Page 99 of Lorran
“Remove the comm unit.” He gestured to her wrist. With a dramatic sigh, she took it off and tossed it to the ground.
Fuming, she faced Caldar. “Well? Care to share your nefarious plan? I don’t know why you’re here waving a gun around and being gross to my friend, but whatever. Let’s get this over with.”
He held the gun on her. “Do not try anything,” he said, like she was going to bust out ninja moves.
She snorted. “Yeah, you’ve got a gun and I don’t have a death wish. I suggest you make it snappy, because the clock is ticking.”
“A ticking clock is a primitive incendiary device. No such device is present.”
Wow, literal much?
“That was my bestie—”
“Sonia,” he said, his voice sounding all weird and almost reverent.
“Yeah, don’t say her name like that, ya creep. She knows where I am, and she knows Lorran’s name. If she’s calm, she’ll remember that I gave her Lorran’s contact info before I left Earth. If she’s freaking out, and I think she’s freaking out, she’s going to contact the hospital and track down Lorran that way, but she will inform him about all this.” Wyn waved her hand at the gun. “So five or six minutes? Seven if there’s a solar flare?”
“We were meant to be alone.” He looked around the room, as if to verify. Wyn did not doubt for one moment that he knew Lorran was out, and she was alone before he broke in. “I need you to disengage the bio lock on my ship.”
“Oh. Is that all? Sure.” Wyn headed for the door. “Let’s go already.”
In the corridor, she said, “Put that away; waving a gun around is the fastest way to get Security’s attention. We’re just going for ice cream and a nice little chat.”
Caldar shoved the gun into his waistband, watching her with skepticism. “Why are you complying? I could be abducting you and taking you from your mate.”
“Are you?”
“No.” He wrinkled his nose. “The young one has not marked you, which is a curious question because you reek of him. I am not interested in another male’s mate.”
“Good, because Lorran is my mate, and it’s none of your business who bites who and when, so fuck you very much.”
They reached the end of the corridor and waited for an elevator. Caldar continued to watch her, like she would shout for help or bolt. He tensed as a group exited the elevator, but Wyn kept her mouth shut and the group passed on by.
“I’m not going to run,” she said, once inside the elevator.
“Explain.” He pressed the button for the docking bay, and the elevator descended.
“Because I don’t like you and the sooner you leave, the better. All these shenanigans—not a fan of them, by the way—are your fault.”
“Are they?” He sounded amused.
“Yup. I’ve had a few days to make the connections. TheSRV-P11were your clients, and one of them is dead.”
“Both. Saavi passed two hours ago.”
“Oh.” That revelation took the wind out of her sails and explained why Lorran had to leave suddenly. “Their ship is attacked, and you scamper off to your smuggler’s bolt hole. Suhlik conveniently arrive just before Lorran arrests your ass.” She ticked off her points on her fingers. “That freaky wolf-bear tried to eat my face. Your fault.”
“I doubt that.”
“No, you made some bullshit macho comment about a mate providing fresh meat and Lorran got it in his head to go hunting, on an unknown planet with unknown predators. Your. Fault.”
Caldar chuckled. “I was curious to see how far he would go.”
Wyn was half-tempted to snatch his ear, drag him down to eye level, and thump his horns, but no part of her wanted to touch the man. “Let’s just get you on your ship so I never have to see you again.” But his cocky smirk—so unlike Lorran’s playful grin—grated on her nerves. “And that’s just like you, isn’t it? Getting your fingers everywhere.” He opened his mouth, but she snapped, “Don’t! Heaven help me, keep whatever little nugget you thought of, keep it to yourself.”
The elevator finally arrived, and they marched down to the docking bay. Wyn vaguely remembered where they parked the ship, but Caldar seemed to know the way.
Wyn continued her rant because vomiting out her anger helped. Helpedher. She didn’t care what it did for Caldar. By the time she slapped her palm to the scanner at the ship’s door, she reached her fiery conclusion. The door chimed, and the panels slid open.
