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He glanced at her and shrugged. “That’s not my responsibility. I load the cargo. That’s all.”

“Who can help me?”

“Stick around. Someone will be along shortly.” The guy shrugged his arm out of her grip. “They always do that with these ships because people don’t turn up. They overbook by about a dozen because that way they get all the seats filled.”

“I’m here! I need my seat. I can’t be bumped.”

“Don’t take it personally. They didn’t target you. You’ll be guaranteed a seat on the next ship. You might even get an upgrade.”

“When’s the next ship leaving?” If it was later today, she could still get to the food fair in time.

“Tomorrow. Same departure time.”

Holly groaned. She’d miss most of the food fair if she waited for that ship.

“Mind your back.” The guy gestured behind Holly.

She stepped to one side as a bot carrying an enormous wooden crate trundled past.

Holly hung around the ship, keeping an eye out for more crew members. She had to convince them she should be on the ship.

A Draxdan dressed in a bottle-green pilot’s jumpsuit strode into the docking bay and over to the ship.

Holly raced over to him as he walked up the docking ramp. “Are you piloting the ship?”

He glanced at her and smiled. “That’s right.”

“I have to see you.”

He grinned. “Don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for pilots.”

“No! What I have a thing for is making sure I get my seat and my cargo on this ship. I’ve just found out I’ve been bumped off.”

He patted her shoulder. “I wish I could help, but that’s not my department.”

“You’re flying the ship. You control the ship.”

“That’s right, but I don’t deal with customer queries.”

Holly sucked in a breath. “I have to be on here.”

The pilot shook his head. “I wish I could help. Better luck next time.” He strolled up the docking ramp and onto the ship.

Holly felt like screaming. She gritted her teeth as hot tears filled her eyes. This wasn’t fair. She didn’t deserve to be shoved off the ship. She was as important as every other passenger. Why her? She needed this.

She looked around the docking bay. There was the option of hiring her own ship and piloting it herself, but she couldn’t afford that. It would eat into the profits and stop her from making her loan repayment.

Holly kicked the docking bay ramp and winced as her toe protested. “Dammit!” She turned and was about to hobble away when she almost bumped into someone’s chest. A broad, hard, warm chest.

Holly looked up, and her eyes widened as she stared into Avel’s face.

“It looks like you could do with some help.”

Chapter 8

Avel had seen Holly race into the docking bay. He could tell straight away that something was wrong. Her expression was panicked, and she was gesturing wildly as she talked to the crew member loading cargo onto the transport ship.

He should have stayed out of it. This wasn’t his business. He’d made it clear the last time they were together that they had no future.