Trapped (The Condemned Series #1) - Alison Aimes Page 0,63

her legs still wrapped around him, exquisite aftershocks coursed through her. They stared at one another, silly half smiles on their faces, wonder and awe floating around them like fairy dust.

When she finally got her breath back, she cradled his face in her palms. “We’re getting out of here together.”

His smile dissolved. “I’d like that,” he said at last, “but shit happens. It’s not going to be easy to get you, much less the two of us, off this planet. Even if my jammer does what I hope.”

“You’re not sacrificing yourself for me.”

“Quality versus quantity, baby.” He nuzzled her palm. “You gave me back myself. I’ll be forever grateful to you for that.”

She blinked hard and fast, that stupid stinging back in her eyes. “For a guy who rarely talks, sometimes you say the sweetest things….But I don’t want your gratitude. I want you.”

He smoothed his thumbs over the salty tracks rolling down her cheeks. She hadn’t even realized she’d begun to cry.

He pressed his lips to hers. Slowly. Softly. “I never thought being sent to Dragath25 would be the best thing that ever happened to me, but there it is. You changed everything. If there’s a way for me to come with you, I will.”

Finally. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Well, isn’t this sweet.” A grey barrel jammed against Caine’s temple. Pogue loomed right behind. “But I’m afraid things might not work out for you lovebirds as planned.”

Chapter Twenty-One

“Put your hands up, Dragath25 scumbag, or you won’t like the consequences.” Pogue dug the gun muzzle deeper into Caine’s skin. A ring of six soldiers stood behind him, their guns drawn, the glow from the lights strapped to their weapons giving their faces a menacing green tinge.

Bella’s heart slammed against her ribs. “Put the gun down, Pogue.” She injected as much command as possible into her voice. It wasn’t easy with her breasts squashed against Caine’s chest and her clothes strewn in a pile by the soldiers’ boots. “He’s on our side.”

“I don’t think so, Cadet West.” There was no missing the sneer when Pogue referenced her title. Or the way his pupils were dilated, his gaze locked on her exposed skin. “What’s going to happen is your boyfriend is going to move away from you nice and slow, or you’re both going to end up feeling like you got socked by the sun up close and personal.”

“Are you threatening to stun us?” Maybe she shouldn’t have been shocked, but she was. “That’s outrageous. We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Pogue,” Caine’s voice was a dangerous rasp, “give Cadet West her clothes. Then we’ll move.”

“You’ll move now.” Pogue’s tone was smug. “It’s not as if the rest of us haven’t seen a pair of tits before—though those look to be mighty fine ones from up here.” A low murmur of ugly laughter sounded from the ring of soldiers.

Her gaze locked with Caine’s. “It’s okay. Let me up.” She swallowed hard. “It’s only skin.”

He stayed where he was, every muscle in his big body taut.

“Don’t make him mad,” she pleaded. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“Here.” Her shirt fluttered into her line of vision, held out by a frowning Ransom.

She snaked her hand out fast. Her fingers trembling as she struggled into the shirt, her gaze locked with Caine’s while Pogue yelled at Ransom for acting without an order.

She let out her first real breath when the long hem of Caine’s shirt brushed against her lower thighs, infinitely grateful for its length.

“No more stalling,” snapped Pogue.

“Relax,” Caine told Pogue, “I’m not planning on giving you any trouble—as long as you don’t bother Bella.” Expression solemn, he kissed the tip of her nose. “It will be okay.” He levered himself up, push-up style, pulling her to stand behind him before Pogue and his soldiers had time to react.

There were seven guns trained on Caine in the next instant.

“You cooperate and there’ll be no problems.” Pogue shifted his gun to lock on her forehead. “You give us trouble and she’ll suffer the consequences.”

Caine gave a low growl.

“Officer Pogue, this is absolutely unnecessary.” Winthrop, who she hadn’t even realized was there, stepped from behind one of the soldiers, his face pale, his gaze not quite meeting hers. “Cadet West is our colleague.”

“Was our colleague,” challenged Pogue, his tone absent of any deference as he contradicted Winthrop. “She’s with the enemy now.”

Clearly, the disappearance of the two crew members had flipped a switch inside Pogue, emboldening him even further in his break from protocol and his claim of leadership. It couldn’t have