Bytes of Passion

Chapter 30

Teegan hated leaving Skylar behind on Picos, but with that damn chip in her, he really had no choice. The second she stepped onto Level 4, where all ships docked, alarms would blare and DSPS would throw her back into a cell. At least with the chip, she had some freedom of movement on the station.

As far as he was concerned, her part in this mission was done. He should have handed her off to his people a week ago. He liked to think he didn't because he'd let himself get caught up in orders. But that was a lie. He was being a selfish son-of-a-bitch, not wanting to leave her. The emptiness he'd felt running black ops had never seemed so bad until he'd met her and he realized what he'd been missing before in his life..

'You won't come back.' Her words, screamed in frustration and fear, haunted him. He wasn't sure how he'd give her back the sense of security and trust those assholes had stolen from her. She didn't love him, not yet, and maybe she never would, but for some unfathomable reason, she trusted him to watch over her.

If only she would turn to him in something other than desperation and fear. He almost told her last night that he loved her, but he couldn't burden her further. When he'd first seen her in that cell, he'd nearly lost it. Her skin was pale and her eyes didn't seem to focus on anything. At first he'd thought she was in shock, as she didn't seem fully aware of everything that was happening around her when he carried her out.

By the time they'd reached her assigned quarters, she was talking nonsense. 'I have no past and no future'... With his nerves frayed from worrying about her and frustration of not finding his target, he thought he was reading into her behavior. Then when she'd started seducing him, it seemed as if she were masking the fear and anger inside of her using the only outlet she could find. Sex.

He preferred being gentle with her, but that wasn't what she had needed. She needed to release the tension and the pain that she'd been holding in. Despite how those sweet moans from her had made coming in his pants a real possibility, he'd kept up the intensity until she'd finally released the emotions that had been holding her hostage. Very soon she'd have to face her past, whether she wanted to or not. Leaving her had been harder than he'd thought, perhaps because she had seemed so fragile sleeping in his arms. He had no choice though. His lead would not wait and Advocate Simms could do more for her on Picos than he could right now.

Teegan had yet to discover who had killed Hunter and kidnapped Skylar in the first place, or rather who had leaked information about the two. She'd described Hunter in some detail, but not who he had been to her or what had happened the day she went missing. Those memories were gone, so he had to find the truth through other means.

Before leaving Picos, he'd threatened a DSPS sergeant into returning all his weapons and gear. Now back on Quintero Station, he left his body armor behind so as not to draw attention. Black shirt and pants, with a hidden assortment of knives, would allow him to blend in more easily. Just being back on Mac's turf got his hackles up. He still wanted to pummel the guy for everything he'd put Skylar through, but that wasn't his objective, at least not today.

Level 3's promenade was jumping with partygoers. Hells, he hadn't realized the date. It was Quintero's Station Day, anniversary of the station's inauguration, but mostly an excuse for the station's inhabitants to let loose and go crazy. If nothing else, the revelry would make it easier for him to move about unnoticed, but it could also make it harder finding what he needed.

An hour after making it to Level 1, the glint of light against a gold horseshoe shaped nose ring caught Teegan's attention.

Mac's bodyguard H. stepped out of the shadows, a scowl on his face. "You're back."

"So very observant of you," Teegan said, a knife in hand.

"You're taking a risk coming back here."

"I need answers," Teegan said, sheathing his knife.

"How's Pi?" H. asked.

"Her name's Skylar," Teegan said, not hiding his displeasure.

"Touchy, Teegan. Jealous of Mac's relationship with her?"

"There's no relationship. Never was." Teegan's jaw clenched even as H. chuckled.

"I thought you were sweet on her, until you sold her out to Mac."

"Not my finest hour."

"I know how it goes, brother. Tell me what you need and it's yours, as long as it doesn't risk my cover," H. said.

"I think we're working the same case. Devon's Disciples?"

"Not quite, but go ahead."

"I need to understand the relationship between Mac and Garrox. Garrox had been searching for Skylar for a while. Garrox knew we might come here, but I got the impression there was more going on between him and Mac. Did Garrox contact Mac or was it the other way around?"

H. exhaled, long and drawn out as he considered his reply. "That's a tough one. Garrox works for Devon, one of his top people from what I've seen. But Mac is an independent, though he does cater to Devon on occasion. I don't see all his communications, but there was definitely a flurry of communications after you and the girl arrived."

"Any sense of who contacted whom first?"

"Garrox was definitely annoyed at hearing from Mac, as if he didn't want to be bothered with him, until Mac mentioned the girl."

"Then how did Mac know to contact Garrox?"

"A message came in through a military frequency, though it came from Picos."

"Picos? Fuck."

H.'s ears notched towards the ladder. "I can't risk further communications with you or anyone else, Teegan. Not with a mole on the loose. One more thing, though I'm not sure I understand it.... there's no bounty or price on her head."

With a slight nod, H. disappeared into the maze of pipes. Teegan hadn't thought about a bounty. She'd crossed Devon's Disciples, one of the most vicious and unforgiving groups to come along in decades, but they hadn't placed a kill order on her. H. was right. It didn't make sense The hairs on the back of his neck rose. One of Devon's Disciples already had eyes on her.