No Quarter (Bounty, Book One)

by d'Abo, Christine

  Faolan leaned over the engine, locked his hands behind his back and peered inside. “You’re a slave to routine. Jason took advantage because he knows you so well.”

  Suddenly tired, Gar scrubbed a hand down his face and pressed his back against the wall, sliding down until his ass touched the floor and he could lean his forearms on his knees. “I’m an idiot.”

  “No you’re not. You made a mistake in trusting someone. Means you’re human after all, Stitt. Flawed and fucked up like the rest of us.”

  Human yes, but Jason had been like a father to him. Gar had spent the better part of the last ten years doing everything in his power to please the man. He’d come close to turning into the kind of person he hated. Every day Gar fought the urge to go that step too far, take more than he should, hurt others just a little bit too much. He would walk up to the invisible edge he’d drawn in the sand, only to stand there and stare at it.

  He wasn’t like them, the men who’d killed his family.

  Gar closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the darkness threatening to eat him alive, inside out. He couldn’t do this anymore on his own. “I still can’t believe Jason would do this to me.”

  “Well, life is designed to challenge our perceptions. If it doesn’t, we never learn and grow. We also can never recognize what a Damasmus tracking beacon looks like.”

  Gar’s head snapped up from where it rested on his knees. “You found something?”

  Faolan reached in carefully with one hand and began to rummage around. “Aha!” He pulled out a small silver component that looked strangely like a Zeten sand spider. “Look at that beauty. My dear Mr. Stitt, I would like to introduce you to your unwanted tracker.”

  Jason really did try to have him killed. “Bastard.”

  “Want me to smash this little shit?”

  Plans whizzed through Gar’s mind—everything from smashing it and disappearing forever to placing it on a garbage barge to wait for Jason’s men to show up. “Not yet. We’re lucky this planet is causing problems with the signal. It will give us some time to come up with a plan. We can use it to throw him off the scent before we are ready to get to your ship.”

  Faolan grinned. “Decoy. I like it.”

  “Thought you would.” Gar pushed himself up, brushing the invisible dust from his pants. “I have an escape pod we can stick it on and send through the dimension gate. Should keep him running in circles for a little bit at least.”

  “As long as he doesn’t send anyone to come collect us in the meantime then we will be good.” Faolan tossed the tracker to Gar. “We’ll need to move quickly. How much longer does the ship need before she can jump?”

  Gar looked at the chronometer ticking down on the monitor. “Not long. Twenty minutes.”

  “Just long enough for us to get the pod ready.” Faolan grinned and started to stride past. “Let’s get moving then.”

  He almost made it past Gar when the older man stumbled, as if he’d tripped over his own feet. Gar’s arm flew out to catch him around the waist, pulling Faolan in tight against his side.

  “Let go,” Faolan snapped. “I’m fine.”

  “Your legs gave out.”

  “I tripped. Just clumsy.”

  Gar huffed out a breath. “Wolf, I’ve known you for two days now and prior to that spent a hell of a lot of time reading your file. Clumsy isn’t a word I’d use to describe your sorry ass. What the hell is going on?”

  A blush dusted Faolan’s cheeks. “There’s nothing wrong. Just didn’t get enough rest.”

  “You slept for over ten hours. How is that not enough?”

  Faolan straightened and pushed away. Gar immediately missed the other man’s warmth, but did nothing to stop him. Faolan didn’t meet his gaze, instead he set about tucking the hem of the shirt into his low-riding pants.

  “Some days I need more than average. Don’t let yourself think there is something wrong with me. I can kill you faster than your average space pirate and still make it back to my ship in time for last meal.”

  Gar recognized the dismissive tone as one he used himself on many occasions. It shouted to the world that while yes, there clearly was a problem, he wasn’t about to air it to everyone so kindly back the hell off.

  “Would never question it, Wolf.”

  Faolan straightened. “Good. Now let’s get that tracker to the pod so we can find my ship. I’m dying for some real clothing.”

  “Got a problem wearing my stuff?” Gar snorted and tried to act casual even though he made sure to keep close to Faolan as they made their way through the ship. “I’ll have you know that shirt cost me two hundred credits and is handmade.”

  “The pants are a bit big though.”

  Gar nodded, but wasn’t about to admit they’d belonged to his father. “Wasn’t going to give you the good ones.”

  “At least I know where you spend all your money. Should have guessed it was on your clothing.”

  The idea that Faolan had put any thought at all into his monetary spending habits was interesting in itself. “Where did you think I was spending it?”

  “Until I came on board, I would have said booze or drugs. No one leads as clean a life as you appeared to.”

  Given the image he’d taken great pains to cultivate, it wasn’t surprising to Gar to realize others would imagine he had a much darker side than even what he showed the world. He didn’t—he couldn’t afford to be weak, not when he was still on the hunt for the man who destroyed his family, murdered his father. Someday he’d find the bastard and when he did, Gar would tear his world apart.

  “Pretty boring, I am. You’re far more interesting, Wolf.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.” Faolan stopped once they reached the secondary passage which led to the escape pods. “You want to lead the way? Unless you want me to crack a few of your codes, in which case, I’m game.”

  Gar shouldered his way ahead of Faolan and was about to type in the security code, when he paused. “Actually, would you?”

  Faolan frowned. “What?”

  “Hack in?”

  “Seriously?”

  Gar let his hand fall to his side and did his best to ignore the confusing stir of emotions—his need for revenge mixed with a desire to have Faolan close. Swallowing, he swayed closer to Faolan, enjoying the heat of the other man. “Someone broke through my defenses. The only way I can fix it, make it stronger, is to have someone try to replicate what was done. If you can hack in and tell me how to fix my security, I’d…”

  Faolan waited for a moment before he pressed his shoulder against Gar’s back. “You’d be what? Grateful? Need to pay back my kindness? I remind you that you still owe me a debt, bounty hunter. You don’t want to rack too many up or I may just steal you away.”

  Gar looked up and couldn’t stop the small smile from slipping across his face. “I’d appreciate it.”

  They stood there until Faolan broke out in a grin. “Careful, Stitt. I have a feeling we might be moving away from a hunter and mark relationship to becoming dangerously close to friends.”

  “Not possible. I’ve only known you two days.”

  “You wouldn’t be the first to be wooed by my charm, wit and devastating good looks.”

  Gar rolled his eyes. “No fear of that happening.”

  Faolan stepped back, cracking his knuckles. “Give me room, kid. Let me show you what a professional scoundrel can do.”

  Instantly regretting the decision to let this happen, Gar bowed deeply at his waist and swept his arm wide in invitation. Faolan didn’t press any of the buttons immediately, instead leaning forward to inspect the panel.

  “Third tier…bio lock…three years old…” Faolan muttered before dropping to his knees to gain access to the control panel beneath the console. A gentle press against the corner of the metal had the hatch pop open, exposing the vibrant colors of the circuitry.

  “That came off disturbingly easy.” Gar tried to move closer to get a better look. “How did you l
earn to do that?”

  “You’re in my light, Stitt.”

  Gar jerked up and back. “Sorry.”

  Faolan looked at him and winked. “Just trying to impress you with my speed.”

  “I’d rather go for quality.”

  “Everyone’s a critic.” Faolan let out a sharp bark of laugher as he pulled a small electrode from a small hidden compartment of his belt. “Now if I just put this here.”

  The door beeped mournfully twice before it slid open. Gar shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Hacked in less than two minutes. I’m getting rusty. I used to be able to crack any third-tier security system in thirty seconds.”

  Gar pinched the bridge of his nose. “I guess it’s safe to say then the Geilt was compromised by a pro.”

  “Yeah, sorry. The good news is there are only a few people who would have a clear understanding of your system, so that should help you narrow it down. It really is quite effective.”

  “Didn’t look like it from where I was standing.”

  Faolan placed a hand on Gar’s shoulder. The heat from the touch seeped through his shirt, tempting him to lean into the older man again. The space between them heated as Faolan smiled, leaning forward close enough to speak in nothing more than a soft whisper.

  “I have yet to meet anything that can keep me out. Don’t think there is anything wrong with your ship. Your average hacker would have either needed an hour to do what I just did or someone to hand them the ship schematics.”

  “No one has those. I wiped them from the space dock’s central computer after I took possession of the Geilt.” Gar swallowed. “And you’re far from average.”

  He’d intended it to have come out as a question, but knew it hadn’t. A flare of lust flashed between them, sending electricity crackling along Gar’s skin. He didn’t resist Faolan as he shoved him against the wall next to the open door. Hot huffs of air caressed Gar’s neck as Faolan moved his lips close to his face. Gar’s body was ahead of his brain, cock already half hard in his pants. Gods, he wanted this—he needed to be with someone he could talk to, who would listen to him, who wouldn’t let him surrender to the darkness threatening to consume him. Faolan could be that man.

  “You know, Gar, you’re nowhere near the norm either. There’s something about you…you feel it too, right? This thing?” Faolan pressed his hand to Gar’s sternum, only to flex his fingers, digging into the material of his shirt. “I know you do.”

  Gar reached up and clutched Faolan’s arms and prayed the sudden spinning of his world would stop. “Not the best time for this.”

  Faolan nipped at his neck. “Never a bad time for this.”

  “Jason is tracking us and we are floating in space like a practice target. He’ll send more ships once he realizes we’re still alive.”

  “And they will be off chasing your escape pod in some random corner of the galaxy.”

  “Faolan.”

  “Shut up, Gar. Just…shut up.”

  Gar arched his neck back and to the side, giving Faolan complete access, silently begging him to do something. Faolan hummed low and deep in his throat as he latched on to the juncture of Gar’s shoulder with a playful bite.

  “I want to fucking devour you.” Faolan licked a wet trail up to Gar’s ear. He flicked the lobe with his tongue. “I want to hear you beg me to fuck you. I want you to cry because I made you come so hard you saw stars.”

  Gar shivered. “No.”

  “Oh yes. You’ll want me. You’ll be panting for it, in fact. And I’ll deliver, but not before I have you on all fours and pleading for me to take you. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  Yes, Gods, yes. “No, I’ve never let…no one has ever—”

  Faolan’s head snapped up. “You mean you’ve never, not once?”

  Heat flushed across Gar’s face. “Don’t think I’m about to let you either.”

  “Oh baby, don’t lay that kind of challenge at my feet and expect me to back down. I’ll have you begging for my cock up your ass in no time.”

  Gar braced his hands against Faolan’s shoulders and shoved hard. “I don’t think so and I’m not your fucking baby.”

  Faolan chuckled as he rubbed the skin through his shirt. “No? How about sugar? Sweetie? Honey?”

  “Bastard, pirate.”

  Gar marched away, adjusting the bulge in his pants en route to the escape pod. How the hell did he let himself get sucked into Faolan’s charms like that? He didn’t need to have someone fret over him like a child or some fragile lover. Gar had been on his own since he escaped Zeten when he was fourteen and had been doing fine on his own. He never let himself be vulnerable, let someone have control over him, or ever put his needs in the hands of anyone. The last time he trusted anyone his father and sister paid the price and now this thing with Jason—never again.

  “Gar.”

  He could handle his demons on his own. He’d been just fine before Faolan showed up, he’d be just as good when he left.

  “Gar, wait.”

  Gods, he needed this to be over so he could get Faolan to his ship and slip away to some nebula where he could plan his revenge. It was clear he wouldn’t get any support from the Guild now with Jason’s betrayal apparent, but there were other places and people who would be more than happy to pay a fair price for his services. Places where he would be safe once the Guild came after him for taking Jason out.

  “Gar!”

  “Once I install this on the escape pod, we’ll make the next jump. Then you can contact your ship and arrange pickup.” His life would get back to normal soon enough. Gar just needed to live through the next few days.

  Two days. He could do this.

  “Will you wait?”

  Gar stopped short and spun on his heel. Faolan wasn’t expecting it and stumbled, his body nearly crashing into Gar. The surprised look on Faolan’s face would have been amusing if Gar wasn’t as angry as he was.

  “Look, Wolf, just forget about it. Despite what you think, there is nothing here. You were a mark I had to bring in. I should have killed you on the spot and saved myself a shitload of headaches. Instead, the man I thought of as another father just tried to have me killed and you want me to lie down and let you take advantage of me. Well, fuck that and fuck you. We are going to place this tracker on an escape pod, launch it into the next sector, jump and call your ship. This time two days from now, I expect you to be so far away from me I won’t remember your face. Understand?”

  Whatever the emotion was on Faolan’s face faded into nothing the moment the final word left Gar’s mouth. To say the older man’s face was blank wasn’t entirely accurate either. He was clearly trying to work out the best thing to say. What Gar wasn’t expecting was the sincerity behind the words when Faolan finally spoke.

  “What did they do to you to make you so scared?”

  Rage and indignation fired Gar’s blood, but he couldn’t voice it. He was scared—terrified if he was willing to admit it out loud. His whole life he’d run from the comfort basic human connections offered him. Every single person he’d ever loved had been stripped from his life in one way or another. He wasn’t willing to risk his heart again, no matter who was the offered prize.

  Ignoring the pounding of his heart, Gar clenched his teeth. “Two days. Then either your ship gets you or you can wait floating in space in an EV suit.”

  Faolan’s eyes bored into his, but he didn’t say anything else. A single nod was the only confirmation Gar received.

  “Then let’s get to work,” Gar ground out before turning and marching away.

  Chapter Eight

  Faolan had encountered many crazy and fucked-up people in his life, but no one as much so as Gar Stitt. Sure, he could completely understand the other man’s reluctance to spread his legs and let Faolan fuck him. It wasn’t an easy thing to let another person take control like that, even if that other person was one fantastic lover. What could he say that wouldn’t sound like a pathetic attempt
to woo the younger man? Not a whole hell of a lot.

  A change in his tactics was required.

  When a direct attack didn’t work, often the best course of action was to avoid the situation and work with more subtle undertones. Gar was scared. Gar wasn’t used to someone else being in control. Gar was a stuck-up ass who needed to relax before his head exploded.

  Faolan wanted to be the one to help him.

  Which was why he had to be smart about his next move. Too much and Gar would shoot him. Too little and he would simply ignore the offer Faolan was waving in front of his face. Maybe he could split the difference and hit Gar over the head.

  “Pass me the transceiver.” Faolan held out his hand and waited for Gar to respond. He didn’t look at him, no matter how much he wanted to stare at the way the muscles moved in the young man’s forearm.

  “How much longer?” Gar’s voice was soft, the words the most he’d spoken since their earlier blowup.

  Faolan had no idea he’d miss the sound of the other man’s voice, but Gods that was the sweetest sound he’d heard all day. “I’ll be done once I get this put in. Then off it goes.”

  “Then off we go.”

  The unspoken you wasn’t lost on Faolan. Gods, it pissed him off he couldn’t break through Gar’s protective shell. He liked the Zeten. Faolan had never met a Zeten he could tolerate for more than ten minutes, let alone want to fuck his brains out. With the exception of Mace, but she was a completely different scenario. Hell, she didn’t even have the accent anymore. The silent ticking of time flying forward wasn’t helping matters. He had less than two days to win Gar over before the Belle Kurve arrived to whisk him away, allowing Gar to disappear forever into the black of space.

  Slapping his hands on his thighs, Faolan stood up to crack the vertebrae in his back. “Done. Guaranteed you won’t find a better quality job or your credits back.”

  Gar nodded and moved to the escape pod. Faolan didn’t shift away from the computer panel, wanting Gar to either make him move or brush up against him. He almost laughed out loud at the look of annoyed frustration when Gar realized what he was doing. Instead of saying anything at all, Gar walked around to the other side and accessed the secondary navigation system. Mark one for the bounty hunter.