Page 18 of Hidden By the Convicts
“Yes, and no. Harlis created a batch of Flight in the lab yesterday.”
“What do illegal drugs have to do with the alarm?”
“The next time they come—and they will come—they’ll encounter the alarm, which will make them extra suspicious. We’ll leave the drugs out somewhere obvious, so when they come in, they’ll find our stash and figure that’s why we set the alarm.”
“That will work once. Until they take the drugs and the alarm.”
“True, but when they return, and we have another alarm in place, we’ll explain that it’s keeping the other prisoners from stealing our stash. We’ll cut a deal. Promise them Flight if they leave us alone.”
“Won’t they add time to your sentences?”
“Not if they want more Flight, and don’t want to be ratted out to Dresden. Guards caught doing drugs are sent to work on Veenith. It’s a Level 5 colony, an ice planet with a short thawing period. Murderers and rapists with a life sentence. The mortality rate there is high for prisoners and guards alike.”
She slid into the bed, leaving space between them.
“It’s a small bed, Teagen with two ‘e’s, and I’m a large man. Unless you want to end up falling on the floor, I suggest you settle in against me.”
As she eased her back against his front, he struggled to find a position for his arm that kept him from touching her, but he couldn’t get comfortable. Finally, she grabbed his arm and swung it over her middle, solving his dilemma.
“Why?” he asked.
“You’ll be more comfortable.”
“I mean, why do you trust me in bed?”
“Because you gave me your word.”
Trusting him was a big step for her. When it came down to it, his word was all he had to offer her, because he knew this wouldn’t last. For as smart and clever as his unit was, for all the preventive measures they were taking, it was only a matter of time before Mozely would find her.
She turned onto her side to face him. Since they’d added shutters to the window to hide her better, no moonlight streamed in. Bowen wished he could see her lovely green eyes. They had such a sparkle to them, especially when she smiled.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered in the dark.
“Nothing,” he lied.
Harlis and Gavin both settled into their beds on either side of him. They’d be listening. Impossible not to. For the first time since they’d built the house, he wished they had separate bedrooms. But they never dreamed of having a woman staying with them. Not that she’d be here long.
“I guess I did a lousy job bargaining with you. I should have asked you not to lie to me,” Teagen said.
“Am I that transparent?”
“Yes,” Harlis said from his bed.
“Shut it,” Gavin chastised Harlis. “They’re having a private conversation.”
Bowen smiled. Then he felt her fingers gliding along his lips, as if she was trying to determine his facial expression. Fuck, did that feel nice. Really gentle. Caring. Despite having two men in beds only a few feet away, the moment felt very personal and private.
He reached up and touched her lips the way she’d touched his. So soft and moist. He could lay here all night just touching her face.
Already, he was breaking his word to her. He jerked his hand away.
“It’s okay, Bowen.”
Her fingertips traced over his chest muscles, lightly caressing him. He held in the moan. Didn’t even want to think about why she was touching him like this.
Suddenly, he felt very aware of the other two men in the room. He always thought he’d marry someday. Be one of three or four guys sharing a woman because of how few women there were left, but not here, not when he’d given his word to her.
“I can’t. I promised,” he sputtered.
