twinge to her inner thighs and she laughed softly. Yep, some nights she just got it all right. When she’d crept out of Shamon’s bed just after dawn, he hadn’t stirred. She couldn’t blame him. She’d wanted to crawl right back in and snuggle up to his big body, but alas, it wasn’t to be. She had things to see to. After all, she had to stick to some parts of her plan.
That included the early morning risers seeing her in the settlement, and that had involved sneaking back to the tavern and clattering merrily down the stairs inside, drawing scowls from one heavy-eyed patron who stuck his head out of the door of one of the rooms and told her to bloody walk quietly.
Gabie had waved cheerfully and continued clattering down the stairs. The cleaner in the barroom glanced at her and kept cleaning.
Her crew at the Larceny had greeted her with relief, and then Olin had gone back to bed while Paz and Misha went into the dining cabin for an early breakfast. Gabie had gone back to her cabin for a hot shower and clean clothes.
Her stomach grumbled. Apparently making love most of the night with a lusty trader brought on an appetite.
Running the comb one last time through her hair, she left it lying loose around her shoulders and hurried to the dining cabin. Misha and Paz were already eating, so Gabie took a heaping plate of hot food and sat down at the head of the table.
“I take it everything went as planned?” She forked up some steaming bacon and chewed appreciatively.
Misha nodded. “The disabler is attached underneath the ship. I set it to go off an hour ago and Paz slipped the note beneath the Enforcer Buildings door. I did see several pursuit craft lift off not long after but we’ve been keeping a low profile, seeing as how we’re all supposed to be fast asleep.” She glanced slyly at Gabie. “Except for lover girl.”
Gabie grinned around a mouthful of scrambled egg.
“If this all goes wrong,” Paz sighed, “We’ll be dead soon, anyway.”
“Don’t worry, Paz, I’ll see you buried with full honours.”
“Thanks, Misha, but you’ll probably be dead, too.”
“Then Gabie will see us buried with full honours.”
“Hey, don’t look at me.” Gabie took a sip of hot una. “I’m saving my dinnos for other things.”
“She loves us.” Misha toasted Paz with a glass of berry juice.
Paz just shook his head mournfully and mopped up the honey on his plate with a piece of toast.
“So, how is our visitor?” Gabie looked at Misha.
“Emet has quietened. The sedative patch you put on him yesterday settled him right down. Olin checked the wound, it’s clean. Oh yeah.” Misha tapped the table. “Emet was running a temperature but Olin got it down overnight. He reckons that’s why he probably got confused.”
“We have to watch that Emet doesn’t pull that little stunt again.” Gabie forked up some more bacon. “Luckily I was able to fob Shamon off, but if Michel saw him—”
“But he’s not been deemed as missing yet,” Paz interrupted.
“True, but if he does and Michel remembered seeing him with us...” Gabie made a cutting gesture with her thumb across her throat.
Paz shuddered.
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything silly.” Misha twined her long ponytail around her hand. “He’s had a rough time.”
“And I guess that means I can’t turf him out the ramp doorway just yet.”
Misha looked at her.
“Two days I gave him.” Gabie shrugged. “Ah, what the hell. Dad never turned anyone away, and I’ve got that tradition to uphold. He’ll have to stay until he’s healed and then he’s out on his arse.”
“What if Brucie turned up hurt?” Paz queried.
“I’d shoot him, no questions asked.”
Laughing, Misha drained the juice from her glass.
“Speaking of which,” Gabie mused, “has there been any news yet?”
“Yes! It came on the uninews last night after you left.” Paz’s face brightened, a miracle on its own. “Brucie’s ship got attacked by space pirates. They took everything, and I mean everything. None of the crew had even their clothes left. Their ship was completely stripped of everything.”
“Not to mention that a nice, big picture of a naked Brucie was broadcast to every viscomm that allows general communications.”
Gabie batted her eyelashes. “No! How did that happen?”
“I’m sure we don’t know.”
Picking up their mugs, Misha, Paz and Gabie did a toast.
“To friends,” Gabie said.
“On the pirate side,” Misha said.
“And Brucie’s fat, naked arse,” Paz added.
“It will never be forgotten,” Gabie finished.
Sniggering, they returned to their breakfast.
“My, what a cozy group,” a voice drawled from the doorway.
Startled, Misha, Gabie and Paz swung around on their chairs.
Gabie grabbed for the laser that was normally holstered at her thigh, only to remember it was back in her cabin. Misha growled and Paz jerked upright.
“How the hell did you get on board?” Gabie stood up, the dinner knife in her hand. “And who the hell are you?”
The woman strode into the room, her cobalt blue eyes assessing everything. The man who followed looked mildly amused. Expression grim and his gaze restlessly sweeping the big cabin before coming to rest on Gabie, Michel looked anything but amused.
“Michel?” Warily, Gabie eyed the intruders.
Cripes, had they found out about Emet? No, wait, they had to be here about Raznin. Had someone seen Paz deliver the message after all? And who was this other woman and man? And more importantly, how did they get past the security shield?
“We’re here to discuss business,” Michel replied. “Or they are.”
“They?”
Michel nodded to the couple.
“It’s polite to ask for an invite before you board a ship,” Misha snapped.
“Trust me, this isn’t quite what I wanted.”
“I’m Sabra,” the woman stated matter-of-factly. “This is Freeman.”
The man gave a cheerful little wave.
“I’m so happy for you,” Gabie retorted. “Now what do you want?”
Sabra gazed steadily at her. “Your cooperation.”
“Is that so?”
Slipping her hand into the inside pocket of her jacket, Sabra withdrew an identi-disc and held it up. “We’re security officers with the Intergalactic Peace Ship, and we have automatic clearance to enter any ship we want, which is how we got on board your ship.”
Gabie stared at Michel. “They can do that?”
He nodded.
Gabie exchanged glances with Paz and Misha. This didn’t bode well.
Returning her attention to
Sabra, she folded her arms. “So what does security want with us? I can’t think how we attracted your attention.”
Freeman grinned and it was suddenly very predatory.
Misha shifted uneasily and Gabie knew what she was thinking. It had to be Emet. He’d belonged to a settlement leader’s dead wife.
Oh shit.
But then again, one escaped outlaw wouldn’t attract the attention of the security, so why there had to be another reason, and it couldn’t be good.
Sabra eyed Gabie coolly. “You have some interesting connections, smuggler.”
“Private enterprise.”
“Call it what you wish. You’ve flown under the radar all this time because you’re small-time.”
“So what have we done to bring us to your attention?”
From his jacket pocket Freeman withdrew an object and held it up. “Surprise.”
It was the disabler. How had it survived the blast? That was impossible unless... Play cool. “And we’re supposed to be surprised because...?” Gabie raised her brows inquiringly.
“Let’s not waste time with lying,” Sabra spoke briskly. “I don’t have the time nor the patience. We know Link has been contacting you to carry an illegal load for him. We know who he works for, and as we have an interest there that naturally brought you to our attention.”
Refusing to acknowledge anything, Gabie continued to look inquiringly at her.
It didn’t seem to bother Sabra as she continued calmly, “Freeman has been keeping an eye on you and your crew.”
Freeman gave another little wave. Gabie would have liked to break his hand for him; that would stop the irritating gesture. Almost as though he knew what she was thinking, his eyes twinkled.
Sabra remained standing still, her gaze on Gabie. “Freeman saw you taken by a man we know as Tason, but he couldn’t follow you. You returned and Olin met with some scummy low-lives and brought something back to the ship. Freeman took a little walk in the woods behind you and Misha, saw the ship and knew you two were planning something when you didn’t approach. He’s been keeping an eye on things since, and followed Olin and Misha back to the ship during the night and saw Misha plant the disabler.”
“My, he’s been doing a lot of walking and snooping, hasn’t he?” Misha’s teeth were clenched.
“You do pick some strange times for a stroll.” Freeman winked at her.
Sabra looked at the disabler in his hand. “He took it off because we don’t want those big-time smugglers disabled just yet.” She looked at Michel. “And we didn’t want them caught just yet, either.”
Silently Michel took a folded page from his pocket and Gabie recognized it as the printed page with the coordinates and information on Raznin’s ship. Well, at least parts of the plan were working. The peacekeepers had received the note. It was cold comfort.
“So, what are you trying to tell me? That you’re in cahoots with Raznin and Tason?”
“Hell, Gabie!” Michel barked out. “No!”
“Just checking, because you’ve never struck me as the kind to go bent.” Gabie shrugged.
Her mind was going in all directions at once. Cripes, they knew. Michel and the security knew about Raznin and Tason being smugglers, they knew she had a connection—however unwanted—with them. But why would that make them target her?
“I don’t understand. We unwittingly led you to them, so why do you want us? I doubt you’re here to chat about pleasantries.”
Legs braced slightly apart and hands linked behind her back, Sabra surveyed Gabie, Misha and Paz calculatingly. “We’re drafting you.”
Gabie’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Is this a joke?” Misha demanded.
Paz was simply bewildered.
“No joke.” Michel didn’t look happy and that didn’t bode well as far as Gabie was concerned.
“I don’t think you’re allowed to draft dubious characters,” she said. “And we’re dubious. Ask anyone. Ask Michel.”
Sabra’s smile was anything but comforting.
“Michel, they can’t do this, can they?”
“I’m afraid they can, Gabie.” Michel’s mouth was tight, tension playing along the edges. “And you don’t have much choice.”
Oh crap! “Snarch shit.” She pointed to the door. “You’re all leaving now.”
“You don’t want to be doing that,” Sabra said.
“Watch me.”
Striding up to Gabie, Sabra stopped directly in front of her and looked hard at her.
Hiding the little shiver that went through her, Gabie arched one brow and eyed her back. The security had nothing on them, she reminded herself almost desperately. Nothing but the word of Freeman, and he looked to be a dodgy bloke anyway. One word against another wasn’t good enough.
Maybe.
Then again, Sabra’s cobalt eyes were raking over her face and seemed to be seeing a lot more than Gabie wanted her to see.
“You’re invading my space,” Gabie stated.
“I’ll be invading a lot more than that,” Sabra retorted. “This is the thing, Gabie. I can have your ship seized, your cargo overhauled, every person you’ve traded with hauled in for questioning and their supplies broken open and pawed through.”
“You won’t be popular, will you?”
“Your ship will be taken apart piece by piece while you and your crew will be held for investigation.”
That wasn’t such a bad idea. Gabie glanced at Misha and raised her brows. Misha nodded slightly. They shared the same idea. If security had them, Raznin wouldn’t want to be in league with the Larceny crew in the future. It was a sure-fired plan for the big sharks to leave the little fish alone. Not to mention Gabie and her crew would get some leniency from other smugglers higher up the food chain. Being targeted by security would earn them some respect and even some sympathy.
It would also mean it would be harder to trade with anyone, but first things first and that was saving their own necks.
“Sure,” Gabie shrugged. “Go ahead. Seize the ship, seize us.” Oops, cripes, forgot about Emet. “Wait. Give us a couple of hours to think about it and we’ll get back to you.”
Michel sighed and shook his head.
Sabra smiled slowly. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“Really?” Gabie looked at Misha. “It doesn’t work like that.”
“I am so disappointed. Are you disappointed, Paz?”
Paz just looked ill.
“I know your cargo is illegal,” Sabra stated. “I know your discs are illegal. I’ll find out who supplies you with the discs when I have a shake-down done through your clients. I’ll track down your supplier, even if they’re in the far reaches of the Outlaw Sector. I have some contacts there you wouldn’t believe. And then I’ll have you all charged, branded outlaw, and you’ll be on your way to Cardrak.”
Gabie glanced at Michel.
“There won’t be any selling or claiming of you.” Sabra eyed her coolly. “I can make sure of that. It’ll be a one-way trip to Cardrak for you and your crew, Gabie.”
Paz made a small sound of distress.
Sabra smiled coldly. “Olin wouldn’t last long there. But you three would be the toast of the prison, all fresh and young.”
Paz was so pale Gabie thought he was going to faint. She couldn’t blame him. She was halfway there herself.
“You’re bluffing,” she replied.
“I don’t bluff.”
No, she probably didn’t. Gabie felt a trickle of unease go through her.
“Please, Gabie.” Michel took a step forward.
She didn’t remove her gaze from the security officer’s face. “You must want these smugglers awfully bad to threaten us with Cardrak.”
“Aye,” Sabra returned. “I want them bad enough.”
Gabie looked at Misha and Paz. Things were getting worse. Security. They were almost a whispered word, a shadowy arm of the law. She had no doubt that Sabra would do what she had to, to get what she wanted.
And she wanted Raznin and someone even higher up the food chain.
And bloody hell, the Larceny crew were the bait.
Nine
When Shamon awoke with no soft, warm little body curled up against him, he knew immediately that Gabie was gone. The dwelling had a strangely empty air about it.
No doubt the wench had snuck off to see to some illegal business.
The sun shone down brightly when he left the house. Yawning still, he ran his hand through his still damp hair from his shower. He was eager to catch up with the wench during the morning, but first things first, he had work to do on the trade ship. Later he would see Gabie.
When he got back to the docking bay his friends were already preparing to load cargo.
“About time,” Simon greeted him. “I forgot you’d sleep late if no one woke you.”
“He’s a bit tired.” Heddam nudged Simon. “Had a long night. My goodness, are those bags beneath your eyes? Are they bags beneath his eyes, Simon?”
Simon peered at Shamon. “I do believe so.” A slow grin crept across his face. “Late night, friend?”
“Busy,” Shamon returned cheerfully. “I’m feeling damn good, in fact.”
“Do tell.”
“You wish.”
Shamon glanced across at the Larceny. All was quiet, but then he saw a man walking towards the ship. Gabie came down the ramp, Misha and Olin behind her, and she didn’t look happy.
Wishing he could hear the conversation, Shamon watched as the man stopped and the small group commenced talking. Gabie’s normally merry face wore a scowl, and Misha and Olin looked far from happy.
Heddam stepped up beside Shamon. “Bad business afoot, mayhaps?”
“Mayhaps,” he agreed, concern etching his face as he saw Gabie fling out one hand and start talking heatedly.
Then the man held up a disc and she almost snatched it away. He laughed harshly, the sound cutting through the air, and turning he strode away.
Shamon couldn’t make out the words but it was obvious that Gabie was swearing. She turned back to Olin and Misha and they all started talking at once. Shaking her head, Gabie stormed back up the ramp and into the cargo hold, Misha and Olin on her heels.
Heart of a Smuggler Page 18