My Cyborg Savior (Crimson Romance) by Honoria Ravena

hadn’t failed, or an airlock hadn’t vented them all out into space.
    She snorted. “So you do plan to kill me? I thought you were waiting until my father said no to your demands?”
    He rolled his eyes. “We’ve fixed it, and it’s been in good working order for years. And most importantly the government doesn’t monitor what they believe is trash.”
    “And what rickety ship are we taking there?”
    He grinned. “Oh, it’s not rickety at all. I can’t wait to show you. It’s my baby.”
    Her curiosity got the better of her. “What ship is it? Did you steal it?”
    “Sure did. All by my lonesome. And when you see it, you’ll understand why I am so very proud of myself.”
    She eyed him. “Tell me now.”
    “Nope. Won’t do it.”
    They sat in silence for a while. She might be curious about the ship he’d stolen, but she was still pissed, and not prepared to forgive him. Ever. How did he engage her in conversation so quickly? She would ignore him from now on. She nodded to herself, cementing her resolve.
    The proximity alarm in the ship went off and she jolted. Either they were coming up to something, or they were being shot at. The jumper rocked from an impact.
    “We’re taking fire.”
    A second blast pitched the small spacecraft to the left.
    “Shit.” Galen unstrapped himself and stood. “I knew they’d come after you. Dammit.” He dashed for the pilot’s compartment, and leaned over Torin’s shoulder.
    “Any identification yet?”
    Torin nodded. “Government Police five-five-six. They’ve — ”
    The speakers crackled before the message came over the intercom. “Unknown vessel, kill your engines and prepare to be boarded or you will be fired upon.”
    “Requested that we stop.”
    Galen snorted. “Yeah, I got that. Options?”
    “We’re faster and more maneuverable. If we full burn, we can make it back to the Mother. But — ”
    “There’s a forty-one point seven percent chance we’ll explode.”
    The pilot titled his head back and forth. “Well, with the upgrades it’s more like thirty five. We could also open fire. But — ”
    “Their guns are bigger, better, and they have more than we do.”
    “We must be soul mates. Can’t you let me finish a sentence?”
    “Nope, it’s easier this way.” Galen hit a yellow button on the dash. “Government vessel, I have a senator’s daughter onboard. If you don’t turn around, I’ll kill her.”
    “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
    Jamila dropped her head back on the neck rest. She was a dead woman.
    Galen sighed. “Great. Bring us around and blow out their engines. You’ll only get one shot at it, so make it count. Then get us out of here. Full burn.”
    “Gotcha.”
    Jamila rattled her harness. She knew she couldn’t pull it off, but that didn’t stop her from trying. “Galen, this is crazy. Let me go in a life pod. They’ll be too busy picking me up to go after you if you go fast. You’re going to get us all killed.”
    He glared at her. “I think I know what I’m doing a little better than you.”
    “Let me go.”
    Torin glanced over his shoulder at her. “You don’t get it, we need you. We can’t let you go. If we die, then we die. But I get the feeling they won’t destroy us with you here, no matter what they say. Senators are very powerful men. Even if we get away, they’ll likely look for other ways to get you back. It would mean riches and rank for anyone who managed.”
    “I’m really not worth that much. If you think taking me will convince my father to do anything for you, you’re wrong.”
    Galen held up his hand. “Jamila, hush. You can’t talk me out of this.”
    She bit her lip to keep from screaming at him. They were going to get her killed before they even had a chance to murder her themselves. This was proof that he was one of the crazy genetically engineered people. He was unreasonable. She didn’t want to go to their space station. They were probably all as crazy as Galen.
    The