Cursing, Jayne sprang into action. She started for the blaster, but it flew from the floor, into her target’s hand at the same time his backpack flew from where he’d dropped it behind the counter.

She barely had time to register that before she fired at the newcomers and moved to shield her target.

Hadrian paused before he killed the woman who’d been at his counter, along with the ones shooting at him.

As she’d done a moment before and for reasons he couldn’t fathom, she was protecting him from the others.

Stunned, he shrugged his backpack on.

Kill her. Don’t risk it.

That instinct was ingrained in him. Nero would have his ass for hesitating. Everyone was an enemy and no one could be trusted. If his life had taught him nothing else, it’d taught him that.

Trust is for the stupid and those who have nothing to lose. And it cost our family everything.

For all he knew, she was a Metamoran or a Chiller, or something a lot worse . . .

She grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him forward. “C’mon. I have a transport out back.”

He didn’t move at first.

Not until she shot a blast past his shoulder and killed another assassin.

“Dumbass! Do. You. Want. To. Die?”

Her angry staccato words broke through his haze. Not that he was worried about dying. At least not here. Or now. But he was curious about her. “Lead the way.”

With a quick jerk of her chin, she headed for the kitchen.

“Backdoor’s–”

She shot it open before he could finish telling her Isak kept it padlocked. Guess his boss didn’t count on that.

With an irritated grimace, she glared at him. “Could you move any slower?”

Honestly? Yes.

He didn’t know what to say as she reloaded while he moved past her.

She growled at him. “Transport. There. Move like your life’s at stake and people are shooting at us!”

“I’m going.”

“Little faster, punk’n.”

Her impatience amused him.

The number of assassins after them didn’t. He’d barely crossed the alley, shrugged his backpack off his shoulders and got into the small, rusted out piece of shit before two shots hit it. “You sure this is safe?”

Sliding in, she glared at him, then floored it and ran over the alien who was shooting.

Guess it’s safer than being outside while she’s driving . . . He cringed at the sound of bones crunching, then barely caught himself as she swerved and sent him careening almost into her seat. “Who taught you to drive?”

“No one.” She shot out the window.

“Are you licensed?”

“Not on this planet.”

Awesome.

Hadrian cringed as they brushed against another vehicle, then almost hit a pedestrian who made the mistake of stepping out a door as they careened by.

On the sidewalk.

He clutched his backpack to his chest. “Where are we going?”

“Preferably where no one is shooting at us.” She slammed on the brakes.