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  She had no idea, but her hands shook when she raised her fingertips to her lips. They’d only shared two very short kisses and her lips already felt plump and tingly. She couldn’t deny she’d wanted more.

  Then why had she pushed him? They’d been hidden. She could’ve easily offered herself up to him as they stood inside the cramped area. Yet, that’s not how she wanted things to go. Not yet. Not until she knew what was going on with Jenks.

  She’d wandered out into the desert after leaving Mike’s the night before, but hadn’t found a trace of Jenks’s ship anywhere. How was that possible? Jenks might be arrogant, but he also happened to be self-absorbed. As soon as he returned from one of his “secret missions” he made sure everyone knew about it, so they could spoil him and fuss around him. So, what was different now? Why hadn’t he shown up at the arena yet, or failed to contact her? He’d never behaved this way. She was usually the first one he contacted.

  Maybe she should go back out to Grit and check again, even if her initial search had been meticulous enough. She knew her way around Clash, Grit and the outskirts, so how could Jenks be back if his ship was nowhere?

  As she raced out of the market and made a right turn then a left, followed by another left into the small stone alleyway leading to one of the hidden entrances into the arena and its many rooms, her heart pounded like crazy. It wasn’t the slight jog getting her blood pumping, or even the mystery of Jenks’s whereabouts, it was the mysterious man. She still didn’t know his name, but now knew the inner spark he lit the night before had intensified.

  Ely wanted him so much it made her head throb with the steady beat of rebellion. But she didn’t care. The device Jenks had planted inside her brain might make her act differently while she was so close to the base of operations, but she was positive she’d be able to take the pain in the outskirts of town.

  The next time she crossed paths with the cowboy, she wouldn’t be able to walk away so easily.

  Chapter Five

  Ace entered the wooden shack with the sign advertising Mike’s in red paint above the door, and his pulse drummed in an unsteady pace. His body buzzed with uncontained excitement. Coming here tonight only meant one thing to him. He was determined to finish what he’d started the day before with the luscious Ely.

  Colt had suggested they stay away from the bar the night before, hoping to avoid the three morons they’d beaten up and made fools out of, and Ace reluctantly agreed.

  With eyes narrowed, he surveyed the area outside one last time. Just in case.

  The sun was starting to fade into the horizon and a cool wind had picked up, sweeping grit in its wake. Several of the other scattered buildings were now lit from within, some with candles, others with generator-produced power. The few stragglers who strolled around the bar’s perimeter huddled together to reach their own destinations but no one so much as looked their way. No suspicious trio was hanging around ready to avenge their pride.

  Satisfied with the absence of a threat, Ace followed his partners into the bar and headed toward a vacant table. He sat down, breathing in the warmth of the crowded interior and the bitter scent of alcohol. Even without taking a drink, it burned down his throat.

  Tonight, everything would change.

  Their planned attack on the Clash Arena was only a handful of hours away.

  He was vaguely aware of Brynn taking a seat beside him, when the cowboy returned. He’d been grinning for hours.

  “Here we go. Beers for everyone,” Colt announced as he lowered a tray filled with foamy beers between them.

  Ace accepted one of the large mugs and placed it in front of him. His gaze turned to the vacant stage. The spotlight was already lit, focused on the spot where the microphone stand stood. The piano sat to the right, obscured in darkness.

  Colt lifted his beer in the air between them. “I propose a toast.”

  “What are we toasting to?” Brynn asked, raising an eyebrow and giving Ace a curious look. “We haven’t done anything yet.”

  “We’ve done plenty.” Colt winked and lowered his voice. Not that anyone could overhear their conversation in such a rowdy place. “If things go as planned, this time tomorrow, this backwater town will be a very different place. And everyone will have us to thank for it.”

  “I’ll toast to that,” Ace said with a smile.

  “Okay, but we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. It’s best to go in expecting the worst-case scenario—”

  “No way,” Colt interrupted. “If we go in with that attitude, nothing will work out. Besides, we’re going to storm in like ghosts. No one will expect us to be there, and by the time they realize what’s happened, there’ll be complete chaos. All we need to worry about is getting ourselves to the rendezvous point on time. Then, we can get the hell off this bloody planet. I’m looking forward to it.”

  Brynn shrugged and they toasted before taking long, hearty drinks.

  Ace was about to say something else when the emcee announced Ely would hit the stage in a few minutes. He sat back in his chair and prepared to be entertained.

  Colt slapped his back. “Looks like your girlfriend’s going onstage soon.”

  Ace didn’t bother with a reply, instead shrugging him off to focus on the stage until the beauty strolled out wearing a red dress emphasizing every luscious curve even better than anything he’d seen her wearing so far. She stood in front of the microphone stand, closed her eyes and started singing without music. The sweet lullaby had everyone holding their breaths until the very last haunting word.

  When Ely stopped, the crowd cheered and Ace wondered why the piano player was absent. His question was answered when Ely turned away from the audience and settled behind the piano herself. As her fingers zoomed across the black and white keys, her plump lips moved and murmured a sultry, jazz song making him uncomfortable in his seat.

  Her mouth commanded his attention. He couldn’t help but think about the kisses they’d shared. So rushed, yet he couldn’t deny the impact she had on him. If he’d been captivated by her looks the first night he’d glimpsed her up on stage, after actually tasting her sweet lips he was practically gone. Once the beast inside him had gotten a taste, he knew what it meant.

  Still, it was strange. He’d been with many women in the past, including some full-blooded Recast, but his beast had never shown an interest in any of them. Had never risen to the surface and added to the attraction. He’d always assumed it was because of his half-blood.

  His father had been a full-blooded Recast who’d taken a woman from a nearby planet and brought her to Sullen. Not long after their spiritual union, Ace was born but everyone had always judged him on what he wasn’t, rather than what he was. Most people claimed he’d never be good for anything, even though his father was tribal leader and the natural succession of things meant he’d inherit the title. That hope faded the day his father was found dead and his mother disappeared. No one else believed it to be murder, but he’d suspected some of the elders in the community had a hand in it, so he wasn’t surprised.

  To this day, he still hadn’t found his mother but hoped she was still alive somewhere.

  Ace shook his head, needing to physically chase away the ghosts of his family’s past.

  The forest moon of Sullen meant nothing to him anymore. He’d never really been wanted there anyway and lived a more comfortable life on Marks. After everything was said and done in Fray, he had no idea which direction he would head in, but it wasn’t to the place where he’d been born.

  Ely’s voice fading drew him back to the present, making all of the useless thoughts dissolve. What was he doing anyway? He should be concentrating on the woman who’d captured his attention.

  The applause was almost deafening when she stood up and smiled at the audience. Before Ely slipped away, he caught her eye and winked.

  “Hey, she just looked at you before disappearing behind the curtain,” Colt whispered near his shoulder. “I say follow her back there. You never know what can ha
ppen.”

  “Colt, what are you whispering about?”

  “Don’t worry. It’s just guy talk.” But to Ace he whispered, “I saw the way you looked at her. If a woman can make you that crazy, you have to at least try. Take it from a man who tried to ignore the calling.”

  For him to share something so personal, Colt had to feel deeply about the advice. Although it made Ace wonder about the look he’d had on his face while staring at Ely. Had she noticed it? This time, while she’d been on stage, she’d hardly looked his way. Maybe it was because of the piano. Or it could be because she wanted to avoid him after their encounter in the markets.

  Either way, Colt was right. He had to find out if this would lead anywhere. They wouldn’t be staying on this planet long so there was no better time to strike than now. Besides, the animal inside him was already grunting and clawing at his insides, threatening to escape and take over if he didn’t make the first move.

  Calm down, beast. I’m in control, not you.

  Strange that he’d never faced this struggle before. Even when he’d been captured on Marks and then had to deal with Colt, he’d kept total control and didn’t even come close to losing himself to the beast within. Not until he was ready.

  The actual change was almost painless for him, because he kept so much of himself still aware. Maybe in the end that had been the downfall of his kind, and even though they’d judged his half-cast status so harshly, he managed the control better than the others. That much had been obvious with those he’d culled inside the cave in Wither.

  Ace looked over his shoulder at Colt, who made a sign with his hand urging him to go. He dipped his chin in a tight nod and without wasting another second made his way toward the backstage area, surprised when no one stopped him.

  Actually, no one so much as called out to him. So Ace sucked in a breath and continued down the narrow corridor in front of him.

  Ely stared at the wristband sitting on the dresser in front of her. Luckily, this time it hadn’t gone off. She couldn’t help but wonder why Jenks had reached the planet but still hadn’t bothered to personally check in with her. He was usually so habitual about the way he did things, to ensure she kept things running smoothly and on schedule.

  She’d even trekked into the outskirts of Grit several more times and hadn’t found a trace of his personal one-man ship. So where had he gone? It’d been two days since he landed. What could be so important that he hadn’t bothered to contact her?

  Not contacting the head of operations, she could understand, but not her. She practically ran the place whenever he decided to venture off-planet on some insane voyage that would somehow benefit him and ruin someone else. For whatever reason, this time was different and she hadn’t been able to get an exact location on his ship, only confirmed he was definitely on Fray. What was he playing at?

  There’s too much to do right now, to think about his selfishness. Ouch!

  Tonight marked another big arena event. Many with royal blood, politicians, philanthropists, and some of the wealthiest people in the galaxy had already started arriving for the event. He rarely missed the Recast events yet had been MIA for a couple already.

  A soft knock on the door roused her from the confusing thoughts, and every bit of regret and resentment she held for Jenks faded when she saw who stood there, with one hand still poised in front of the half-closed door, the other at his side.

  “Can I come in?” he asked in a gentle voice.

  Ely stared at him, looking from his denim shirt to his faded jeans and dust-encrusted cowboy boots. His hair was still held back in a ponytail by a piece of leather, but several stubborn, dark curls had ventured out and fell halfway down his face, obscuring his eyes.

  “Will you accuse me of stalking you this time, if I come in?” The lopsided grin on his lips made something inside her clench tight.

  She shook her head and cleared her throat before saying, “Come on in.”

  Why did she feel so nervous all of a sudden? Was it because they were inside her dressing room all alone? Was it because it finally meant she could unleash all of the pent-up tension hounding her since first spotting him across the room? Maybe she felt vulnerable in this dress and without any of her weapons. He’d caught her in the only place on this planet where she became a completely different woman.

  Here, Ely certainly wouldn’t retaliate with the violence that came so easily anywhere else but in Mike’s.

  He remained by the door for a moment. “Before I come in, I just want you to know that my name is Ace. It seems rude to have known your name since the first night I saw you, but you have no idea what mine is.”

  A small smile threatened to keep her defensive demeanor from holding. “That sounds fair.” Ace sounded nice even in her thoughts. Simple but sharp, with a no-nonsense feel to it. It was short like hers too, which was one thing she’d always liked about her own name. “You can come in, Ace.”

  He nodded and stepped inside. She watched him move as he approached and looked at just about every crevice of the dressing room, starting with the racks of dresses to the right, her dresser littered with makeup and brushes, as well as the couch she sometimes used when she slept there.

  “I’ve never seen a room like this one, it looks so…”

  “Old-fashioned?”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s what I would call it. Still, there’s something cozy about it.” He turned his eyes back to her. “Should I be on my guard? If I step any closer, will you jump me again?”

  “I didn’t jump you. I just don’t react well to being followed.”

  “To be honest, I’m surprised you noticed. With so many people in the markets, most wouldn’t even recognize a tail.”

  She shrugged. “I’m not like most people.”

  “I can see that.” He lowered his eyes and concentrated on her chest, licking his lips. “For one, I doubt there are many musicians who can sing, play piano and pack the kind of punch you do on their audience.”

  “I do what I have to in order to take care of myself.”

  “I respect that and love your voice. I’m surprised you’re stuck on this planet, instead of being out there in the galaxy. It’s such a waste of perfectly fantastic talent.” Ace took a step forward.

  “Thank you, but I don’t need to be out there to perform. This is just a hobby.” Her heart dropped at the words she’d trained herself to believe after all these years. Thanks to Jenks, nowadays she was happy if she could entertain the half-drunken crowd of visiting vagrants and locals who liked to spend their evenings inside Mike’s to forget about their poverty or struggles.

  Jenks Maine might be one of the richest men in the galaxy, with a hand in just about every demeaning operation out there, but the rest of the planet struggled to put food on their tables. The soil in this part of the world wasn’t ideal for planting much of anything but cacti. The northern part was supposed to be richer in the soil and vegetation department but no one had any means to travel there. Well, no one but Jenks, and he made sure the two halves didn’t connect. It seemed so wrong in a galaxy where space travel was common. People from other planets, space stations, and faraway places frequently visited and paid large amounts of CC to see men and women of all breeds battle it out to the death. But none of the wealth was put back into Clash and the surrounding town of Grit.

  Jenks imported most of the food supply from other planets and sold it to the people for prices most couldn’t afford. The majority wound up owing him in other ways—working to clean the arena’s many living quarters, preparing food and beverages for the visiting rich, running dangerous errands, feeding the fighters housed in the dungeons. There were many tasks and most were degrading, but when it meant the difference between eating a meal and starving, there didn’t seem to be much choice. It was the reason why breeding had practically become nonexistent on this planet. Who wanted to bring a child into this horrid poverty and slavery? Or bother to add another mouth to feed? Some still managed to become pregnant, but most w
ere fixed so it didn’t become a probable complication, especially since health care barely existed here.

  All of Jenks Maine’s girls were made barren because of their job duties. She’d heard it could be reversed but hadn’t seen any evidence of it yet.

  “Ely, are you all right?”

  She nodded and stared into Ace’s dark eyes. He’d moved while she’d been daydreaming, concentrating on all the horrible and unjust things around her. That seemed to be another one of her hobbies when she got this far out and stayed in Grit. It was strange but even her need to use self-defense was lower here. She hadn’t noticed until a few months back, when she finally decided to frequent Mike’s more often than once a month.

  When Jenks was home for any extended amount of time, he made it hard for her to disappear and always expected her to be there to serve as bodyguard, confidante or lover.

  She cleared her throat. “I was just wondering what you’re doing here.”

  “I thought you were fantastic out there tonight,” he said with a smile.

  Ely laughed. “I find it hard to believe you would go to all this trouble just to tell me that.” She crossed her arms. “Just what is it that you really want, Ace?”

  “Would it make you angry if I said I wanted to kiss you again? But this time, I would prefer it if you didn’t knock me flat on my face.”

  Her heart sped up at his bluntness. She had to give him credit. After what she’d done to him, most men wouldn’t bother with her just on principle. Jenks liked to make his women tough, which usually made them too rough for other men. Another thing he preferred—to not have to share his little harem. He kept a selection of women to suit his every mood, but only one at a particular time to be his assistant and everything that covered. Right now—and for the last five years—she’d been his personal selection.

  He kept a tight leash on her, but when the master’s away, the minions do like to play. And she had a feeling she was only seconds away from playing with Ace.

  The thought excited and scared the hell out of her.