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He sat on the bed, then reached out and grabbed her ankle. “You have no idea what’s out here. And I can help you find your treasure.”

Her eyes widened. “What treasure?”

“The one you have the map to.”

“I told you?” She broke into a string of curses. “You drugged me and took advantage⁠—”

“Careful, Dakota. I don’t take advantage of women. The drugs helped you heal.”

She pressed her hands to her face. “You want to help me? And how much is it going to cost me? How much of my treasure?”

He eyed her steadily. “We can do an eighty/twenty split⁠—”

She gasped and tried to jerk her leg away from his hold. “Forget it! You can have a small finder’s fee, but this treasure is mine! Stars, you didn’t even start with a fifty/fifty split. Men, you’re all the same⁠—”

Dare tugged on her leg, pulling it out straight and dragging her toward him. She squeaked and tried to kick him.

He pressed his body down over hers to hold her still. “The eighty percent is for you. I’ll take twenty percent for me. It’ll be my ship we’re using, my fuel we’re burning.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Twenty?”

“Yes.”

“That’s…reasonable.” She was staring at him, like she was looking for the con or the angle.

“Don’t you trust anyone?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. Everyone’s always screwed me over.”

Curiosity and a deep-seated anger burned through him. “Like Chris Tarron?”

She stiffened like she’d been hit with a stunner. “I don’t want to hear that scum-sucking thief’s name again.” She turned her head and stared at the wall, her jaw tight.

“Was he your lover?” Dare asked.

Now she glared at him. “None of your fucking business.”

“He was your business partner.”

“He was a thief. He stole from me. The bastard took everything.”

Bitter words, but he didn’t sense any self-pity. The man hadn’t beaten her down.

“Let me help you find this treasure.”

“Why?”

“Twenty percent will be worth it. My crew is always eager for an adventure.”

“You don’t even know what the treasure is. Your share could be worthless.”

“You wouldn’t risk your life for worthless.”

She stared at him, evidence of an internal battle on her face. Finally, she lifted the orb at the end of her necklace. The next second, a star map projected into the air.

“Amazing.” He studied the marked planets and stars.

“This planet is the location of the treasure.” She pointed to one that glowed gold. “The treasure was taken off Earth on a starship called the Southwind. According to legend, the ship made it out here, to uncharted space, where its captain went crazy. He purposely stranded the ship and her crew on a distant planet. One of the crew, a man named Caleb Stock, made it back to charted space, telling the tale of the Southwind and her Terran treasure. He made this map.”