Chapter 5

As I sat there and finished my food I listened for sounds of whatever had triggered the alarm. There could have been a lot of reasons and I wasn't sure if this was an opportunity to escape or not. One thing was sure, I wasn't going to waste good food or an opportunity to drink while I had it.

I ate faster, wolfing down what was left and then quickly got myself another drink and chugged that down too. It wasn't the most ladylike behavior but I had no audience so I wasn't going to worry.

The moment I'd finished drinking I hurried out into the hallway and looked for the cockpit. Padding as quietly as I could I made my way closer. Alarms weren't blaring any more but I could hear him pushing buttons and swearing as he clearly tried to sort out some kind of problem.

I couldn't see exactly what was wrong but it was clearly something important. From where I stood I could see the radar and the lack of ships on it. Whatever was wrong, it wasn't company. And that meant I had a chance to get away.

Slowly, I backed up, doing my best to keep quiet enough he couldn't hear me behind him. As I moved further and further away I got quicker, letting the noise of his temper as he tried to fix stuff fade into the background.

I was only inches away from the airlock, my hand beginning to reach for the button when the Frentin activated the bonds in my restraints and my hands snapped together. A moment later so did my feet and I almost toppled.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked, the alarms also now off.

Frack

"I thought you said you weren't stupid."

"I'm not," I replied. "You want to sell me as a slave, something I don't particularly want, and you were distracted. I ate, drank and then came to see if you'd even notice me leaving."

"You are stupid. I have your ship attached to mine. It's locked on tight and acting as a secondary propulsion drive to get us to market quicker. You couldn't have flown that ship anywhere. Not without ripping a chunk out of its side."

I gulped. That was a factor I'd not taken into account. He was right. I'd momentarily been stupid.

"Now, if you'd like to get out of my way. My gralap matrix is broken and I'm pretty sure your ship has a compatible one."

"No, that will make my ship useless. Do you know how much that will cost me to replace!" I moved to grab his arm and stop him from going through the airlock, but no sooner had my hand connected with his skin, than he'd somehow twisted his arm around and grabbed me instead.

With a flick of his wrist and a push from his other hand my back slammed into the wall beside the airlock with a thud that almost knocked the breath from my lungs. Stepping up, he pinned me there, his face an inch from mine.

"That ship and you belong to me now and I'll use it how I please," he said, his voice sounding calmer than I expected.

Again, the close proximity melted something on the inside of me and I found myself equal parts aroused and angry. I couldn't think straight as my eyes were drawn to the lips so close to mine.

"You stole that ship and me," I replied, but the firmness wasn't in my voice. It only made him chuckle.

"And it's not the first time. I need the money and you're going to get it for me as soon as I get both you and that ship to market. So if you think I'm particularly happy about having to rip a part your ship needs out to fix mine, think again. It's going to cost me plenty."

"And what about me? I was in that sector because I needed money. That was all. And now you want to sell me to some screwed up Frentin who will think he can make me do whatever he pleases? Who will literally use my body against my will for the rest of my life."

"Oh, sweetheart, I don't think you understand what Frentin men can do to the women we choose." He leaned in even closer as he spoke, his breath coming out hot against my neck.

Desire rushed through my body, making my thighs clench and my heart race.

"You won't feel forced into anything. You'll be begging for it. Whenever your owner comes to you, you'll become a compliant little kitten eager to do whatever will please him enough to reward you."

As his lips brushed against my neck, sparks seemed to crackle across my skin and my legs went weak. Was this what he was talking about?

I tried to resist, tried not to show how much this was arousing me and sending tendrils of desire reaching through every part of me, but as he pressed his lips firmly against my neck not once but twice, I let out a small moan.

Instantly he chuckled. Then he kissed me again, his hands roaming down my side and toward my hip.

Something in me broke through the haze of seduction and I managed to lift my hands and push them up against his chest.

"No," I said. "I don't want this. I just want to go. Let me go."

"No?" he replied, giving me a little distance, but not getting out of my way. "I don't think I've heard a human woman say that to a Frentin in a long time. It seems, Jet Montrose, you have a good deal of fight in you."

"Please." I looked him squarely in the eyes and tried to ignore the burning blood pumping arousal through every inch of me. "Just let me go."

"I can't. I need your ship parts now even if I didn't need the credits from selling you. It's my survival over yours and I'm not that sacrificial, Kitten."

I bit down on the angry retort I wanted to give. The truth was I'd tried to escape and instead of being angry at me he seemed to be more amused. It was an insight into his mind.

And a part of me also couldn't blame him for what he was doing. The second I'd said no to him he'd backed off, but while it had appeared like I was as happy to give in to the Frentin superpower he's been happy to take advantage of it. It was an intoxicating effect. Already a small part of me longed to lean in closer to him and cozy up.

"Come on," he said, his grip still on my arm. "You can make up for that little attempt to escape by helping me harvest the part I need and then fit it to my ship because there's no way you kept your ship going without knowing how to do this stuff."

I sighed. He wasn't wrong but I hated being bossed around. Another reason I didn't like this man. He wanted to sell me to someone who would do nothing but boss me around.

I couldn't refuse, however. Not while he had me restrained. If I was really lucky it might even give me another chance to escape. After all, we were going to be on my ship and he couldn't watch me all the time.

As I entered the airlock with him I imagined myself with a wrench in hand, knocking my captor out and getting away. If there hadn't been one more problem I needed to deal with it would have made me happy.

It was expensive getting these sorts of restraints removed. And I wasn't going to get paid for the current job. That much was clear. If I was going to escape I also needed to make sure I wasn't about to go from a bad situation to a worse one.