The Spiral Path (13 page)

“Lara?” Mitch waved a hand in front of her face and her attention bounced back to him. “I just spoke to Rafe. He’s settling Calendra in their bungalow now, and then he’ll be over. Your parents are on their way.” He clasped her hand across the table. “Everything will be fine. We have a plan, remember?”

Lara intertwined their fingers and nodded. “I just never thought I’d ever see this.”

And then it happened. Javier Soto and Sabine Osai stood at the entrance to Artie’s. Side by side, her parents’ shoulders brushed against each other. They held each other’s hands. Their time alone together while Lara rescued Rafael had clearly brought them closer.

Mitch squeezed her hand tighter. Her life had been spent choosing which parent to spend her birthday with, of missed holiday meals, of achievements shared only through photos. Rafael had been the one dependable constant. Since his return they had talked a little, but her brother’s focus was on Calendra—who had survived, contrary to all predictions.

Rafael stepped up behind her parents, a full head taller then Javier. He caught Mitch’s eye and directed them toward their table with a hand on each shoulder. As they neared, Mitch settled in closer and pulled up more chairs, which was good because Lara couldn’t move. Could barely breathe even. Her chest ached with the tension. Finally she allowed herself some oxygen in one gulp, hoping it wouldn’t be the one misstep to ruin a moment that shouldn’t have been possible.

With arms outstretched, her father stepped ahead of Sabine and Rafael. “Lara, Firecracker. I’m so glad you’re home safe.”

Lara propelled her legs to move and let herself be enveloped in her father’s embrace. His familiar cologne grounded her, a scent that had accompanied her across the galaxy. She squeezed her eyes shut and gulped down the knot in her throat. On a sigh she opened her eyes to see her mother staring at her over Javier’s shoulder, that stony scowl she reserved for Parliament—and misbehaving daughters—on her face.

Her father pulled away to shake Mitch’s hand. “Commodore, we’re all glad you made it back in one piece.”

“Thank you, sir.”

When neither Lara nor Sabine spoke but kept staring at each other, Rafael stepped into the gap with a hand on her arm and a wry grin on his lips. “Did you really pull a gun on the defense minister?”

Lara smirked in spite of herself but continued to hold her mother’s gaze. “I did.”

Finally, Sabine moved closer and cupped Lara’s face in her hands. Her eyes glistened, but no tears fell. “Thank the gods you’re safe. I should have listened to you, but I was so afraid.”

Lara laughed. “Mother, it’s all right—”

“You’re going to have to make peace with the defense minister, my dear, both as my daughter and head of the Chimeran state, but we can arrange that later.” Sabine wrapped an arm around each of her children. Her wrist-sync bumped Lara in the hip. “We don’t have much time.”

“You’re AWOL right now, Commodore. Aren’t you?” Javier sat at the table. “How are we going to fix that?”

Mitch flashed wicked dark eyes her way and then back to her father. “We have a plan to step up Chimeran relations with both Terra and Creed, but I’ll need your help, Admiral.”

“Figured you’d say that. I’m already packed.”

Lara checked the readout on her mother’s wrist-sync. “Do you feel all right, Mother?”

“I feel fine, my dear. The changes to the wrist-syncs seem to be working. Commander Rossa briefed me on the situation with Calendra and the
Revenant
crew. How is she?”

Rafael offered a melancholy smile. The past couple days hadn’t yet completely removed the hollowness under his eyes and the pallor of his skin. “Resting. These next few months will be difficult, but we’re going to visit Creed in a few weeks.”

Mitch ordered another round of ales for the five of them. “Does Calendra want to be part of the
Revenant
inspection?”

Rafael nodded. “We both do. I want to learn whatever possible from the thousand-year-old craft, and Callie wants to figure out where her experiment failed. The doctors have warned her not to return to the ship until her phase settles down, however.”

Lara settled her hand on her brother’s arm. “Who knew you’d ever get to explore your favorite childhood fairy tale?”

Rafael grimaced and looked away. “Can you imagine being imprisoned in the wormhole for a thousand years?”

His gaze continued far off into some other place, and the table fell silent.

“You can stay with us, you know.” Lara squeezed her brother’s arm. “You and Calendra are both welcome to live on Beta Haven, Rafael.”

Her brother clasped her hand and shifted his gaze back to her. “Thank you. We’ll consider it, but right now I’d better get back. I don’t want to leave Calendra alone for too long.”

Mitch stood and the two men shook hands. “I’ll try to get us both out of this mess, Rafe. I promise.”

“Just try not to get yourself court-martialed, all right?” Rafael flashed a quick smile.

Javier leaned back in his chair. “I’m traveling back to Terra with the commodore to set the record straight, don’t you worry, Rafael.” He winked at Sabine. “After that, if the wrist-syncs continue to function so well, I might just plan an extended trip to Creed.”

With kisses, hugs and handshakes, her parents left as well and Lara ordered one more round of ale for her and Mitch.

“Do you really think it will take at least three weeks to settle everything? That’s a long time.” She snapped open the collar of her dad’s old jacket. “What if they don’t agree with you and my father? You could be gone for months—”

“It won’t come to that. Once Union Command understands how this all went down, they’ll come on board with our plans.”

Lara wiped the moisture on the side of her glass. “I just don’t trust them, Mitch. I can’t. Not after everything.”

“Well, you trust one of them, right?” His smile crinkled his eyes. “You have to start somewhere.”

Lara rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “All right, fine, Commodore. You’ve got three weeks. Or I’m coming after you with the cavalry.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Lara rolled over in bed and chased away any thoughts of awakening. The sounds in the room pulled at her, though, and she opened her eyes just enough to peer through her lashes. Her muscles lingered in the languid warmth under the covers while her mind resisted thinking about having slept alone for these three weeks.

Except she wasn’t alone any longer.

Mitch crept about the room in the early morning light and her heart skipped a beat. He was two days early. She smiled and sank deeper into the covers. Her tongue curled with the anticipation of having him with her again. Especially now that he had returned after presenting his resignation. Now the Union had no claim on either of them. He was all hers.

Mitch tossed off his shirt, displaying a ripple of muscle across his shoulders. He put his things away with stealth, closing drawers with care and not turning on any lights.

As if the man had no idea she was awake. Right.

The bed shifted just a little when he slid underneath the covers, and it took every fiber of Lara’s willpower to remain curled up, her back facing him. She smiled into her pillow as Mitch’s palm caressed along her thigh, over her buttock, and settled on her hip.

When he kissed her nape, Lara’s resolve melted. She rolled over and slid a leg over Mitch’s similarly naked one.

He smelled like rain. And home. How would Lara ever tell him that she could never let him go now? These weeks apart showed her that in so many ways. Mitch settled her hand over his heart, the sensual friction of the fine hairs on his chest tickling her fingers. For weeks after bringing home the Revenant, they’d slept like this, connected.

“I missed you.” Lara stroked the trail of hair all the way down Mitch’s rigid belly. “Every day without you has seemed hollow.”

Mitch laughed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “If I’d known the woman I loved would offer this sort of reception, I’d have come home sooner. Maybe I should go away more often?”

“Next time you head off to Terra, it’ll be on an official visit accompanied by the Chimeran Chief Commander.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Chief Commander?”

Lara shrugged. “It’s what Cam and Rao have come up with after talking to their crew. They want me to appoint a new captain of the
Gryphon
and oversee the whole fleet.”

“I imagine that went over well.” Mitch nipped at her jaw and ear.

Lara stroked Mitch’s back. “I’m considering it, actually.”

“Really?” He met her gaze head on.

“Rao wants to initiate civilian shuttles between the Havens. Cam already has the plans together for the
Sphinx.
Evidently she’s been thinking about her own command for quite a while.” She ran her nails along his collarbone. “Someone has to keep tabs on those two.”

Mitch smirked. “Not to mention making peace with Creed’s defense minister.”

“Yes, there is that.” Lara brushed her thumb over his lip. “Before I visit Creed again, I was hoping you had good news for me. How did the Union react to your proposal?”

“I am now the official Chimeran Confederacy’s Liaison to Terra and Creed. They took my resignation well, I think.”

Lara smirked against Mitch’s shoulder. “They were all right with you becoming a Chimeran pirate?”

Mitch nipped her neck. “Private contractor, thank you very much.”

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