Free Lunar Exposure (On the Hunt) by Shona Husk Page B

skin. When teamed with a rainbow scarf in her hair and dark-green eye makeup that made her eyes look even more yellow, she looked as if she was dolled up for anyone watching her.
    The reality was she could choke the life out of Noga with the scarf if things went wrong and pants let her run and fight better than the delicate dresses. Her palms itched, but she ignored it as she walked through the corridor heading to the dock lounge, pretending to be looking for someone. Well, she was looking for someone, Noga, but if he was watching her, she was pretending to look for someone else. Like Callen.
    When she saw him, she readied her best ditzy socialite act. She had to catch him before the gates opened and people made their way through security and back on the waiting liners. She needed to tag him and slow him down so Callen had time to get on the good side of Moon security.
    Which liner was Noga heading to? A few of the very wealthy had their own private ships. A few were joining small corporate ships. Most people traveled on the liners when going between planets. The Lunar Bird wasn’t leaving today. Without breaking her act, she scanned the departures board. He was here already, reading off his plex as if he really was a businessman looking for the next deal. Or was he researching her? She swallowed down the fear.
    Several of the smaller ships were cleared and were going to be leaving in the next tric —before the firemoss exploded and ruined this zone of the galaxy—and she was willing to bet Noga was going to be on one of them. With a smile plastered on her face, she sauntered over and sat next to him.
    “Benth said you’d be down here. I’m so glad I found you before you left.” She touched his arm lightly, not enough to transfer the tracker. Not yet, if she rushed, he’d realize what she was up to. Now was the time to be ultra-careful. This was when scalps were lost, when they realized someone had made them.
    Noga lifted his gaze from the plex screen and minimized it with his fingers, as if he were worried what she’d read on it. “I can’t imagine why you would want to see me.”
    “On the contrary, we share similar interests. Both our homeworlds are trying to recover and improve living conditions for the people. I’m thinking big charity event. Maybe we could do a sister city swap and strengthen ties between our peoples.” She beamed as if it was the most brilliant idea. “I could help lift the profile of your plight; everyone knows how passionate I am about orphans.” This time she touched his shoulder and let her hand linger as if she might find him attractive.
    When compared to Callen, no other man was quite the same. The way he moved, the way he smelled when his pheromones kicked in. Her memory of him added heat to her smile.
    Noga lifted her hand off his shoulder. While the gesture looked kind enough, he was squeezing far too tight. Her knuckles crunched and her skin whitened under the pressure. While she hated responding to pain—she’d learned long ago it simply gave the bully pleasure—as Haliday in public, she had to.
    “Ow.” She let tears form in the corner of her eyes. “Please, you’re hurting me.” Her voice was just loud enough that a few people glanced over.
    Noga leaned close. “I have no interest in the woes of your bug-infested swamp. A few hungry orphans are nothing. My only concern is my homeworld.” He released her as if her touch offended him.
    She’d been a hungry orphan. How could a man so concerned with the fight for his people’s rights be so dismissive of other people’s rights? All children deserved the right be happy and healthy. Where she’d once disagreed with his methods, now she disliked the man and his casual disregard for life. For the lives of everyone on the Moon. He’d happily kill thousands and justify it for the greater good.
    Keeping the disgust off her face, she cradled her hand as if it was truly injured, not just bruised. “I don’t understand.