Ignoring the big, fluffy, soft elephant in the room, I kept my gaze on her.I’d imagined her in my bed more than once, but as much as I’d enjoy spending the entire transit cocooned in my cabin with her, we couldn’t afford to be distracted.
“I wanted to talk to you in private.I know the team has been a lot to deal with, and I’m sorry about that.”
“You don’t have to apologize for them.You’re not the one being an asshole.At least not anymore.”Her grin was warm and open.
I took her hand, rubbing my thumb over the back of it.“I’m sorry about being an asshole.”
“I accept,” she said.“I’m sorry about stealing your ship.”
I laced my fingers with hers.“Are you, though?”
“Okay, I’m 90 percent sorry.But without it, I’m not sure where I’d be now.If I’d be about to rescue my sister.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“The rescue?”Eyes full of worry, she tugged her hand free and stared at me.
“You don’t have to come with us, if you don’t want.You can stay safe on the ship.Or even up here.”
She surged to her feet.“You think I’m a liability?”Her voice rose and I was grateful we were having this conversation here, rather than elsewhere on the ship.
“No, not at all.I just want to make sure you’re safe.I...You’re important to me.I don’t want you hurt.”
“I don’t want you hurt either, Dax.”She offered me her hands and tugged me to standing.“I appreciate you worrying about me, but I’ll be okay.I promise.Plus, I can help.I know it.”
Her arms slid around my waist and she lay her cheek against my chest.I closed my arms around her.
“What if we don’t find her?”Lacy asked quietly.“Or worse, we do and it’s...it’s really bad?”
I rested my cheek against the top of her head.I’d been expecting this moment for a while.It hadn’t been a question of when it would happen, but if she would share it.I rubbed my hand up and down her back.
“I’m not going to feed you a line of bullshit just to make you feel better.There’s a chance that we won’t find her.If that happens, we’ll regroup, explore other leads.I told you we’d help you find your sister and we will.”
She sniffled.“What if they’ve hurt her?Or k—killed her?”
Fuck, she was breaking my heart.
“Don’t borrow trouble.Right now, we don’t know anything.When we arrive at Kottke, we’ll go down, we’ll ask some questions?—”
“And get some answers,” she broke in.
“—and get some answers.Then we’ll work out the next steps to getting her back.”
My hand continued to rub soothing circles over her back.She wasn’t the only one who had considered the possibility that Layla had been injured or killed.But until we had proof, I was hoping for the best.
If the worst had happened, I’d burn it all down if Lacy asked me to.
“Thank you,” she said.“I know I haven’t said it often enough.Or maybe even ever.But thank you.For helping me.For getting me this far.”She raised up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine.
Though I worried for a moment, this kiss wasn’t about gratitude.It was about connection.
I embraced that, embraced her.And tried to tell her with my body and with my lips, the feelings I hadn’t even dared to admit to myself yet.
47
Dax
“Kottke Tower to incoming craft.Identify yourself.”
