Page 85 of Stealing Mercury
“Na.” He sobered. “You have a right to take your time with something like that.”
Mercury huffed. “Well, she’s made up her mind to do it and it’s best to get on with it now that we’re here.”
His hurry surprised her. She didn’t ever recall Mercury rushing her about anything. Even when Knock brought up the topic of the box, Mercury had seemed interested only in so far as she cared.
His voice softened. “Once it’s open you’ll be able to deal with it and your fear will be gone.”
Of course. He could probably smell her apprehension and he always knew what she needed. He was right. Once she knew what she was dealing with, there wouldn’t be anything left to fear. “Good point. Let’s do it.”
“Back wall,” said Jebedi. “Number fifty-two. It’s all set for you.”
She swallowed and nodded.
Samantha led the way. Rows of small doors reached from floor to ceiling. Each one DNA coded. She scanned the numbers and found the box. “This is it.”
She put her hand in position just millimeters from the pad.
She pulled her hand away. “I don’t think—”
“Will it hurt?” Mercury looped one arm around her waist and pulled her back to press all along his chest and thighs.
“Just a prick.”
“Good.” He bent down to speak directly against her ear. “We’ll do it together.”
“But—”
Before she could get anything else out, he’d seized her hand. He pulled it up to the pad, laid his hand over hers and pushed forward.
She never felt the prick. His hot breath tickling her neck and the subtle thrust of his hips rubbing his length against her ass distracted her until the box’s seal released with a whispered whoosh.
Mercury pressed a kiss to her temple and stepped back just enough to break the seal of warmth that had connected their bodies. “Time to see what’s inside.”
She pulled open the drawer, holding her breath as if she did expect that sand-viper Jebedi had reassured her wouldn’t be jumping out. He’d been right about the viper, but the neatly organized carrier bit her as surely as any slithering reptile. She could feel the poison spreading under her skin. All that was left was to determine how deadly it’s effects.
She lifted the carrier out. Through the transparent material she could see the title to theBucketand a data-strip with her name. Tears welled in her eyes and threatened to fall, but she managed to swallow down the sudden surge of grief and regret. And then she saw the rest—a half-dozen keys each labeled with a familiar name.
Mercury’s heat returned and his hand settled low on her belly as he looked over her shoulder. “What is it?”
It took her befuddled brain a moment to realize he had no idea what he was looking at. “It’s theBucket. It’s mine.” If she could manage to reclaim it.
“What’s wrong,courra? You’re shaking. Doesn’t this ease your doubts about your father’s feelings for you?”
“I wasted so much time being angry.”
“Yes, but you cannot change what is past.”
A startled bubble of laughter escaped her tight throat before the mirth dissolved under the weight of her regret.
Mercury turned her in his arms. “I didn’t mean that to make you laugh.”
“Oh, I know. You just reminded me why I lo—” She choked on the word she had no right to say. Not when she was sharing her bed with two men and had feelings for them both. Two men who might be in her bed, whether they understood it or not, because they needed her. Two men who planned to risk their lives for another woman.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against his chest. “Something else in the box is making you sad. Tell me.”
“Code-keys for my father’s lovers.” Her voice broke on the end of the sentence. Her father had cared for her, but he had cared for them all. She wasn’t jealous of them, not for her own sake. It wasn’t that at all. But she expected Mercury to come to that conclusion.
He stroked a hand down her spine. “Talk to me. I know you’re hurting, and I want to understand.”
