Trust and Treachery

Bit squeezed off one final round, smiling as the bullet left a gouge in the dummy’s left temple. She had a long way to go to match Blaine’s uncanny skill at piercing the dummy’s eye—or any other body part he called out—but she had come a long way in the four lessons they had together. She flipped the safety on, removed the clip, and cleared the chamber before setting the pieces down on the table.

  Looking up at her trainer, she found he had a smile on his face, too.

  “So when do I start learning hand-to-hand?” she asked.

  Instantly, Bit knew the answer would be “not yet.” Blaine looked down at her, humor playing in his blue eyes. She could tell he was trying not to laugh at her question. Instead of feeling ashamed for asking, she enjoyed his humor and the way his eyes danced.

  Bit swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. She knew her expression had gone blank, but couldn’t get the joy back. She had just admired a man for his attractiveness. Blaine had many attractive qualities, worth admiring, but she had sworn herself off from ever feeling for a man or being with a man. Not because of any pain to herself.

  She was not a jilted lover, but rather a sister making her way in the universe without her sister, and all because of a man who had wooed her. Their third employer, Douglas Zandri had seduced her sister Alesha, and when Alesha had given birth, he sent the child off to some distant home. It wasn’t long after the birth Alesha died. The doctors said it had been due to complications from the birth, but Bit was certain it was a broken heart. Not only had Alesha lost her child, but Douglas had informed them that he would be selling their debt. He had no love left for Alesha.

  “Bit, you okay?” Blaine asked, bringing her back to the here and now.

  She blinked, realizing her eyes had grown moist as she remembered her lost sister. Bit swallowed the fresh lump in her throat and nodded.

  “Memories?”

  “Yeah. I’m okay.”

  Blaine gave her shoulder a squeeze before putting a little distance between them.

  “So, when do I get to start hand-to-hand training?”

  “You sure you want to?” he asked, leaning against the nearest table and twined his arms across his chest.

  Bit could tell his posture was designed to look relaxed, but she knew better. She could see the tension in his neck. He thought he had made her cry. She didn’t want him to think that, but she wasn’t ready to explain herself.

  “Yeah, of course.”

  “Well, first your arm has to finish healing, and secondly, you have to put on a bit more weight—preferably muscle. You’re still too skinny.”

  Bit glanced away from his face, biting down on her lower lip. “Never thought I’d hear a man say that to me.”

  Blaine chuckled, though she could still hear his tension in the sound.

  “So, eat more?”

  “Not just eat more, but work your muscles. I can set up a regiment for you.” He paused to hold up a hand in a stalling motion. “But not until your arm heals.”

  Bit rolled her eyes. She had never been very patient, especially in areas she couldn’t work to speed things up. Her body would heal at its own speed, no matter how impatient she became, and that just made her more eager to move forward.

  “Fine,” she mumbled, exaggerating her annoyance in the hopes of getting him to laugh again.

  He did.

  “Speaking of your arm, I need to check it for infection before I start my next lesson. C’mon,” he added as he grabbed the firearm.

  They put their weapons away and locked the armory. Bit followed him down the infirmary and climbed onto the examination table. She gave him a put-upon frown, making sure he knew just how much she didn’t want to be in the bloody infirmary. When he ignored her look, she let out a depressed sigh.

  Blaine turned away from the supply cabinet with a playful smirk, his hand filled with the supplies he expected to need.

  “Roll up your sleeve,” he ordered.

  She obeyed, noticing for the first time that a large red stain marred her bandage. Blaine dumped his supplies on the rolling tray and lifted her arm, all playfulness gone from his face. He was all business now.

  Blaine carefully unwrapped the bandaging. A noxious smell escaped the bandaging, reminding Bit of the smell in the trash compactor. Green and white pus seeped from the wound, mixing with the blood still leaking from the wound.

  “I’m gonna have to clean this out again. How ‘bout some painkillers,” he suggested before releasing her arm and moving to the cabinet.

  He grabbed a bottle of pills and handed her one. She swallowed it and watched him organize his supplies.

  After a short wait, Bit spoke. “What are we waiting for?”

  “For the drugs to kick in. Trust me, you’re not gonna want to feel getting that cleaned out.”

  Bit rolled her eyes. The movement made her feel suddenly unstable. She frowned as the room began to sway, almost as though she was on a boat being gently rocked by the sea. She looked up at Blaine, who was leaning against the enormous sink. A smirk began to play on his shapely lips as he watched her.

  He really was extremely handsome as he looked down at her, his hair flopping into his eyes again. She loved to watch him grow annoyed with the errant locks, wiping them angrily out of his eyes.

  Blaine had the perfect balance of beautiful muscles without looking as though his goal was bulk. He was truly strong. She had felt it when he had dropped her to the floor for accidentally pointing a loaded weapon at him. Bit felt a blush color her cheeks but she couldn’t quite bring herself to care. She was too busy admiring the man.

  Today he wore a faded black t-shirt that had seen better days, the old fabric stretching over his biceps revealing every curve of his muscles.

  Bit licked her lips. She had never been with a man, but she had seen movies. She knew women were supposed to enjoy it. Was that what had drawn her sister to Douglas?

  Bit blinked, suddenly forgetting her train of thought. Blaine caught her attention again. His lips were pulled up into a smile, accentuating his long nose.

  “I think I can start working now,” he murmured.

  She wasn’t exactly sure what he was talking about but lost all caring as he crossed the room and took her injured arm in his hand. His hands were large, powerful, and warm. She liked the way his warmth touched her skin, causing a shiver to run up her spine.

  He began working on her arm. She felt a distant, pulling sensation on her skin, but it wasn’t painful. Instead of focusing on what he was doing, she continued to admire his body. As she had expected, his hair fell in his face.

  “Lemme gets that,” she said as she gently brushed the lock back.

  Her fingers lingered on his skin, slowly tracing their way down to his firm jaw. She liked the way his short stubble scratched at her skin.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced up at her, a wary look coming into his eyes. Bit frowned at him. Why does he look so worried?

  Bit traced her fingers up to the wrinkles forming around his eyes.

  “So serious,” she said, absently wondering why her mouth didn’t seem to be working right.

  She moved her fingers from his face to her lips and caressed them.

  “I canna’ feel ma ‘ips,” she explained.

  Blaine’s expression evolved into a smile.

  “Sit still, keep your hands to yourself, and let me finish this.”

  “You donna like it when I ‘ouch you?” she slurred before she could clamp her mouth shut.

  “I never said that,” he replied, still focused on her numb arm.

  In truth, all of her was numb.

  “So you do like it.”

  “Bi-it,” he growled.

  “What?”

  She tried to focus, tried to figure out why he looked both annoyed and amused at the same time.

  “This is not being good.”

  “How amma bein’ bad?”

  “You’re tempting me.”

  “To do what
?”

  “To kiss you, or more. But when you’re not hyped up on pain meds, you don’t like to be touched.”

  Bit thought about what he said. She had never been kissed and part of her wanted to try it, especially with Blaine.

  “You wanna kiss me?” she asked, leaning forward a little.

  The movement was more than she had been expecting, and without the ability to control her fumbling body, she tipped forward. Blaine caught her with his free hand and helped her stabilize herself. She grinned at him, thoroughly enjoying the sensations coursing through her body.

  “Stop, Bit. You would hate me if I did.”

  “I coo never hate you!” she exclaimed.

  He gently set her arm down on the tray, wound up, and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

  “Bit, I don’t know what happened to you in the past, but normally you flinch at the slightest touch. You’re not ready for me to kiss you. But I’m waiting for the day you are ready.”

  “Doya wanna know?” she asked.

  “Of course, but you don’t have to tell me,” he added before he moved to smear ointment across her cleaned wound.

  “One o’ my past emp’oyers seduced my sis’er. She died affer givin’ birf. The jackass shipped the baby away. Men are aaawwful,” she said as she watched Blaine wipe his hands clean of the ointment. “But donna’ tell no one. Issa secret.”

  Blaine cupped her face, his large hands warming her cheeks.

  “Not all men are jackasses. Just remember that.”

  She tried to nod, but the movement was blocked by his continued grip. They stared at each other for a long moment before she tried to speak again.

  “Now you gonna kiss me?”

  Blaine grinned at her before lifting her head and gently kissing her forehead. She gave him a humph of annoyance as he moved to wrap her arm in fresh bandages. He grinned at her, but still refused to give her what she wanted.

  When he finished with her arm, she pushed him aside and slid off the exam table. Had it not been for his quick reflexes, she would have slid all the way to the floor. Blaine scooped her up into his arms and carried her up to the living quarters.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Jack asked as he emerged from his own room.

  “Had to clean out the gash. Gave her a pain killer. Might have been a bit strong…”

  “Hi cap’ain,” she called, cutting Blaine off.

  Jack chuckled as he approached her and tucked her hair back behind her ear. “She’s higher than a space dock.”

  “Di’ I ever tell you how han’some you are, Cap?” she asked, reaching out to stroke his face just as she had done to Blaine.

  Jack laughed again. “No, but I’m gonna ask you about that when you’re sober.”

  “Okay-dokie. You look allot like Cawen. He’s han’some too. And Owen… Oden. Wha’ever.”

  Bit slumped back into Blaine’s arms.

  “Get her to her room before Calen or Oden find her like this.”

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Blaine wink at the captain. Between the two of them, they got her into her room and settled in her hammock, the blanket securely tucked around her small frame.

  “Check on her once in a while, Blaine. She might fall out of the hammock.”

  “Will do, Cap,” Blaine said as the door thumped shut.

  Bit quickly drifted off to sleep as she floated through a dream world of handsome men and guns.