Finders Keepers Read Online Free Page B

the ’droid. “Her belt and holster. Undo it. Now!”
    “Wait!” The woman squirmed against him, then tried to look up. “You don’t have to—”
    He briefly clasped her jaw in his fingers, wrenched her face back to the ’droid. “Tell him to undo your belt.”
    “Look, you don’t understand!” Her words came out in a pain-filled rush. “Dezi, tell him—”
    “Captain, perhaps now is not the time to argue. My memory banks are not one hundred percent accurate, but it appears he is holding your throat either in the paralyzing
G’zhen Dai
grip used by thirty-second-century warrior-monks on Dakrahl—”
    “Dezi!”
    “—or the fatal
Tah Fral
employed by the Order of Despi Guild assassins. Unfortunately, my graphic overlays for both files are rather vague.”
    “But he doesn’t—”
    “The belt,” he repeated harshly. “Undo it!”
    The ’droid stepped gingerly toward him. Metal fingers unthreaded the clasp. The belt clattered to the floor.
    “Kick it toward the door.”
    The ’droid did as he was ordered and looked back expectantly.
    “Now, get on the diag table.”
    “But, sir, I’m not injured and these units don’t work on—”
    “Get on the table! Now!”
    The ’droid climbed stiffly onto the bed.
    “Lie down and pull the cover over you.”
    There was the slight hiss as the cylinder was drawn up on the rails.
    “Good.”
    In a swift movement, he released the woman’s arm, locked the cylinder in place, then yanked her back against his chest. One hand still cupped her throat. The other pinned her arms at her waist. He brought his mouth down to her ear. Her light flowery scent drifted over him again.
    “Try anything,
anything
, and you are dead.” He could feel her pulse beating frantically under his fingers.
    “You really”—her voice came out in gulping gasps—“don’t have to do this.”
    “Move!” He shoved her toward the hatchway and stopped at the opening. “Now. I am going to release your arms. For a second. To pick up the weapons. But I still have one hand on your throat. Do not try anything stupid.” His fingertips dug more deeply into her skin. “Do you understand?”
    She inhaled painfully, barely able to breathe out an affirmative.
    He reached down, dragging her with him, and snatched up the rifle and her utility belt. He quickly slung the rifle’s strap over his shoulder as he straightened, then, making sure his fingers were still firmly digging into her throat, pulled the pistol from her utility belt. He dropped the belt to the floor and yanked her firmly back against him.
    The series of movements cost him. A searing, stabbing heat shot up his neck. He drew in a sharp breath. He had no time for this. He focused his mind. Tensed his body. And felt the softness of her hair against his chest. The firm swell of her behind against his . . .
    Bloody hell! He was completely naked.
    His plans of forcing her to the bridge and commandeering her ship suddenly took a sharp turn. He took a half step back from her, self-consciously, and pressed the hard muzzle of the pistol into her back.
    The reality—and analogy—of what
had
been pressing against her wasn’t lost on him. “Take two steps forward.” Discomfort gritted in his words.
    They faced the wall. The wall and the small utility closet.
    “But—”
    “Now!” He pushed her forward. She stumbled, and he thrust the closet door aside. “Pants!”
    She grabbed them and started to turn, but he forced her another half step forward. He had no desire to see her reaction to his unclothed state. Or his body’s reaction to her. “Move when I tell you to, and only then.”
    She offered the pants from over one shoulder. He ripped them from her grasp. Making sure she was trapped against the half-open closet door, he balanced precariously first on one leg, then the other, as he pulled on his pants.
    She followed his orders in the same manner with his jacket and his boots. He shoved his bare feet into them without bothering to