Rescuing Rory by N.J. Walters Page A

died. Running a trader ship in deep space isn’t an easy job. People die every day due to accidents and medical emergencies. Not to mention there are always pirates who want to confiscate the ship and her goods.”
    Rory narrowed her gaze. “Are you and your brothers pirates?”
    “No.” That was one thing they’d never be. “We trade, legally when possible, illegally when we need to. We also handle security problems for smaller planets.” It was a far cry from the small mining planet where they’d grown up but it was the life they needed in order to find their sister. None of them made any apologizes for what they had to do.
    She nodded as though he’d confirmed what she’d already suspected.
    “What happened?” he asked. Going on instinct, he eased down onto the narrow bunk beside Rory, lifted her so she was lying on top of him and tugged the blanket over her.
    He cupped her bare butt in his hands and tried to ignore the way her pussy rubbed against his erection. The damn thing had a life of its own, trying to burrow between her slick folds.
    Rory gasped and levered herself above him. That only served to push her sex more snugly against his cock.
    “How is that possible?” Her words were breathy and her eyes slightly unfocused. “You just came.”
    “You inspire me,” he tossed back. He rolled so they were both on their sides, facing each another. It was probably better if they weren’t touching so intimately or they’d never finish this conversation.
    I’m a fucking saint. Either that or I’ve totally lost my mind . His dick was still poking Rory in the stomach but that was manageable. He hoped. The smart thing would be to climb out of bed, get dressed and then question her, but Kal didn’t want to lose the cloud of intimacy surrounding them. He told himself it was because it would make her more likely to talk and had nothing at all to do with how much he liked having her in his arms.
    “So your father died,” he prompted and then winced when her eyes grew moist. He’d been around his brothers for so long he’d forgotten how to talk to a woman. He cursed himself for being so blunt. He promised himself he’d try to do better.
    “I thought the crew was loyal.” She shrugged and gave a sad little laugh that tugged at his heart. “I don’t know what I thought. That I’d become captain. That a group of hardened long-distance traders would listen to me.” She tugged the blanket more securely around her shoulders.
    She really was beautiful. Her body had captured his attention but her sad face and vibrant hair truly were lovely. “They took the ship.” It wasn’t a question. That kind of mutiny was all too common when a captain died in space. Only the most ruthless and cunning would be able to wrestle the men under control and keep them there.
    “Yeah. Adam Brecker, my father’s new security specialist, took over. The damn man had only been on board for three months.”
    Kal got a sinking feeling in his stomach. “What happened to your father?”
    “System malfunction.” The anguish in her eyes tore at his heart. “I don’t know how it happened. He went down to one of the storage bays to check on an emergency beacon on one of the shipments. The darn thing wouldn’t shut off.”
    “Why didn’t one of the other men go?” he asked.
    Rory shrugged. “They were all busy and my father always pitched in. He did every job on the ship at one time or another. It was one of the reasons his crew respected him.”
    Kal nodded and continued his questions. “What happened then?”
    “The airlock malfunctioned while he was there.” Her breathing was getting faster and faster. “One of the hatch doors opened and he was sucked out into space.” She was practically hyperventilating now. “I’d done maintenance on those doors two days before. They were working perfectly.”
    Kal grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Rory. Look at me. Breathe. It wasn’t your fault. Do you hear me? It