“Follow me.”
He took off through the crowd.
I hurried to catch up, grabbing his hand to stay close.
His fingers laced with mine.
I stumbled, momentarily overcome by the simple nature of the move.Don’t be an idiot, Lacy.
Dax paused, his dark eyes concerned.“You okay?”
I nodded vigorously.“Yep, fine.Totally fine.”
He squeezed my hand and then we were off to meet Bolton.
30
Dax
This had been a mistake.It wasn’t the first time I’d had that thought as we approached this meeting.Wouldn’t be the last.
After descending three levels to Sub3, we’d passed through an underground market and into a rowdy bar.None of this had been on Finn’s map.There was no way we would have found our way through the twisty corridors without Moya’s directions.If this turned into actual cargo, and I still wasn’t sure it would, the bar owner would have earned her percentage.And her favor.
I stared at the three men—probably pirates—who awaited us at the designated meeting spot, a game room at the back of the bar.A fourth man had ushered us into the room, then closed the thick metal door behind us, cutting off the noise from the main bar area.The hum of the lights was the only sound as we studied each other.
If only I’d been able to bring Burn and Finn.We wouldn’t be outnumbered.But Moya’s instructions had been clear.And I couldn’t afford to lose another cargo.
The man in the middle—the one I assumed was Bolton—was maybe six foot and slender.I didn’t for a moment confuse slender with weak.Wiry guys could be deceptively strong.He wore his hair in a bun and a smirk on his lips that made me want to punch him in the face.
The two men on either side of him could have been from Mercenaries-R-Us.Slightly taller than the middle man, slightly wider.The only difference between them was a scar that ran across one man’s right cheek.Their aggressive postures made me want to roll my eyes.It was possible to be a threat without needing to be so obvious about it.
Busy sizing up our opponents and wishing I had a weapon, I didn’t notice Lacy pull out a chair at the game table until it was too late.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Lacy said as she pushed her hood back and took a seat at the table.“I’m Lacy.This is Dax.Moya said you could help us with a shipment of stupid shooters.”
“Bolton.”The man in the middle confirmed my guess.He took a seat opposite Lacy.The other two stood at his shoulders, watching me with what I was sure were supposed to be intimidating glances.
Whatever.I took a position behind Lacy.Expression neutral, I crossed my arms over my chest.I had her back and would do whatever it took to keep her safe.Walking hand in hand through the tunnels with her had tugged at something fiercely protective down deep.
“After my conversation with Moya, I asked around about your ship—theFortuna, isn’t it?”There was that smirk again.“No one has worked with you.In fact, no one on Rigel Naught has ever heard of you.So why would you be looking for such dangerous cargo?This isn’t a kiddie toy.”
The downside of my position was that I couldn’t read Lacy’s expression.On our way to Sub3, she’d asked me to let her do all the talking.Which was fine, except...what if there was a time she needed me to speak up?I’d have to trust that she knew what she was doing.
The realization that I did was like a kick to the chest.It couldn’t have come at a worse—or maybe it was better—time.I trusted her to do right by the ship.By me and my crew.
“You’re right,” Lacy said in that smooth, confident way of hers.“Fortunais new to running cargo.However, she has a capable crew, including someone who has hauled stupid shooters in the past as well as even more dangerous cargo.”
When she paused, Bolton’s eyes flicked up to me.I shook my head.
“Me,” she said.If it bothered her that the men had assumed it was me, nothing in her tone gave it away.
Bolton and his men laughed.“You can’t expect me to believe that a pretty little thing like you would be dealing with such big, dangerous bombs.Where would you learn something like that?”
“Eternal Nocturne,”Lacy said quietly.
Their laughter died the moment she named Orpheus Blazer’s ship.
“No shit,” Bolton said after a long pause.His gaze turned speculative.The same way Moya’s had.
