CHAPTER TWO
As kidnappings went this seemed to be one of his better ones.
The chair they had Sebastian in was fairly comfortable, though sturdy enough that he didn’t think he could easily tip it over. Aside from a headache, he wasn’t feeling any ill effects from whatever they’d snuck into his drink, and he hadn’t been punched or kicked or even spoken to much. Judging from the sounds of movement, there were at least three other people in the room, and some experimental whistling — until he was told to shut up — led him to think the room he was in was a high-ceilinged cargo bay. Odds were he was still on the station and not in the hold of a ship.
Best of all, they hadn’t taken his coat before they’d cuffed his wrists behind him. That was good because he thought this particular coat made him look dashing and a little bit taller, and also because he had lock-picks concealed in the sleeves.
He had worked the picks out of their hiding place and was discreetly feeling his way around the lock when the blindfold was abruptly yanked off.
“Oh, hello,” Sebastian said, blinking at the bright light. “There seems to have been some mistake. You were likely looking to grab some other handsome, brilliant ship’s captain. I’m Captain Sebastian Garcia.”
“Fuck off,” the thick-necked man holding the blindfold said, “we know who you are.”
They were in one of the station’s many cargo holds, a long and narrow space filled with stacked shipping crates. He quickly assessed the three burly men around him as being low-level flunkies — locals who most likely worked loading cargo and were willing to supplement their salaries with occasional thuggery. The fact that they had drugged him in a bar, rather than just smashing and grabbing him, spoke to someone more discreet calling the shots. Seemingly someone who wanted Sebastian unharmed for the time being. He liked that in a kidnapper.
Looking at the three impatient and not particularly bright faces surrounding him, Sebastian was confident he could talk his way out of this situation. That is, until two more people walked into the room.
The first, a well-dressed, middle-aged woman, who Sebastian immediately clocked as the money, looked at him with distaste. But it was the second person who caused his heart to speed up even as his stomach dropped.
“Shit,” Sebastian said as he recognized the man who, four years earlier, he’d stolen The Wayward Prince from.
“I see that you remember me, Sebastian,” Ren said to him, his voice lacking any emotion. His face, too, was utterly cold.
Of course Sebastian remembered him. But the naive young man Ren had been was very different from the person looking down at him now. He’d been twenty-one when Sebastian had encountered him, a young twenty-one too — he’d never said where he was from, but it was clearly not one of those places, more common than not these days, where kids had to grow up fast. No, Ren had been soft and rich and eager for experience. Sebastian had told himself that relieving the young man of his expensive ship was providing a useful lesson, one that would send Ren back to his family a little wiser and at least safe from those who would do worse to him. The way Ren was looking at him right now, though, suggested he didn’t view what Sebastian had done as any kind of favor.
It also seemed like Ren had spent the intervening years lifting heavy things — possibly in preparation for throwing Sebastian through a wall. His expensive clothes strained against broad shoulders and muscled arms and thighs. His face still had the sculpted lines, with high rounded cheekbones and smooth dark skin, that had made Ren so memorable. But the full lips that had once been quick to curve into a smile were set and the bright brown eyes implacable.
The woman with him cleared her throat sharply, and one of the men hastily pulled over a chair and set it down opposite Sebastian. Ren sat down gracefully, smoothing the fabric of his trousers as he did, but Sebastian thought the gesture could also be one to cover sweating palms, and he tilted his head to look at him more closely.
“Ren,” he said softly. “Been a long time.”
“Four years, six months, three days,” Ren said flatly. “All galactic standard time of course.”
“Oh.” Sebastian smiled wanly. “There’s counting.”
There was a brief spark of anger in Ren’s dark eyes. “It wasn’t easily forgotten, waking up to find my ship gone — you gone — with no explanation.”
Sebastian leaned forward as far as his cuffed wrists would allow. “There’s actually a very good explanation that I can—”
There was another loud throat clearing from the woman. She gave Ren a faintly scandalized look, and he straightened his already precise posture. Everything about her, from the firm lines around her mouth, to the dark straight hair scraped back from her face, to the precise fall of the rich cloth over her solid form spoke to someone who was used to being in control. And yet she was letting Ren take charge.
“As I’m sure you’re aware,” Ren said to Sebastian, “I’ve been trying to contact you for several months now.”
“Yes, the bounty on my head and the ship,” Sebastian said. “It’s made life interesting, I’ll give you that. Listen, Ren, after everything that’s happened between us I understand your anger. But my crew had no part in it. I didn’t even have a crew when you knew me. Whatever you’re planning to do, I know I deserve it; just please leave them out of it.”
The woman snorted this time. “You were right when you said he was dramatic.”
A briefly pained expression marred the stillness of Ren’s face. “Zaria, please.” He looked back at Sebastian. “You think I’m here for revenge?”
Sebastian gave a pointed look around, taking in the thugs and himself tied to a chair. “It had crossed my mind, yes.”
Ren sighed. “Whatever my personal feelings may be, they have nothing to do with why you’re here. I know my measures have been heavy-handed, but I had little choice. You’re not an easy person to find.” He rubbed his hands over his thighs again. “You see, Sebastian, I’m not trying to punish you. I want to hire you.”
Sebastian drew back. “Come again?”
Ren went on, sounding more uncertain now, “It’s something we have to discuss at a more secure location, but—”
Sebastian’s movement had caused him to glimpse something far back in the shadowy recesses of the hold among the crates. No one else noticed — Ren was staring at the floor as he spoke, the woman, Zaria, was watching Ren, and the three men were looking at each other, clearly ready to be paid and away from all the talking. It was only the briefest flash of light glinting off metal, but it was something Sebastian recognized immediately.
“Mags,” he shouted as loud as he could. “Hold!”
He flung himself forward, and his hands, which had been free of the cuffs for a few minutes now, grabbed at Ren. Both of them tumbled onto the floor as Zaria cried out.
The three flunkies started toward Sebastian but froze as they saw, coming toward them from the rear of the hold, Mags with her rifle precisely aimed, flanked by Rylan on one side and Bo on the other, with smaller guns in their hands.
Mags’ calm expression never wavered as she took everything in. “How you doing down there, Sebastian?”
He was still sprawled on top of Ren, and he looked down to see the other man staring up at him in surprise. “Rather well, all things considered.” He grinned up at her. “Meet our new employer.”
Mags blinked while Rylan frowned. Bo looked untroubled, but then very little threw him.
Sebastian extracted himself from the hard muscles beneath him and stood, dusting off his coat.
“What?” he said to his people. “I told you I’d find us a job.” He looked down at Ren, still on the floor. “It does pay, doesn’t it?”
He offered him a hand up, but Ren jerked away and got to his feet. He was glaring at Sebastian. “Yes, you’ll get paid.”
Sebastian tried to shrug off the glare and the shame that had hung in his gut ever since Ren had walked into the room. This had gone better than he’d expected — especially since he’d expected prison, and, when he’d spied Mags’ rifle, he’d had a split second of dizzying fear that he was about to see Ren get shot in the head.
Sebastian had to believe that his luck was changing for the better.