Page 54 of Tempting Jupiter
“Same difference. Never bet what you’re not willing to lose.” He scowled and it bunched up one side of his puffy, reddened face. He had the look of a man who’d enjoyed his liquor all his life. Even when less damaging intoxicants were available, he and Roland would pass an evening together over a carton of scotch. “I know Roland taught you that lesson.”
Feeona forced her arms to her sides and lowered her shoulders. Body language for beginners had been another lesson Roland had taught her. She wasn’t above leaning on their long history and his lifelong friendship with her mentor, but she needed Gulliver thinking of her as an open-book teenager again. “So, how about it? Are you going to be my knight in shining armor?”
“I’m sorry my bonnie-girl. It’s not my way to do bad business and fronting you money for theHawleyis a deal so stupid I wouldn’t do it even for my old mother.”
Feeona’s jaw tightened and she smiled to hide the frustration bubbling up inside her. Showing emotion would only reinforce his opinion of the deal she’d offered. “You know I’m good for it, Gulliver. I’ve never had a shortage of work and I don’t run out on my debts. I’m just pressed for time right now.”
His scowl softened. “You’re a thief and a grifter, my girl, and that line of work is never certain.” He shook his head. “And before you go defending yourself, think on it. TheHawleyis essential to your business. Give her up and you’ll have a hard time making a living. More than that, she’s your home. Could you really giver her up, if it came to it?”
She blew out a breath that lifted the strands of hair that had come loose around her face. “It won’t come to that. One job and I’ll have your funds back to you.”
“Will you, then? And how do you plan to get work when bounty hunters from Madeley-4 to Ellington Colony are looking for you?”
Damn. That was news she didn’t need to hear from him. “I’m resourceful, Roland always said so.” And she wasn’t giving up. Gulliver was the only one on her list who’d even bothered to talk to her.
The older man nodded. “Yes, but I’m no fool.”
“What if I make it a sale, plain and simple? I’ll send you an electronic deed as soon as the funds are transferred.” The words were out of her mouth before she’d thought them through.
Gulliver frowned. “Do you mean that, bonnie-girl?”
Did she? Would she really give up theHawleyto get just one more shipment of kids off Petro-5? It could take her years to earn enough to purchase a suitable ship before she could haul another shipment. Would she risk that to keep Jupiter and Seneca safe?
“Yes. I do mean it. I know an electronic title wouldn’t normally be enough, but I swear to you, Gulliver. I swear to be good to the deal.” It would take her a few weeks to distribute the cargo and get theHawleyto him, but there was no need to go into that. “Please.”
She didn’t bother to hide the pain in her heart. The pretense of keeping emotions out of it had long since failed. Maybe her pain would translate into sincerity.
She waited, watching untold thoughts flash across his face as they came and went in his head.
He licked his lips then smoothed his beard. His head shook, providing her answer even before he spoke. “Just can’t do it. Come visit me awhile. I’ll keep you hidden and safe and you’ll still have theHawleywhen your troubles blow over.”
Would they blow over? She had a feeling Roma had a long memory. What had she gotten herself into?
“Thanks for the offer.” Her emotions were running strong, but gratitude wasn’t among them. “I’ll find another way.”
She reached out and cut the connection manually. “Damn it.” She pulled Jacky back into her lap and hugged him tight. He’d been a gift from Roland that first year. His colors were faded, but he still had his shiny black eyes. “My options have gone from bad to worse, Jacky. Worse than worse. Damn, damn, damn.”
“Perhaps a cup of tea would make things seem better, Captain.” Alfred’s calm suggestion made her snort despite the constriction in her throat.
“I don’t think that’s going to do it, Alfred.” She shoved Jacky back into his bin, then got to her feet and rubbed at the tears that were definitely not falling down her cheeks. “I’m going to go break out a carton of Roland’s scotch. I want a connection to Morgan St. Germaine open when I get back.” She needed some liquid courage before dealing with the vilest man she’d ever had the misfortune to meet.
“You said we weren’t dealing with Morgan ever again, Captain.”
“Desperate times, Alfred. Desperate times.”
***
Two shots of scotch, a trip to one of the downstairs lavs, and a rushed round of solo brainstorming later, she’d come up with the bestbadplan she could. And she’d made her deal with the devil.
“No matter how much Roma Rex offers or threatens, youwillgive me a chance to outbid them.” Feeona kept her expression light, her voice firm and all thoughts of consequences and worry out of her mind. Okay, maybe the last part of that was a total lie.
She sat in her pilot’s chair, feet on the floor, back straight but angled toward the recorder. She’d wound her hair in a braid around her head and added a quick spray of makeup. She did her best to emote congeniality while squashing out any sign of softness. It was a hard look to pull off, but acting was always part of the gig.
“Of course, Poppet. Everything will be just as you wish.” The man on her view screen was slender and polished. “You have finally come to me after these many years of staying away from the trade. I wouldn’t dream of doing anything to jeopardize the business we could do together.”
Morgan didn’t look like evil. He looked like a wealthy merchant—something that was true as far as it went. The clothes he wore had no doubt been hand tailored and they flattered his otherwise unremarkable image. He was younger than most of Roland’s cohorts. Naively, she’d once thought it was his age that had prompted Roland to keep him away from her. He never looked at her with fatherly affection like Gulliver or the others. When she’d learned the truth, she’d realized he’d been protecting Morgan from her as much as the other way around. She’d been more of a hot-head then. If she’d known Morgan’s merchandise was people, she would have shoved a pointy object through his cold heart.
Morgan had been after her to smuggle for him since the day Roland died. He didn’t know her reasons for dismissing him out of hand and so he’d been relentless. Telling him she didn’t deal with slavers hadn’t been enough of an explanation for him. To him it was all just business. His lack of comprehension served her purpose now. With no better alternatives at the moment, she couldn’t discount him as an option when her kids’ lives were at stake. If there was another option, she’d find it and walk away from the deal that had her insides so tangled she feared the contortion might be lethal.
