Page 31 of Shielded in the Shadows

“You could,” he said, though his eyes tightened as if the thought of me doing so caused him physical pain. “But it wouldn’t be the most logical move on your part.”

“It seems pretty logical to me,” I countered. “I don’t know you. I can’t trust you.”

Jarrix studied me. “Do you really feel like you can’t trust me?” He moved away from the wall, closing half the distance between us in a single step. Gods above, this cabin really was small. “You know the science of true mate physiology. I couldn’t betray or harm you even if I wanted to, which I never would.”

The way he systematically dismantled my arguments without dismissing my feelings was as annoying as it was effective.

“You don’t feel anything here—” He indicated my chest with two extended fingers, stopping just short of touching me “—when I’m near that tells you I’d put myself between you and anyone who meant you harm? Do you really not believe I’d end any threat to your life without a second thought?”

I did believe it because I’d seen him do it again and again on the station, but I wasn’t about to admit it.

“You don’t know me any better than I know you,” I said instead.

“I want to know you,” he replied, still maddeningly calm. “I want to know everything about you, but I know it takes time to build trust and we’ve only known each other less than a day. As for me, I’ve told you who I am, and I’ll answer any questions you have with total honesty. Whatever I must do to prove myself to you, I will do.”

“Why?” I demanded. “Because your biology tells you so?”

“No, because I choose to do so.”

The food synth beeped in the galley to signal that my food was ready. My stomach was grumbling in complete sentences now.

Jarrix took a deep breath. “Can we table this conversation until you’ve eaten, Captain? You are still recovering from your injury, and I know it’s been far too long since your last meal.”

He wasn’t wrong, and those damned dumplings smelled fantastic. “Fine.” I walked past him to the galley, where my steaming bowl of sliced protein and dark green veg waited.

By my mental calculation, we were about six hours from our destination. That gave me a decent amount of time to plan my next move.

But now my next move had to account for Jarrix’s presence too, and that meant unless I truly did intend to drop him at a convenient space station, I should include him in my deliberations.

“I need to check on things in the cockpit,” I said without raising my voice. He’d be able to hear me from his cabin just fine.

“All right,” he called.

I sighed. “Join me.”

A heartbeat later, he appeared in his doorway, soup bowl and mug in hand. If he was trying not to appear relieved about my invitation, he’d failed. “Of course, Captain.”

He followed me to the cockpit door, which I unlocked by scanning my palm. I watched him look over the interior, from the pilot and co-pilot’s seats to the controls and the one hundred and eighty-degree view of stars streaking past at hyperspeed.

I sat in the pilot’s chair, biting back a sigh of relief at being back at the controls. I never took the Nivilus or my freedom for granted, but neither ever felt quite so good as when I sat here after fighting to survive and get back to my ship.

I rested my bowl in my lap and gestured at the seat to my right. “Make yourself comfortable. But so you’re aware, just because I allowed you in here doesn’t mean you can do anything but sit and watch. None of the controls will respond to your touch or verbal commands.”

“Understood.” Jarrix settled in, found a spot for his mug, and picked up his bowl and spoon. “What information are you comfortable sharing with me about where we’re headed?”

As I thought about how to answer, I nibbled unenthusiastically at my food and went through my routine of checking over navigation and all ship’s systems, especially the weapons and shield status reports. I was definitely not jealous of his bowl of dumplings. Not one bit.

“Our current destination is Hidria,” I said finally, sitting back with my bowl in hand. “It’s a small planet that used to have a mining colony before they depleted the planet’s resources and the company moved on. Now it’s just a hunk of rock with no shipping lanes or outposts nearby and the occasional ion storm.”

“A good place to hide,” Jarrix said between bites. “But not for long, given the storms and your fuel situation.”

I might have guessed he’d notice my fuel levels while I was reviewing the ship’s status logs. “True. So no matter where I go after Hidria, I’ll need to make a fuel stop somewhere I can get in and out without being noticed.”

“I?” he asked, his voice even. “Or we?”

I set my bowl with its half-eaten contents back in my lap and stared out at the passing stars. “I told you when we came aboard that you’d have to convince me not to leave you at the next available station.”

“You did say that.” He was already eating the last of his dumplings. The male could really pack away the food. It probably took a lot to fuel that big body. Not that I was thinking about his body or how big he was.