“I’m not hurt.” Her voice sounded far away.
“I’m so sorry, sweet female. I’ve done it again, treated you like—”
“It was wonderful.”
He went still behind her. “You’re not upset?”
“No, just… stunned. Overwhelmed. How did you know what would happen when I held my breath?”
He leaned up on one elbow, stroking back the strands of hair that fell over her face. “I’m a depraved male. I’ve spent far too much time in galactic brothels, seeking something I never found. Until you.”
His words warmed her chest. The previous planet rotation he’d shown her fierce domination and rough sex. It had driven her wild, and she’d wanted more, but she hadn’t known the male behind the hard muscle and expensive clothing. They’d had no pillow talk. Now, his charm made him even more irresistible. Which scared the life out of her. She’d left her days as a sex pet behind. She didn’t know who she was now, but it wasn’t Mina. The reversion to her childhood name was symbolic of a bigger change. And if she let herself fall for this devastating male, she’d be consumed by him. She’d never figure out who she was.
“Well, I’m grateful for your habit, since it enabled me to get free.” She kept her tone light, didn’t acknowledge the claim he appeared to be making on her.
“With great damage to my male pride, I must say. I’d imagined myself the hero, bringing you back safely and receiving your father’s commendation, perhaps even his blessing to mate you. Instead, I’m sneaking around corridors to catch you up and carry you back to my chamber like a thief. Like the sex fiend I’ve always been.”
She sat up, smiling at his rueful tone. “Poor thing.” She crawled off the sleepdisk. She needed to get out of his room, away from his addictive presence.
He stood as well, but he walked around the sleepdisk and put his hands on her waist. “Where are you going?”
She flattened her palm on his muscled chest. “You can’t keep me prisoner, warrior. Remember what you said? One word from me, and my father will have your head.”
He drew back as if she’d slapped him, dropping his hands to his sides. “I would never force you, Mina.” His jaw flexed. “Will you not forgive me for what I took at Prium’s?”
She swallowed against a tightness forming in her thr
oat. “I liked it, Erick.” She hid her face from him as she pulled on her clothing.
“So, what is this? You’re going to hold it over my head...forever?”
She tugged the fitted dress down over her leggings. “No.” She walked to the door and pushed the button to open it. “We’re not doing this again. Mina no longer exists.”
She held her head high and somehow managed not to look back as she strode out of his room. A sense of wrongness niggled in the back of her mind, like she’d just made a huge mistake, but she ignored it.
This couldn’t go on. Not if she wanted to be free of her past.
Chapter Four
“A name, Behn.” Erick placed his laser gun on the desk between them in a not-so-subtle hint. He’d told Behn he’d return in three planet rotations for his carriers, but he wasn’t surprised to find they hadn’t magically appeared.
The broker blinked his eyes rapidly, chin trembling. “I-I don’t know. The manufacturer said they were stolen, but he’s making you new ones. They’ll be ready in five moon cycles.”
Erick gave a short shake of his head. “I need them now. Who stole them?”
Behn mopped his brow with a square of spider silk. “I have no—”
He lunged across the table, pressing the butt of the laser gun against Behn’s forehead. “Give me. The name.”
“I-I heard it was Neo Lin, the collector. But I cannot verify such information.”
Erick pulled the gun away from Behn’s head. If he’d suspected Behn of stealing the money or the carriers himself, Erick would’ve killed him, but the male was too soft for that kind of treachery. He’d been caught in the middle of a bad situation, same as Erick.
“Who have you told about our arrangement?” He’d been firm from the beginning that no one could know the Zandians were buying the galactacarriers. Not that the Finn weren’t already on notice.
“No one. I swear.”
“Good.”