Polaris Rising (Consortium Rebellion, #1)(114)

“Is that what I think it is?” Bianca asked.

“Yes,” I said. This case held hard copies of all of the material I had under time-release, plus all of the documentation that proved I was a member of House von Hasenberg. “I hate to move it, but I have a feeling I will never see this room again.”

“Ferdinand will welcome you back, you know that,” Bianca chided gently.

“Father has to die first, and that old bastard is mean enough to live forever just to spite me,” I said.

A chime sounded throughout the room. “Didi, stop,” I said, then I called to Loch, “Thirty seconds!” I grabbed the case and closed the safe. I hugged Bianca tight. “I’m going to miss you,” I said. “I expect to see you in Sedition within the month.”

“You will,” she said. “Stay out of trouble.”

I blinked back tears. I hadn’t thought I would lose my family again so soon. I let Bianca go, put the case in the bag I’d brought with me a week ago, dumped some random clothes on top, then went to meet Loch.

Bianca stayed in the bedroom. Loch carried the weapon case. I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the door. Everything in me wanted to stay with my brothers and sisters. And while I knew they would visit me, it would not be the same.

I sniffled once then walled the tears behind my public persona. I didn’t have time to break down; I still needed to get to Rhys’s ship. “Ready?” I asked Loch.

He nodded, so I swept out into the hall. Rather, I attempted to, but Sergeant Edwards blocked the doorway. He stepped back in surprise. The other soldiers stood at attention along the walls.

“It has been five minutes, Sergeant,” I reminded him when he didn’t move.

He shook his head and I wished I could see his face to read his expression. “I thought I would have to drag you out,” he said.

“Over my dead body,” Loch rumbled.

“I have to agree,” I said. “You try to drag a von Hasenberg anywhere he or she does not want to go and you are going to have a bad time, Sergeant.”

He bowed slightly. “You have my thanks for returning on time, Lady Ada,” he said.

We returned to the troop transport then headed for the von Hasenberg spaceport. I messaged Rhys and got an instant response. He, Veronica, and a half dozen of his crew were on the ground in Jester, one of the more heavily armed and armored smuggling ships in Rhys’s fleet. He had taken me seriously when I said it might be a hot extract, but he had come anyway.

I directed the troop transport to drop us at Jester and also let Rhys know not to blow us out of the sky. By the time we arrived, Jester’s cargo ramp was down. Sergeant Edwards insisted on escorting us out of the transport.

“Thank you for the escort, Sergeant. And remember, I’ll be in Sedition if you need anything.”

“Make sure you take off as soon as the flight checks are through,” he said, ignoring my offer once again.

I bid him farewell and turned toward Jester. An unfamiliar woman in fatigues with a long blaster held across her body waited at the top of the cargo ramp. Her eyes flicked over me dismissively, but they snagged on Loch and held. She scowled. “Get to the medbay,” she ordered.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

Jealousy slammed into me. The woman was undeniably beautiful, with long, curly red hair she’d braided down her back. She was tall and fit and looked like she knew what she was doing with that blaster.

I fought the urge to wrap a possessive hand around Loch. He was mine and I didn’t doubt him, but jealousy was a hell of a beast.

When I didn’t move, Loch ushered me into the ship with a hand on my back. “Ada, meet Captain Scarlett Hargrove,” he said.

“Scarlett, this is Ada. She’s mine,” he said. Something passed between them and the pleasant feeling I’d felt at his possessive words died.

“Welcome aboard,” she said to me. Her expression made ice look warm. “Rhys is on the flight deck getting us clearance for takeoff. You should join him.”

“I believe Rhys knows how to talk to ground control without my help,” I said. I turned away from her in a purposefully dismissive move. “Let’s get you patched up,” I said to Loch.

He grinned at me. “After you,” he said.

Jester was a recent von Hasenberg ship, so I didn’t have to embarrass myself by asking for directions. Bigger than Polaris, this ship had four levels instead of three. The top level housed the flight deck and captain’s quarters. Crew quarters took up the entire second level. The third level included the mess hall and medbay, while the exercise room and maintenance access were on the fourth level.

As soon as we entered the medbay, Loch dropped the weapon case and pulled me into his arms. I frowned at him. He chuckled and took my bag and dropped it next to the case. Then he kissed the corner of my mouth. I turned my head away. He pulled back and met my eyes.

“Ada, don’t be jealous,” he said. “I’m not interested in Scarlett, not like that. She’s like a little sister to me. The only woman I’m interested in is you.”

Relief flooded through me, but then I remembered that if Loch claimed Scarlett as family, I’d have to be nice to her. I scowled.

Loch groaned then his mouth slanted over mine. I forgot all about everyone else as I opened in welcome. His tongue plundered my mouth with smooth thrusts and teasing licks. Desire and something deeper, more powerful, fizzed through my blood.