Alexa squeezed his hand.
Though she feared going back to Earth, she knew if she stayed with him, she would have to go back to the humans’ home planet time and time again. It went with the job. She wanted to keep her job. She earned it. It paid well, and she really liked her captain.
But handing her life over to Hysterian was something she couldn’t do all at once. She was willing to build a life with him out in space, on this ship, but she needed the same from him.
She decided she wanted something in return. Pigeon made her happy. Hysterian had promised to forget that Pigeon helped her escape. Could he forgive Horace as well, and the others?
She coveted the precious moments that made her happy, and despite trying to keep away from her old crewmates, they’d made her happy.
She missed her family.
Hysterian was petting her hair when she asked for the gift. “I want the crew back. All of them, even Daniels, even Raul.”
His fingers stilled. “Why?”
“I miss them.” She didn’t know how to tell him how she felt. It was strange, and a little sad. Thisneedto have them back, to have everything the way it was before she… Alexa swallowed.
“I killed Daniels.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Why?”
Hysterian watched her closely. “He was here under false pretenses and he threatened you.”
Alexa shuddered.
“Don’t kill any more of the crew,” she said. Hysterian had killed many people long before they had even met; she knew being with him that he would kill many more.
His eye twitched.
“What did you do?” she asked.
“Raul may or may not be alive.”
She threw her hands up. “You killed Raul?”
He caught her hands in a vice-like grip. “No, but I may have touched him and left him to the whores on Libra.”
Alexa’s mouth went slack. “We have to go back! We have to make sure he’s okay…”
Darkness flooded Hysterian’s gaze. “He doesn’t deserve your worry.”
“Raul isn’t a bad man… He’s my—”
“Your fucking what, Alexa?”
“My friend.”
Thirty
They stoppedat Libra and picked up Raul. Raul, shouting obscenities at seeing Hysterian was dragged aboard theQuestorwhile Alexa watched aghast. She could have her friend, but only under Hysterian’s rules.
They were never to be alone unless they were working in the menagerie, and even still, Hysterian made sure to let Raul know he’d be watching his every move. Raul, in the middle of filing a complaint with the authorities about being attacked by Hysterian, dropped them when Hysterian paid off all the man’s debts.
Neither of them were entirely happy about the situation, especially Raul, who had become very aware of Hysterian and Alexa’s relationship. Still, he stayed.
The money was too good.
Horace was easier. As Hysterian’s second-in-command, Horace only needed to have a drink with Pigeon to be convinced to come back.
