Kissing Steel

Kissing Steel

Laurann Dohner

Book 2 in the Cyborg Seduction series.

All Rena wanted was to steal back a spaceship and earn enough money to buy her

freedom from her travesty of a life. Her mission to recover stolen property from pirates

backfired and she became a possession when she encountered cyborgs instead. Now, one

of them will own her. Rena is a survivor…and she wants the very tall, big, brutally sexy

cyborg who doesn’t like to share anything that belongs to him.

Steel is beyond irritated when he is maneuvered into ownership of a fragile human

female. She’s not nearly big enough to handle his size or strength, yet she’s determined to

get him into bed—into
her
. Steel realizes just what this little female is capable of when

he awakens, chained to his bed, with her riding his very turned-on body. For a man who

prides himself on his unyielding control, Steel soon finds Rena stripping him of it an inch

at a time.

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Kissing Steel

ISBN 9781419928024

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Kissing Steel Copyright © 2010 Laurann Dohner

Edited by Pamela Campbell

Cover art by Syneca

Electronic book publication April 2010

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used fictitiously.

KISSING STEEL

Laurann Dohner

To the man who makes my dreams come true, the love of my life—Mr. Laurann.

A special thank you to my editor, Pamela Campbell—for believing in Cyborgs and

teaching me so much. I appreciate you!

Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

“Sir? We are close to the
Star
.”

Standing up, Rena walked toward the man at the helm. The
Bridden
was a small, fast

jumper shuttle. The five-man crew and Rena had spent two weeks chasing down the

intermittent distress signal from a life pod from the spaceship
Star
. They were farther out

in space than Rena ever wanted to go.

Rena’s heart pounded. The
Star
had been heavily insured so, when pirates had stolen

it years before, her company had taken a tremendous loss when they paid the claim.

Recovering it meant recouping most of the money they’d lost. If they pulled it off it

meant a huge bonus that would pay for early retirement, no more shit from her boss, and

she’d have enough money to finally buy her freedom from the hell she lived with every

day. She was so close to obtaining her dreams, she could almost taste it.

“The last signal we got was six hours ago but it should be repeating at any time. She

couldn’t have gotten far since we’re faster.” Dell Harver was the captain of the
Bridden
.

He was good-looking, a businessman, and he was as determined as she to recover the

stolen ship. He tapped the screen. “Here it is.”

She studied the screen, seeing a blinking light as he pulled up charts of the solar

system they were in. “This is so exciting,” she said.

Dell turned his head, his soft brown eyes lighting up with excitement. “You bet your

ass, sir.” He flushed a little. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it and I told you that you can cut the ‘sir’ shit. Just because I

work in the corporate office shouldn’t mean I outrank you, and this is your ship where

you should never apologize to me for cursing. I could meet you word for word since I

was a military brat.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “So do you think we’ll really be able

to recover her?”

“We’re heavily armed and we’re fast. The emergency signal from the pod computer

said pirates had control of the
Star
and the pod relayed that it had been picked up again

by the ship. Pirates usually travel in groups of ten or less. They are meaner than shit but

not the brightest people you’ll ever meet.”

“But they have the
Star
and I read her listing. She’s a damn fine ship and she’s

heavily armored and heavily armed.” That’s what made Rena nervous. “That ship can

easily accommodate a hundred people, if not more.”

Dell chuckled. “I know what I’m doing, sir…uh, Ms. Gates. This isn’t the first

recovery I’ve ever done and that’s why your company hired me. We’re a five-man crew

but don’t let that fool you because we are the best. We’ll be docked to that ship
before

they realize what hit them, board her and take those assholes out. All you need to do is

stay aboard the
Bridden
until the fighting is over.”

She felt nervous. “All I’m saying is the
Star
can hold a hell of a lot of people. What

if you’re wrong and going against more than just ten or less?”

6

Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

The man watched her for a long moment. “May I be blunt?”

“Please.”

“Ninety percent of space pirates are insane. They are that way because their families

chose to leave Earth and live in space on older ships that leak radiation, have poor

recirculation of their air, and a long list of other hazardous living conditions that mutate

them, mess up their brains or just make them nuts. They are vicious killers, totally brutal,

but basically animals. We deal with them often and we know what we’re doing so please

trust me. I was hired because this is a job I’m more than qualified to do. My men and I

can handle a bunch of mutated freaks easily. All right? We enjoy killing them.”

Rena looked at him and realized how chilling he could be as she saw the cold gleam

in his eyes when he said that about killing living beings. She was suddenly wary of him

and his team, seeing them as a bit bloodthirsty for the first time. “I know Demco just

hires the best.”

He grinned at her. “So what are you the best at since you’re high up in Demco

Insurance?”

“I was an investigator for ten years.” She hesitated. “One of the investigations turned

deadly and I almost died so they promoted me. Nothing says devotion to Demco more

than almost giving your life to recover a claim for them.”

He studied her. “And you’re risking your life again.”

“Not if you’re as good as you say you are.” She forced a smile. “Recovering the
Star

is very important to my company.”

“I figured that out with the money they offered me to take this job and the huge

bonus they are paying me when we bring her in.” He looked away from her. “Stay

onboard.” He reached for his com. “We’re close. Why don’t you strap in? We’re going at

them fast and hard.” He turned on the communication system to his crew. “We’re

boarding soon so strap down and gear up. We’re about to earn our paycheck, men.”

Feeling nervous, Rena walked to her seat to buckle in tightly. She was nuts to take

this assignment when she hated leaving Earth and hated spending nearly two weeks

aboard a small jumper shuttle with five men. She’d been hit on but the men had backed

off immediately when she’d showed them no interest in return. She nervously rubbed the

bare skin where her wedding band had recently been. If all went well she’d never have to

wear it again.

The shuttle engines roared to life as the pilot gave them full throttle. She swallowed

and closed her eyes, hating the feel of the pull of the shuttle as it shot forward through

space.

Dell was talking loudly as he communicated with his team. “In ten minutes we’re

going to hit hard and fast. Mark, you’re the lead. Don’t damage the docking door this

time.” He chuckled. “These bastards are in for a surprise.”

“Sure, Dell.” It was Paul’s voice that came through the speaker. “And you get to

come in last to take all the glory.”

Dell snorted. “That’s why I’m the captain. Try not to leave any of them alive this

time. I don’t want any more scars.”

7

Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

Rena opened her mouth but then closed it, deciding that she didn’t want to know.

The thought that people were about to die made her feel queasy. It wouldn’t be the first

time she’d been somewhere that people had lost their lives but she still didn’t feel

comfortable with it.
Of course it is better the criminals die than the recovery team,
she

thought.
Or me.

“Here we go, boys,” Dell sounded tense. “Our shielding didn’t effectively cover us.

Their sensors picked us up and they are turning but I got us close enough.” He paused.

“Damn. They are firing. Evasive maneuvers! I’m going for their backside. The intel on

the
Star
says she’s blind on the bottom tail section. We’re going to do a hard dock on

their cargo two. Hang on. We’re going to kiss their ass literally. Board as soon as you get

a seal with the dock.”

In seconds, Rena experienced fear as they hit the craft. If she hadn’t been strapped in

she would have been thrown from her seat. Alarms screamed in the cabin as she heard a

loud clank. She saw Dell jump from his seat and dart a look at her before he moved to

exit the shuttle. The alarms abruptly went silent.

“Stay put. We’re locked to them and docked so they can’t shake us loose.”