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She crossed her arms over her chest. “I was minding my own business until that bastard jumped me.”

“I think you’re hiding more than just your name.” Dare walked over to a cupboard by his desk, found the device he wanted, and walked back to her. “I’m responsible for the safety of this convoy. I think you’re putting it at risk.”

As he approached, she eyed him warily.

He knelt beside her, watching the muscles beneath the synth-leather tense. He held up the small metallic wand of a medscope. “I dislike seeing that swelling and bruising on your cheek, and you have blood on your shoulder.”

She stayed still as he flicked on the medscope. Blue light shone out, and he held it up to her face. The small device could heal small to medium wounds in minutes.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve been smacked in the face,” she said. “Probably not the last, either.”

He studied her features. She wasn’t beautiful—there were too many angles, and her blue eyes were a little large. But there was something compelling about her. She had a pointed chin, sharp cheekbones, and perfectly-formed lips. He moved the wand over the still-oozing cut on her toned shoulder. He watched it close, then clicked the scope off and set it down on the bed beside her. “You will answer my questions.”

She raised a brow. “Does that work for you? You just demand and everyone gives you what you want?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’m going to disappoint you.”

He gripped her arm. “No, you’re not.”

“And if I don’t answer? What then?”

He lowered his voice. “Something you won’t like.”

She waved a hand at him. “I’ve suffered plenty that I don’t like. Hell, life seems to enjoy throwing stuff at me that I don’t like. I just do whatever I have to do to extricate myself from the situation.”

So defiant. Dare felt a dangerous stir of heat in his gut. What would it be like to have that defiance all to himself? To tame his little stowaway? His gaze dropped to her lips.

She went still, like an animal sensing danger. Her gaze zeroed in on his face and curiosity moved through her eyes. Then she cleared her throat. “We seem to be at an impasse, Phoenix.”

“So it seems.”

She raised a hand, her fingertips brushing along his cheek. It was the slightest touch, almost hesitant. Then it grew firmer and drifted lower, across his jaw, down his neck, spreading heat in its wake.

Suddenly, he wanted to know what she tasted like.

“I always get what I want,” he murmured.

Blue eyes flicked up to his. “So do I.”

She jabbed her fingers hard into a spot on the side of his neck.

He felt a flash of pain flaring out along his nerves. He collapsed on the floor, fighting to stay conscious. He couldn’t move, could only feel a pain that felt like a thousand burning knives cutting through him.

She crouched down, her fingers touching his cheek briefly, then she straightened. “Since we’re not going to see each other again, my name is Dakota.”

Then she was gone, the door swishing closed behind her.

Dare tried to move, but darkness swallowed him like a dark cloud.

“Dammit! Dare? Dare?”

Dare heard Ry’s insistent voice and felt a hand slapping his cheek—not very gently.

He gripped his brother’s wrist. “I’m awake.” Damn, his eyelids felt like they weighed as much as a starship.

Ry helped him sit up, and Dare leaned back against the side of his bed. As a wave of nausea washed over him, he let his head fall down between his knees.