3. Lisa

“Just my luck,” I grumble.

I’m not sure how, exactly, a ship this new managed to spring a leak in the coolant system. But the fact is, all signs point to exactly that. And unfortunately for me, the hose for the coolant runs the entire length of the ship through the upper storage compartments.

Lucky for the captain, I’m just short enough to wedge myself inside and get a better look. The material feels cheaper than what I’m used to. More and more, ship manufacturers are cutting corners with shoddy craftsmanship in places an average customer wouldn’t even think to check.

Like, for instance, putting a fragile cooling line in a place where people haphazardly toss bags and crates for storage.

I sigh, crawling in a little bit deeper to trace the trickle of liquid I’ve found. This should be a simple patch job, but I won’t know how well the patch will hold up until I can see the leak for myself.

Just when I think I’ve found it, the metal below me starts to hum in a very familiar and foreboding way. I quickly retrieve my duct tape and slap some over the leak before it can get any worse.

“Captain?” I call out. The thrusters blast on. “Shit!” I start scrambling backward, but I’m too late. Just as I feared, the storage compartments automatically close when the ship begins an ascent. It’s a safety regulation, one I’m cursing heavily right now.

I start banging on the walls. I don’t have time to accidentally stowaway to wherever he thinks we’re heading. Did he forget about the dangerous leak? Did he really not check before engaging the navigation system?

I’m furious. It feels like hours of me shouting and banging before the floor collapses under me. I hit the ground hard and blink away my own galaxy’s worth of stars as I try to recover. All I see are a blurry pair of boots walking away from me and a sound of annoyed dismissal.

“Seriously?” I ask. I stumble back to my feet and try to regain my senses. It’s then I realize those stars weren’t just in my head. My eyes go wide as I can see out of a small viewport window. We’re actually out in space.

I’d assumed he’d just forgotten about a meeting and took us across the planet. But space?

Oh, Captain Derchus is in so much shit.

“Hey!” I call out to the pair of boots I saw a moment ago. “Get back here!”

I stomp my way down the hall and into the cockpit. It’s empty except for the captain’s chair. Why would he take off into space without his crew? Was he evading more than paying the repair bill, I wonder?

“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I ask as I step inside. “Are you an idiot? Why would you take off when you knew I was inside?”

This was the last time I ever leave the keys lying around. From now on, they stay on my belt until the job is done and fully paid for!

“Can you hear me? I said, what the hell are you doing?”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” says a voice that certainly isn’t Captain Derchus. It’s deeper, more commanding.

My pulse picks up as I quickly understand something definitely isn’t right here. The man in the pilot’s chair turns around. He’s a Kaleidian, there’s no doubt about that. His skin is a deep blue, and he has long black hair and shining brown eyes that look to be daring me to do something.

My face flushes, cheeks burning.

“I don’t know when you snuck back on board, but your presence is indeed an accident. Go make yourself quiet somewhere while I figure out what to do with you.”

I reel back, hands on my hips, and feel myself getting flustered. What to do with me? Like I was some lost child who stumbled into a gambling den?

He isn’t part of Derchus’ crew, that’s certain. He isn’t wearing the uniform. No, in fact, he’s wearing plain dark street clothes.

I frown. Repo man? Did Derchus bet too much on his new investment and fail to make a few payments? It wouldn’t be the first time a shady repo company targeted my garage. Makes it look like we’re the incompetent ones.

“Just turn around and drop me back off at my garage. Obviously.” I cross my arms and wait for him to agree to my terms.

“Not happening,” he replies.

“Okay, fine, then one of the stations planetside. It’s honestly the least you could do for not checking before repossessing property obviously in the middle of maintenance.”

The Kaleidian man stands and crosses his arms, towering over me with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Oh, is it? The least I could do?”

My heart starts pumping hard as those brown eyes bore into me.

For a moment, my brain runs through about a dozen other scenarios of the things he could do for me. The way his lips quirk into a smug grin and his muscles flex as he crosses his arms is threatening to undo me. I know, more than anything right now, I have to hold my ground. But even I can admit a small part of me wants to stay aboard as this man’s special little co-pilot.

“From where I’m standing, the least I could do is toss you through the airlock and be done with it.”

What the hell is wrong with me? This man is threatening to kill me, and something just sparked inside me. Something warm and wholly exciting.

And then it clicks. No repo man would threaten an accidental stowaway with death. That wouldn’t look good for his boss, who would certainly have to take a hefty financial penalty for his associate’s incompetence.

So, he isn”t on Derchus’ crew. And he likely doesn’t have a legal claim to be taking Derchus’ ship off the planet.

Which leaves…

“You stole this ship.”

The man chuckles. “You just now realized that? Funny. Yes, I stole this ship. This giant, gift-wrapped, bundle of precious gems with a tag that yelled ‘steal me’ on the side. I’m going to sell the gems for a fortune, and I’m going to pawn off the ship as well. And you know what’s going to happen?”

My breaths come in deep, shallow gasps. I don’t know why, but I’m hanging on every single word.

“I’m going to make a shit ton of cash, have fun doing it, and Derchus is going to get a fat insurance payment himself without ever having to deal with selling his stock. Everyone wins. Right?”

He leans down further, just shy of touching our noses together. A lock of his long, black hair falls down and brushes against my cheek. I haven’t felt this alive since… Well, ever. In spite of myself, I feel compelled to stand on my toes and bridge that slight gap between us.

What’s wrong with me?

This man just threatened my life after admitting to multiple crimes, and all I can think about is how chiseled his chin looks or how taut those muscles might feel under my palms.

“Except you,” he finishes. The man stands back up straight and frowns at me. “No, your involvement was an accident. I never saw you get back on the ship. So, what do I do with you?” He taps the side of his chin as if deep in thought. It’s all an act. He’s trying to make me sweat it out.

“I won’t tell the authorities,” I say quickly. Why would I? This is the most interesting man I’ve ever met. Putting him behind bars feels like the real crime. And he’s right, to an extent. Financially, Derchus will be fine. Every mining operation in the galaxy is backed by insurance by law. Plus, it’s not like anyone got physically hurt by this.

“And I’m supposed to believe that?” he scoffs. He”s toying with me. He’s like a reyn-cat, batting around a rodent it ought to just kill for the thrill of it. Watching the poor creature fret and sweat is more fun than tasting its blood.

And I fully admit, I find this back and forth thrilling myself. No one has ever kept up with me like this before. He’s strong, and he knows it. He has full power over me, and he’s not afraid to dangle it over my head.

I want this to keep going. And I hate myself for it. Why, oh, why do I love bad boys so much? It’s one thing to read about them in silly books from the second-hand store. Another entirely to be standing right in front of one, daring him to do something about my presence.

But, somehow, I just can’t help myself. He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed about, and I’m completely at his mercy.

I really am an idiot.

“I’m not going to kill you,” he says before taking his seat again. I exhale, just slightly. Part of me knew he wouldn’t, but I don’t actually know this guy at all. “Like I said, you weren’t part of this plan. I’ll drop you off at the first refuel station. Hell, I’ll even be nice and give you enough cash to make a heavily monitored call home.”

I roll my eyes, at which he smirks again. “Thanks, but I can make a call just fine.” I tap my comm device on my wrist. Of course, I know the further out we go, the more likely it won’t have the right signal to connect. And then I’ll need a sturdier connection from an official line.

Like a pay pad at a fuel station.

“Or, here’s an idea, you pay my way on a shuttle back home,” I say confidently. “Since you’re getting such a payday out of this anyway.”

He laughs hard. “Oh, I like your audacity. But no. That’s not how this little adventure works.”

“Adventure?” I ask. “Is that what you call this?” The thought sends a thrill through me. Thoughts of shootouts, grand escapes, and shady underworlds flash through my mind and send jolts of excitement up my spine.

He nods.

“Hm.” I fold my arms and stare down at him. “Alright. Then what do I call you, Mr. Adventurer?”

He turns to face me again, looking me up and down, and smiles. “Ozadus.”

“Well, Ozadus,” I reply cooly. “My name is Lisa. And I think you owe me an adventure, too.”