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  Cooper had dropped off Kam just after their newest crew member made her grand entrance. Del had been so relieved to see Cooper unharmed that he’d almost run into his arms. Considering that Cooper, Avery, and Del were really just close friends—even though Del often dreamed of more—it probably wouldn’t have been appropriate. But seeing both of his best friends alive had calmed a fear inside him that he’d been trying hard all day not to acknowledge.

  Kam had insisted on checking his wife and daughter first, but he’d barely had a moment to smile at them before slumping into unconsciousness. Fortunately, most of the other patients had been dealt with, so Del had been able to treat him immediately. G’baena had been terrified for her husband, and once again Avery had stayed with her and reassured the new mother every step of the way. For a woman who often called herself a “screw-up,” she’d done everything but screw up today. Del was so very proud of the woman he called his best friend.

  “Avery,” he whispered as he swept the hair from her face. Even with the deep circles and puffy eyes she was achingly beautiful and his heart squeezed at the terror she’d lived through this day. Nobody on the ship deserved what had happened and a part of Del wanted to walk away from their self-imposed mission.

  Avery seemed exhausted, but she gave him a small smile. He needed to touch her, needed to hold her close, so he lifted her from the small lounge and then sat and settled her in his lap. He held her cradled against his chest as she sighed and fell asleep, wanting nothing more than to just give and get comfort from the contact.

  Tee-ani, Kam, and several others had thankfully made it through surgery, G’baena had given birth to a healthy baby girl, and the ship had managed to fight off their attackers. All of the intruders had been neutralized and moved to holding cells.

  Unfortunately, that’s where the good news ended.

  The ship had been badly damaged, and Devlin and every crew member with even minor engineering knowledge had been drafted to help. Del would’ve been one of them if the need for medical care hadn’t been just as urgent.

  Four crew members had been found dead—two seasoned pirates, a young trainee engineer, and Peni. Three of the slaves Ben, Trey, and Tee-ani had been in the process of rescuing had also died, and the cargo hold of the transport they’d been in had so much damage it was nearly a miracle that anyone survived at all.

  Del shook his head as despair threatened to overwhelm him. Keytark had found a more deadly way to make sure his slaves were loyal—brainwashing. From everything the surviving ex-slaves could tell them of the young woman who’d blown herself up, her actions had seemed mechanical, programmed, and were completely out of character.

  Within moments of Tee-ani explaining that she was here to rescue the slaves, the young woman had triggered a beacon and subspace device, spoken calmly to Keytark, and then blown herself and two of the women with her into tiny pieces. Tee-ani and several of the other women had only survived because they’d been on the other side of the cargo bay when the explosion occurred.

  Del squeezed his eyes closed as memories of Tee-ani’s injuries invaded his mind. She hadn’t been fast enough to cross the room to stop the woman and it had very literally saved her life. If she’d been any closer…

  “Del.” Sarah’s soft voice barely permeated the chaotic thoughts buzzing through his head. “Take Avery back to your quarters. I’ve got things covered here.”

  He nodded, too tired to argue and too embarrassed to look up in case the tears that threatened actually fell from his eyes. He managed to lever himself out of the small seat without having to put Avery down, and then he was picking his way through the destruction and debris of the ship’s corridors, hoping to at least find his quarters partially intact.

  He reached his room just as Kam stepped out of his quarters next door. He still looked very tired, but Del and Sarah had managed to stop the bleeding and patch him up almost as good as new. Thank Lukilo the Pendarian god of mercy for Cooper’s timely intervention. It was frightening how close G’baena had gotten to losing a husband on the same day her daughter was born.

  “How’s Bae?” Del asked. Everything had been so hectic in the medical bay that Del hadn’t even had a chance to check G’baena’s baby after Avery had helped deliver her. Fortunately, the birth had been uncomplicated and Sarah had been there a moment later.

  “Bae’s mother and sisters are with her, so she’s in good hands.” He smiled, but the expression didn’t quite reach his eyes. Del knew that feeling quite well at the moment. He nodded and then turned back to the door of his own cabin.

  “What did you call her?” Del asked suddenly, realizing he didn’t even know the baby’s name.

  “Karajinai, Kara for short,” Kam said quietly. “It means ‘new beginning’ in G’trobian. I’m hoping that her life lives up to it.” Kam should have been resting and he looked damn tired, probably more tired than Del felt, but he pushed away from the wall and headed back toward engineering.

  Del watched the man walk away. Today should’ve been the celebration Kam and his family had been planning. Instead it was just another in a long line of disappointments for them all. Everyone on the ship knew the danger they faced pretending to be slave traders to the slavers, merchants to the authorities, and undercover pirates fighting to protect those who needed them most, but days like today made it very hard to remember why they did it.

  Avery stirred in his arms, rubbing her cheek against his chest and murmuring softly. Del wasn’t sure if she was waking up or not so he quickly opened the door to his quarters and carried her into the bathroom.

  She cooperated sleepily as he stripped the medical scrubs and her soiled clothes away and stepped into the sonic shower. Finally clean, he carried her back into the main room and placed her under the covers of his bed. She rolled onto her side and he wanted desperately to climb in beside her and wrap around her all night, but he needed to be ready in case Sarah called him back to the medical bay.

  Reluctantly, he moved away, pulling on clothes as Avery seemed to fall back into a deep slumber. Fully dressed, he lay down on top of the covers, hauled her closer, and tried not to think of everything that had happened this day.

  It didn’t work.

  * * * *

  Avery woke slowly. She was surrounded by warm blankets and held securely in Del’s arms. Del had been her best friend for so long she could barely remember a day when she didn’t wake wishing she was in his embrace. She stretched carefully, a little surprised by the stiff soreness of her muscles. She’d had a bad dream last night, but wow, she’d never had such a painful physical reaction to a nightmare before.

  Still half asleep, Avery prepared for her day by mentally ticking off all the things she would need to do when she got up. She really needed to start setting an alarm. Ruth had been so ticked off yesterday when Avery arrived late that she’d almost apologized. Almost. Messing with Ruth was the best part about working in the kitchen. Ruth wasn’t happy unless she had something to bitch about, so Avery saw no reason not to give her what she wanted. Although, considering how badly yesterday had started, Avery didn’t think Ruth could tolerate one more late arrival before she blew an aneurysm or something. Maybe she should ease up on the woman.

  Ruth was closer to her than anyone, including Avery’s own mo—

  Avery started shaking, her heart thumping painfully as memories of yesterday’s events whirled in her head. She whimpered as pain burst through her, loss and fear and guilt attacking her like a thousand icy needles. Sobs racked her as warm arms pulled her closer.

  “It’s going to be okay, Avery,” Del whispered into her hair. He held her, rocking slowly as grief poured from her soul. Every bone ached, every muscle pulsed painfully, every thought centered on the events of yesterday. She hadn’t been that frightened since the day slave traders had kidnapped her.

  She rolled over and turned into Del’s arms, cursing her weakness, hating herself for needing him so much. She felt weak and pathetic, unable to tear herself from his
embrace even though this wasn’t how she’d dreamed their first time together to be.

  If she’d just turned up to her shift on time she might have protected Ruth, she might have stopped her from ever getting hurt. She should have known more about medicine, known what to do to stop the bleeding without having to call Del first. She was best friends with a doctor, for fuck’s sake. The least she could’ve done for Ruth was know how to stop the fucking bleeding.

  If only she wasn’t such a pathetic screw-up. Her own parents had been spot on. She was a useless waste of space and they’d been right to send her away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “What for?” Del asked, sounding confused.

  “Sorry for not knowing. Sorry for yelling at you yesterday. Sorry for stabbing that man.”

  “Enough of that,” Del said in his usual indulgent tone. “You knew enough to call the medical bay for help. Don’t worry about yelling at me. That’s what friends are for.” He took a deep breath and pulled her closer. “And stabbing that creature was a reasonable reaction to him trying to kill you and Ruth. You were protecting yourself and have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “I didn’t think I was capable of something like that.”

  “I don’t suppose anyone knows how they’ll react until they’re faced with the situation.”

  “Did he die?”

  “No.”

  She couldn’t stop the tears of relief that fell from her eyes. Maybe at the time, with anger, fear, and adrenaline coursing through her, she’d wished the man dead, but in the light of day she was very grateful that she hadn’t killed him.

  * * * *

  Del held her close as much for himself as for her. After so much death and disaster he felt the need to connect with life, with love. Avery sobbed in his arms for a while, but a few moments ago she’d gone completely still, her muscles tensed, her breathing shallow, almost like she’d made some sort of decision. And then she rolled over and began kissing him wildly. He responded in kind, desperate to feel something wonderful, to celebrate their survival. He rolled onto his back, dragging her out of the blankets and spreading her over him. She fumbled, kissing, biting, licking every part of him she could reach.

  She ripped his shirt open, the loud tearing noise barely noticeable over their combined breathing. She had his cock out of his pants a moment later, her soft hand stroking the hard rod of flesh. Del groaned as she lifted up and immediately impaled herself on his erection.

  For a moment, she fell forward, kissing him with explosive passion, squeezing his dick with her internal muscles. She moaned as he grasped her hips and began moving her up and down his cock. She levered herself into a sitting position, helping him, setting a fast pace, moaning, panting, gasping as they rode each other to frantic orgasm.

  She screamed as her climax hit, the wild, pulsing grip of her pussy dragging him with her. He panted, swallowing hard, closing his eyes against the intense release.

  He pulled her down to him, cradling her against his chest as they both slowly recovered. Over and over he ran his hands through her silky hair, taking comfort from the repetitive movement. He could feel her hot tears against his skin and held her closer, whispering quietly, unsure that she heard the words but hoping she understood his tone.

  She lay sprawled across his chest until his spent cock slipped from her wet flesh. He mourned the loss, uncertain why it would affect him so deeply. She sighed heavily and then moved out of his arms.

  “I…I’m…That isn’t what I wanted for our first time together.”

  He tried to haul her back into his embrace, but she pulled further away.

  “Avery?” It felt like she was withdrawing from him emotionally as well as physically, but he couldn’t explain why. They needed each other now more than ever.

  “I…” she began on a shuddering breath, “I just need some…some time.”

  Shit. Del had studied basic human psychology, but he didn’t claim to understand humans at all. They were all so unique, reacting very differently to the same situation, that he doubted they even understood themselves.

  Maybe Avery really just needed time, but considering how upset she’d been earlier he wasn’t sure that leaving her alone would be such a good idea.

  He rolled to sit on the edge of the bed, his heart and mind telling him he was doing the wrong thing, but he had few options. He wouldn’t force his presence on her if she truly didn’t want him here. She was entitled to cope in her own way. If she needed time alone to come to grips with things he would give her that.

  He glanced at the chronometer. It had been a little over four hours since he’d left the medical area and he needed to check in with Sarah anyway.

  “Okay,” he said to Avery, swallowing against the urge to wrap his arms around her once again. “I’ll just be in the medical bay. You need anything, anything at all, you just call me. Okay?”

  She nodded against the pillow, but didn’t speak or turn to look at him. He opened his mouth to say more, only to shut it again when he found nothing to say. Turning, he closed his eyes briefly before forcing himself to walk away.

  But he didn’t go straight to the medical bay. He moved to the cabin down the hall and across from his, and pressed the door chime. Cooper didn’t answer. Del was wondering whether to ask G’baena’s mother to check on Avery in a little while, but Cooper walked around the corner before Del could decide if he should interrupt the woman or not. She was looking after her daughter and her baby granddaughter after all.

  Relieved to see the human, Del moved quickly to intercept him. “Cooper,” he said, wondering how best to phrase his request. Cooper and Avery were good friends, and both human, so maybe Cooper could help. “Avery wants to be alone, and I need to get back to the medical bay. Could you check on her in a little while?”

  Cooper was nodding even before he finished the sentence. “Of course,” he said. “I’ll go check in with her now. I hear she saved Janku.”

  Del nodded his head. “And she delivered G’baena’s baby.”

  “Hell,” Cooper said, nodding in approval. “I always knew our Avery-girl had it in her. I’ll just grab a quick shower and go visit.”

  “She’s in my cabin,” Del said, glancing at the door as he said it.

  “Oh.” Cooper looked like he wanted to say more. He and Avery had been close friends since before Del joined the crew, and Del didn’t want him to learn of the shift in his and Avery’s relationship without at least warning him of what he might find.

  “She’s in my bed,” Del said. “But, I don’t know what it means. She wants to be alone.”

  Cooper looked thoughtful for a moment. “No worries,” he said as he reached out a hand and touched Del’s shoulder. “I’ve got a four-hour break. I’ll keep an eye on her until the three of us can talk.”

  Relieved to know Avery would have someone she trusted to talk to if she needed, Del nodded his thanks and turned toward the medical bay.

  * * * *

  Cooper hurried through his shower as he mulled over the day’s events in his mind. This morning had started out fairly normal, but with one small change in tactics, Keytark had undermined everything they’d achieved in the last few years. They’d worried for a while that Keytark had suspected their duplicity, but until today they hadn’t been certain. Considering the almost immediate attack after the brainwashed slave had sent her transmission, it seemed their cover had been blown for some time.

  The fact that he’d already known their security procedures, frequencies, and ship’s specifications made things even worse. It definitely pointed to a traitor onboard.

  Cooper tried to set aside the wild speculation on who it might be. Devlin had asked him to keep his suspicions to himself at the moment. The traitor was more likely to make a mistake if he thought he wasn’t under suspicion.

  Inevitably, his thoughts turned to Del and Avery. From what Cooper understood, the scene in the medical bay had been chaotic. He was very proud of both of his friends that they’d cope
d so well in such awful circumstances.

  It wasn’t really a surprise that they’d turned to each other for comfort after such a stressful day. In some ways it worked toward the goal Cooper had in mind for the three of them, but he couldn’t help but wish he’d been there as well. Not only for the physical side of the relationship he wanted to build, but also for the emotional bonding that he himself felt the need for right now. They risked their lives every day on this ship, trying to do the right thing, trying to save people from slavery and protect those unable to protect themselves. But knowing the risks in some external way was far different to having someone board the ship and try to kill them up close and personal.

  Facing one’s mortality was an effective way of bringing into focus what was most important in life, and for Cooper, that was Avery and Del. Until this morning a relationship with them both was something he wanted in the future. But after the trauma of the day, he wanted that closeness now, right now. Not tomorrow or next week or next year. Now.

  Determined to lay his heart on the line, Cooper finished his shower, threw on some clothes, and headed to Del’s cabin.

  * * * *

  Avery lay in bed, wondering what to do now. She’d loved Del for a long time, so she couldn’t regret what had happened between them, but just the thought of how Cooper would react when he realized they were together filled her with dread. Cooper was too nice a guy, too good a friend to be anything other than supportive, but it hurt to think of him as all alone. Somehow, in her head, she’d imagined for the three of them the sort of relationship that Tee-ani had with Ben and Trey, or even the three-way relationship G’baena, Kam, and Devlin shared.

  But she’d never raised the subject. Del and Cooper were good friends, but they’d never shown any indications of an attraction between them. And neither of them came from a culture where sharing a partner was the norm, so it felt incredibly selfish to want to keep both men by her side.