“I’ve been hunted all my life, Hunt. I won’t hide, won’t be a victim, won’t let them win.”
“So what, you’ll act as bait and then use your powers on them?”
She stared at him. “Yes.”
“And if you lose control, you’re happy to risk destroying the city, injuring your friends and your girls?”
Her mouth snapped closed.
He cupped her shoulders. “I know you want to fight and it isn’t in your nature to wait, but let me do my job, okay?”
She watched him steadily for an entire minute. “Okay.” The word was dragged out of her.
He felt like he’d won the Galactic Lottery. She was placing her trust in him. He pressed a kiss to her nose. “Thank you. I won’t be gone long, I promise. Don’t answer the door to anyone but me. Stay inside?—”
“I got it, Hunt. Go, do whatever manly, marshal things you need to do.”
For that, he gave her a light swat on the butt, then kissed her again. This time a quick brush on her forehead. He didn’t trust himself to kiss her carnal mouth and not end up back in bed.
After she closed the door behind him, he waited until he heard the locks click into place and the beep of the security system engaging.
“I know you’re still there,” Relda said through the door. “Go.”
Hunt smiled at himself and started down the stairs. But his smile melted away as his thoughts turned to finding the bastard who kept attacking his woman.
Relda hated doing nothing.Her skin itched with the need to be out there, doing something.
To distract herself, she had no qualms about poking around Hunt’s apartment.
Not that there was much of the man in the place. It was pretty stark, the shelves empty and the furniture standard. But he did have a nice collection of actual books. She carefully touched the covers, seeing that he favored historical military thrillers. No surprise there. She guessed his Sync would be chock full of the same and easily imagined him sprawled in the armchair at the end of the day, sipping an ale and reading a book.
She nosed around in his closet and found a whole slew of black cargo pants, simple button down shirts, and a few more of those tactical vests.
On the far wall in the bedroom, she noticed a small holo-pic. A landscape. It was of a beautiful agrarian scene with a large, ringed planet hanging overhead. Predia. His homeworld. She pressed a finger to the frame and thought about the terrible circumstances that had forged such a strong, admirable man.
Relda decided to raid the tiny kitchen for a snack when the front door chimed. Her heart leaped. Maybe Hunt had already found the attackers. She hurried to the door and activated the panel beside it.
The camera showed a sandy-blond man in a deputy’s uniform.
“Ma’am, I know you’re there,” Deputy Westin said. “The marshal just wanted me to check on you. Don’t open the door, just let me know you’re okay.”
Relda frowned. Hunt had said to only open the door for him, and only he would know she was here. But this was Deputy Westin. He’d been hurt protecting her, and besides, he’d told her not to open the door. She touched a button. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
The deputy’s face lit up. “Excellent. Thanks.” He turned and left.
She wandered back into the living area. She could read one of Hunt’s books, turn on the holo-screen and find a movie. But an edginess was growing under her skin, energy sparking around her.
She couldn’t see her own future, but her abilities always gave her hints. Something was coming and whatever it was, it wasn’t good.
She worried the rings on her fingers. Maybe she should call Hunt? She shook her head. And tell him what? She was feeling nervous without him?
Huffing out a breath, she paced the living room. She was fine here. Besides, she wasn’t exactly defenseless.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang.
She spun and saw the front door shudder under the impact of…something.
Another huge thud, but the door held.
