Chapter 23
Sasha tossed back the last of her drink and hiked her legs up on the reclining lounge where she rested in her rented room. Perhaps it was the alcohol or maybe she felt sorry for herself, but she found her mind unable to stop thinking of Jaron.
She missed him. He’d given her his contact information if she ever needed anything. A means of getting a hold of him directly if his words that night were to be believed.
Over the last two weeks she’d been tempted. In her lonely bed. Late night tracking this particular bounty. Never was he far from her thoughts.
She kept his information in her comm and took it out to stare at when she remembered the pleasure they’d shared in one another’s arms. Temptation pulled her toward the comm during her loneliest moments, but she knew if she exchanged so much as a brief line to the Jutak warrior, she’d forget the job and rush to Enotia. To him.
But now. This was different. Huge. Sasha was finally in position to close out the biggest bounty of her career and wanted to share the news. Maybe celebrate or hear the pride in Jaron’s voice when he acknowledged her cunning.
Sasha sighed and tapped a nail on the screen. What to do? What to do? Giving in, she hit the assigned symbol on the screen and seconds later the call connected. His rich voice rolled over her.
“Greetings, kitten.”
No shock, no surprise. Her heart leaped in her chest at his swift recognition. A pleased purr slid past her lips before Sasha clamped them together. “Jaron.”
“Tell me you commed to say you miss me as much as I am missing you.”
Why did her cheeks hurt? Sasha pressed fingers to her mouth. She was smiling. A real smile. Not the fake one she’d been using these last weeks with the hole in her heart too big for anything but this man to fill.
“Maybe I did.” She really did.
His wicked laughter filled her ear. “Tell me when and where and I’ll be there, kitten.”
Sasha nearly moaned aloud. How easily he got to her. “What would we do? I am still on the job you know.”
“I do not care.”
Sasha rolled over onto her side and pressed her free hand to her stomach to still the flutters. It wasn’t a hardship to agree to his request since the purpose of her comm was to share her news anyway. “What exactly are you suggesting?”
“You know what I want, Sasha.”
The rasp of his words caressed a part of Sasha she’d thought long dead. A part that only came alive around this male. “Wouldn’t you like to know why I’m reaching out to you? It’s good.”
“Good enough to explain why you went out of your way to keep your tracks hidden?”
Now he sounded angry. No. He sounded frustrated and a little…sad. Suddenly she didn’t want to tell him about the leak regarding the location on a Marenian named Arlo. It diminished this comm and seemed self-serving.
But if Sasha collected the bounty, she’d be one step closer to getting Orland. Up to this point, the bastard had managed to avoid Sasha using the same methods she employed to avoid any hints of her whereabouts while working a bounty. If she paid Orland back, she’d be clear to…she wasn’t sure. Maybe see if things really could work with Jaron.
“Tell me, Sasha. Then let me know where I need to be to see you.”
Sasha reached for the message cube she’d received earlier and spun it in her hand. “I have a lead on one of the Marenians close to Lothar. His name is Arlo.”
A pause. Sasha frowned and pushed up to a half-seated position at the silence on Jaron’s end. She thought he’d leap at the chance to ask. They both had reason to hate Marenians. Her brows creased and a stirring of unease pricked at her senses. Why the hesitation?
“Jaron?”
“I am here. Is this the same special case you were assigned Bounty Retriever for when you left?”
Stilted. The question contained none of the affection she’d come to associate with her Jutak. In response, Sasha’s answer was as stiff. “Yes.”
Jaron sighed and she could almost see him running his hand through his hair as was his habit. “I am pleased for you, Sasha. It is a big undertaking.”
This was more like him. Ignoring her misgivings, she relaxed. He lacked enthusiasm but her comm must have caught him off-guard. “Yes, and I’ve finally managed to get him to meet at a public place. Should be fairly easy because he thinks he’s there to buy a rare female slave.”
Nothing else would have drawn the wily Marenian out. Sasha’s contact assured her Arlo would show and the female in question posing as a slave was fully aware of the risk and willing to help Sasha for a few credits.
Jaron cleared his throat and dropped his tone to a husky murmur. “Tell me where to find you.”
There was no doubt any longer in Sasha’s mind that she wanted to see him, work or no work. Adjusting her wrist comm she sent him the meet details and coordinates. “Be here in two days, Jutak.”
She disconnected with a smug grin. Inside her heart bounced with joy. Falling back on the recliner, Sasha hugged herself. She’d been a fool to wait so long. The truth stared her in the face and she no longer wished to fight it. She was going to follow her instincts.
“I think I’m ready to say I love you, Jaron.”
***
The knot lodged in Jaron’s throat took a bit to clear. His breath ragged, he commed Torkel, knowing what he was about to do would ruin any chance at a future with Sasha.
“Is everything alright, Jaron?” Torkel sounded distracted. Probably with Faye.
“We have intel on Arlo.”