Ever So Madly (22 page)

Chapter Forty-Four

Jocelynn

I felt Madden watching. Even from light years away I could feel his eyes on me. But he wouldn’t reply. I’d hurt him too much.

I kept dumping my glass into the bush while Phillip got progressively drunker. After the champagne he had broken out spiced Ore malt. The Ore acted as a catalyst to the alcohol, taking it directly to the blood stream, giving you a high along with intoxication. Two shots and he was staggering. I lead him out of the grand ballroom and toward my own quarters. He went willingly. How much men thought with their cocks.

After five shots all he could do was lie on the floor and stare at the images he saw on the painted ceiling. I pretended along with him waiting until he was snoring before I went about my plans. I assumed Jacob was busy with a slave, and I needed a clear head. I wrote him a note and stuck it to his communicator leaving it on my bed. I wouldn’t take mine either as it could be traced too easily.

Chapter Forty-Five

Madden

The path we took wove through the mines. We rode under way stations to the long abandoned sites where no one would notice us. I saw the crowd gathered miles out. Poised under one of the abandoned drains that rusted where it sat was a group of men with bikes and a few brave souls who’d ridden in on the backs of the death traps. There was no other way to get out here. Without a bike, or with one, it required nerves of steel.

I’d been racing for years, and I couldn’t imagine the leaders of a fringe group keeping up something so dangerous as a cover, but Colton would know better than I would. As I suspected he’d been a part of one of them for years. I really thought it was the reason he hadn’t wanted me to leave. In fact, the more I thought about it the more it made sense as to why I got the offer and the help from the Reds in the first place. It occurred to me I should be mad about being romanced and enticed into this decision, but in reality Jocelynn had brought it on, not anyone else.

As we approached the course, we slowed. These were changed and moved frequently, to keep the illegal activity’s cover. A large crane towered over the site, and the dark red warning lights illuminated a group of people standing around the base of it. There were boards laid across the upper levels of the crane, which would be used to watch and judge the races. I could see the course was laid out. Tiny blue flares flickered in the dark for thirty kilometers around the tower. It was a tough course, with some hairpin turns from what I could tell. If we were racing with a big pack people would die.

I didn’t hesitate pulling up right under the metal structure. I dug around in my pocket and pulled out the hundred credit bill I had shoved in there.

Colton placed his hand over mine after he removed his helmet. I shoved the note back down and waited for him to lead. We walked up to the group, and there were faces I recognized. Most of them were seasoned racers. Colton had to be mistaken.

“Mad?” Tim stepped forward and held out his hand.

I clasped forearms with him and nodded. “Hey.”

“It’s been a long time.” Tim released my arm and looked me over. A few other familiar faces crowded around me, and we exchanged pleasantries.

“Who’s got me first?” I asked anxious to get out of my head.

The men around me fell silent.

“Shit, Mad, way to come back with a bang,” Tim said. “But do you have coin?”

I pulled the credit bill back out of my pocket, ignoring the look from Colton.

Tim leaned in to look at the money. “You’ve got to know we ain’t got coin to match that. Even combined we’d barely hit you there.”

I laughed to myself, but it wasn’t funny. This could have only bought me lunch on Trenton, but here it would feed a family for half a moon cycle. I thought about throwing the bill with her father’s face on it down the black pit before me, but put it back into my pocket resisting the urge to toss away a fortune.

“Told you.” Colton stepped away from the man he’d been standing with. “Who’s first? I see the course is already laid out.”

“We’re going in five men races. First is filled, you two want second, that is if Mad can supply any coins us normal people use.” Tim shot me a look.

Colton pulled out a handful of coins. “I’m spotting him tonight. Get the fuck on it so we can have our go.”

“Good enough, you two can have second go with me, C, and Zath.” Tim turned back around to call out, “Ready,” to the men who had been waiting for his cue. When they were staggered at the starting line spray painted across the road directly under the rig Tim started his way up the rusted ladder.

Colton followed as did the rest of the other men lingering around. There was one off in the corner who waited until everyone was up before joining us. He was shorter than anyone there by a head and wore a teal blue helmet, fully covering his face. A hard color to come by on this planet. Could that be Zath? I’d never heard the name, but a third of the faces were unfamiliar to me after near six months of being away.

Tim sounded the air horn, and the bikes took off. My well trained eyes could make them out as they sped off. But it wasn’t easy to see who was in the lead. It was why everyone had a different helmet color. Mine had always been green, and no one else had ever tried to claim the shade. It was easy enough to wait out the color you wanted until its original owner retired or took the plunge. The dust cloud was the best gage of progress billowing up toward the starts. The second lap was the real killer. Venturing back through the dust cut visibility, and if you hadn’t memorized the course from the first lap you were screwed. This sport not only took timing and coordination but a sharp memory. I already had it committed to mind as I watched the progress. Three laps in, it would be second nature, then four and five was the time to outshine the rest.

The bikes roared under us, coming around for their second lap, and I walked to the outside edge of the tower. I used to always stay toward the middle, but what was the point now?

Colton nudged me as I passed. “Be ready. They are going to want to talk to you.”

“Here?”

“I told you it was important.” Once at the edge, I peered down. The sand almost seemed to shimmer with the light of the stars. The silver Ore was in everything here, even our bloodstreams.

“Madden, is it?” Teal helmet was standing next to me on the rail.

“It is.” I glanced over at him only seeing his eyes.

“Colton tells me you want a job off planet.”

“Not just a job. You guys did me a favor, and I’m ready to repay.” I didn’t bother with the game. They’d been romancing me since Trenton. If they wanted me they would take me.

“I see you’re not one for beating around it.” He flipped up his visor and met my gaze. He had hard gray eyes, but I didn’t flinch.

“I’m not. You people wanted me. Do you still?” I turned my back on the edge and tried to casually lean back against the rail.

“At first I’m told you were being considered because of your mind, and the potential, but now I’m being told by a little bird that you came up with the alternative shipping strategy.”

My mouth fell open, and I couldn’t contain my shock. “How did you know that?”

As far as I knew she hadn’t told anyone. Or maybe she had. My stomach sank. It could have been the professor even. But it was too close to home. They could have even been following me and seen the whole exchange. With as big as the fringe groups had become nothing would surprise me.

“I have my ways. Now what I really want to know is do you think you can devise a way around it?” He stepped forward, his intensity never wavering.

“I’m sure I can. But that’s not what I expected.”

“We like intelligent minds, but we use all manner of people.” He studied me for another moment. “If you’re serious I’ll give Colton a time and place for tomorrow night. Be there alone, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

“Okay … that’s it?”

“Say good-bye to him and leave all forms of identity and means of contact behind. You’ll become someone else with us.”

I swallowed passed the lump in my throat. Even if she wanted to, she would never have a way of finding me again. “Got it.”

The racers roared under the crane. The whole conversation had spanned a few minutes. They started around the track for the third lap, and the guy had gone back to mingle with the crowd. Colton joined me but didn’t say anything.

The cloud spread as the pack spread out on the first open stretch of land. I knew the move. The red helmet was trying to cut inside just before the sharp turn. Collectively the bystanders held their breaths as his bike skidded into the turn. The contrast between his wheels and the sand blinked out as he cut too close to the blankness of the drop. The group rushed forward everyone trying to get a better look. I could just make out his bike wobbling, and I bit down on my tongue. Red helmet knew it was coming, and he leaned in. His knees skimmed the ground. The wide tires meant for the packed dirt roads covered in sand spun out a few times as he lost traction at the angle. He made it around the corner, but now he was in danger of sending one or more of the other drivers over the edge. He skidded sideways like a wrecking ball toward the other edge.

I couldn’t draw in a breath, but I wasn’t nervous. I was excited to taste death myself. I had too much to think about. If I showed up tomorrow night, there would be no going back. I wanted to forget everything tonight. The blood in my veins started to run hot. I could taste the dust in the air. It was the first time I’d been able to take my mind off of her for more than ten minutes. I wouldn’t allow her back tonight. I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to be out of pain. This was the only way. I could start a new life and get rid of it all. But she had come back to me. Could I leave my comm in my room and exile myself knowing she still wanted me?

They spun around for the fourth lap, and my palms itched. I ran the course in my mind. I pulled back from the edge pacing the structure, restless. One more lap breezed by, and Red helmet’s reckless move paid off as he skidded across the finish line to cheers.

I was the first one down, walking at a fast pace to my bike. They’d told me I’d have to forget Colton, but I could do that easily. It was going to be harder to evict her from my mind. I was ready for a taste of freedom. I itched for it. I couldn’t wait any longer. It was the only way to get my mind to shut up. I took the inside position, resting my helmet on my handlebars to wait. Tim came over and collected the purse, before handing it off to be held by the judge. I reached down and touched my left leg, rubbing over the old injury there. I sat back and rolled my shoulders, working out the nervous energy.

Colton took the spot next to me looking over with his brow knit. “You never…” he started, but he didn’t have to finish. I knew what he meant.

I never took an outside spot. They held the most advantage, but they were also the most dangerous to ride. Inches mattered instead of feet. If someone on the inside fell, the outside person was the one going over.

I half shrugged. “And?”

He pointed a finger into my chest. “Don’t you dare.”

I licked over my dry and cracked lips. “Dare I?”

His lips pulled back exposing his teeth. “Madden, I will fucking kill you myself.”

“Ready,” the judge called.

“Not if I do it first.”

Chapter Forty-Six

Jocelynn

I would know if my research had paid off any minute now. I paced up and down the port corridor we’d agreed to meet outside. It was a risk continuing my plan not having spoken to him, but what was the worst that would happen? I forced myself to stop the incessant pacing. I would present myself as calm and confident.

I took a deep breath, just in time to see a commanding man step around the corner. The captain finished and walked over to me with a swagger. He had a blaster hanging off a low slung belt across his hips and a roguish look about him, but I had done my research and while he was an honest shipper by day, he was also known for getting illegal substances for fair fees. He’d never been caught, which played highly into what I needed. That meant his men couldn’t be bought and that he kept his word. His business meant more to him than earning a few coins by turning in the people he smuggled.

I had the cowl of my black cloak pulled up over my head. The deep shadow it created hid my makeup and hair. I would have to head right for the ball after the meeting so no one suspected me. The cloak hid all but my boots, and I’d taken my brother’s while he slept.

He held out his hand, and I took it, making sure to keep my cloak covering the bracelets on my wrists. He held my hand longer than he should have, trying to stare into my eyes.

“Vex,” he said in a heavily Sphinxiced accent, a planet which sat on the outermost rim of the known galaxy.

“Jaq,” I said masking my accent as best I could.

“Jaq, tell me why you need my services and don’t feed me a line. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I know crap when I hear it.”

I had to listen carefully to understand him.

“I need to get off planet.”

He paused. “Take a shuttle.”

“I don’t want to be traced,” I countered.

“What you ask isn’t an easy thing.”

I knew I had him. It was probably a line he fed to everyone to drive the cost up.

“I can pay.”

He scoffed. “Young lass like you? I doubt it.”

I grabbed a bag of credits from my pocket and held it out to him. “I’ll give you this when I board, and another when I depart.”

He looked at me with the hard eyes of a man who dealt with a lot of unsavory people for a living. “How do ya know I won’t gut ya for it, lass?”

“Because I’ve looked into your reputation. You’re an honest man.” I slid the bag back into my pocket. “Dawn, and this is where I need to go.” I held out a piece of paper for him. “Get all the necessary permits and landing rights and make up a good story.”

“I haven’t said I’ll do it.” He grunted.

“You will.” I turned my back and walked off. The rest of the night had to go smoothly or all would be ruined.