The Pleasure Bot (Planet Desire Book 4) (14 page)

*

“You haven’t said
a word, since we picked you up.” Reiver executed a left turn onto the main thoroughfare; the next exit would take them to the docks.

“I’m just tired,” Declan said, staring out the window watching the dusty brown landscape rush past. He’d never noticed how dingy the air was in South Texas. Not a healthy place for Priss to raise a family.

“Not curious how we found the cargo Customs lifted from our hold?” Reiver asked.

“Sure.” Declan decided to try to get back into the swing of things and not look back. He could make himself crazy with regrets. He sighed and turned to his First Mate.

Reiver hadn’t been changed a jot by his adventure. The bloody sod was smiling.

“It’s quite a story. Your friend Agnes told us where the warehouse was—just so happens it belongs to McEwen.”

Declan grunted. He didn’t give a damn about that bastard McEwen or any stinking cargo. He’d just left his heart behind him in
La Barria Prima
with a certain little redhead who thought she was a lioness. Oh, she roared like one, even purred sometimes, but underneath she was as soft and vulnerable as a kitten.

“—and little green Arkanthans were guarding the crates.”

“Huh?” Declan only caught the last of what Reiver said. Then he heard the men seated behind them snickering.

He leveled a glare over his shoulder. “Unless you want to swab the upper deck, you’d better shut your yaps.” He rounded on Reiver, “What’s this you said about Arkanthans?”

Reiver didn’t reply. His gaze was on the rearview mirror. By the worried look in his eyes, Declan could tell he didn’t like what he saw.

He glanced over his shoulder, down the center aisle of their stolen hovervan. “We’ve got a tail. Lose it!” Declan said, feeling the welcome rush of adrenaline pump through his veins. If they wanted a fight…

“Captain, do Customs agents drive pink hovercars?” Nate asked.

“I think it’s more of a mauve,” Danny said.

Declan turned back again, just in time to see the car pass them at a high rate of speed—just long enough to catch a glimpse of a small white face above the steering wheel and a cap of red curls. “That little idiot! Is she trying to get herself killed?”

Priscilla pulled her car into the lane in front of them, and her rear lights flashed red.

“Hit the brakes,” he bellowed.

The cars had barely skidded to a halt when he flung the door upward.

“I take it you know this person?” Reiver asked, laughter in his voice.

Declan stuck his head back inside. “Not one bloody word out of you.” When smothered laughter rang in the back of the van, he cast them all a hot glare.

As he stomped to Priscilla’s car, he heard Reiver say, “Guess we know what has him so grumpy.”

Declan reached the car, just as she lifted her door. “Oh, thank God, I found you in time!” She hurled herself into his arms, and Declan took a step back to absorb the impact. “I thought I might be too late.” She hugged him hard around the middle, but never stopped her nervous babble. “First, I couldn’t find the right suitcase, then I didn’t know what to pack.” She pushed herself away from his chest, and her hands cupped his face. “I thought I might never see you again.”

For a moment, Declan’s heart was fiercely glad to see her. But then he realized what she’d just said. He pushed her away. “You’re not coming with me,” he shouted.

“No, I’m not.” She smiled, not caring his frown would make most men run for cover. “You’re coming with
me
. We’re escaping. Agnes has it all arranged. I even have a ship. She’s not the latest model of cruiser or very elegant, but she’s sturdy. You’ll love her!”

“You bought a ship?”

“No, silly! We’re stealing one.”

“We’re stealing a ship?” he parroted, dumbfounded by her audacity.

She looked beyond his shoulder, and her eyes widened. “Oh my God! There’s a whole vanload of Pleasure Bots!”

‡

“P
leasure Bots?” Reiver’s
voice echoed his own thoughts.

The two men shared a confused glance. What the hell was she talking about?

“Oops!” Priscilla bit her lip. “We need to hurry. Our ship’s on its way to salvage.”

Declan didn’t like the way Reiver was eyeing her up and down, or the little besotted smile that curved his lips. “Just get back in your car, Priss,” he said. “You know I have to leave. You’re staying.”

“But Declan, you can’t go back to your ship. They’ll be waiting for you there.”

“Who?”

“Them?” She shrugged, her glance dropping to his chest. “Ask Agnes.”

“Probably Customs,” Reiver said. “Ballocks!”

Declan glared at him. “Reiver!”

“Sorry, Captain.
Darn!
” Reiver finally pried his gaze from Priscilla. “Captain, if she’s right, they can’t be far behind us. Let’s get her into the van. We’ll figure it out on the way.”

Declan sighed and grabbed her arm. “We’ll have to leave the car for now. We’ll arrange a taxi later.” He started toward the van.

“My things!” Priscilla jerked back her arm and headed to her car.

Declan cursed under his breath. “Get her in the van, Reiver.”

Priscilla frowned. “But—”

Reiver lowered his shoulder, butted her gently in the belly, and lifted her.

Priscilla shrieked, grabbing for the back of his duster. She raised her head and shouted, “Don’t forget Agnes and my suitcase. Oh, and the cushion!” She rose further and smiled down at Reiver as he strode to the van. “My name’s Priscilla, by the way.”

“Of course it is, love.”

Declan cursed under his breath. It only took one daft redhead to muck up a perfectly good escape. He loped to her car and grabbed a purple suitcase, a small pink box, and a cushion that looked suspiciously like one from her sofa.

Reiver pulled up the van next to him, and Declan tossed her things through the door to his crew’s waiting hands. When he swung inside, he found Priss perched on Nate’s lap.

“I’ve decided we’re taking all of them with us,” she said, her smile beaming bright as a rainbow.

His crew grinned as he took his seat in front.

“Come here, Priscilla,” he said, through gritted teeth.

He watched her in the mirror. Her eyes widened, and then her brows lowered into a fierce scowl. “I’m perfectly comfortable.”

“Nate, if she’s not off your lap, and your hand’s not removed from her hip in two seconds, I’m going to kill you.”

Nate couldn’t shove her away fast enough.

Priscilla smoothed a hand over the back of her trousers and stepped between the seats. She took her own sweet time settling herself sideways on his lap. By the time she had arranged herself to her liking, his cock was stiff as a poker.

“What the hell are you wearing?” he asked, noticing for the first time the black, skin-tight trousers and high-necked pullover.

“It’s all I had that I could wear to hide in the shadows. We have to sneak aboard the ship when the sun sets.”

“You will on me ballocks!” he bellowed.

Priscilla winced. “Must you shout? I’m right here.”

Declan took a deep breath and started counting.

“Your face is turning red.”

“Ahem.” Reiver cleared his throat. “Now’s the time to keep quiet, Priss.”

She gave him a blistering glare. “I will on me b—”

“Priss!” Declan warned.

“All right.” She huffed out a breath. “I’m saving you from a fate worse than death, and this is all the thanks I get.”

“Saving me? I was saving myself and my crew until you nearly ended my life with your kamikaze driving.”

“But I wasn’t driving,” she said, between tight lips.

“Then who the hell was?”

“Agnes. I had her wired in.”

Declan felt a tic pulse at the corner of his eye.

Priscilla folded her hands in her lap and lifted her chin.

He laid his palm over her clasped hands and squeezed—a not too subtle warning for her to behave. “Now, you’ll tell me what this is all about.”

“I’m not saying another word.” She sniffed and turned her attention to the road in front of them.

“You will, love, or I’ll turn you over my knee.”

Her chin lifted higher, but her chest rose and fell more quickly.

Interesting.

He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “I’ll spank your bare bottom in front of my whole crew if you don’t start talking now.”

She gave him a sharp glance. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me, sweetheart.” He smiled.

“I need Agnes,” she said.

“We aren’t going back for her.”

She nodded over her shoulder. “She’s right behind us.”

He looked toward the ceiling, praying for patience. “Which bag?”

“Agnes is in a bag?” Reiver asked, his expression aghast. “What did you do, love? Cut her into pieces?”

Declan glowered. “Which bloody bag?”

“The little pink one. It’s her carry case.”

“Nate, give her the damn bag.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Be careful with Agnes!” Priscilla shouted, reaching to accept the case.

Declan eyed the small box that looked like the ones women carried their makeup around in. Priscilla pushed a button on the side and panels lifted.

“Whew!” Agnes’s voice rang from the small speakers beneath the panels. “I see Priscilla caught up to you in time, smuggler.”

“What’s this about my ship?” Declan growled.

“I think I must have been damaged in transit.” She coughed. “I need to shut down temporarily to pull some maintenance.”

“Agnes! Out with it!”

“There’s no need to shout at her,” Priscilla said. “She’s only trying to help. Although now, I’m thinking I made a very big error in judgment. There’s no way I could love anything as stubborn and ornery as you!”

Declan grew still. “You love me, Priss?”

Priscilla’s eyes filled with tears.

“Shit!”

“Captain!” the entire crew shouted.

“Sorry,” he muttered. He cupped her cheek with his palm. “You only think you love me, Priss. I’m not the man for you.”

“I’m a grown woman,” she said, fierce anger in her eyes. “Don’t you dare tell me I don’t know my own mind. I’m sacrificing everything I own—everything I am for you.”

His thumb brushed across her lower lip. “And if I ask you to go home and forget me?”

Her eyes closed, and she kissed the ball of his thumb. “I won’t go,” she said, her voice breaking. She opened her eyes and tears escaped down her cheeks. “I can’t.”

He nodded and pulled her close to his chest. His heart was so full he feared speaking past the lump in his throat—at least while his crew was listening so intently. Best to wait to tell her later how he felt.

“Captain, the ship?” Reiver asked quietly.

Priscilla pushed away from his chest and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. She twisted around to Reiver. “Agnes will tell you where to go.”

“I already did, hon,” Agnes said in a small voice.

Reiver’s eyebrows drew together. “That means it’s the same—”

Declan shook his head to silence Reiver. Agnes was up to something. She was taking them to
The Maiden
, the same ship she’d told Priscilla they were going to steal. He didn’t want Priss further upset by her game.

“What’s a Pleasure Bot?”

If his arms hadn’t been filled with Priss, Declan would have given Reiver a clout.

Priscilla turned rigid as a pillar, and her face drained of color. “I was kind of hoping that went right over your heads.”

“What’s the matter love?”

Priscilla’s eyes filled again. “I don’t know how to tell you this, Declan. You’re not smugglers.”

“We’re not?”

She nodded sadly. “You’re robots. You’ve been programmed with memories and individual personalities, and to think you’re real. I didn’t want you to ever know.”

Declan blinked. “Aa—gnes!” he said, between clenched teeth.

“Now, don’t go getting on your high horse with me, Decky. If you hadn’t broken into her house in the first place—”

“You broke into my house?” Priscilla’s face registered confusion.

Declan shrugged. “Yeah, I was on the run. I told you that.”

“But that was just part of the scenario Playthings built for you.”

“Agnes, what the hell kind of lies have you been feeding this girl?”