Page 22 of Prospecting

She started to object but he got called away again. She made the list, looked up the list of vendors. Some of them allowed her to order and they delivered. She placed orders using Cade’s account. There were several items she couldn’t get. Cade dealt with a nearly constant flow of deliveries. “This is stupid,” Sheridan said. She looked up the directions to the market, found the three vendors she needed to go to, left him a note, and walked out of the ship.

Sheridan walked the market. At the first shop, the man behind the counter looked at her. “What can I help you with,” he asked. Rubbing his hands together, he’d make a tidy profit on her.

“I’m on the Anover,” Sheridan said.

“With Delvacy,” the man asked, scowling.

“Yes,” Sheridan said with a smile. “We need these items.” She showed him the list. “Do you have them?”

“I do,” he said. He didn’t dare take a Sinivite’s woman. “Are you a passenger?”

“No,” Sheridan said looking around his store at all the items. “I’m going prospecting with him.”

“In for the long haul,” he asked. “I’ve never known him to take on someone.”

“I’m not helping… I mean, we’re together,” Sheridan said softly, a flush washing over her cheeks.

He definitely couldn’t take the newly mated woman from a Sinivite. Cade Delvacy had a reputation and the madness which went from losing his woman would not be worth the money he might make. “I’ve got the items you want,” he said coming around the counter. He reached high on the shelves and brought out the items on the list. “Anything else?”

“You didn’t have prices listed online,” Sheridan said. “I saw some listed for forty credits.” She named a price lower than he normally sold for.

“I can do forty,” he said. He wanted her out of his store so Delvacy didn’t storm in here looking for her.

“Great,” she said handing over the credits. “Have a good day.”

Sheridan repeated the process with each of the vendors. She gathered up what she wanted. As soon as people found out which ship she was on, they seemed to give her a wide berth. She didn’t understand why but she got the items they needed at less than the price Cade budgeted.

She walked back to the ship and their docking bay. Cade strode meaningfully across the bay towards her. “Where have you been,” he demanded.

“I ordered all the supplies online, except for three vendors didn’t allow it. I went to them,” Sheridan said. “I left you a note.”

“I told you,” he looked around saw people looking at them. He growled, took the bags from her, and put his arm around her while they walked back to the ship.

“I got the items for about fifteen percent less than you budgeted,” Sheridan said not understanding why he was being so possessive.

As soon as the hatch shut behind them, he shoved her against the wall and covered her mouth with his. “I told you not to go on this station,” he growled holding her against the wall.

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care…” she said gearing up for this argument.

His mouth covered hers again, stopping her arguing, stopping her from talking back. He kept his hands off her body. He needed to settle before he touched her. “This station has a warning,” he growled. “Women go missing from this station. There are active traffickers working this station. Who did you go to?”

“The three vendors you listed,” Sheridan said. “You didn’t tell me about the traffickers.”

“But I told you not to go on your own,” Cade said. He took a step back. His temper was ramping up. He needed space from her. “I’m locking down the ship. I’ll take shipments below. Do not go out again. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” Sheridan said. He turned and left her. She didn’t know what to think. If he’d told her about the traffickers, she wouldn’t have gone on the station.

Picking up the packages, she put the items away. She wanted to explore and look through the shops but knew he wouldn’t let her now. Why hadn’t he told her? She paced around the cabin, felt trapped inside. She heard the shipment arrive, heard him talking to a woman. He could talk to whoever, but she was on lockdown. Well to hell with that.

She went down to the lower level. Winding through the supplies, she stopped short.

“She’s very fortunate,” the woman in security forces uniform said. “The vendor at the second shop she went to notified us. We had people on her from the time she left the third vendor.”

“I didn’t make it clear to her,” Cade said. “I was trying to but got called away with deliveries.”

“It’s my fault,” Sheridan said. “I thought Cade was being over protective.”

“You’re a prime candidate, ma’am,” she said.

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