Free Riding on Whispers (the Wolfegang series Book 3) by Jillian Ashe Page A

that, Celeste can toss me around.”
    I left and went straight to the galley. I needed hot, strong coffee for this unexpected surprise. I turned on the brewer and then programmed my breakfast, banging things around.
    Wolfe was so cocky and demanding, I hated it. The day before, he acted all nice to me; pretending like he really cared, but I doubted he truly did.
    I slammed a mug down on the counter and poured the coffee. Then I took my plate and mug to the table. I needed to calm down before working with Celeste, or I would say something stupid, or do something to provoke her. Then it would be my fault. I would be left with nowhere to go, and no way to find Kris. I couldn’t risk messing this up, but my temper wasn’t making it easy.
    I drank the coffee black, the caffeine relaxing the jitters so that my hands weren’t shaking as badly.
    “What was that back there?” Ricky asked.
    I turned at the sound of his voice, and saw him leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed, studying me.
    I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I have no idea,” I answered honestly.
    Ricky crossed the room and sat down with me. “He truly wasn’t trying to upset you. In his own way he’s trying to protect you. In Wolfe’s mind he can’t be there all the time. Something could happen and there’s nothing he could do. The incident on Speed has been on his mind a lot.”
    I warmed my hands on the mug as I stared into its depths, hoping for answers. “That incident was his doing, completely self-inflicted. So I took care of the problem. End of story.”
    “Katerina, he knows that, and that’s why he feels so bad. He failed to protect his crew, his family, for just a moment, and you were almost killed in a car wreck.”
    “I always thought I would go out with a bang,” I joked morbidly.
    “That’s not funny.” Ricky glared at me.
    “It’s a tiny bit amusing.” I smiled at him. Then I took a breath. “I will try, but it’s not something I’m even a little bit good at. And despite my speech, I don’t trust her.”
    “I’ll keep my ears perked, but I don’t think Celeste is going to try anything. The captain has taken a liking to you and she wouldn’t want to ruin his trust in her, or his affections.”
    I took a bite of my oatmeal mush and pondered. Somehow I had to get her to not hate me, to like me even a teeny bit, and then to trust me. I couldn’t afford an enemy like her trying to foil my plans every step of the way, even if she didn’t know what it was all for.
    “You have your training today, and then the crystals, but if you would like to have tea with me after, I would greatly appreciate it. Wolfe told me about the connection you made with the Sarmatians and the history of Earth.”
    “Tea would be nice,” I agreed. “Though one thing I don’t understand. You called it history, not mythology.”
    Ricky stood up and smiled in his knowing way. “All mythology derives from truth. What we don’t know is how much of the myth is true.”
    He left me to think about that as I finished breakfast.
    When I was done I changed into some loose clothes, a baggy t-shirt over my tank top, and some sweatpants. I had only my socks on, not sure if I should wear my boots or not. So I brought them with me.
    Celeste was waiting for me in Tier Three, the room that could be anything, and today it was a gym.
    She was wearing what she always did, combat boots, tight cargo pants, and a black t-shirt, but today she had her hair up in a ponytail. I’d forgotten to do that to my own hair. It looked like I was going to have to suck it up and deal with it.
    Celeste was frowning, her mood obviously grumpy. She seemed as happy as I was about the arrangement.
    “Let’s get a few things straight,” Celeste said as she walked up to me. “I do not like you. I do not want to do this. And I think you are hiding something. What you did on Speed is irrelevant. You were looking out for yourself.” She dropped her voice to a