Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
“She’s on the desert world of Diablo in the Frontier Sector.” Dathan leaned back in his chair. Eos sat balanced on the arm, and Dathan slid an arm around her.
“Diablo?” Zayn swore. “Of all the crazy-ass planets she could have picked.”
“I’ve never heard of Diablo,” Ria said.
Dathan grimaced. “It’s not a nice place. Low tech desert world. Mostly peopled with ranchers and miners, but a whole bunch of scoundrels, bandits, and others who want to lay low live there, too.”
Zayn paced. He liked tech. He liked things with engines. He hated planets that rejected technology. “Best to wear the local gear and not take any tech. Makes you a target for thieves who’d like it for themselves.”
“And they love explosives there,” Dathan added. “If they can blow something up, they will.”
Ria nodded. “Explains why Lala decided to call it home. You sure this…weapons dealer’s info is legit?”
“Sel’s pretty trustworthy.” Zayn kept his gaze on her face. Damn, he wished she’d had time to change out of her distracting training gear. “His info’s gotten us out of some pretty sticky situations.”
Ria nodded, then her gaze moved back to Dathan. “Will she be easy to find?”
“Well, Diablo isn’t a small planet. But a fifteen-year-old girl with a knack for explosives shouldn’t be too hard to pinpoint.” Dathan flicked a glance at Zayn. “I don’t think this mission needs all of us.”
Zayn saw the way Ria straightened. A frown etched on her face.
“Sounds good, Dath,” Zayn said. “Ria and I can find Lastite Lala.”
Ria’s frown deepened. My brothers traded a glance.
“Nik, can you help us load up whatever we’ll need for the trip?”
“Sure,” Nik replied.
“Eos and I will start prep for our trip to the Devil’s Nebula,” Dathan said. “When you two get back with Lala, we’ll be ready to go.” His gaze was direct. “Sure you don’t need any help?”
“Nope, I think we can handle it.” Zayn looked to Ria. She gave a short nod.
It took two hours to get showered, packed, and space-bound. Zayn maneuvered the Infinitas away from Khan and set course for the Frontier Sector.
“Diablo isn’t far from here at interstellar speed. Three hours, tops.” He looked at Ria sitting quietly in the chair beside his, staring ahead at the spread of stars. “Only thing that might slow us down is the Helio.”
“What’s that?”
Zayn fidgeted with the controls. “Well, it’s an area of space filled with cosmic radiation.”
Her eyes widened. “Is it dangerous?”
“Not physically. But it seems to affect space travelers in different ways.”
“How?” Her tone was wary.
“Well, last time we came through here, Nik was dancing a Latanian salsa, and Dathan…well, he was dancing, too. Naked.”
Ria smothered a smile. “And you?”
Zayn shrugged. “It didn’t seem to affect me much. I managed to get us through the Helio in one piece.” He grinned. “Of course, I took some photos for posterity.”
A smile tweaked her lips. “Of course. So it affects inhibitions?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I suggest we stay strapped in our chairs. How long to pass through it?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
He didn’t bother to tell her that while he’d managed to keep his clothes on and not dance a set with Nik, he’d wanted to. It had been fifteen minutes of torment. And he was guessing that fifteen minutes with Ria in the Helio was going to feel like a lifetime of temptation.
He straightened in his chair. “Strap in. We’re coming up on it now.”
She clicked her buckles in and leaned forward. “I don’t see anything. Wait…over there. There’s a patch of space with no stars.”
“That’s it.” He adjusted the ship’s controls. “Welcome to the Helio.”
They crossed into the area. No matter how many times he saw it, it was eerie to see no stars.
He glanced at Ria. “Feel okay?”
“Fine.”
But after a minute, Zayn started to feel the subtle effects. He felt like he’d had one too many ales followed by some kila shots. He smiled. It felt pretty damn good. Only thing that would be even better would be Ria’s mouth on his.
Shit. Get a grip, Phoenix. He glanced her way again. Found her gripping the armrests of her chair and gritting her teeth. “Ria?”
She made a hissing sound. “Don’t talk to me.” She closed her eyes, her hands going to her temples, rubbing at her ridges. “No, talk to me. I want to hear your voice.”
“Another twelve minutes and we’ll be out of here.”
She groaned. “Not sure I can make it that long.”
Zayn heard a click. She’d unbuckled. “Ria? What the hell?”
She came toward him, a little unsteady on her feet. “We both know we’re attracted to each other. Why not do something about it? Get it out of the way.”
He wasn’t sure this thing he felt for Ria was something that would go away any time soon. “Get back in your seat.”
She planted herself in front of him. “No.” She toyed with the catch on her shirt. Unzipped it far enough that he caught a hint of cleavage.
God, save him. He let his head fall back against his chair. Only ten more minutes. But there was a lot they could do in ten minutes.
“Zayn, I want you to touch me.”
His pulse spiked. “If I do, you’ll hate me in about ten minutes.”
“Fine.” She moved, straddling his lap. “I’ll touch you.”
“Fuck.” He clamped his hands on the armrests . “I’m not going to touch you.” It was all he could do. He wanted to strip her bare and fuck her right here in his chair. But he respected Ria, so he dredged up the very last wisp of his control.
She undulated against him. All temptation. “I love your body.” Her hands smoothed over his shoulders. “You’re built for speed.”
And she was built to drive a man mad. Athletic curves and strength. Irresistible.
She leaned down and nibbled at his ear. Zayn’s whole body shook. He wouldn’t survive this. Eight more minutes. May as well have been eight years.
Her mouth moved down his neck. Nipping, just a little hard, so he felt it all the way to his swelling cock. Her hands slid inside his shirt, nails scratching over his pecs and nipples.
“Don’t you want to get rid of all these clothes?” She toyed with her zipper again. It slid down another few centimeters and he saw the generous curves of her breasts.
“Ria…you’re killing me.”
She brushed her lips against his, giving him a hint of the sweet taste of her. Then she nipped him, tugging on his bottom lip. He groaned.
“Kiss me, Zayn. Kiss me.”
Just a small taste wouldn’t hurt, would it? His fingers dug into the armrests. He’d keep their clothes on, wouldn’t touch her with his hands. Just a kiss. No harm, no foul.
He opened his mouth. She dived into the kiss eagerly. Tongues tangled and thrust. God, she smelled good. Nothing flowery, something clean and fresh with a hint of citrus.
Her hands slid down his arms, coming to rest over his wrists, and she tugged. She moved against him, her hips grinding against him and making him growl.
He fought his body’s urges. He wanted to strip her clothes off and get inside her as fast as he could. Feel her body hot and tight around him.
“Ria—” his voice was a rasp “—you’re playing with more than fire here. I’m not known for being a gentleman.”
“No, you’re known for going fast.” She rocked her hips. “I like fast.”
Wild abandon felt good. Outrageously good.
Ria rocked her hips again and enjoyed the feel of male hardness beneath her.
All her life she lived by the strict rules and protocol of the Guild. Now she wanted to take the things she wanted. Everything. For no other reason than that it felt good.
And one of those things was Zayn Phoenix.
Her gaze hit his heavy-lidded eyes. Color lit his face and his muscles were tight. Desire, hard and hot, was there for her to see.
“Touch me, Zayn. Please.”
With a groan, his hands slid up to cup her shoulders, then traveled down. Warm hands shaped her breasts, and she thrust into his touch. He leaned forward and took her mouth in a rough kiss that sent a shot of sensation to the damp place between her legs.
“More,” she urged.
“No.” A whisper against her lips. “I’m trying to do the right thing here.” Once again, he gripped the armrests. “Exactly why, I’m not sure, but I am.”
She snagged his mouth again, taking in all the flavors of him. Enjoying the way he kissed her back, not a dance or a seduction, just a hard, fast race of sensation.
Ria let her hands slide between their straining bodies. Her hand cupped the large bulge beneath his cargo pants. He thrust into her palm, but at the same time his entire body stiffened.
“You’ll regret this later.” He swallowed. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
She stroked the hard cock beneath the fabric. Desperate to see it. Taste it. Feel it. “I won’t.”
He let go of the armrests, and for a second, she thought he’d stopped fighting. Then one of his big hands grabbed hers, while the other tipped her chin up. He rubbed a thumb down her ridges, making her shiver. “I see more than an easy lay when I look at you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Ria stared at him. A strange warmth washed through her, followed by an intense cold that left goose bumps across her skin. She blinked. Reality was like a bitter wind washing over her. The heat that had driven her the last fifteen minutes dissipated.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the space ahead of them was dotted with stars once again.
Oh, God. She wanted to scramble off him, but she was tougher than that. She took responsibility for her actions…always.
She lowered her forehead to his, dragging in some deep breaths.
“You back with me?” he asked quietly.
“Yes.” Another deep breath. “Zayn, I’m sorry—”
“Don’t apologize.” His hand brushed her hair back from her face.
She’d thrown herself at him. Thank the cosmos he’d retained the slightest thread of control. “Thank you for not…taking advantage.”
“Look, you don’t have to say anything—”
She straightened. “Lucky for both of us you want someone else when you look at me.”
“Hey.” His voice held an edge now. He gripped her arms. “Don’t for a second think this was easy for me.” He blew out a breath. “I was tempted, Ria. You stir something in me.”
“Vik does.”
His hands tightened. “I see you, Ria. You.”
Everything in her stilled. His blue stare was direct, and she found herself falling into it. No one had ever seen just her before. She’d always been a tool, a weapon, a soldier. Not just Ria.
A chime echoed through the cockpit and BEll’s cheery voice filled the ship. “If you two lovebirds are finished dancing, we’re approaching our destination.”
Zayn set Ria on her feet. “We’re coming up on Diablo.” He reached out and zipped up her top. “You should buckle in for landing.”