War's End Read online

  They didn’t acknowledge the greeting. They did watch him with stony looks and he suppressed a sigh. No doubt the women thought him the reason for any or all of their personal ills. His uniform, which proclaimed him a justice officer, was regularly met with that reaction.

  As the lift stopped and the doors opened, he heard them whisper. “Damned justice officers. Think they’re so special.” He ignored their words and strode down the concourse to where a knot of his people waited.

  “Sir. We’ve secured the premises and taken five assailants into custody. One female and four male.” The young officer spoke in rapid fire and Renjiro had to stop a smile. The younger officer had been gunning for a promotion for some time.

  No, Renjiro wasn’t the person who would be informing him that his application had been approved. Instead Renjiro nodded and waited, knowing the officer would receive all the information he needed soon.

  “We believe the riot began with a man jostling the woman. The eye spies in the ceiling are being observed as we speak. But sir, the woman is a pink tag holder.”

  His breath fled. A pink tag holder? It can’t be... He wanted to ask, but fear stopped his words. If it was her, he needed to be prepared. He couldn’t stop the process of justice. He didn’t have that much authority. And he wouldn’t circumvent justice, otherwise his men would know. He would lose face. He couldn’t afford that either!

  So instead of heading to the lock-up where she was stashed, he straightened his stance, glanced around at the men who waited for his instructions, and made his way inside. Broken furniture was strewn around the shabby establishment in piles. The walls were pitted and scarred. He could detect some new holes, but many had been there a long time. Beakers and tankards were scattered on the floor, and the place stank like a fetid brewery.

  The chairs were stained and, in the full light, its dirty glory was obvious. “I can never understand why anyone would drink here.”

  “It’s cheap, sir.” His second-in-command stood at his right side. He hadn’t heard the man advance, but turned to look at him.

  Renjiro grimaced. His family was well placed in the Federation, comfortable enough that credit wasn’t an issue. This sort of lifestyle was incomprehensible to him. “Which holding station are the prisoners at?”

  “The woman is in Seven Brig one. The men are in Seven Brig three, Ren.”

  He stilled at the man’s use of his name. He knew then there was more, could tell in Jordan’s stance.

  “She’s in need of treatment. Took some good blows. Gave some good ones too, according to the spy eye. But that’s not what I need to raise.” Jordan stopped, his face flaming, and he looked sideways, as if ensuring no one heard what he was about to say. “It’s more that we checked her background. She’s a pink tag. Was on some of the same planets as you. Including Seicha Two Seven Seven.”

  Ren tensed. “Damn!” He couldn’t control the outburst as his stomach yawed and pitched. It could be her then. “Just let me handle this, Jordan.” Then he strode away.

  If it was her, Selina, then he’d have to try to find a way to... But he couldn’t think of anything. He had some political clout, but he hadn’t ever used it. Not once in the whole time since he’d joined the Justice Department. Renjiro struggled until he finally managed to discipline his wayward emotions.

  He kept up his hard-won facade of control until he made the safety of the ablution units. He couldn’t break down, but the fear that speared him, that he might find her again just to lose her... He latched the stall door and levered himself to the seat, his head in his hands. “Gods above.” He couldn’t stop the groan that escaped.

  The years rolled away and once more he remembered the concern in her eyes, the careful way she’d attended him. The light brush of her lips against his. The touches that had been almost incendiary. His body betrayed him, his groin instantly stiffening, and he breathed hard as he tried to clear the latent desire that still lanced him. It was five years ago, his mind interjected. It was only yesterday, wailed his heart.

  Finally, assured that he had controlled his emotions, he stood and let himself out of the stall. The room was empty, but he took a moment, washed his hands, splashed his face, and gripped the sink with closed eyes.

  In some deep recess of his mind, he knew, like himself, she’d waited for this. He’d promised himself when she disappeared that he’d find her again. He’d checked every listing of those forcibly removed from Federation space. But he’d never seen her again.

  Now, he could and would see her again. He left the ablution block and headed for the Brig. The one where she waited.

  Chapter 2

  The cell was gray and miserable. Just like the last one she’d seen the inside of, at the conclusion of the war’s end celebrations. Selina shivered as a chill invaded her bones. They’d taken her jacket, utility belt, and holster. Standard practice they’d said. It wasn’t much help to her as her body temperature dropped.

  She currently shared the small cubicle with three other women. Two were drunk and snoring off their inebriation. The third...well, it was clear what her occupation was. The heeled boots ended above the knee and the tight ship suit molded where it touched her body. And a very well endowed body it was too.

  The cosmetics she wore were bright. Loud. Crass in shocking purple, green, and black. Her red hair obviously attributed to a bottle.

  Selina hugged the corner as the woman yapped at her about how much money she should be out there making. How it was an easy life, if you ignored the odd proclivities of some of the aliens registered on the base, she added with a wink.

  Selina’s face and knuckles ached like the very devil. Her hands were swollen from the fight, and she was sure the man had torn out chunks of her hair. But she didn’t say a word. She knew the routine. Keep calm and hope like hell she could stay under the radar. Maybe they would take pity on her. Give her a warning. So she folded her arms atop her bent knees, propped her head on them like a pillow, and waited.

  A sound erupted, shrill as it cut the air. “Oh, see? I’m being bailed already!” The prostitute across the room crowed, and Selina just kept her eyes closed, willing the woman to leave quickly and let her be in silence.

  The door opened with a whoosh and another chill enveloped her. She shuddered in reaction. The steady march of boots signaled that one of the guards had entered the secured area. “Captain Codecko?”

  “Oh, I could be if you want. Hmm, what a big strong boy you are.” The woman prattled away as Selina carefully unfolded herself and looked up into a pair of brown eyes she remembered from a long time ago.

  “That’s me.” She stood, unsteadily.

  The door clattered open. “Follow me.”

  Not for the first time, she damned her bad luck. First she’d been on the wrong side of the war, then she’d fallen in with Ashford’s plans. Now this. For some reason, the deities seemed to conspire against her.

  So she followed the man out of the cell to the ringing endorsements of the prostitute, through the large, triple-sheeted security door, and into a tiny office beyond the charging desk.

  “Sit down.” His terse words filled her with pain and sadness.

  She acceded to his request in silence, holding her throbbing hand against her breast. He squatted before her, his face close to hers, his dark eyes shadowed. His touch was gentle as his fingers traced the line of her jaw. They shook a little and she felt the glancing caress. It warmed her.

  He touched a raw spot on her chin and she hissed involuntarily.

  “Where else are you injured?”

  Selina shook her head.

  “Captain Codecko? Selina?”

  His gentle words nearly undid her. Tears burned in her eyes and she blinked, hoping to banish them. It didn’t work though. They dripped down her face, scalding her frozen cheeks.

  Now his hands dropped to her shoulders. “Where else are you hurt, Selina?” His gaze was hypnotic. It drew her words without thought.

  “My hand, ribs, and th
e top of my head.”

  He frowned and started tugging at her shirt, pulling it free of the loose-fitting pants.

  “What... What are you doing?”

  He glanced at her, his face taut and strained. “I’m checking your injuries.”

  Selina blushed, the heat creeping over her face as she pushed at his hands. “No! You can’t do that!”

  “Just bloody watch me.” His rough words surprised her and her hands dropped away. He continued his almost feverish work at her buttons and very quickly he had the shirt open. Selina thanked whatever had made her fasten a bra over her very tiny breasts. With gentle movements, he brushed the old material of her shirt to one side. He hissed through clenched teeth at what he saw. “You need a medic.”

  “I’m fine. I’ve lived through this before. Of greater concern to me is whether I’m going to be charged for causing the riot. I was just—”

  “I know. Having a quiet drink. We checked the spy eyes. You will be free to go, so long as we can put together a suitable argument. But I have a proposition. One that would help you, I think.”

  In her experience, propositions never ended well, but she was desperate enough to listen to what he had to say. So she watched in mute silence as he rose. He backed away as she quickly refastened her shirt. Then he paced to the end of the room and back.

  “I’ve just received a communiqué that there’s some Indies about to plan an attack on this moon base. I need people I can trust to get information for me.”

  She waited. But as he started pacing again, it seemed she would need to ask the question. “What’s in it for me?”

  He stilled.

  Selina held her breath. Waiting.

  “I might be able to swing an official citizenship for you.”

  Just like that, he could brush away all the difficulties she had faced since the end of the war. But trusting people didn’t come easily. Not for her. “You can just click your fingers and make that happen?”

  He faced her again. His eyes shone almost feverishly bright under the lighting of the room. “No. But I know someone who might be able to make it happen, if you agree.”

  “Why? Why would you help me?”

  He smiled. “Because I owe you.”

  * * * *

  The minute Renjiro said the words, he wanted to call them back. Her face shuttered and he wanted to grab her. But they’d only had four days five years ago. Not long enough for her to know that he used flippancy when flustered.

  He rose and headed for the door. She didn’t follow and that concerned him. The Selina he remembered would have lunged in an attempt to escape.

  He jerked the door open and sauntered to the charge desk. The clerk looked at him, expectance clear in her features. “Can I help you, sir?”

  He nodded. “I need you to release the prisoner into my care.”

  She blinked. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand. Are you planning on transferring her to another holding cell?”

  “No. Release her into my care. I’ll take responsibility for her.”

  “But sir, the rules state...” She looked shocked, her face leaching to white except for the streaks of cosmetics on her skin. He knew his actions skirted close to misconduct.

  “I know the rules. Release her into my care.” He leaned forward. “I have my reasons. You don’t need to know them.”

  She nodded furiously and set her fingers to the keyboard. Within minutes he held a leather jacket, holster, utility belt, and the papers he required.

  He strode back into the room and stopped, astonished at the sight in front of him. Selina had curled up in the corner and gone to sleep, her head pillowed on her arms. An emotion, deep and rich, flowed through him. I can’t give her up this time.

  In his mind, he’d formulated a plan. One that occurred to him during the time he’d left the ablution block to when he’d received the communiqué. He hadn’t been telling her anything untrue. His cousin was a highly placed senator of their homeworld, Reunion, and he might be able to arrange for her to receive citizenship as a reward for services offered to the Federation.

  But right now, he needed to get her up and on the way to his apartment on level three. He grabbed the pink tag and replaced it with a deep blue one then roused her, taking care not to hurt her. “Selina? You need to wake up.”

  “I just want to sleep.” Her voice was groggy, and Renjiro frowned once more. Was this exhaustion or something related to her injuries? That concerned him more than he cared to consider.

  “Selina, you have to wake up.”

  She did slowly, her green-brown eyes shadowed, the iris almost totally obscured, and he cursed. “Stand up.”

  “Where am I?” she whispered, and he noted the lack of color on her face, the slow way she responded. She no longer shivered. Her lips carried a slightly purple-blue tinge. He handed over her jacket and she looked at it before glancing back at him. “Do I need that?”

  Instead of answering, Ren bundled it on her, and she flinched away from his touch for an instant.

  “Let’s get out of here.” He slid a hand around her waist, and with a sigh, she accepted his touch.

  “Where are we going?”

  “My apartment. It’s on level three.”

  She stopped, immovable. “But I’m not allowed there.”

  She sounded like a confused child, and he wanted to just lift her into his arms and stride manfully out of the facility, but he couldn’t. Instead he spoke slowly, so she’d understand. “You can with me. You have a new tag. A blue tag. It means you’re in my care.”

  “But...”

  “Not now, Selina. Just accept what I’m saying.” With that, he hustled her out onto the concourse and toward the lifts.

  The base was settling in for the night, only shift workers strolled and none paid him any attention as he hustled the woman forward. They entered the lift and he pressed the button for level three, waiting as they dropped down, watching the passing girders and doors until the level he wanted was before them. He hurried her out and down the long hall to his apartment.

  The automatic door opened and he tugged her inside.

  “So now I’m here, what do you want?” She shrugged off the jacket with a hiss and he looked at her closely, noting the bluish tint on her lips had gone, instead she now had a cunning look on her face. Her fingers found the buttons of her shirt and she threaded the first one through the hole before moving to the second.

  “What are you...” The thought fled as inches of pearly skin were uncovered before his startled gaze.

  Finally, as the final button gave, she tugged the material from her arms and let it fall from her body. “Where’s the bed then?”

  * * * *

  She shook, this time not because of cold or because her body ached. Oh no! This was the man of her dreams. The one she had wanted for five long years. The one she’d hidden and nursed then run away from. The one whose name she’d tried to forget. Renjiro.

  But her body remembered him. Remembered their furtive caresses. The way he’d kissed her, caressed her bared flesh. Not that they’d gone all the way. Every brief and carefully stolen touch had been dangerous, but they hadn’t been able to help themselves. She accepted when he left that it was how it had to be, knowing that there was no future.

  But after five long years, here he was. Now, abstaining no longer seemed an option as her body clamored.

  He stood there, watching her as she’d divested herself of her jacket and shirt. The shock evident on his face would have been funny if she wasn’t so sure that this might be their only opportunity for the most intimate act of all. Once he realized there was no way the Federation would allow her citizenship...well, she fully expected to be off on the first repatriation ship they could lay their hands on.

  Her body ached unmercifully, but she continued her striptease in front of him. The button and zipper of the pants were more of an issue with her swollen hand, but she managed, and the fabric pooled around her heavy black boots.

&n
bsp; “Selina, wait!” His voice sounded rusty, as if from disuse. But she knew that wasn’t true.

  “Aren’t you planning on getting naked?”

  The look he sent her would have been deadly if she hadn’t known exactly what he wanted. It was clear, there, in the way he watched her. Hunger. He was definitely hungry if the bulge she detected was anything to go by.

  “Don’t...”

  She leaned forward, stripping away the light bra and hooked her fingers under her panties. With care, she pushed away the material, unfastened her boots, and, one by one, dropped them to the ground, and stepped out of her clothes.

  “This isn’t what I planned.”

  She stopped at the pain in his voice. “I know. But it’s been five years, Renjiro. Five long, empty years. I don’t want to miss this again.” She watched him, the way he swallowed and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “I want to feel you touch me. I want you to fill me. I want a memory to ...”

  He frowned. “What do you mean? A memory?”

  Exasperation colored her words. “You don’t seriously think I’ll be given citizenship, do you? I mean, I’m an Indy captain. I was the enemy.”

  He moved forward, his fluid gait unsteady. “Selina...”

  “No, Renjiro. Please, give me tonight. If I am given citizenship, it’s nothing that will bind us. If they don’t...” She swallowed. “Then I’ll have a memory to warm me for the rest of my life.”

  Pain filled his features. “Selina...”

  “Please, don’t make this hard.” Then she laughed at her words. Hard. He was obviously that already. “Take me to bed, Renjiro. Please.”

  Just like that, he moved. A whirlwind of action as he tore at his uniform, jacket flying through the air. His shirt hit the floor with an audible ping and the communicator rolled along the floor. He pulled her against his warm, firm flesh.

  She sighed as she felt him against her naked body. “Get the rest off so we can...”

  He laughed, the rumble in his chest tickling her nipples, and she caught her breath. Her body was tight, coiled, and ready. Warm. Wet.