Knight, Dee S. - Bride of the Pryde (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (17 page)

Erik chuckled. “Wait until I tell him that the idea of the female bot was all yours, Susan.”

“Please don’t. I’m comfortable with our relationship as it is. I’d hate for him to go soft on me.”

“If that’s what you want.” He ran his hands over the panel. “I love this ship. And we owe it to you that we have it, Susan.”

“That is true,” Adam agreed with a smile in her direction. “Without your knowledge of Jackal and the planet, we never would have found his money or made it off alive.”

“And telling us where the mine was allowed us to blow it up so that no one will be able to dig up any querpher again. That’s the end of Pheron production.”

“That’s why I named this ship simply
Pryde
and not
Erik’s Pryde
, you know.” Erik fixed her with his gaze. “It belongs to all of us. We wouldn’t be here now if not for the parts we all played. Including you, Susan.”

She blushed. Then she cleared her throat. “That’s the end of Knowlton, too,” she added. “That he was in the mine at the time of the explosion means I don’t have to track down the son of a bitch.” In the last few weeks she had allowed herself finally to grieve for Lisle and the others in Centre City—those who had died for no good reason because of Buddy. Such a friendly, innocuous name for an evil person.

“The only question now is, what do I do? Do I go back to the DAT? Since I recovered from the Pheron and Jackal’s beating, they’ve been badgering me about coming back. There’s something going on in the Mica galaxy they want me to look into, and my leave ended two months ago.”

After killing Jackal, ending querpher mining, and revealing the traitor hidden inside the DAT, she and the crew had received accolades. The actual director of the DAT had been calling her almost daily to see when she would be ready to accept another assignment. She’d put him off, but he wouldn’t be held off forever. As long as she remained an agent, she owed them her time and obedience. She delayed going back out of reluctance to leave Erik, Charlie, and Adam—even Dilly.

Erik spun in his seat. “After all this time, I assumed you’d stay with us.”

“I did, too,” Charlie added. “When we delivered Walt and Dan’s bull, Sabina told me how much she liked you. We all thought you’d stay and be part of the crew.”

Adam studied her quietly. “What do you
want
to do, Susan?”

Stay.

He smiled.
Good.

“But what can I do? I don’t know how to pilot a ship or anything useful on a ship. I don’t want to be in the way.”

“We do have an open position,” Erik offered. “You seem…somewhat qualified.”

“What position would that be?”

“Bride.”

She smiled. “Of the
Pryde
? Would that be under you, Captain?”

“Under all of us.”

“Or over us,” Charlie quipped.

“You’re already a
first mate
, you know. Adam claimed that title. Technically, I think we could use a security officer. We want you to stay if you think you can put up with us.”

“I don’t suppose we can put Dilly out through the vacuum port?”

Erik shook his head. “Afraid not.”

“Well then, I’ll have to make do.” Peace overwhelmed her. She’d found a place in this vast space with people who loved and respected her and about whom she felt the same. How much better could life be? “I have a confession to make. I have my resignation to the DAT all ready to submit. I wasn’t sure you’d want me to stay, though.”

“Can you
love
us, Susan?”Adam asked out loud. “As much as we love you?”

She didn’t even have to consider. “Absolutely. Becoming the bride of the
Pryde
is a dream job I never knew I wanted. Or needed.” She took Adam’s hand and led him toward the crew quarters. “And I think I can start right away.”

THE END

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