Rescuing Rory (3 page)

She dragged the hated wig from her head, dropped it on the floor and stomped on it. Her scalp itched and she scratched it. Her own hair was red and cropped short. The captain of the
Exos
hadn’t liked it so she’d been forced to wear the wig. Not that she’d minded so much when she was in the cage. The length of the wig had allowed her to cover her breasts from view.

Tears threatened but she swallowed them back. Crying wouldn’t help, wouldn’t bring back all she’d lost. She surveyed the bathroom and practically jumped in the small gel cleansing unit. She shucked the shirt Kal had given her and yanked off the thong she’d been forced to wear.

As much as she hated the thong, she tossed it onto the floor of the unit. The fabric was so thin it should dry or at least come close. Gel cleansers worked great on skin and hair, not so much on clothes.

When she was naked, she hit the start button and a fine spray of gel mist covered her from head to toe. It was followed by a blast of heat and then the drying light came on. A minute later, she stepped out totally clean and refreshed. The smells of booze, sweat and desperation were gone from her body, and she felt cleaner than she had for months.

She wrinkled her nose at the clothes on the floor but she didn’t have anything else to wear. Beggars weren’t choosers, she reminded herself. She pulled on the underwear and shirt, making sure it was buttoned. There was a brush on a shelf so she helped herself to it, smoothing out her hair.

As much as she might want to, she knew she couldn’t hide in here forever. Kal would eventually come looking for her. They’d obviously rescued her for a reason and she couldn’t help but be curious as to what it was. They’d gone to a lot of trouble and life-threatening danger to get her here.

When there was nothing else left for her to do, Rory took a deep breath and slid the door open. As promised, Kal leaned against the far wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing a black flightsuit that zipped up the front. It wasn’t tight but there was no mistaking the fit body beneath it.

She wondered if he was still wearing the battlesuit under it. Some instinct told her he was. Rory didn’t think the men on this ship ever relaxed. There was a hardness, a battle-readiness that clung to all of them. She recognized the type from her years of travel with her father.

Kal pushed away from the wall and walked toward her. The way he looked at her made her feel more naked than she had dancing in the cage on the
Exos
. His gaze went beyond her body and peered at her soul.

She swallowed hard and fought the urge to run back into the bathroom and shove the door closed. Not that the puny panel would stop him. And she was no coward.

He halted right in front of her, forcing her to look up if she wanted to see his face. She all but stopped breathing when he traced his index finger along the curve of her cheek and across her jawline.

His lips twitched and he fingered one of her short locks. “Red?”

Self-conscious about her hair, she rubbed her hand through it. “Yeah. The blonde was a wig.” Did he like the blonde better? And why the hell should she care what he liked?

Rory took a step back and Kal dropped his hand back down by his side. “I like it. Suits you.” He turned away and went to a built-in chest of drawers and pulled out the middle one. “Here.” He tossed something toward her and she automatically caught it.

She shook out the bundle and smiled. Workout pants. They’d be big on her but they would cover her nicely. She pulled them on and drew the string at the waist tight. The pants slid down slightly but her hips kept them from falling to her ankles. She bent down and rolled up the hem several times to create cuffs.

When she stood, Kal frowned at her. “What?”

“We don’t have any shoes small enough for you.” He returned to the chest of drawers, opened another one and drew out a pair of socks. “Here. These will have to do.”

“Thank you.” Rory sat on the edge of the bunk and pulled them on. This was the most clothing she’d worn since the day— No, she wouldn’t think about that. She wiggled her toes and enjoyed the warmth the socks provided.

Suddenly aware she was sitting on his bed, Rory jumped to her feet. Sure enough, Kal was watching her and there was an undisguised heat in his eyes. She swallowed hard, surprised she didn’t feel the sense of disgust and aversion she usually did when a man’s attention came her way.

She’d gotten very used to being leered at while dancing on the
Exos
. She’d heard every lewd and crude suggestion and been pawed on many occasions. The bouncers were supposed to keep the men from touching women in the cages but they’d turn a blind eye if they were bribed.

Kal’s gaze made her feel different, as if she were running a low-grade fever. Beneath the rough shirt, her nipples pebbled. Even though she was fully dressed, she felt more exposed than she’d been in her life.

Rory wrapped her arms across her chest and turned away from him.

“Rory.” Kal was right behind her. She didn’t have to look over her shoulder to feel his presence. She was ultra-aware of him.

What was wrong with her?

She’d grown up on a long-distance trader surrounded by men, and never had one of them left her feeling this way. Her skin felt especially sensitive, almost prickly. Maybe she was allergic to the gel in his cleansing unit.

Strong hands closed over her shoulders and gently squeezed. “Everything will be okay.”

She laughed, the sound bitter to her ears. “You can’t promise that. No one can.” Her father had often promised her that same thing and look what had happened. He’d died and left her alone. Her life had quickly taken a downward spiral after that.

Kal turned her until she was facing him. She didn’t want to look at him but, really, she had no other option. Her eyes were drawn to him like steel to a magnet. In the dim lighting of the room his face appeared even harsher, the scar more prominent.

He fascinated her.

She reached up and touched his cheek. He didn’t flinch, didn’t move as she stroked the length of the scar. “How did it happen?”

He caught her hand, brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on the tip of one finger. “Shrapnel from an explosion. It was a long time ago.” Then he sucked her finger into his mouth.

Rory gasped and barely swallowed back a moan. The unexpected caress sent ribbons of pleasure trailing throughout her body. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples ached and she didn’t even want to acknowledge what was going on between her legs.

She wanted Kal Marks. And she didn’t even know him.

He drew his tongue along the length of her finger and slowly released it. Then he slowly lowered his head, giving her time to object. When she didn’t, he pressed his mouth against hers.

She made a little sound of pleasure, went up on her toes and kissed him back.

Maybe it was the adrenaline from their mad escape. Maybe it was because he was the man who set her free from the hell in which she’d been living. Maybe it was simply because she’d felt alone and been afraid for so long. Whatever the reason, Rory knew she wanted this kiss. And more.

Kal traced his tongue over the seam of her mouth until she parted her lips. Then he slid inside. Rory moaned and stroked her tongue against his. She was vaguely aware of her feet leaving the floor, of his strong arms wrapped around her. But it was distant, as though it were happening to someone else. All her focus was on the heat being generated by their kiss.

And Kal was a first-class kisser. Not that she had a whole lot of knowledge about such things. A few stolen kisses here and there and two very hurried sexual encounters hadn’t given her much skill or practice. Certainly nothing in her meager experience had prepared her for Kal.

He kissed her with an intensity and concentration that was enthralling. His tongue explored her mouth at a leisurely pace, mapping the entire area. He sucked on her tongue. Teased her lips. Her hands crept up to wrap around his neck and she arched her body, groaning when her breasts rubbed against his hard chest.

It felt so good she did it again.

He tore his mouth away from hers and planted hot, openmouthed kisses on her neck. Then he forged a path to her ear, caught the lobe between his teeth and tugged gently.

Rory raised her legs until they were wrapped around his hips. She clung to him like the spider vine from the planet Ragnon did to everything that crossed its path. That brought her mound right in line with the thick bulge in his pants. She panted for breath when she rubbed against him. Her pussy spasmed and she knew the thin panties she wore beneath the workout pants were soaked through with her desire.

Hard hands cupped her ass and pulled her closer. The heat from his cock radiated through their clothing, warming her. She’d never wanted a man like she wanted Kal.

He growled and started toward the bed when something beeped. He froze and shook his head. The beep sounded again.

Rory was shocked by what she was doing. She was ready to have sex with a man she’d just met, a man she didn’t really know at all. Sexual attraction aside, she’d never done anything this brazen and crazy in her entire life.

She pushed away and he released her, letting her slide down his body until her feet were once again on the floor. He stepped away from her and pressed the communication unit by the door. “Yeah.”

“Where the fuck are you?”

Rory flinched at the anger in the voice. She knew it belonged to Flynn.

“We’re on our way,” Kal answered back and ended the link. He turned to her and held out his hand. “Ready?”

No, she wasn’t ready. Not at all. She was worked up and flustered while he didn’t seem the least bit affected. She wanted to smack him. Maybe he was used to having strange women in his quarters. Maybe kissing and touching her meant no more to him than scratching an itch.

She’d have to be careful. She was in danger of building Kal up to be something he wasn’t. He wasn’t like the knights in shining armor she’d read about in the storybooks her father had gotten her as a child. No, he was simply a man, and one with an agenda.

He wanted something from her. She’d do well to remember that.

Rory had no idea what Kal and his brothers planned to do with her when they got what they were after. She’d have to bargain for her freedom. If there was one thing she was good at in this life, it was bargaining. Her father had been a master at it and she’d learned at his side.

She looked at Kal’s hand and tried not to remember that only moments before it had cupped her ass. Her butt still tingled from his touch.

Rory swallowed hard and forced herself to step alongside him, ignoring his outstretched hand. She suppressed the feelings of regret that swamped her when it dropped back down by his side and his expression hardened. “This way.”

He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her down the narrow hallway. She really should step away from his touch but didn’t. As much as she knew she was playing with fire, she needed the link to him.

Rory knew what it was like to be alone, to have no one in the known galaxies to depend upon. This small connection, no matter how tenuous and delicate, was better than nothing. As long as she remembered they both had their own agendas she’d be fine.

“You hungry?” he asked.

She was but she was too nervous to eat. “Not really.” It was only a partial lie.

“I’ll get you something later,” he promised.

They turned down a wider corridor and came to a stop outside a large door. Kal placed his palm against the scanner and the door swished open. He gave her a slight push and she found herself on the control deck of the vessel.

Consoles formed a semicircle around the bridge. From here, the entire ship could be controlled by a small crew or even one man if there was a powerful enough computer to aid him. Like most space traders, the area was compact. The goal of a trader was to have as much room as possible for transporting goods.

Rory could tell at a glance that everything was well-maintained and top quality. She approved. It also told her a lot about the men who ran the vessel. The three men she’d met earlier were there and all of them were staring at her.

Flynn occupied the chair in the center, at the hub of the controls. He rose from his seat and motioned her forward. A bead of sweat rolled down her neck and she glanced at Kal to make sure he was beside her. Not that he’d be much help if she needed it. She didn’t know these men at all but there was a connection between them that went bone deep. It was obvious in the way they looked at one another.

Whatever it was they wanted from her, they’d have it, no matter what it took to get it.

All too late, Rory wondered if she hadn’t been better off on the
Exos
.

Chapter Three

Rory was scared and doing her best not to show it. Kal could sense her rising trepidation, see the way her skin paled and her lips tightened. She was sweating too and it wasn’t that hot on the control deck.

She’d been pretty with her blonde hair but he liked her natural-red tone much better. It suited her. The chopped-off locks should have looked ridiculous, made her look more like a boy. Instead they served to emphasize her femininity. Not that it needed to be emphasized. Not with her smokin’ hot curves and full breasts. Not even his oversized clothing could hide her mouthwatering shape.

Flynn took a step toward her and Kal automatically slid in front of her. His brother stopped in his tracks and raised a questioning eyebrow. Yeah, he should question him. Kal had no freaking idea why he’d moved so quickly to protect Rory.

Maybe it was because he’d been the one to rescue her from the cage. Yeah, that had to be it.

Kal forced himself to step to one side. Rory glanced up at him and then back at his brothers. They were an intimidating lot. They wouldn’t hurt her but she didn’t know that.

“Why don’t you sit down.” He took her arm and led her to the swivel seat he usually occupied in front of the communications console. She sat in the chair and tightly gripped the arms.

He crouched in front of her, knowing it was better if he questioned her. Flynn lacked patience, Garth lacked finesse and Amos would rather not have to talk any more than necessary.