Page 44 of Rescued By the Convicts
“I was hoping you’d teach me,” he added. “You still can, Melina. This isn’t over.Wearen’t over.”
“You don’t trust me, Ivan. Yougaveme to Hawke. To Namir. Family protects. Family loves. Family—”
“Families make mistakes. Don’t they?”
She could hear it then, the regret, the pain in his voice. He had screwed up, and he knew it. But he’d never meant to hurt her. It didn’t change her circumstance, but it made her insides twist less.
“I’ll get you out of here. Somehow,” he promised.
A thread of hope grew inside of her. Ivan wasn’t one to give up on anything. Even if he couldn’t get her out of here, he’d try. And right now, that meant everything in the world to her.
Chapter Eleven
JAYCE
Six guards on the ship. Possibly more. One pilot. O’Keefe and Gant in the back hold. Reece missing. Zev. . . status unknown, but he remained on Veenith so that asset was no longer in play. Namir, CEO of Baccula, architect of the prisoners escaping Veenith. . . Jayce could use that knowledge. He would use it.
Ivan in chains. Running hot and cold. His rage could be an asset if he calmed down and harnessed it. The man truly cared for Melina. This whole ruse had been to ensure Hawke never touched her again. If Zev’s plan had worked, in a few weeks she’d be on her way to a Level 4 prison planet where she’d be safer than on Veenith. But his plan backfired beyond their worst nightmares.
Namir. Egotistical. Arrogant. Powerful. The bastard who abused her, cut her, gave her to his friends like she was a toy to share. He needed to die. Didn’t matter how as long as he no longer drew breath.
Melina, sweet precious Melina, in a fucking dog cage. That bastard Namir would die for that alone. But first, Jayce would carve ten lines into the man’s back for every one he’d carved into hers.
All the memories rushed through Jayce’s head. Her begging, her tears, the look of utter horror and hopelessness on her face. He had fuckingsoldher to Hawke like he’d sold all those women to unknown men across the sector. They’d been products without names, faces, or lives. Except theyhadnames and lives, lives he’d destroyed. He had closed his mind and soul to that fact long ago because he’d wanted to survive Danning.
Jayce had been a coward back then, unable to stand up to the monster until he too had become a monster. He couldn’t save those women. He couldn’t change the past, but he could ensure Melina escaped this nightmare.
The ship pitched starboard, then righted itself seconds before he heard the familiar clanking of a ship docking at a space station. Jayce hadn’t heard that sound in over six years.
Four, maybe a five-hour flight. That would be Aubrey Station or Little Horse. Either way. They were no longer on Veenith.
Free.
Almost.
“Jayce, are you okay?” Ivan asked.
He’d been clicking his tongue. He hadn’t done that since he was a kid, nervously waiting for Perkins to send the peacekeepers after him each time he stole something to eat. The shopkeeper never did turn him in, though Jayce was sure he’d seen him stealing food.
“Talk to me, Jayce. You’ve been quiet too long.”
Leave me alone, Ivan. Need to focus.
“What’s wrong with him?” Melina’s gentle voice asked. She didn’t sound quite as angry as before. She should be angry. He deserved it. Ivan and Zev too. Even Reece. She was right. They should have included her.
“Not sure. He hasn’t been right since we handed you over to Hawke.”
“I wish I could see him.”
Fucking tarp. Fucking Namir. Fucking universe.
“I’ll be your eyes,” Ivan said. “Tell me what you want.”
Hell, Ivan would give her his eyes if he could. The man was hopelessly in love with her. They all were. And they’d screwed her over.
“You need to escape, Ivan,” she said, sounding as confident as ever. That bastard hadn’t broken her. Good. But that wouldn’t save Namir. The question was, who would gut Namir? Him or Ivan?
“Take Jayce and run the first chance you get,” she said.
