Panic shot through her. “Knox could have acted on his own.”
“Jesus. When did you become naive? Knox acts under Dominik’s orders. Dominik sent him out into the colony to hunt outlaws.” Connor jumped off the bed and strode naked to the chair where he’d left his pants. He dug in the pockets until he found what he was looking for – a pack of cigarettes, which he almost crushed in his hand as he stalked to the door. “I need a smoke.”
Hudson bit her lip. “Do you want me to come out with you?”
“No,” he muttered. “I need to be alone for a minute.”
The door shut behind him, not quite a slam, but loud enough to make her jump, to bring a rush of helplessness to her chest and a chill to her bones.
She’d hoped that learning Knox was to blame for Maggie’s death might lessen some of Connor’s hatred for Dominik. That it might make it easier for her to tell him the truth.
But apparently that was hoping for too much.
By the time morning came, Connor was feeling centered again. The bomb Hudson had dropped on him had messed with his head and kept him up most of the night, analyzing and second-guessing every move he’d made these past two years. Raiding as many storage stations as he could in the hopes that Dominik might be there. Hitting up anyone he crossed paths with for information. He’d even swallowed his pride and asked Tamara for the location of the Enforcer compound – only to discover it was the one thing on the planet the bitch didn’t know.
All that time wasted, hunting Dominik, searching for a man who hadn’t even pulled that trigger. It was a disheartening notion… until he reminded himself that it didn’t matter who’d pulled the trigger. Dominik was still every much to blame for Maggie’s death as his lieutenant was. The council issued orders, and Dominik enforced them. He’d known damn well what he was asking of Knox.
Still, it was with a new sense of purpose that Connor walked to the lodge that morning. He wanted to check if Xan had made any progress with the communication program, but just as he reached the door, Xander burst out of it.
The other man halted. “Shit. I was coming to find you.”
Connor instantly went on the alert. “What’s wrong?”
“Lennox called on the sat phone. He was paying a visit to Foxworth and came across an Enforcer on his way back. A deserter.” Xander shrugged. “I guess Hudson was right – there really are deserters in the Enforcer camp.”
“Please tell me Lennox captured the bastard.”
Xander’s lips twitched. “Damn right he did.”
Connor didn’t believe in a higher power, but… fuck. He’d just renewed his mission to find the men who’d murdered his wife, and suddenly an Enforcer deserter was handed to him on a silver platter? If that wasn’t a sign from God, he didn’t know what was.
“Lennox took the deserter to the abandoned mill near the river,” Xander told him. “He called to see if you wanted to interrogate the kid.”
If Lennox had been standing in front of him right now, Connor would have kissed him square on the mouth. “Call him back and tell him I’m on my way.”
Xan nodded. “You want me to go with you?”
Hudson’s voice joined the conversation. “Go where?”
Connor turned to find her approaching, and he was momentarily distracted by the thin white tank top that outlined the hard buds of her nipples even through her bra. Her hair was braided down her back, but a few strands framed her face, catching in the sunlight as she walked toward them. Christ. She was so beautiful that sometimes it hurt to look at her. And it was getting a lot harder to keep his emotions under control now that she slept in his arms every night.
“Lennox captured an Enforcer,” Xander told her.
Hudson’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“He’s got him stashed at a warehouse about an hour from here,” Connor said briskly. “I’m heading there now to have a chat with him.”
Her surprise dissolved into wariness. “To question him about Dominik? And Knox?”
Connor nodded.
She let out a breath, then nodded back. “I’m coming with you.”
He could’ve said no, but he knew she’d only argue with him. Besides, he didn’t want to say no. He never would’ve dreamed of placing Maggie in a potentially dangerous situation, but it was different with Hudson. He’d seen her handle a knife, and when he’d teased her about how she had all those guns stashed in her bag but probably didn’t know how to use them, she’d proved him wrong with an impressive shooting display that even Pike had broken out in applause for.
“You can ride with me,” he said. “But go find Rylan, will you? I want him to come too.”
She looked oddly shaken up as she hurried off, but Xander spoke before Connor could ask him if he’d thought Hudson looked a bit pale. “Do you want me to radio Pike?”
“Where’s he at?”