Page 91 of Protected By the Convicts
Chapter Twenty-Two
HANNAH
Hannah stared into the night sky as the ship landed in bay 3. The last time she’d exited a ship, she’d landed on Veenith, a very cold world with men who were little more than animals. Narkos was a paradise in comparison. Nonetheless, she’d resisted returning to Narkos.
Before she had left with the other Level 5s, Manager Foley told her Ren would be leaving in two months, Vaughn in two years, Sersie in three. Their initial sentences had been restored, with time earned, after Dresden’s manipulations had been discovered. Ky’Li still had another nine and a half years, but unlike Hannah, he and the other men would go home—but only if they had no reason to stay on Narkos. If she returned to Narkos, her men might elect to stay with her. She couldn’t do that to them.
That’s why she’d turned down Manager Thorne when he’d given her the option to return to Narkos. That was two weeks ago, before the mine collapse. The hospital on Veenith was overwhelmed with casualties and the doctor and staff there had lost miners that they shouldn’t have. Manager Thorne told her she no longer had a choice. He was sending her to Narkos as part of an exchange that would send medical staff to Veenith to get the planet’s med-center up and running at full capacity.
The hot air of Narkos struck Hannah in the face as the cargo hold opened. She’d forgotten how hot and humid it could get here. She preferred it to the cold of Veenith though.
The port bustled with women workers and very few guards. How much the port had changed since she’d left. At least she’d have the company of other women here. That would be nice, having other women to talk to, especially when her guys left.
Her stomach rolled with nerves of seeing her guys again. She still hadn’t figured out what to say to them.
Hannah pushed past the workers skittering around the transport, performing their maintenance checks. She had to make her way to the railcar, then home. The word felt odd after all this time, but comforting too. She’d arrived mid-shift, which meant any or all of her guys could be working. Eventually, they’d return home. Yeah, she could get used to the sound of the word fast knowing they’d be there.
She needed to wipe all those pleasant memories from her head. Maybe ask Foley if she could have housing as a solitary now that she no longer had unit status here. That could work. She’d have a way of avoiding her men.
Her stomach knotted. She missed them. She’d never be able to keep her distance from them here. If she committed a crime, maybe Foley would send her back to Veenith.
“Sha-vi?”
Hannah’s eyes darted left. Ky’Li stood beyond the port gate, with his arms folded across his chest, face schooled of all emotion. Next to him, Vaughn stood tall, his face serious, though his eyes focused on her as if she were his prey. Ren’s bright eyes bore through her, then an arm extended out to his side, as he held Sersie back. Her Sersie, her ball of endless energy, bounced on his feet, eager to move, eager to run to her.
All four had come for her. Somehow she hadn’t expected that. She remained on her side of the fence, staring at them.
“Hannah?” Sersie said, sounding worried.
They’d picked up on her hesitation.
One foot forward. She forced herself to walk toward that gate, to confront her past.
“I’m so sorry,” she said as she exited the gate. Nothing stood between them now. No planet or even an electrified fence.
Sersie finally pushed past Ren, cupped her face and kissed her. Soft, warm lips enveloped hers. She never thought she’d feel those lips again, feel Sersie’s hands on her cheeks. Sersie backed up, giving the others a chance to approach.
Before they touched her, weakened her resolve further, she needed to tell them. She took a decisive step back, erecting a wall between her and the loves of her life. Her lips trembled. “I didn’t think I should come back.”
“We know,” Vaughn said. “Foley told us you refused the initial offer.”
“Why, sha’vi?” Ky’Li sounded as crushed as Vaughn looked.
Sersie cleared his throat and smiled. She’d refused the chance to return, and they’d forgiven her. All except Ren, though he didn’t appear mad, but withdrawn. She took a step toward him.
“Don’t.” One word, filled with a fury that reached down into her and thrust her back into the trauma of being ripped from her men all those weeks ago.
“Why?” she asked, holding the tears in.
“Yourefusedto come back here, Hannah.”
Hannah. Not Princess. She took a deep breath. “I wasn’t sure you’d want me back.”
“Why in the seven gates of hell would you think that?” he said as he stormed toward her.
Ky’Li stepped between them. Ren turned away, his clenched fists at his side.
They didn’t understand why she’d turned cold to them, and she couldn’t explain it. Yet she had to push them away, or she’d lose what little composure remained. She’d seen too much on Veenith, dealt with too much violence there.
