“Look. I understand that you’ve had a difficult time, and I’d seriously doubt your logic if you didn’t question our motives. I give you my word that neither you nor Molly will be harmed. We’ll protect you both.”
“You say that, but how do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t. That’s what keeps you alive.”
“So you’re asking me to trust you but then telling me not to?” A dull throb pulsed in her head, and she rubbed at her temple.
“I guess I did.” He frowned. “Molly won’t survive here much longer. I’ll protect both of you and make sure you have everything you need—food, water, a secure place to stay, and medical attention. If you don’t want to come, I’ll understand. But you should still allow Molly to come with us. We can help her.”
“No! I can’t abandon her. I promised her that I’d take care of her.”
She hated to admit it, but he was right about Molly. She wouldn’t last here much longer. She hugged her arms around her middle. “I’m scared,” she whispered.
“I know, but it’ll be all right,
nela
.” He took a couple steps toward her, and when she took a hasty step back, he stopped.
“What does nela mean?”
“It’s a Ryonian word for sister or woman.”
“Is Ryon the language you were speaking when we first met?”
“Ryonian.”
“Convenient that you speak English too.”
“I don’t…didn’t. None of us did.”
“Then how—”
“It’d take a while for me to explain it. Let’s just say a tiny chip in my ear allows me to download any language.”
“Download any language. I understand that.” She tapped her bottom lip, trying to figure out exactly what he meant. “But where does it download to?”
“My brain.”
“What?”
“We can discuss things like this later,” he said with an amused grin. “Make your decision.”
She didn’t have a choice. She was going to have to put her trust in this man if she wanted Molly to have a chance to survive. She paused for a moment. “Ellie Morgan.”
“Bayden Koven.”
“I guess I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“There’s always a choice. We may not like the options, but they’re there.”
“I guess you’re right about that.” She stared toward the horizon at a world that bore little resemblance to what she once knew. She squared her shoulders. “All right then. Let’s go.”
She followed Bayden to the ship, not missing his sexy swagger or delicious backside.
Seriously? Even with all of the crazy shit happening right now, I’m still noticing his ass?
A tingling sensation warmed her lower belly.
I guess I’d have to be dead not to notice.
Once she stepped through the door, resignation and determination settled inside her. She’d meet head-on whatever adventure life had now decided to throw into her path. If she could survive a meteor, no power or communication, and scary-as-hell earthquakes, she could survive living on another planet. At least she hoped so.
* * * *
“What the fuck are you thinking bringing them with us?” Stryder’s gravelly voice cut through Bayden’s thoughts as Bayden launched the ship and set the course for home.
“Here we go again,” Thad muttered.
“Don’t start with me.” Bayden white-knuckled the armrest.
Sarek walked into the control room. “What’s all the bitching about?”
“We don’t have any business with a woman
or
a child.” Stryder said.
“Don’t you fucking think I know that? What did you want me to do? Leave them there and let the girl die?” He clenched his jaw. When he’d first laid eyes on Ellie, she’d lit a spark in his gut. A tiny flicker of longing for something he couldn’t quite grasp.
“Yes! This isn’t the time to start making decisions with your dick.”
He flared his nostrils. From the moment Ellie had stepped from the vehicle, he’d been drawn to her. She’d admitted to only meeting Molly a short time ago, yet he’d no doubt Ellie would protect the girl with her life. Her loyalty to Molly called out to the warrior in him. But Ellie’s wide blue eyes, wavy black hair, creamy skin, full lips, and lithe curves called out to the man in him and awakened needs he thought he’d long suppressed
Bayden didn’t answer, because he’d no reasonable explanation. Stryder was right. He wanted Ellie, but that wasn’t the only reason he’d brought her and Molly with them. Molly was a child, and Ellie was no soldier. Neither deserved to be left behind. “You could’ve, with no remorse, turned your back and left them? A woman and sickly child?”
“Yes. We’re in the middle of a fucking war in case you forgot.” Stryder smacked his palms on the console.
“Don’t worry about it,” Bayden said.
Thad spoke up. “Damn, Stryder. I knew you were a cold son of a bitch, but that’s icy even for you.”
“The girl would’ve died, and no telling what might’ve ended up happening to Ellie.” Sarek stared at Stryder, but Stryder didn’t utter a word. The dark expression on his face was testament enough to his thoughts on the subject.
“The woman might’ve survived for a while, but the girl is in awful shape.” Thad flipped a switch to stabilize the ship. “Molly wouldn’t have lasted much longer with her cancer. Once we get back, they could both use rest and some good meals.”
Stryder stood. “Think and say what you want, but you all know we’ve no business with them. We can’t send them anywhere else. If someone found out they were connected to Bayden and told Mykal…” Stryder shook his head. “You know what the Enforcers would do to them. Did you consider you might well be a permanent guardian to them for the rest of their lives?”
Bayden felt sick. His initial thought had been to get Ellie and Molly to safety and Molly healed, then find somewhere for them to stay. Stryder had a point. Bayden would be risking Ellie’s and Molly’s lives by sending them anywhere else until Mykal was dead.
After another scathing stare, Stryder left the control room.
Stryder was a hard son of a bitch. They all were. But it seemed Stryder was being more uncaring than usual. Bayden didn’t understand his friend’s harsh reaction. What was done was done. In time, everything would settle down, and Stryder would back off. Bayden let out a long, slow breath. “He’s right.”
Sarek sat down in Stryder’s chair. “None of us, except Stryder, could’ve left Ellie and Molly. We’ve all sworn to protect those who are vulnerable.”
“Where are they now?” Bayden leaned back in the chair.
“Asleep. I gave them a mild sedative for the ride home.” Thad wiped his fingers over his face. “They’re a pitiful sight, but Ellie has some fire in her. She provided for the kid as well as she could under the circumstances.”
“It was my decision to bring them along, and I’ll take full responsibility for their care, but I do expect all of you to look out for them. I’ll give up part of my quarters so I can keep a close eye on them.”
They’d be home in a few hours. Once there, he could take some time and think about a better long-term solution for Ellie and Molly. Although, deep inside, he knew there was no other solution. While it was true that many hated Mykal, just as many were loyal to him. Bayden had no doubt even those who hated Mykal would be more than tempted to hand over anyone connected to Bayden for the reward money.
Relocating Ellie and Molly meant Bayden would have to trust at least one other person on whichever planet he chose to send them. And Bayden was more than aware that no matter how loyal anyone seemed, the chance to gain Mykal’s favor or to obtain reward money were tempting enticements.
Mykal’s reach went far. There weren’t many who didn’t know about the reward on Bayden’s head. One small slip of the tongue from either Ellie or Molly in front of the wrong person could cost them their lives. He refused to take the chance.
I should just unload them. Let someone else worry about them
. But he knew he wouldn’t. Truth was, even if there were no threat to them, he’d still find a reason for them to stay. Ellie had awakened something in him he hadn’t felt forever, and for the first time in years, he was being selfish. He wanted her to stay because he wasn’t ready for her to walk out of his life.
Chapter Four
Ellie wasn’t sure what had abruptly jarred her awake. As she lay in the small room, listening, only silence greeted her ears. She turned her focus to Molly, still out like a light, on the small bed beside Ellie.
Thad had examined Molly and agreed that she was reaching a critical point. However, Ellie’s relief had been near knee buckling after he’d assured her that he could cure Molly. Apparently, cancer had become a thing of Ryon’s past years earlier. In fact, they had a vaccination for it. That information had floored her. So many people on Earth, people she knew, had died from cancer.
Everyone had been nice to her and Molly so far. But she didn’t miss that Bayden and the rest of the men had an edge about them, and all had one thing in common; the guarded, hard suspicion that burned in their eyes. It was as if they were all waiting for something. What? She didn’t know and wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Except Bayden
. She wasn’t sure what burned in his eyes. He’d been the only one wearing dark glasses. None had shown animosity toward her, with the possible exception of the amber-eyed giant. It would’ve been easy for any of them to hurt her or Molly, but they hadn’t. Bayden had been gentle with Molly, and Sarek had even joked with her. The image of Bayden carrying Molly flitted through her brain, and her heart pounded.
A tap sounded at her door, and she jumped. “Come in.”
The door slid open to reveal Bayden. She finally got her wish to see his eyes unadorned by the sunglasses, and her breath hitched. They were a unique lavender color—a gorgeous shade of lilac, only deeper, richer, and bolder. He was truly a beautiful man, and her skin prickled with awareness as his gaze rested on her.
“We’ve landed. If you follow me, I’ll show you to your quarters.”
She looked at Molly. Ellie didn’t want to wake the girl and thought about carrying her, but Ellie wasn’t sure how long she’d be able to handle Molly’s weight.
“I’ll carry her if you like.”
She looked at him, at Molly and then back to him. She worried her bottom lip with her front teeth. He’d demonstrated that he wouldn’t hurt her, but he was still a stranger.
“You can walk right beside me again.” His voice was low, steady, and quiet, a calming melody to her frazzled nerves.
Finally, she nodded. Ellie slipped off the bed and watched as Bayden scooped Molly and carefully situated her against his chest. She looked tiny and frail snuggled to him, and Ellie’s concern for Molly’s health intensified.
Stop it. They’re going to help her get better. Thad said he could cure her.
“She’ll be all right,” he said as if he knew what she’d been thinking.
“I know.” Even though hope tickled her heart, she was scared to accept that Molly would be okay until she actually was.
“Come with me.” Bayden ducked through the doorway to keep from bumping his head.
Once outside of the ship, she followed him through a maze of tunnels, broken up by a number of metal-looking black doors with keypads. The new place provided a welcome distraction. Otherwise, she’d be focusing too much on the way his black leather pants hugged his delectable backside.
His back and shoulders were broad, and his waist was lean. Every muscle was outlined by the fitted black shirt clinging to him like a second skin, and his walk…
ohhh
. She tried hard not to whistle under her breath in appreciation of his predatory stride with a hint of sexy swagger.
Pay attention to the tunnel, Ellie
. She was surprised to find the surface of the walls to be a smooth stone that resembled granite or marble with billions of deep veins in rich colors. The floor looked similar to the walls but was predominately black and charcoal with white flecks here and there.
She cringed as she struggled to process the fact that there were other planets with life. The fact that she was on one of those planets put her on a precarious teeter between awed and terrified. Within a few hours, she’d been introduced to things she’d only thought possible in dreams, books, and movies. She’d ridden in a spaceship, for Christ’s sake.
She didn’t have time to dwell on such thoughts. She needed to remain calm and alert for Molly. No harm had come to her or Molly, but Ellie needed to remember that these men were strangers.
“What is this place?”
“The royal family that once ruled Ryon lived here. There was an uprising against the family about two years ago. The compound is strong enough to withstand most attacks, but they made the mistake of trusting the wrong person. By the time the traitor was discovered, it was too late, and an attack was launched from inside. Most of the royals fled or were killed. Things settled down after a while, but a group of rogues had overtaken the compound. Stryder and his brother, two of our team members, were determined to make sure the compound was used to benefit others. They were able to infiltrate and eventually defeat the group, then claim the compound. The rest of us were welcomed in over time.”
After a few minutes, Bayden stopped, punched a code on a keypad on the wall, and a door slid open. She followed him into an enormous room. The walls and floor were the same as the tunnels, and the open design plan included a full-size kitchen. Other than a few strange appliances, everything appeared similar to the kitchens on Earth. Maybe later she could keep occupied by giving in to the curiosity to find out what those few unfamiliar appliances did. The living room was sparsely decorated with plush, black-leather furniture, black end tables and coffee tables, and a television hanging on the wall, nearly as big as a movie theater screen. On the far wall were two doors. The lack of a feminine touch screamed “bachelor pad.”
She spun in a slow circle, taking in the surroundings. “This is amazing. I would’ve never expected all of this to be in a cave.”
“The royals did like their luxuries,” Bayden said. “When they fled, there wasn’t time to take much. We’ve rearranged things to suit our needs. Each of us stays in what used to be guest or servant quarters.”
“This was servant quarters?”