Page 75

I glanced around. If Gary showed up right now, we were screwed.

“We took on one haunted ship job,” I said. “We’re not ghost experts.”

“You are,” Valdris said. “That’s why I’ve come to you.”

“We fix ships.” I looked at the crew. “Regular ships with regular problems. Problems that don’t slime you or appear in your shower.”

His brow furrowed. “Shower slime?”

“Long story. All that means is that’s not our specialty.”

Tambi kicked me under the table. “Your advance payment was three times the quote. Why?”

“Because you’re the best and I need help. There’ll be more if you complete the job.”

“We want four times,” Tambi said.

“Agreed.”

I almost choked again and exchanged glances with everyone else. Tambi gave a tiny nod.

“Well, it looks like we also fix haunted ships now.” Cass had a look on her face that was half amusement, half resignation.

“When do you need the job finished?” I asked.

“I depart in two weeks,” Valdris said.

“That’s not unreasonable,” Tambi said. “We’ve never had a job take longer than that.”

“Although we’ll need time to juice up our proton packs,” I muttered.

“What is a proton pack?” Valdris asked.

“A bad joke,” I said. “Forget about it.”

He nodded, not smiling. “I should tell you that I was a guardian of Draethyn rites, and the ship still carries sacred symbols on its surfaces. They need to be cared for and not disturbed.”

“We never damage ships we work on.” A muscle in Tambi’s jaw flexed.

“I’m sure you don’t, and your reputation is excellent. But I’ll need to be present for the entire job to care for the symbols. Even though the ship is retired from active duty, they are precious to us and easily damaged.”

Great. A giant, stoic alien planned to watch us work. That wouldn’t bug the hell out of me. If he alien-splained anything, I was done.

“Fine by me.” I leaned back in my chair. “As long as you don’t get in the way when things get loud. And things always get loud around here.”

A flicker of interest moved behind his eyes before it vanished. “I understand. If my terms and payment are acceptable, I’d like to show you what you’re working with.”

“Works for me.” Tambi gestured for us to move our butts. “We have the final contract to sort, and we’re all yours.”

The meeting wrapped up. Tambi walked Valdris through the contract terms as Doc ran a discreet bio-scan on him from across the table, while Cass and Rennick murmured to each other. They were probably discussing their next fuck fest. Those two couldn’t keep their damn hands off each other. Fucking bond. You wouldn’t find me bond flaring with some hot dude from outer space.

The aliens got the ladies panting, but they were complicated with their mate instincts, fated bullshit, and alpha fuckery. Give me a clean, simple screw, and gone by the morning kind of guy. Or stick with the vibrating clit sucker. That beast never rolled over and farted before snoring and leaving me in the damp patch, frustrated and unfulfilled. Again.

I stood, stretched, and pulled open the cabinet where we kept the welcome drinks. Tambi said hospitality mattered. It was good business and good manners, and Monica Delgado had been raised right, even if she’d spent most of her adult life kicking down doors.

“Do you drink, Valdris?” I turned to him with the bottle.

He nodded. “Thank you. It has been a long journey.”