“Okay.”
Eyes narrowed, her scowl deepening, Burn glared at something over my shoulder.
I turned around, knowing I would see Lacy.She stood at the top of the ramp, the duffle I’d seen on her bed slung over her shoulder.Her other hand gripped her tool bag.For a moment, she looked lost.Then she stood straighter, lifting her head, drawing her shoulders back, and started down the ramp.
I looked back at Burn.“We good?”
Lips pursed, she nodded.
“Thanks,” I said and whirled to catch Lacy.
We met at the middle of the ramp.
“Yes?”
“We’ve got a proposition for you,” I said.
She studied me suspiciously.“Okay.”
“We need your help.Teach us what we need to know to succeed in this business.Things like stupid shooters and not talking about money, and we’ll help you find your sister.”
Her breath caught, but she still stared at me with mistrust in her eyes.“How do I know you won’t dump me on the next planet when one of the crew gets a bug up their ass about me?”
“We won’t.”
“But once we get your sister, you’re off the ship.”Burn had come up behind me.“That’s the deal.”
“Will you at least take us off the planet where she’s being held?”Snark and a bit of anger colored her question.
“That’s fair,” Burn said.“The next planet.”
“The next planet with reasonable transport,” Lacy countered.“I don’t want you to leave us on some ship-eating planet like Pangaea.”
“Deal.”Burn thrust her hand past me.
Lacy slowly, carefully set her tool bag down and shook Burn’s hand.“Deal.”
Then she offered her hand to me.Tingles raced up my arm and I fought the urge to slide my thumb over hers.“Deal.”
“Now let’s get off this fucking spaceport.”Burn brushed past us both.
Once Burn had disappeared into the cargo hold, I turned to Lacy.“Ready?”
Her shoulders lifted in a barely perceptible shrug.“Sure.I guess.”
I picked up her tool bag, but she immediately took it from me.“Don’t jerk me around, Dax.No more votes about my presence.No more treating me like the devil incarnate.Let’s get my sister, then we’ll get off your ship.”
Pain shot through my heart and I rubbed my chest.“That’s the plan.”I nearly choked on the words.“After we pick up the rest of the team.”
Her eyes widened in betrayal before she whirled away.
“Lacy, it’s not like that.I promise.”Dammit, there I went making another promise.Would I be able to keep them all?Or would I let someone down?“We’re going to need more support to rescue your sister.Especially since we don’t know what we’re facing.”
“Whatever you say.”She didn’t look at me, just strode back into the cargo hold.
I released my breath.At least she was still on the ship.
38
