Her dry tone and the slightest softening of her stiff shoulders told him he was forgiven. Well, not entirely, but at least a little bit. “I can help you find Solomon.”
“I don’t need your help.”
Oh, but he wanted to help her. Seeing her look at him with disappointment and distrust had almost gutted him. He’d kept his distance from the delicious captain, but damned if he didn’t want a little taste of all that golden skin. He’d wanted her for so damn long, and he also wanted to prove to her he wasn’t just a shifty smuggler.
“Come on, Nissa. You know I have contacts on Galaxy’s Edge who wouldn’t talk to you if you paid them a million e-creds. I can help find out where Solomon’s gone.”
She leaned in closer. “You think I don’t know what would have happened if you’d beaten Solomon to Kenth? I’d be chasing your ass around the quadrant.”
“Not true. I would have handed the Constitution over to the appropriate authorities.”
“And pocketed the finder’s fee.”
He held out his hands and shot her a smile. “I can’t live on recycled air alone, Captain Smooth.”
She snorted, her gaze slipping down his body. “I’d say you live just fine on all your smuggling gains.”
“I’ve never been caught smuggling or formally charged.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get off my ship, Phoenix.” She turned to leave.
“Fuck.” He grabbed her arm. “Nissa, Icanhelp you find Solomon.”
She looked down at his hand, then back at his face. “You watch your language on my ship.”
He winced. “Sorry. Bad habit of mine.”
“I’ll find Solomon. I already have my team working on it.”
“Before he sells the Constitution to the highest bidder?”
Her jaw clenched.
Justyn went in for the kill. “Besides, I know some people who keep close tabs on Solomon. Know how he operates, where his favorite hangouts are, who his favorite buyers are.” Justyn grimaced. “I’m related to them, in fact.”
Nissa’s yellow eyes turned considering. “You’re talking about thefamousPhoenix brothers.”
“Hey, me, Dare, and Ry aren’t exactly unknown.”
She smiled now. “Out here on the edge, maybe. But you aren’t the galaxy-renowned treasure-hunting Phoenix brothers. I hear Dathan Phoenix is a fine specimen to behold.”
Justyn felt the sting to his pride, but her widening smile told him she was needling him. “He’s married,” Justyn said stiffly.
She stood there studying Justyn until he felt like a specimen in her ship’s science lab.
He smiled and bumped her with his shoulder. “Come on, Nissa. Let’s work together and get this artifact back.”
She let out a gusty sigh. “Fine. But while you’re on my ship, you followmyorders.” She raised a brow. “Think you can handle that?”
He tried to hide his triumphant smile. “I think I can handle that just fine. You won’t regret this.”
She swiveled on the heels of her polished boots, then looked back over her shoulder. “I already do.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Nissa stood in the doorway of her ops room, watching her team working around the conference table with hand-held Sync communicators and portable computer consoles. It was a familiar view. Her team worked well together, running searches, proposing scenarios and plans.
What wasn’t familiar was Justyn Phoenix’s brawny body at the table.
