Page 14 of Nita’s Bounty
Shuvo wraps an arm around me, still holding the black box to his throat with the other. “She’s right, we’ve been sitting too long. We need to go.”
“What? No. That’s not what I said?—"
“Alright, you heard him. Let’s get off this station,” a gruff voice bellows, and pandemonium ensues as the crew races to their stations to get the ship ready to leave. Meanwhile, Shuvo is completely unfazed and gently guides me over to a row of jump seats that he folds down.
“Why aren’t you listening?!” I snap. He continues to ignore me, gently pushing me into a seat and then buckling me in. “Someone is going to get hurt, and I don’t think I can live with that kind of guilt.”
His face softens then, and he dips down to brush a soft kiss across my lips. “You worry too much,” he says through the mechanical voice box as he strokes his palm down the side of my face.
My heart melts at his gentle touch at the same time I want to grab him by his pointed ears and shake some sense into him. You know what, that sounds like a great idea. I reach up, but before my fingers can do more than brush the sides of his face, he straightens up and turns to where his crew has gathered in the cockpit.
“Are we ready?” he asks.
There is a moment of silence before they all start talking at once. Shuvo winks at me over his shoulder and then hurries to join them. I’m considering unbuckling the seat I’m strapped to when one of the males appears at my side. He’s holding two dark bottles, and he hands me one.
“You look like you could use a drink,” he says and then taps the necks with a dull clunk when I take his offer.
“Thanks.” I give the opening a sniff and wrinkle my nose before tipping it back for a good hardy swallow. It’s absolute swill, and I force down a gag when it burns all the way to my stomach. Perfect.
“Is Shuvo in trouble?” I ask him through the burn.
The male, I think someone called him Crank, is roughly the shape and size of a yellow beach ball, and he laughs as he sits down beside me. “When is Shuvo not in some kind of trouble?”
I take another drink and grimace as I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into. “It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it?”
“Oh. Aye. That’s the truth, innit?” He chuckles. Then he slowly shakes his head. “And no. Shuvo’s not in trouble.” He reaches over and gives my knee a pat. “And don’t you worry, we’ll get out of whatever mess he’s stirred up.”
Just then, the intercom crackles, and a familiar voice echoes through the ship’s speakers.
“You have something that is mine, and I want it back!” Madam Althea’s shrill voice spits with barely controlled rage.
Beside me, the male’s eyes go round, and he tips back the rest of the bottle he’s holding. “Nothing to worry about,” he mutters before jumping to his feet and hurrying to where the rest of the crew are gathered.
“If you do not release her this instant, I will blow up your ship the second it leaves this station.” Madame Althea’s voice quivers with fury, and I believe her. “If I can’t have her, no one will.”
My hands tremble as I work my fingers through the harness while holding the bottle of spirits. The clips and buckles are stiff and awkward, and I end up gripping the bottle between my knees so I can use both hands. Suddenly, Shuvo appears in front of me. His hands cover mine, stilling me, then he takes the bottle and tips it back, finishing what was left inside before tossing it away.
“You look worried,” he teases through the communicator.
“Shuvo, she’s not bluffing.” But no matter what I say, he is completely unfazed, which is starting to drive me crazy. “She’s going to go absolutely rabid if she loses me. I’m not worth it.”
He sinks down in front of me, so that we’re at eye level, and his expression has lost all humor, going completely serious. He reaches out and cups the side of my face. His palm is warm and soft against my cheek, and I can’t help it when my eyes flutter closed, and I lean into his soft touch.
“You’re worth everything, Nee-tah,” he tells me in his strange soft voice. “Let me worry about the rest.”
Before I have a chance to argue with him more, one of the males calls to him from the next room, “Shuvo! We’re gonna need you on one of the guns as soon as we breach the station.”
Shuvo’s mouth splits into a wide grin, and his devil-may-care expression is back in place.
“Shuvo, no! You can’t—” I start.
He drops a kiss to my forehead and then jumps up and jogs away.
“Friggen stubborn-ass men!” I shout after him.
***
CHAPTER 10