Chapter Two

Quinn was trying not to think about Azaria, and how neatly she’d fit together with him, how her sheath had conformed to accommodate his size, and how good it had felt to drive into an Omega again, even though she wasn’t his bonded mate.

He let out a sigh of disgust with himself as the comm system buzzed once more. He was surprised to see Ryder appear, since his brother and his ship had departed at least half an hour ago. “Do you need something? Did you change your mind about borrowing money?”

He’d been lucky enough to have a few decent salvages recently, and he knew Ryder hadn’t been so lucky. He’d spent most of what he’d earned smuggling rathium to liberate Daisy, but he was unsurprised when his brother shook his head.

“I told you, I’ll work it out. I was just making sure this is what you really want, Quinn. It’s the last chance before we enter ionospace. You seem kind of lost.”

Quinn snorted. “I’ve been lost for four years, seven months, three days, and…” He glanced at the timekeeper on the screen, “Eighteen minutes.”

His brother flinched and then nodded. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t want to keep her.”

Quinn snorted. “We don’t all live in a fairytale, brother. Just because you happened to luck out and find your ideal Omega by purchasing her at an auction doesn’t mean it’s going to work out that way for the rest of us. Azaria seems like a fine woman, and maybe she’ll be happy someday with a different Alpha, but it won’t be me. I don’t want another Omega ever again.”

He spoke firmly, though there was just the faintest trace of regret in his words. He sincerely meant them, but he wished he were capable of not meaning them. He wished he could embrace another opportunity, but it was easy enough to recall what had happened last time that it helped him quell the urge. “Take care of her, Spud.”

With a groan at the nickname, Ryder nodded, and then he was gone.

Quinn realized he was still sitting in the same place he’d been since they hijacked Garros’s ship. That was a dangerous spot to be because the gangster would soon realize his ship and crew had never shown up. Already, there could be more of his people en route to investigate and rescue those aboard the Stargazer. Of course, from Garros’s reputation, he was far more likely to kill the survivors for failing than he was to save them, so he’d have no hesitation killing Quinn as well.

He abruptly programmed a destination, uncaring if it was his final one. He just wanted to get away from the area, so he entered ionospace seconds later. The computer revealed he was on course for the wreckage of ships near the asteroid belt where he’d been successfully scavenging for a while now.

There was a lot of competition around that area, but there were plenty of wrecks so far. He had planned to strip a few more before moving to a different location when Ryder’s call came in. It was as good a place as any to return and finish his work.

As he flew, he tried not to let his thoughts wander to Azaria. Her long, lean body was appealing to him, and he wished he’d taken time to feel the weight of her breast in his hands rather than just quickly copulate to ease her pain and be done.

He’d made it as unemotional as possible, fervently wanting to avoid any entanglements between the two of them. He didn’t want an Omega falling for him, and he was certainly in no spot to feel protective and loving toward one again.

After the way it had ended with Catriona, he grimaced at the thought. Azaria’s sleek black hair, dark-brown eyes, and coppery-brown skin would remain with him, but no emotion could be allowed to hang around. He could pull out images of her when he needed inspiration while he was pleasuring himself, but he absolutely refused to feel anything for the delicate Omega. He’d been there once before, and he would never make that mistake again.

Yet she lingered in his mind long after he allowed her to actively do so, and no matter how many times he tried to push her out of his memory, he was still vaguely aware of an ache from her lack of presence. Thank goodness he’d only bred her once because she was dangerous. An Omega like Azaria could cause him to forget his resolve and end up falling in love all over again. He refused to do that, so he was happy he would never see her again.

Really, he was.