Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
The Cirrus City Antiques Market was situated on its own separate little platform off the eastern end of the main city.
As Justyn and Nissa walked up the ramp leading into the market, he thought the place had a whole bundle of charm.
A lovely railing of what looked like black wrought iron with pretty curling designs ringed the platform to keep anyone from taking a nasty tumble to the ocean below.
He let his hand trace over the railing. Plas, not iron, but someone had done a good job of making it look like the real thing.
Vendors had set up stalls and tents across the platform with disorderly walkways winding between them. There was already a small crowd wandering the market, made up mostly of the city’s middle and upper class. Their clothes were richer and their bodies plumper than the working class.
He leaned close to Nissa and lowered his voice. “We’ll wander. We need to look like lovers out hunting for a keepsake.”
She scowled at him. “Lovers? Why?”
He made a tut-tut noise and cupped her face with his hands. Felt her stiffen. “Because we don’t want to look like two off-worlders chasing after a treasure-hunting thief.” He leaned down and nuzzled the side of her neck. “Loosen up, Nissa. Or the game’ll be up before we get started.”
Her hands clamped around his wrists, but after a second, loosened by the smallest degree. “I still don’t see why we have to be lovers. Why not buyers out hunting for bargains?”
“Quit arguing.” He turned them slightly and pressed his mouth to her ear.
Anyone looking at them would see two people entranced with each other.
He inhaled the rich scent of her. She used something on her skin, some oil that made him think of a fragrant wood.
“See those two men dressed in black with red sashes around their waists?”
She angled her head so she could look over his shoulder. It also brought her lips against his temple. He barely swallowed his groan. He was so hungry for a touch from this woman that the barest brush of her lips made him hard as a rock.
“I see them.”
“Mackon’s guards. They have sharp eyes and even sharper swords.”
She turned to look at him, their lips just a breath apart. “Okay, lover boy. Let’s go find ourselves a keepsake.”
Unable to stop himself, he nipped at her lips. Just the tiniest touch, but he got a hint of her taste, and it electrified his blood. “Something to celebrate our love.”
A laugh burst out of her before she could control it. She slapped a hand over her mouth, but he was already smiling. He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the maze of stalls.
They wandered past the vendors. Most had tables filled with an array of items. One stall was full of tiny clockwork fancies—metal bugs that skittered on a multitude of legs, butterflies that fluttered their wings, and miniature clockwork automatons that marched around.
Another stall was filled with inexpensive old artifacts like rusted hunks of metal and cracked vases.
At first, Nissa tried to power through all the aisles. Justyn had to pull her back.
“Slow down. Don’t you know how to wander?”
She released a long breath. “Not really.”
He slung an arm across her shoulders. “Stick with me and I’ll show you how to relax.”
She shot him a nasty look. “You may have the lazy charm thing down pat, but I’m not fooled like everyone else in the galaxy, Phoenix. There’s nothing lazy about you.”
He chewed on her words as they walked—more slowly now—through the market. It left him a little uncomfortable that she could read him so well.
When Nissa leaned in closer, all thoughts raced out of his head.
“Why do you think Solomon would come here?” she asked.
“To make contact with someone who can get him an audience with Mackon.”
“Here?”
“Yep. It’s well known that a vendor named Lady Curiosity can organize such things.”
“Lady Curiosity? That’s someone’s real name?”
“Yep. And she is a sight to behold.”
Nissa leaned away from him. “I’m sure.”
He grinned at her. “Wait and see. Her tent’s not far from here. Some people say she’s Mackon’s secretary or lover, or both.”
“What do you think?”
“I think she’s his creation. He owns her and she does whatever he requires of her.”
He saw Nissa’s brow furrow. He wondered if she could understand what it was like to be under someone’s power. To be trapped with no way out and have that prison steal pieces of your soul. His hands curled into fists before he could stop them. He wasn’t desperate anymore, but he understood it.
Justyn wanted to walk faster and get to Lady Curiosity’s store, but he forced himself to keep his stride steady. He saw Nissa eyeing the fancies at a nearby stall and tugged her over.
“These are incredible.” She lifted the tiny metal replica of a gyrocopter. “The craftsmanship is extraordinary.”
“Handmade, milady.” The young, whippet-slim vendor fiddled with the untidy orange hair piled on top of her head. Her heavily patched clothes hung off her slim frame.
He watched Nissa touch various items, asking questions of the young maker. He noticed everything about Nissa, and it was easy to see the way her gaze kept sliding to the airship at the far end of the table.
But unlike the rest, she didn’t touch it.
The captain seemed to deny herself everything she wanted.
Justyn snatched up the airship. “How much?”
The girl began a vigorous bidding war with him. She started out with an outrageous price, he scoffed and haggled. Nissa watched him silently.
Finally, they settled on a price. More than it was worth, but the girl looked like she needed it.
“For my lady.” He gave Nissa a tiny bow and held out the airship.
“I can’t accept it,” she said stiffly.
“Nissa.” He leaned closer, inhaled that exotic wood scent of her. “We both know you want it. Besides—” he lowered his voice, his lips a whisper from hers “—you’re supposed to be acting like a besotted lover. You should be cooing over the trinkets I shower you in.”
With a harrumph sound, she held out her palm.
He set the airship on her hand, making sure his fingertips brushed her skin.
Her gaze softened. “It really is a gorgeous little thing.”
He felt his cock stir. Damn. He shifted. What he wouldn’t give to see her look at him like that.
A flash of red at the end of their aisle caught his attention.
“Nissa, you need to thank me. Appropriately.”
“What?” Her brow creased. “You’re going to blackmail me now?”
He circled an arm around her waist and reeled her into his chest. “No. But three of Mackon’s guards are headed this way and I don’t like the way they’re looking at us.”
She was too smart to turn and look. She closed her fist on the airship and wrapped both her arms around his shoulders. As her breasts pressed against his chest, Justyn resisted the overpowering urge to close his eyes and sink into her.
Her lips brushed his. “Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a very lover-like kiss.” His voice sounded the tiniest bit hoarse.
Her eyes clashed with his for a second. She looked like she was fighting some internal battle. Then her hands tangled in the hair at the base of his neck and she yanked his head down.
His mouth crashed against hers, stunning him for a second, but then he wrapped his arms around her, yanked her closer and kissed her back.
Jesus. Her tongue slid into his mouth, and all he could think was that her lips were so damned soft. He tried to take over the kiss, so greedy for a taste of her.
But this was Nissa, and she fought him for control. She nipped his bottom lip, then sucked on his tongue, tearing a groan out of him. He pulled her up, needing more…more of everything. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her hips grinding against his growing erection.
The force of his kiss pushed her head back.
He knew he was eating her up, devouring her, but he was so damned hungry.
He felt her move against him, her nails digging into his shoulders.
All he could think about was ripping that fucking corset off her and yanking down those slick pants so he could get inside of her.
Rough male laughter broke through the haze. They pulled apart as the chuckling guards walked past them, offering a few ribald suggestions.
Nissa shoved away from Justyn and took two staggering steps back, her hands pressed to her cheeks. “That was a massive mistake.”
The words cut him. Of course she’d think that. “Nissa?—”
She held up a hand. “Don’t say anything.” The goggles on her head were askew and she turned away from him, working to straighten them. “Let’s just find Lady Curiosity.
Nissa just kept her mind blank, a trick she’d learned from her many night shifts aboard ship.
When everyone was sleeping and nothing was happening, it was best to let your mind hibernate.
In the deep, darkest parts of night it was too easy to fall into the trap of overthinking everything that wasn’t quite right in your life and twisting it into despair.
Right now, her brain was screaming a warning at her, while her body was begging her to turn back, grab Justyn Phoenix’s hard body, and ride him for all she was worth.
Stop thinking, Nissa.
He caught up with her, grabbing her arm.
She turned. “Look?—”
His face was shuttered, an expression she’d never seen on his mobile features. Her words dried up. He was a man who laughed easily and smiled most of the time. The tiny lines at the edge of his eyes were proof of that. But this, this…
Blank nothingness was not his style.
“Justyn—”
“We’re here.” He jerked his head to the tent beside them.
Blinking, Nissa stared up at the hand-woven sign above the flap that acted as a door. Lady Curiosity’s World of Sensual Wonders.
“Justyn—” she tried again.
He sighed. “Look, we have a mission. Let’s focus on that. I get the message. You don’t want to want me. Criminal, smuggler, edge rat, not good enough for the esteemed Captain Sander. I get it.”