Page 12 of Saving the Space Pirate

Something nudged me in the side. I blinked open my eyes and peered upward. Joe stood, hands on hips, staring down at us. At me, actually. I was naked and wrapped around Killian. He was still asleep, and I poked him in the stomach. As he opened his eyes, his lips curved into a smile.

“We have company,” I said.

He peered over my shoulder. “What the fuck?”

“Do you two ever stop?” Joe asked, his tone conversational.

“You been watching us?”

“Only when it couldn’t be avoided.”

We’d been here just under two weeks now, and a new stash of food had appeared every couple of days, but this was the first time he’d shown his face. I pulled free and scrambled to my feet and found my pants. I pulled them on, followed by Killian’s shirt, which I tied under my breasts, only turning back when I was covered.

“Nice nipple rings,” Joe said.

“Thank you.”

Kill growled. He was still down on the sand, completely naked, but sitting up, running his metal hand through his long hair. God, he was gorgeous.

“Stop looking at him like that,” Joe said. “You’re giving me a boner.”

With a huge sigh, I had one last peek, then turned away and found Killian’s pants. I tossed them to him. He got up, put them on, and took the bottle Joe held out to him. He swallowed deeply and then passed it to me. I took a ladylike sip—but who was I kidding?—then a long pull, felt it burn down my throat and set my belly on fire.

“I take it you have news?” Killian said.

“I do. And it’s not good.”

Crap.

I’d so wanted good news. My heart sank.

“Tell us.”

“We just got this in today. All ships were grounded for over a week after your little escapade. And tell me one thing before I go any further—why the hell didn’t you mention you were in cahoots with Zakary Mer?”

Kill shrugged. “It didn’t seem relevant.”

“How the hell could itnotbe relevant?”

“He wasn’t even here.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Things have been going crazy on the planet. That’s why it’s taken so long to get any information. They’re certainly not announcing it, but your friend is currently residing in the dungeons beneath the imperial palace.”

“Shit.” Killian turned away for a moment, no doubt getting himself under control. “You’re sure?”

“The whole palace is talking about it. Well, the slaves at least. The imperial family hasn’t mentioned him, and there’s been no official statement, but it’s definitely him. Even though he disappeared twelve years ago…” He trailed off and studied Killian through narrowed eyes. “He vanished at exactly the same time you jumped to your death.”

“We met as he was about to be tossed into the mines by his loving uncle. We bonded under a shared desire not to die, killed his uncle, and stole his ship.”

“That’s how you got away. I’d always wondered.”

“Now, all you have to do is wait for your own imperial coup, and maybe you’ll get off this shithole as well.”

Kill paced the floor a few times. I knew him well enough by now to recognize he was seriously rattled. But then, I also knew that he loved Zak like a brother—the one person he’d allowed close in all the years since his sister had died. Mainly, I suspected, because he’d believed Zak was invincible.

Finally, he came back. “Is he all right?”

“From the information we have, it seems he’s alive. But he’s been undergoing a somewhat rigorous questioning. They want to know who helped him get away all those years ago. Whether there’s a traitor in the palace. Though traitor is hardly the right word. Apparently, he isn’t saying anything except telling them to fuck themselves.”

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