Page 20 of Hunting the Warlord's Daughter

CHAPTERTWELVE

Hadley pausedin the hatchway outside Bolivarr’s berth in sick bay. He was awake, sitting up in bed and sketching furiously on a data-vis. A lock of black hair hung over his forehead. She itched to brush it away and feel his warm embrace, but she remained where she was a few moments longer.

For once, he hadn’t sensed her presence. Usually, it was the other way around. She’d often told others of the vast sky on her home world, and how clouds raced across the sun, casting fleeting shadows over the farmland. Bolivarr had a talent for appearing and disappearing like those cloud shadows, sliding silently in and out of sight. He’d entered her life in much the same way. Slipping inside her heart, her soul, before she’d realized it.

Tap, scratch, tap, tap.The light-pen was a blur in his hand. The crease between his brows deepened into a canyon of tension. What was he working on so hard?

Wasn’t he supposed to be resting?

She wished he would. Bolivarr courageously downplayed the agony caused by his failing neural hardware. Surgery loomed as a last resort, but the risks were high—permanent brain damage, or death. The thought of losing him in that manner was too awful to contemplate. She respected his need to feel whole again, but who he used to be wasn’t important to her. Only who he was now.

Her heart twisted as he sagged backward against the pillow, his anguished gaze seeming to search the ceiling.Bolivarr was such a gentle spirit, shy and sweet with those tragic eyes. It was exactly that aura of vulnerability that first attracted her to him. But today the sadness that was always a part of him seemed more pronounced.

Poor Bo. He needed a hug. No, a kiss. They both did!

She crossed the room and landed, butt first, on the bed. No medics in sight, thank the Goddess. They’d have shooed her off. He glanced up, and she caught him mid-hello, kissing him full on the mouth.

He slid his hands over her hair and deepened the kiss. Luckily, she wasn’t hooked up to the vital signs monitors—the feel of Bolivarr’s mouth was enough to send her pulse to medical intervention levels. She hoped no one stormed the room to investigate the spike inhispulse.

“I passed my battle simulation,” she said against his lips.

He moved her back to look at her. “I knew you would ace it.” He was so handsome when happy that he stole her breath away. “Your hard work paid off. All your study sessions.”

“Ourstudy sessions. I don’t think ace is the word I’d use, though. It was awful. A real meat grinder. I made mistakes.”

“Who doesn’t?”

She glanced around. “I, um, rammed a Drakken warship.”

His mouth twitched, his dark eyes twinkling. She suspected he’d swallowed a laugh.

“Bo! It’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing. I’m admiring. I’m only sorry I didn’t witness that bad-ass move in person.”

She rolled her eyes. “You sound like Tango. And Captain Rorkken. You know I can’t do things like that.”

“Because you’re a farm girl.” His tone was gently teasing.

“Because I’m anoutsider. I can’t be seen as a crazy risk taker. Not if I want my career to go anywhere.”It made her doubly determined to stay within the lines.

“It was a gutsy move, aye. But it worked, and you passed. Now savor it.”

“Captain Rorkken told me to stay in the books.”

“I’ll make sure you study—and that I don’t distract you too much with all my medical problems.” Weariness flickered around his features despite his smile.

She slipped her fingers into his hand. “How are you feeling? Rakkelle told me you had a flashback.”

His smile faded. “The saleswoman showed me a pair of earrings. The next thing I knew, I saw those earrings on a woman. I couldn’t make out her face or anything about the situation. Except the earrings.”

Her heartbeat stumbled. “Any other details that you can remember?”

“They were small, square. Red gemstones.”

She meant the woman wearing them, but she didn’t want to seem too obvious. “Rubies?”

He shrugged. “I think so.”

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