glanced out of the window for a moment and looked at me again. “I thought you were going to stay.”
“I married you because I thought I could do you a favor. It’s nothing personal. I’ve helped you out, but I have a list of things to do myself for work. I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested in it.”
“Does your work usually involved being kidnapped?”
Shit. “My job can be dangerous sometimes.”
“What’s the job? You should be able to explain that, at least. Are you ex-military?” Ven had an odd expression on his face.
“No way.” I laughed at his misunderstanding. “Not that kind of dangerous.”
“If you could give me a kernel of truth, it would explain a lot.”
“I’ve been honest. I told you everything I said would be the truth. There were some things I don’t feel comfortable talking about.”
“You said you’d see me in the morning.” He looked unhappy. “That seems deceptive, at the least.”
“Not really. I’m seeing you right now,” I pointed out.
“Why did you climb out the window instead of using the door?”
“I didn’t want you to know when I left. I thought using the window would make it harder for you to find me.”
“That seems reasonable, but you should have read up about Stalwart's weapon licensing regulations. If you didn’t want anyone to locate you, it was a mistake to take a gun with a built-in tracking chip. I wish I could have been here sooner.”
“I would have figured something out. I always find a way. No worries.”
“No worries?” He said the words in an intimidating tone. His purple stripe nearly became black. I shifted away from him, not wanting to take the brunt of an outburst. “I think they were going to kill you, Emmy. They were trying to kidnap you, weren’t they?”
He looked at me for confirmation. I thought about their threats and shuddered. “You’re half-right. They were going to take me somewhere against my will.” I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “But they won’t kill me.”
“How do you know that?”
“They have to keep me alive. I have some information they need.”
He shook his head. “It better be information that can save the galaxy, that’s all I have to say.”
“It’s complicated, and it’s not your problem. If you could let me take care of a few issues, I could return and pose as your wife for a while, if it would help you out.”
“That’s not how it works. We have to live together and be together. If you go off somewhere for some undetermined time, the executors will assume I only married you to keep my uncle’s fortune.”
“They’re remarkably perceptive,” I murmured.
He made a face at me. “They’ll declare the marriage a sham, and the entire exercise will have been pointless.” His voice sounded like he was losing hope. Part of me felt bad that I was deserting him in a time of need. But I had no reason to help him any longer.
“I’m sorry, Ven. I wish I could help you more. Would it help if you faked my death?”
When the words left my mouth, blasts of laser fire hit the side of the car, making it start to swerve wildly on the empty back road. Abel’s men were back, and they meant business. Maybe Ven wouldn’t have to fake my death after all.
* * *
V EN
Emmy was nuts. Why would she want me to fake her death? I had a good plan, and she had blown it to pieces with a single crazy jump.
My idea was simple. I wanted to get my car close to hers, shoot any unwanted passengers, and pull her body across to safety. As soon as her door opened, she judged the distance and jumped between the cars. I did a lot of military operations where I had to move my body through the air, but even I would think twice before leaping to my doom. Emmy didn't even think once.
I was about to say I couldn’t fake her death when the car shook. A giant cannon was attacking us. I pulled Emmy down to the floor as the glass started to shatter.
These guys were bastards. Emmy said they wouldn’t kill her, but
“I married you because I thought I could do you a favor. It’s nothing personal. I’ve helped you out, but I have a list of things to do myself for work. I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested in it.”
“Does your work usually involved being kidnapped?”
Shit. “My job can be dangerous sometimes.”
“What’s the job? You should be able to explain that, at least. Are you ex-military?” Ven had an odd expression on his face.
“No way.” I laughed at his misunderstanding. “Not that kind of dangerous.”
“If you could give me a kernel of truth, it would explain a lot.”
“I’ve been honest. I told you everything I said would be the truth. There were some things I don’t feel comfortable talking about.”
“You said you’d see me in the morning.” He looked unhappy. “That seems deceptive, at the least.”
“Not really. I’m seeing you right now,” I pointed out.
“Why did you climb out the window instead of using the door?”
“I didn’t want you to know when I left. I thought using the window would make it harder for you to find me.”
“That seems reasonable, but you should have read up about Stalwart's weapon licensing regulations. If you didn’t want anyone to locate you, it was a mistake to take a gun with a built-in tracking chip. I wish I could have been here sooner.”
“I would have figured something out. I always find a way. No worries.”
“No worries?” He said the words in an intimidating tone. His purple stripe nearly became black. I shifted away from him, not wanting to take the brunt of an outburst. “I think they were going to kill you, Emmy. They were trying to kidnap you, weren’t they?”
He looked at me for confirmation. I thought about their threats and shuddered. “You’re half-right. They were going to take me somewhere against my will.” I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “But they won’t kill me.”
“How do you know that?”
“They have to keep me alive. I have some information they need.”
He shook his head. “It better be information that can save the galaxy, that’s all I have to say.”
“It’s complicated, and it’s not your problem. If you could let me take care of a few issues, I could return and pose as your wife for a while, if it would help you out.”
“That’s not how it works. We have to live together and be together. If you go off somewhere for some undetermined time, the executors will assume I only married you to keep my uncle’s fortune.”
“They’re remarkably perceptive,” I murmured.
He made a face at me. “They’ll declare the marriage a sham, and the entire exercise will have been pointless.” His voice sounded like he was losing hope. Part of me felt bad that I was deserting him in a time of need. But I had no reason to help him any longer.
“I’m sorry, Ven. I wish I could help you more. Would it help if you faked my death?”
When the words left my mouth, blasts of laser fire hit the side of the car, making it start to swerve wildly on the empty back road. Abel’s men were back, and they meant business. Maybe Ven wouldn’t have to fake my death after all.
* * *
V EN
Emmy was nuts. Why would she want me to fake her death? I had a good plan, and she had blown it to pieces with a single crazy jump.
My idea was simple. I wanted to get my car close to hers, shoot any unwanted passengers, and pull her body across to safety. As soon as her door opened, she judged the distance and jumped between the cars. I did a lot of military operations where I had to move my body through the air, but even I would think twice before leaping to my doom. Emmy didn't even think once.
I was about to say I couldn’t fake her death when the car shook. A giant cannon was attacking us. I pulled Emmy down to the floor as the glass started to shatter.
These guys were bastards. Emmy said they wouldn’t kill her, but
Similar Books
