Free Captive of Pleasure; the Space Pirate's Woman (The LodeStar Series) by Cathryn Cade Page B

auburn hair curling damply around her angular face she looked almost pretty.  
    She scowled from the girl to him and back again. “What’s she still doing here? I thought you were going to have Nera take her.”
    Joran gave her a level stare. “Really? Because I don’t recall saying that.”
    Her stance tightened, her hands fisting at her sides. The girl, who had scuttled back under her rug when the door opened, huddled down, her fearful gaze flicking from Joran to Qala and back.
    “You can’t be serious,” Qala said, gesturing. “I mean, look at her. She’s filthy. And she’s just a soft little immi. You need someone with backbone, not her.”
    “Qala,” he said, his voice cold. “This is not your business. She stays. Now since you weren’t invited in, I suggest you find your way out.”
    He watched her absorb this blow, her face paling under her golden tan, her green eyes filling with hurt and shock. He didn’t soften his own look. She’d overstepped her bounds and she knew it.  
    She nodded—jerkily, but she did it. “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”
    The searing look she gave him, however, promised that it would also be a while before she forgave him. He merely took another drink of moonbrandy, smooth and strong. “Then I’ll see you in the morning.”
    She stalked out of the tont, and he gave the command to close the door and lower the second flap. It snicked into place.  
    The girl whimpered, a soft panicked sound, and disappeared completely.
    Joran chuckled, this time without any humor whatsoever. Hells of a deal. He’d chosen to fend off his lieutenant’s advances with the one single woman in camp who not only didn’t want him, but was flat out terrified of him. Not that he wanted her either. She was the epitome of everything he steered away from in a woman—weak, clinging and helpless.
    And having thrown her up as a barrier between him and Qala, now he had to keep her with him.  
    But being the pirate he was, he could always find a way to turn a situation around to his benefit. Why should this be any different? Joran eyed the lump of carpet and the tangled ends of her hair trailing from underneath, his eyes narrowed in speculation.  
    He’d wanted a distraction—and he had one, in spades. Alone, terrified and far from home—wherever that was—this little bunny needed a protector.  
    He couldn’t set her loose in the camp, as she’d either try to run and thus get herself killed by a wild predator, or she’d cause trouble among those in his camp—the single males. Nera had two teenage sons, so her tont was out. Riley would look after her, but Wega ... no. Qala or Ilya, hells no.  
    One of his other warriors’ partners might take her, but he couldn’t ask them to take a lovely stranger into their tonts. His crew was rough, virile and—maybe with the exception of Var and Pede—not above straying if they thought they could get some without their partners knowing. Dangle her and most would take the bait, then their partners would go for the nearest blade, ready to maim all involved.
    He also couldn’t put her with any of the single women like Fee or her friends. They’d rip her a new one for sport or ignore her while she got herself into trouble. Marzolle would simply seduce her, which might be fun as hells to watch, but…no.
    So he’d keep her with him for a couple of days. At least he could amuse himself by getting her to talk to him. Yeah, she was a virgin, but nothing said he had to fuck her. Just...gentle her a bit. Then he’d put her on a transport and send her back to her people.
    And thumb his nose at the IGSF in the process, with a slave auction purchase right under their noses.
     
    ***
     
    Her rescuer spoke again, his voice, deep and lazy, with an edge of humor as if he found her amusing.  
    “You can come out, little bunny. No one will harm you here.”
    She wanted to believe him, but no one except the dark-eyed slave had been kind to her in the nightmare of