Solar Seduction (Planets Book 3) (8 page)

Zane stared down at the paper in her hand. He knew that anyone who saw it or had possession of it would be marked for death. After all, look at what had happened to Sedgwick. He made the damn thing and his partner decided to kill him just because they couldn’t get it back or find Kalisha.

Reaching out for it he nodded, “I want to protect you with everything I am or have at my disposal.” Taking the paper he didn’t unfold it but slipped it in his pocket. “I told you when we first met that you are safe with me and I mean it. With my life, I protect you.”

The belt dropped to the floor and she jumped up into his arms. “I’m scared Zane,” she mumbled against his neck. “I’m so scared of what he’s going to do.”

“I know you are. And we will fight him, together. I’m not going to leave you to face him alone.”

A buzzing sound from the kitchen broke them up. Slowly he put Kalisha back down on her feet and left her in the bedroom. On the wall in the kitchen there was a box buzzing which looked like a built in stereo, but in fact it was a monitor. Zane went up and pressed the button and, within seconds, the picture of a man dressed in an official’s uniform came up.

“Mr. Dill. I’m just checking in to let you know that within an hour your shuttle will be here to pick you up and take you to the transport for your trip off planet.”

“Thank you,” Zane said.

“I hope your stay has been an enjoyable one.” The screen went blank.

“Yep,” Zane said to himself, turned and went back into the bedroom. “Shuttle will be here in about an hour,” he told Kalisha. “Guess we should get started on packing.”

“I’m not ready yet to pack,” she said. Zane was about to start for a dresser to get the clothes out but stopped and faced her. With a slight grin on her lips, Kalisha pulled the tie on her robe, it parted and fell to her feet. She stood naked before him.

“Oh, Mala, you don’t have to say anymore.” Zane quickly stripped off his own clothes and was closing the small distance between them.

As he picked her up, she wrapped her legs around his hips and together they fell onto the bed. Her hands fisted into his hair. She brought his face down to kiss him. Their tongues fought a small battle for dominance and their hands roamed all over each other’s body.

One swift motion and he had his whole length buried deep inside her. Unable to slow down, Zane took her hard and fast. He pistoned his hips, rammed into her so much that the bed rocked with them. And Kalisha was right with him in her need, the urgent need to be close.

She clawed at his back, sucked and nipped at his throat and dug her heels into his ass. She cried out with each hard thrust and bucked under him.

“I can’t,” Zane mumbled. “Shit, it’s coming!”

Kalisha was the one who cried out first. Her lips left his flesh and she screamed. Each contraction, each small seizure she had with the orgasm he felt and it triggered his own. Two more hard thrusts and Zane arched back and yelled his own release. With each pulse that spilled forth he felt as if part of his soul was being poured into her.

Unable to hold himself up, Zane dropped down on top of her. He gulped air into his burning lungs, his body still humming, unable to move.

“I love it when you’re so out of control like that,” she said after some time had passed.

Zane managed to pull himself up enough to look down at her. The motion had his cock shifting and he shivered with sensitivity. “Do you now?”

She raised her eyebrows up and down fast, as she grinned. “Hey, out of control is just as good as being fully loved and seduced.”

With a big smile on his face, Zane slowly pulled free of her body and she pouted. “We need to pack.”

“I’m not ready to leave yet.” She rolled over onto her belly and he couldn’t resist slapping her on the ass. “Hey!”

“Up!”

Kalisha looked over her shoulder at him and then those eyes moved downward. “You are. Want to go another round?” He was about to tell her no when she raised her ass up in the air. With a groan, Zane dropped to his knees, grabbed her hips and brought her sweetness back to his waiting mouth. She moaned.

However, he didn’t go too far in his little feast. His cell phone went off and he stopped.

“No,” she whined.

With a smile, Zane slapped her again on the ass and got up. He picked up his jeans and brought the phone out. Jovan again. “Yeah?”

“I’m landing in twenty minutes,” Jovan said. “Offered to pick you up since I’m delivering another special order. You two ready?”

“Almost.”

“Well, put it back in your pants. Oh, did you ask her about the list?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

Zane turned his head to look at Kalisha. She was off the bed and getting dressed, her back to him. “I’ve got it,” he murmured.

Chapter Seven

Kalisha stood staring out at the night sky, back on Pluto, feeling like a caged animal. Only twelve hours back and already she wanted to run away. To run as far away from this little war as she could get.

They were staying at a small safe house for the moment. Just until Zane and Jovan could figure out what to do next. They needed to get the list handed over to the right people. The whole idea still wasn’t sitting well with her. She knew what these kinds of people were capable of doing and she didn’t want Zane to get hurt. She didn’t want to lose him as she seemed to lose everyone she got close to.

Glancing over her shoulder, looking at his sleeping form, a calm came over her. He could protect her, she knew that deep down. But for how long? How long before he got tired of looking over his shoulder, wondering when they were going to come busting through that door. How long before he would want to call it quits?”

Shaking her head, turning back to the window and hugging herself, Kalisha tried to rid herself of those kinds of thoughts. She had to think positive, not negative. She had to remind herself that it all would be over real soon. She just had to hang on for a little longer.

However, feeling like the walls were starting to close in around her, she decided to go and get some air. Turning away from the window she walked past the bed where Zane was sleeping, grabbed her jacket from the chair in the tiny kitchen and out the door she went. Once outside she closed her eyes and lifted her face up to the night sky. Something about being outside made her feel free, and it was what she needed more than anything else.

Opening her eyes, looking around, Kalisha decided to go for a short walk. She needed to clear her head and come to grips with all the changes that were going to come. Head down, hugging herself, she walked and thought about everything. Her father’s death and the reasons why she wasn’t that upset with it. She thought about her childhood and all the shit he’d put her and her mother through. She also wondered what happened to him to make him turn on his family the way he had. So many questions she had with no answers to go with them. One big question she had which she had no way to answer really was could she live a normal life once this was all over? Nothing about her life had ever been normal. So, how was she supposed to go about living a normal life when the only things she knew were things she’d seen on television or had observed in others around her? The few friends she had growing up had parents who seemed to love them, wanted to protect, not control them. A father who was willing to let his girls grow up, and not try to kill the first guy with whom they wanted to date. Even the few she knew whose parents did split, their fathers didn’t go nuts and have to still control every damn step they took.

So deep in her thoughts was she, when she stopped with the intention of turning around and going back, she realized she was lost. Looking all around she tried to think hard whether or not anything looked familiar. Then she wanted to kick herself. When they were traveling to the safe house she hadn’t paid any attention to a damn thing like she normally did. So now where the hell was she?

“Great,” she mumbled to herself. “Now what?”

Instead of doing the smart thing, asking for help or to use a phone so she might call Zane, Kalisha kept right on walking. She went deeper into the city and got lost, not only in general, but in the wonders of the planet. So lost in fact she didn’t notice there was someone following her. Hell, it never even dawned on her that someone might be on Pluto still looking for her.

A large hover pulled up a few feet in front of her, the back door opened and one very large man got out. Kalisha didn’t pay much attention to him and even moved to the side when he walked up to her.

What happened next happened so fast she didn’t even get to scream for help. As she walked closer to that hover and the man, he grabbed her by the arms, gave a hard jerk to the left, followed by a push and into the hover she fell. The man followed her inside, the door closed and off they went.

“Ms. Kalisha Sedgwick. My, you’re a hard one to find.”

Kalisha turned on the floor of the hover just enough to look up. Sitting in the black leather seat was a large black man, in a fine silk suit. His cold eyes didn’t match the smile spread across his lips. What she saw in the dark orbs was death, maybe hers.

“Where are my manners?” He snapped his fingers and the one who had shoved her inside grabbed hold of her jacket, jerking her up from the floor and into a seat across from him. “That’s better. Now, I believe you have something that belongs to me.”

“Who the hell are you?” she demanded.

He smiled again, and once more that smile didn’t even touch his eyes. “Again, I forget my manners. Preston Bernard. We met once, at your fathers place on Mars.”

Kalisha crossed her arms over her chest, narrowed her eyes on the man and smirked. “Yeah, I remember you now. You’re the prick who kidnapped Sorcha.” The smile left his face. “Are you also the son of a bitch who killed my father?”

He narrowed his eyes on her and raised one finger, moving it back and forth on his thick lower lip. Kalisha watched the movement and braced herself for a big outburst or maybe even a nice little backhand. After all, that’s what her father would’ve done if he was here. Preston did nothing. He just sat back, moving his finger back and forth, staring at her saying not one word.

He stayed quiet the whole drive to a distinctive mansion on the outskirts of the city. The hover pulled up to the front door, parked and a man quickly came out and opened Preston’s door. The guy who was sitting next to Kalisha opened his door, grabbed her arm and jerked her out.

“Where are we?” she asked, looking around.

“One of my many homes,” he answered her, then he gave his attention to the man. “Take her upstairs and give her something proper to change into.”

“For what?” Kalisha asked as she was being dragged away.

“For dinner, of course. We eat in one hour.”

They parted in the main entrance. He went to the right as she was dragged towards the stairs on the left. As she climbed the stairs, she looked around, making sure that she remembered each turn they took. On the second level of the large house she was taken down a hallway to the very last room. The door was opened and she was shoved inside.

“There’s a dress in the closet. Put it on,” the man ordered, then shut and locked the door.

“Please,” she snapped when the door closed. “Ever heard of manners you fuck?” Turning away from the door she headed for the closet and opened the double doors. Inside was only one thing. A dress. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

The dress happened to be a long, cream colored silk with thin straps, tight waist line and long flowing skirt with a slit up the side. A very sexy dress, the kind she was pretty sure you didn’t wear to dinner, and you sure as hell didn’t want to wear around a guy like Preston Bernard.

She changed, and as she did, she discovered that she couldn’t wear any of her underclothes. So, no panties, because they would show, as well as her bra. Feeling very exposed, the last thing she put on were the heels and then the door opened and it was time for her to go down to dinner.

Back down the hall, down the stairs and around the corner to the back of the house. The same guy who took her to the room now walked her to the dining room. They stopped at a set of wide sliding doors, which he opened then stood back for her to enter.

“Ah, right on time!” Preston stood up from the head of the table and came around, walking right up to her. Once more he had a smile on his face that didn’t reach those damn eyes of his. “You look ravishing.” He took her hand and began to bring it up to his lips, but she jerked it out of his hand before he could kiss it.

“What do you want from me?” she asked.

“Come, please,” he said and extended his hand toward the table. With a sigh, she walked up to the seat where he wanted her. Preston pulled the chair out, she sat and he pushed it in, then took his own seat.

“Right to the point, I have always liked that.” He picked up his napkin and placed it on his lap, then looked at the guy still standing in the doorway. “You may go.” Preston picked up a bottle of wine and poured some into her glass. “As much as I dislike these Pluto freaks, they do know how to make very good wine.”

Kalisha saw the name on the bottle and almost smiled when she read,
Maki Sprits
. However, she didn’t touch her glass.

“I hope you like lobster,” Preston went on. “I had it specially brought up from Maine on Earth.” Just then servants came out with trays in hand and plates. A plate was placed in front of her and one in front of him, already full of food as well as trays with more if they wanted. Once they we gone, he started in, cracking the shell.

“Is this your great plan?” she finally asked. “To wine and dine me?”

Preston didn’t stop what he was doing. He broke the tail open and pulled out the meat, then dipped it in butter and brought it up to his mouth. He ate, then wiped his mouth before speaking to her. “I knew your father. I know that you are used to being beaten. So what’s the point of going that route? Huh?” He nodded at her plate. “Eat, please.”

* * * *

Zane rolled to his back and slowly woke up. He hadn’t planned on taking such a long nap, but he felt so much better since he had.

Sitting up, he looked around and then frowned. It was dark outside and yet Kalisha wasn’t in the room with him. Getting out of bed he went to the window and looked out at the dark yet busy street then turned and went to the bathroom. Nothing. Looking around the room again he noticed only one thing really missing and that was her jacket.

“No, no, no, no, no,” he said, rushing to the door and jerking it open.

Outside he ended up running down the block and then stopping, looking around. Panic was starting to set in. Where could she have gone and why? He had the list, so he knew she wasn’t going to give it back, to try to save him. So where the hell did she go?

At the end of the street he just turned around and around, his brain refusing to process anything or let him think straight. When his cell went off in his pocket he jumped and had to think for a moment on what the noise and vibration was.

“Hello?” he snapped, still turning around and looking at everything.

“Zane, are you okay?” It was Jovan checking in again.

“No, she’s gone,” Zane rushed out. “She’s gone!”

“What? Slow down.”

“I woke up and she’s not here!” Zane was speaking so fast now, and he had started to shake in his fear.

“Zane, calm down!” Jovan snapped.

“I can’t calm down!” Zane yelled. “You don’t understand. She wasn’t in the room when I woke up. I had fallen asleep, she was there. When I woke up she was gone. What am I supposed to do?”

“First, you need to get yourself under control or you won’t be able to do shit. Now listen to me. Are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“Take a couple of deep breaths and go back to the room. I’m heading your way right now.”

“If he has her Jovan, I’m going to kill him.” Zane stated, suddenly feeling calm—too calm.

“Zane, listen to me. I’ve been in your shoes, I understand. But you go down that dark road you won’t come back the same. Now, just do as I said and go back to the house. I’m on my way. We’ll find her. I promise you.”

Zane nodded, even though Jovan couldn’t see him. “Okay. Yeah, I’ll, um, I’ll go back to the room. Good idea.” He hung up, put the phone in his pocket and walked back down the sidewalk to the house.

Once he was back inside, he changed again. Still feeling this strange calm, Zane went to the closet in the room, reached up to the shelf and way back where he knew Kalisha not only couldn’t reach but wouldn’t be able to see the bag he put there when she was in the bathroom.

He laid the bag on the bed, then stared at it for a few minutes before opening it and dumping everything out. Guns, hand grenades, ammunition, a couple of bombs he had made, some knives and a few other things spread out on the bed. All weapons he got from Earth which were super easy to smuggle onto Pluto. As he waited for Jovan to come, Zane loaded each gun, checked each bomb, loaded the clips and laid it all out in a straight line on the bed. He stood at the foot of the bed, just staring down at it all, waiting. How long he just stood there, staring and waiting, he didn’t know.

“Jesus, Zane,” Jovan hissed when he came into the room. “What do you have planned?”

Zane slowly turned his head toward his friend and boss. “Where does Preston Bernard live, here on Pluto?”

“We don’t—”

“I know!” Zane raised his voice, cutting Jovan off. “I know he has her and I’m going to get her back. So please, tell me where this son of a bitch lives, or I’ll go find him myself.”

“Man, are you hearing yourself?” Jovan quickly closed the door and went up to him. “Those weapons are illegal here. You could be shot just for having them.”

“Where is he?” Zane asked again through his teeth.

Jovan looked down at the weapons then back up at Zane, licking his lips. “Damn it. All right, I’ll tell you, but I’m going with you. And don’t you even think about trying to talk me out of it. This whole thing is crazy enough as it is.”