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His gut cramped. “Dakota, I’ll pay you a fair price in exchange for the orb.”

He saw her stiffen, her fingers curled into her palms. “Really?”

Why wouldn’t she look at him? He wanted to find a way to get Justyn back safely and not leave Dakota empty-handed. He knew how hard she’d worked toward escaping, toward her dream of a life of her own.

“Let’s talk bottom line,” he said. “Tell me what it will take for you to give me the orb.”

“Right. It’s all about the bottom line.”

Dare couldn’t read what he heard in her voice.

She turned now and her blue eyes were sharper than Perman ice. “How much are you willing to give me?”

He felt a vibration of pain. A part of him had hoped that she’d felt enough for him to help him out here. He named a price. An outrageously high price. He banked the majority of the money they earned from the convoys and it gathered nice interest in a central-system bank. He had more than enough to spare. He felt the others watching him.

Dakota’s gaze searched his face and then it was like she just shut down. The light drained from her eyes and her face went blank. She reached down and lifted the orb over her head. She held it out. “I’m coming down to the planet. I want to know who the hell this guy is and what he knows. He knows something.”

“Okay.” Dare held out his hand. “And I’ll have the e-creds transferred to you straight away.”

She set the orb in his palm, careful not to touch him. “I don’t want your credits, Dare.”

She turned around and stalked off the bridge.

Dare’s fingers closed over the sphere. It felt warm to the touch and he knew it was from her skin. What the hell had just happened?

“You broke her,” Nissa said quietly.

“What?” Dare frowned, a lick of panic in his gut. “Dakota is unbreakable. All I did was what I had to do to save Justyn. Your husband.”

“Yes. But you didn’t trust her to help. You decided and demanded.”

Dare rubbed his forehead. “We need to get down to the planet and get Justyn. Hopefully, we can make this bastard pay for his games and keep the orb.”

“You should have mentioned that to Dakota first,” Nissa added.

“I didn’t want to leave her with nothing. That’s why I paid for it.”

Nissa just shook her head.

Angry now, Dare strode out. “Come on, Rynan.”

When Dare and Ry entered the shuttle bay, they found Dakota there, waiting beside the shuttle. She was already decked out in an envirosuit. She refused to meet his gaze.

Soon, Dare and Ry were also in suits and they all boarded. Rynan maneuvered the shuttle out of the Nomad, and they headed down toward the proto-planet.

Dare kept glancing back to where Dakota sat. She was stiff, silent, all her energy…gone.

He’d hurt her, and he wasn’t sure exactly how. Damn, she confused him.

“Landing shortly,” Rynan said.

They closed in on the rocky surface of the planet. As they got closer, he could see the bubbling lava in giant pools. Ahead, on a small patch of rock surrounded by molten liquid, was a small, sleek shuttle.

Dare frowned. He’d never seen a design like this one. It had large wings that were currently folded upright, pointing into the sky. Ralu was standing beside it, and nearby, on a small, rocky outcrop, sat a tied-up Justyn.

“Landing.” Rynan’s hands moved over the controls.

Dare took a deep breath. He needed all his control and patience for this. He glanced at Dakota again.