He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such an interesting conversation with anyone. Maybe with Susan, but she was more like an eccentric aunt, fluttery and easily distracted. Tess made his blood heat and his mind soar back to the things he used to dream about before he’d gotten himself into a situation where he needed to make a lot of money. His legacy was falling apart in the hands of Scarabin White, and he needed to buy it back before the asshole ruined everything his family had built. Some of the older docking towers were barely safe at this point. Without repairs, people’s lives could be at stake.
Shade zoomed up to theEndeavorin the elevator tube. He stepped out when the lift opened and looked around the platform. No one on watch. The ship’s door wide open.
How the fuck did these people stay alive?
At least the stairs weren’t down, as usual. He knew the crew hardly used them, because he’d been keeping watch. He’d started to feel like a stalker by the fourth flyby of Tess’s platform today, but he’d needed to make sure things were still quiet, and that none of the other bounty hunters had sniffed her out.
A scowl pulling at his face, Shade walked to the open cargo cruiser and rapped hard on the metal floor, calling out a hello as he did.
A small woman showed up a moment later, her long black hair swinging when she leaped back at the sight of him.
Was he that scary?
She set her jaw, looking almost like she was gearing up for a do-over, and then stepped forward again.
“Is Tess around?” Shade asked.
“Name, please,” she said like some clerk at a reception desk. Her hand hovered over the panel that would slide the inner door shut, leaving him closed out on the dock.
“Shade Ganavan.”
He thought she relaxed. “Do you have something for the ship?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No, just a question for Tess.” He’d decided that instead of just watching her, he should try to talk to her. Maybe it would help him figure out what to do next.
The woman pursed her lips, not moving. What was she? The damn gatekeeper?
“Wait here.” She finally turned on the ball of her foot, not inviting him in as she left.
She came back with Jax. The big man didn’t look happy.
Nerves suddenly bunched in Shade’s belly. “Tess isn’t here?” Had she gone out when he hadn’t been looking and not come back?
Jax answered with a question of his own. “You got some parts to drop off?”
“Not tonight. As I told…” He looked in question at the woman, whom he now realized was missing a hand.
“Miko,” she supplied.
“…Miko, I’m looking for Tess.”
Jax glared at him, then around at the fading light. Dusk was falling fast. “Why?” he asked.
Well, this was going well. Jax had seemed a lot friendlier when they’d been working together. But that hadn’t been about Tess.
“I thought I’d show her around the city.” Actually, gettingoutof the city sounded better right now. He felt stifled. Having nothing but bad choices always made him feel like he couldn’t breathe.
Jax’s eyes narrowed.
“If she wants,” Shade added.
Whathewanted was to get to know her better. He needed to make a decision. His damn docks were on the line. What had been a slow work in progress only two days ago could turn into tomorrow’s reality with just a bit of rope and a call to Bridgebane.
“Oh, it’s SRP,” a new woman said, showing up in the doorway and crossing her arms as she looked down at him. She had spitfire written all over her.
Shade felt heat rise up his neck. Tess had talked to her about him?
Jax turned to the brunette, looking incredulous. “Nowis when you leave your lab, Fiona?”
