Double Down (The Drift Book 1)

by Susan Hayes

  A few seconds later she was rising to her feet. The moment she was standing, Kit reached for her hand and drew her into his arms. He didn’t say anything, he simply held her until he felt some of the tension leave her body.

  “Thanks, I needed that.”

  She raised her head to smile at him, and he did his best to ignore the tears that gleamed on her lashes and dampened her cheeks.

  “You don’t have to thank us for taking care of you. It’s our privilege to do it,” Luke reminded her, his hand stroking down her back.

  “I’m not used to having anyone around to take care of me. Even before Dad died, he wasn’t that kind of father.”

  “Yet, he saved up all that money for you,” Kit pointed out.

  “Or stole it. God only knows where he got his hands on that kind of cash. We lived from job to job. I don’t understand any of this.”

  “When you’re ready, I think you should read the file with your name on it. Maybe there are some answers in it.”

  Zura nodded slowly. “I’m ready now. Let’s head to the galley. That way we can all be comfortable. I mean, if you two want to stay. If you need to head back to the club, I understand.”

  “I let Cyn know what was going on while you two were heading back here. She’s not expecting either of us back tonight. We’re not going anywhere,” Kit said.

  “Thank you. I…just…thank you.” She hugged him hard before releasing him and doing the same to Luke.

  “Like Kit said, we’re here for you. Always,” Luke said, looking over Zura’s head at Kit.

  Always. Kit heard the word his brother spoke, and it struck a chord deep in his heart. That’s what he wanted with Zura: always and forever. He knew it would soon be time to tell Zura what they wanted and find out if that’s what she wanted, too. If she didn’t, he was swearing off women and love for the rest of his damned life. Andrea had been a mistake, he knew that now. Zura though…if she didn’t want forever with them, it was going to destroy him, and he knew it.

  Zura led the way to the galley, which was the closest place with a decent sized monitor and seating for all of them. She was grateful that neither man mentioned her tears. They were there for her, offering her their support while never making her feel weak or foolish for her momentary lapse.

  When her father died, she had been so busy trying to deal with everything that she never took the time to stop and grieve properly. She had taken all her feelings and stuffed them into a quiet corner of her heart. Discovering that he had left something for her, even if he died before he could tell her what he was planning, brought back all the grief and anger she had never really dealt with. As much as she wanted to know what was on the file with her name, she wasn’t looking forward to the pain that would come with it.

  When she took a seat, Kit claimed the chair to her left and Luke the chair to her right. Each of them took one of her hands in theirs, another silent offer of support that touched her deeply.

  “Let's get this over with,” she said and took a slow breath before uttering her next command. “Computer, display file Zura One.”

  Instead of the document she was expecting, a video recording of her dad appeared on the galley’s main screen, and her heart broke all over again.

  “Daddy?” She hadn’t meant to speak out loud, but her shock at seeing his face again was too much. His hair was longer, and there was a lot less gray in it than the last time she had seen him. She would look at the date on the file later to be certain, but she guessed the recording was at least ten years old.

  “Hey, Zee. It’s me. If you’re watching this, then I’m dead, and you’re on your own. I’m sorry about that, baby. I was hoping to see you grow up and find your place in the world before I kicked it, but hey, shit happens.”

  He fidgeted in his chair for a second before continuing. “The day you were born, I started putting aside a bit of money from every job I did. It wasn’t much, but it started to add up as the years passed. I wanted you to have choices. Maybe do better than I did. I wanted that for both you and your brother. I wasn’t much of a father. I know that. You and Royan, you were better than I deserved.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his stubble-covered chin and sighed. “Fraxx, I’m no good with this mushy crap, and I’m even worse at talking about shit like my own mortality. When you’re older, I’ll tell you all of this myself. For now, I just wanted you to know that I’m proud of you, and I—I love you. Take good care of my ship, and watch your back, baby. If there’s life after this shit show, you know I’ll be watching over you.”

  The recording ended suddenly, leaving her staring at a blank screen. Her heart ached, and her thoughts were so tangled she didn’t know where to start. Why hadn’t he ever told her about the money? Or the ring for that matter?

  Luke squeezed her hand. “You look like him.”

  “Apart from all the blue, you mean.” She gestured to her face and hair.

  “I happen to like all the blue. It’s my favorite color, remember?” Kit said, kissing her cheek.

  “I remember.” Zura nodded. “At least now I know what Vin’s after, and what the insurance policy really is. I can’t believe he never told me anything about it. I never expected a video, or for him to say what he said. I never thought I’d hear his voice or see him again. He looked so young there. I couldn’t have been more than sixteen or so when he made that.”

  “Do I need to get us all drink now?” Kit asked.

  “Hell yes, I’m going to need a drink. Probably several.”

  Luke nodded. “Drinks all around. First, though, I think you should arrange for that money to be transferred somewhere safe.”

  “Good thinking. I need to tell Royan, too. He’s going to lose his mind when he finds out. His share will put him a lot closer to being able to put a down payment on a ship of his own.”

  “You’re giving him half?” Luke asked.

  “Of course I am. He’s my brother. We might not be as close as you Armas siblings, but he’s the only family I’ve got.”

  “He left you to run the Sun Sprite alone. What kind of family does that?” Kit muttered.

  “If I asked him to, he’d be there for me in a heartbeat.” Zura snapped her fingers. “In case you two have forgotten, I’m not much for asking for help.”

  “You have a point,” Luke said with a chuckle.

  “I’m glad you asked us for help, little one.”

  She turned to Kit and laughed. “I don’t recall asking for anything. You overheard my conversation with Ganzer and sent him packing, and then Luke ran off those two jerks Vin sent. After that, I was somehow stuck with the two of you.”

  “Are you complaining?” he asked, leaning in until they were nose to nose.

  “Never. You two are the best thing to ever happen to me.” She closed the last inch between them and kissed him.

  “We feel the same way about you,” Luke said, lifting their joined hands to kiss her fingers as she kissed his brother. Kit’s teeth grazed her lower lip, his mouth slanting across hers.

  One kiss led to another, then another. It was easier to lose herself in passion than to face the questions and grief that waited for her once this moment was over. Knowing that they would be there for her no matter what came next, made her feel like the luckiest woman in the galaxy. They had become friends, then lovers, and now she couldn’t imagine a future without both Kit and Luke in it. She didn’t know how it would work yet, but she was going to try and keep them both.

  Forever.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The peace didn’t last for long. Vin started sending messages to her two days after she and Kit got home. She had long since blocked him from being able to contact the Sun Sprite to prevent her from having to see his pleas for forgiveness and for her to return. Apparently, someone had tipped him off to the fact she was staying at the Nova, though, because he was now sending messages to her via the club.

  She had only looked at the first one, and once she confirmed he had nothing new to say,
she had deleted it, and asked Kit and Luke to delete any new messages that arrived. These days she had much better things to do with her time than worry about Vin. He was her past, and for the first time in her life, Zura felt like she had a shot at a truly happy future. She refused to let Vin take that away from her. He had stolen enough from her already.

  As the days passed, things between Kit, Luke, and herself only got better. She stayed at the club every night. She kept her own room, though she really only used it to store her belongings. She spent every night wrapped up in her lovers’ arms, and every morning she woke up feeling more certain that this was where she belonged. With them.

  The only thing stopping her from embracing her new life were the emotional aftershocks that hit after seeing the video from her father. He should have told her about the money. He likely thought he was protecting her, and it was all a misguided attempt at being a good father. Instead, he died and she was left with one more thing to be angry at him about. What if she had never figured out what the ring was? What if she had spent the rest of her life struggling because he loved his secrets almost as much as he loved his vices?

  He had been dead for the better part of a year. She thought she was past the sudden onset of tears or strange flashes of anger over his death, but ever since she had played his message, there were moments where her grief was as fresh and raw as the day he died. The only difference was that this time, she had Luke and Kit in her life. They were never far away, helping her however they could. They were her anchors, and she was grateful for them both.

  It was deep into the night, and Zura lay between her men, her mind racing too fast for her sleep. A muffled chime from her comm device sounded, the tone indicating she had received a recorded video message. Happy to be distracted from her thoughts, she eased herself out from between her still sleeping men. Stifling a yawn, she pulled on one of their discarded shirts and went in search of her comm device.

  Maybe the message was Royan finally getting back to her. She’d tried to contact him right away, but he hadn’t answered her. So she’d left a message telling him she had good news, but nothing else. She wanted to see his face when she broke the news that she had found their father’s infamous insurance policy, and what he had stashed away for them. So far, he hadn’t called back, but that wasn’t unusual. He could be working long hours, or more likely he was busy enjoying the company of a pretty girl or a long-running card game. He had inherited more than their father’s looks; he also shared a few of their old man’s vices.

  The chime sounded again, and she padded across the room to retrieve the device from the drawer Luke had dropped it in after dinner. He had taken it from her and announced that they were all done working for the night. After that, her guys had carried her to bed and made love to her until they were all sated.

  Comm device in hand, she left the bedroom and went to find a quiet place to watch her message, somewhere she wouldn’t wake Kit and Luke. She ordered up a mug of cocoa first, and then she took a seat at the table and activated her device. Sure enough, she could see there was a newly recorded message from Royan’s comm device.

  The audio started before anything appeared on the screen, but she didn’t need to see his face to recognize her brother’s voice. “Hey, sis. It’s me. Apparently, I’m in trouble, and this guy keeps saying it’s all your fault.”

  The video feed kicked in, and Zura’s heart twisted in her chest. Royan looked like he had been on the wrong side of a serious ass kicking. His brown hair was matted with what looked like blood, his lips were cracked and bleeding, one eye was swollen shut, and there were more bruises showing beneath the several days’ worth of stubble on his cheeks.

  “Damn it, Roy. What the hell happened to you?” she murmured to herself, her eyes locked on the screen.

  “Hey, Zura. Since you wouldn’t do this the easy way, I had to come up with a different way to get your attention. I bet you’re listening to me now, huh?” The video swung around and she found herself staring at a face from her past. Vin Collins.

  “Oh, fraxx,” she groaned as he sneered and gave her a little wave.

  “You should have met with me when I asked nicely. Now your little brother is caught up in your mess. Don’t worry, though. He’ll be fine as long as you do exactly what I tell you to. You may not like taking orders, but you better fraxxing follow these, or Royan will pay the price. Here’s what’s going to happen. In ten hours, you are going to be at the Torex mining station at the far end of the Drift. You will dock, disembark, and go directly to a bar called the Blast Zone. If you don’t know where that is, then you better find out, fast. You and I are going to have a nice, cozy chat about a few things, and then you’re going to hand over the Sun Sprite and everything else your old man left you when he died.”

  Vin turned the camera back on Royan again, but he kept talking. “That’s the deal. When I find what I’m looking for, you and your brother can leave. Tell anyone else about this and Royan dies a nasty death. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going or what you’re doing. No one else comes with you. No exceptions. I’ll see you ten hours from the time I see this message was received. Once you dock, you’ll get more instructions. Follow them. Your brother’s life depends on it.”

  The recording ended, and the screen went blank.

  Ten hours. He hadn’t given her much time. The trouble with flying in and around the Drift was that you couldn’t use FTL drive. The distances were really too short for Faster Than Light travel, and reentry to normal space was insanely dangerous with that many ships and other objects floating around. She would have to rely on her regular engines, and that meant it would take time to get to her destination.

  At least the Blast Zone was a good place to meet. It was a well-known bar on one of the biggest ore processing stations in the Drift. It was a popular place for crews to kick back and relax after a long shift. There would be plenty of people there, and witnesses would make it more likely that Vin behaved himself.

  Her mind started to race, and she took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on facts. She needed a plan, and there was no time for guilt or recriminations. Not now. Royan was in trouble, and it was her fault. She had to get him back. Once she did that, she would deal with Vin. The son of a starbeast was going to pay for what he had done.

  “Hang in there, Royan. I’m coming.” She rose to her feet and headed to the bedroom to retrieve her clothes. She made it as far as the doorway and then froze as she spotted Luke and Kit fast asleep on the bed they all shared. She had been on her own so long that she hadn’t even considered that she didn’t have to do this alone. Hell, she would have a much better chance of pulling this off if she had help. All she had to do was ask, and they would come with her. She wasn’t sure she could ask that of them, though. The club was their business, as well as their home. They needed to be here, taking care of things. Royan was her family, not theirs. He was her responsibility.

  She grabbed her clothes and slipped out again, dressing in the main room to avoid making any noise that might wake them up. This wasn’t their fight. If something happened to them while they were helping her, she would never forgive herself. Part of her was certain that she needed to do this on her own, but her heart hurt every time she thought about leaving them. She knew that if their roles were reversed, she would want to know what was going on and would offer to help any way she could.

  She stood there in the dark for an uncertain eternity, but in the end, she knew she couldn’t walk away without at least saying goodbye. Luke and Kit deserved better than waking up tomorrow morning to discover she had gone to face Vin without them. It wasn’t her decision to make. It was theirs.

  “Guys? Wake up. Something happened, and I think I’m going to need your help.”

  * * * *

  Kit couldn’t keep still. Every time he sat down, he was back on his feet again a few minutes later. He wanted to hit something. No, he wanted to hit someone. Specifically, Vin Collins.

  He paced the length of
the meeting room, ignoring the annoyed looks he was getting from the others. Cyn was present, and so were two of their friends who were employed at Corp-Sec, corporate security and enforcement for the Drift. Mack and Dash were both good men, and they weren’t happy to hear that the peace of the Drift had been threatened.

  They had spent the last forty minutes asking Zura what seemed to be an endless list of questions and helping to put together a plan. All six of them were in one of the club’s private rooms, sitting around a table as they worked out the best way to proceed.

  “You’re sure you want to go through with the meeting? We could have him arrested at the Blast Zone and put an end to this,” Dash asked, running his hand through his spiky blond hair.

  “If you do that, Royan’s dead. They’ll hold him somewhere else to make sure I do what I’m told. I have to make the meeting, and I have to do it alone.”

  Luke snarled in frustration. “I really hate that part of the plan. You shouldn’t be going anywhere without us.”

  “If he sees me with a pair of big, angry looking cyborgs, he’s going to figure out something is up. He knows I’m staying here, guys. Even Vin isn’t that stupid. I’ve already agreed to take you along, but you have to be smuggled onboard, and you must stay out of sight on the Sun Sprite. In fact, I’m counting on you two staying there and keeping tabs on my ship. I don’t trust Vin not to send someone to try and break in while I’m at this meeting.”

  Kit rose to his feet and slammed his palm down on the table in front of him. “One of us is going with you, little one. There’s no fraxxing way we’re letting our future wife go to meet her enemy alone.”

  The entire room lapsed into silence, and everyone turned to stare at Kit. Well, everyone one but Cyn. She leaned back in her chair and started to laugh.