“I thought you were off duty for the rest of the day.”
He grunted.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “You don’t have to go to work to get away from me. Don’t answer it. I won’t bring up babies or bonding anymore.”
“What will we do if we’re not talking about those things?” he asked with a smirk.
With a smile across her lips, she straddled him. Her hair fell over her shoulders to the peaks of her breasts. “If it means I can have you to myself, we won’t talk at all.”
He grasped her breast and massaged the heavy weight. “Then I’m all yours until the new rising suns.”
“Good.” She leaned down and licked his nipple. “Because I plan to do wicked things to this beautiful body.”
His cock twitched underneath her, anticipating what Marcie could do. Would do.
“Communication systems override.”
His head popped up when he heard his computer system’s voice.
Only he and the royals had the ability to override a do not disturb signal on a personal intercom system. Taio, the King of Sonis, was currently off-world and Josanis, his son, was too young to talk. That left Eva, Taio’s human wife.
He let his head hit the pillow and closed his eyes.
“Rasha, I know you’re in there. Sorry to bother you but I need a favor.”
Eva.
Rasha groaned and rose to his elbows.
Marcie gripped his arms and locked her knees around his waist. “No, no, no,” she pleaded.
“This’ll be quick,” he assured her.
Pouting, she released him.
“Intercom on,” he said louder for the computer system that controlled his apartment. “Eva, I’m in the middle of something. Ankon is on duty right now. Call him, I’m sure he’d be happy to take care of anything pressing.”
“I wouldn’t interrupt you for regular palace business, Rasha. Please, this is really important to me. You’re the only person I trust to handle it.”
“Really? Where is Ship?” he asked, referring to the invisible entity that lived within electricity and was old as time. Ship served as Eva’s friend, confidant and father figure.
“This is something Ship can’t do.”
If Ship couldn’t do it then it must be a physical task. Everyone knew she relied on Ship just as much as she relied on Taio.
He let out a painful breath and fought against the urge to drive his cock fast and hard in the sheath dripping over him. Sensing his need, Marcie rotated against him. Her slickness covered him. He bit his lower lip.
“Rasha? You still there?” Eva asked.
He cleared his throat. “I have a guest in my apartment. If this is a sensitive matter I will need to clear her out.”
Marcie mouthed no and put her hands on her ears.
“It’s nothing top secret. Your new personal assistant is here.”
He sighed loudly. He’d fired the three personal assistants Eva paired him with. They just hadn’t worked out for him. He’d already told Eva and Taio he didn’t want or need another but Eva insisted this new human would work out perfectly.
“Please. Remember you said you would give this a chance. At least try it out for me,” she said.
“Fine,” he ground out. Marcie let go of her ears and played with his hardening cock. “New assistant, here now. Got it. Call me when it’s time to fire her. Intercom off.” He grasped Marcie’s waist to lower her on his shaft once again.
“Rasha! I’m not done,” Eva yelled.
“Great Ancients!” he bit out.
He paused and Marcie whimpered. “Just ignore her,” Marcie whispered.
“I can’t, she’s our queen,” he chastised. “Intercom on. Yes?”
“I’m in the infirmary and I can’t get away right now. Honestly, I thought it would take them longer to get clearance to land since incoming traffic is backed up with the arrival of decorations for Saia’s engagement party. I need you to meet them in the transport bay. Can you do that for me, please?”
“Yes.” Them? “Wait. Who are they? You didn’t get me two assistants, did you?”
“No. Jess and JB. Jess is your new assistant and JB is her companion who’s dropping her off.”
“Fine.” He didn’t see any way around this.
“Oh and Rasha?”
“Yes, Eva?”
“Don’t let her know she’s going to be working for you. I’m going to let her get settled in first. Okay?”
“She doesn’t know she’ll be my new assistant?”
“Umm, she knows, but it’s, umm…complicated. I want her to get used to life here before she goes to work. I want to give her a vacation first.”
Vacation. Eva and her funny human ways. He’d never get used to them. Who needed time off from what they loved to do most?
“Sure, vacation. Intercom off,” he said, dismissing the thought.
Marcie growled and rolled off him. “Be quick, we have unfinished business.”
Chapter Three
Sonis females were dotted among human females. Just as the males, the Sonian females were golden toned with dark hair and various colored highlights. They were humanoid in appearance. Their facial features were exotic and dainty. Their eye color ranged from green to purple. In a word, they were beautiful.
Of course they all look like exotic models. Jess inwardly groaned.
She couldn’t compete against the human females on Sonis, let alone the native ones.
She caught the thought before it could develop into something else.
I’m not here for a boyfriend, family or kids, she thought, reminding herself of her purpose on Sonis.
Her real purpose.
She needed a fresh start, just like all the other humans here. A new job and new surroundings were the first steps to regaining some of the normalcy she’d lost during the invasion.
“Do you see Eva anywhere?” she asked.
JB gazed around the room. “Nuh uh.”
While she and JB weren’t the only humans in the communal area, everything about them screamed “new humans”. Even though they wore the insignia of the largest transport company in the charted galaxy, Mercanis Shipping and Hauling, Jess still thought they looked out of place. JB was the only human male in the room and she was the only female not wearing a long, flowing gown.
“Excuse me.” They both moved out the way as a human woman walked past them.
“Pardon us, ma’am,” JB replied, nodding.
With JB’s grin larger than normal, Jess had the urge to punch him in his chest. Hard.
The redheaded woman licked her lips seductively, slowing her steps. When JB gave her a playful wink, she giggled.
Jess punched him in the arm. “Snap out of it, playboy. I didn’t follow you to watch you flirt.”
Finally peeling his gaze away, JB rocked back on his heels. “I think I might stay here awhile.” He whistled low. “Yep, just might stay here.” He locked on to another woman gathering two small boxes of supplies.
Jess released her bag, letting it hit the ground in a heavy thump. “I can’t believe this shit. I knew I should’ve asked Ryan to bring me here instead of you.”
“Ryan’s got six more hauls before he makes his way back to this sector,” JB said as a matter of fact.
The thought of staying any longer than necessary under Sa’Mya’s roof made Jess growl. “Fuck that.”
“And that’s exactly why I’m escorting you,” JB reminded her.
It wasn’t news to anyone that Jess didn’t get along with the bitch queen also known as Sa’Mya. They tolerated one another at best.
Jess only tolerated Sa’Mya because Kane loved her. As space pirates, Kane, JB, Jess and the rest of the crew had not only liberated the unsuspecting of their goods, but had taken hostages as well.
Their last group of hostages had been Sa’Mya and her small crew. Kane had intended to ransom them back to Laconia, their home planet. But somewhere along the way, Kane and Sa’Mya fell in love. Also som
ewhere along the way, Jess voted to kill Sa’Mya and her crew and had tried to complete the task herself. Their relationship had never recovered from that.
But the same way Jess felt about Sa’Mya, she was sure Sa’Mya felt tenfold about her. Sa’Mya had tolerated her because whether he was admitting it today or not, Kane considered Jess a part of his crew and therefore a part of his family. He’d even forgiven her for being insubordinate and contacting Sa’Mya’s uncle to ransom her home. Since he’d forgiven her for that, Jess was sure he was a friend for life. She still didn’t want to test their bond and especially not with anything that had to do with Sa’Mya.
“You know you didn’t have to leave Laconia, don’t you?” JB asked, interrupting her thoughts.
True. When Sa’Mya invited the crew to settle on Laconia, Jess had been surprised to find the invitation also extended to her.
Jess shrugged. “I know. I just wanted to try something new and Eva’s offer seemed like a good idea.”
Jess hadn’t taken much convincing. Eva had promised her a new home where she could feel safe and protected. Jess didn’t know why she had taken Eva up on her offer. Truth be told, she had been safe and protected on Laconia.
It might have been the out-of-place feeling she had on Laconia. Even though Sa’Mya and Kane had given her a home, she feared her presence put a strain on their relationship. She had chosen to spend as much time as she could off-world and on board The Vengeance II with Ryan and the rest of the crew. But lately even that was wearing thin on her nerves.
“Kane didn’t want you to leave. He thought you needed more time with the healers.”
“They’ve cured me!” she said jokingly. “Look at me now, surrounded by aliens and I’m not flipping out. It’s a miracle, Pa!”
Although she joked, she had made progress with the healers, hence the only reason she was able to stand in a roomful of aliens without having a full-on panic attack. Especially since a group of Sonis Royal Guards entered the room, seeming to search for something…or someone.
The guards turned their way and pointed. There was no mistaking it this time. The guards were coming for them and didn’t appear too happy about it either.
Jess tensed, locked her jaw and balled her fists. JB moved to her side, partially blocking her view.
The group of three overly large males stopped in front of them. “JB and Jess?” The bass tones of the speaker’s voice resonated in her chest.
JB hooked his thumbs in his pants. “Depends on who’s asking.”
The guards exchanged surprised glances and the speaker widened his stance. “Rasha, Captain of the Sonis Royal Guard.” He folded his thick arms across his chest and stared down at JB.
The way he stood, his movements, his speech, all spoke of leadership. He was big, bigger than the others. His muscles bulged and glistened. All the hours he must have spent perfecting that body…
A moan escaped her lips.
Shit. Did I just moan out loud? Her heart skipped a beat as eyes of pure amber locked on hers.
“It is you.”
A nerve ticked in her jaw. She squinted. I don’t remember him from the brothel. “Asshole,” she said under her breath. He was probably one of them just the same.
“Do you have something to say?” the giant asked.
Of course she had something to say. She cocked her head to the side. “Lay off the free weights, Gigantor.” JB nudged her but she couldn’t stop there. “Or stop the prison-themed workouts.”
Why couldn’t she stop? Insults spilled from her mouth at will, especially when she felt threatened, which was now.
Before the giant could respond, JB interjected. “Please excuse my ward. What can we do for you?”
Jess snorted at JB’s use of the word “ward”. As if he actually had some control over her actions. Hell, she couldn’t even control them.
The giant continued to watch her as he said, “I was sent to retrieve you both from the transport bay.”
“Oh.” JB ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry about that. Eva didn’t meet us there so we tried to make our own way.”
The giant broke eye contact with her and studied JB. “I am sure Eva gave you clear instructions to wait.”
As if we’re in the habit of following directions.
Jess rolled her eyes. “Pft.”
The giant glared at her again. “Female, if I want to hear you talk I will ask you a question.”
She straightened her back. Well now, this might get interesting.
JB grabbed her arm, tightening his grip. “Jess, cool it before you get us jumped,” he warned.
Yeah, she would cool it all right. It wasn’t her fault Gigantor hadn’t met them sooner.
The giant nodded in her direction. “I advise you to keep your female in her place,” he said, addressing JB.
Really. “Keep me in place?” Jess sidestepped around JB. “What makes you think he can?” She thumbed toward JB. “Or that I’m even his to keep in place?”
“I swear your mouth is going to get us killed one day.” JB moved in front of her and pressed his back against her chest. “Jess, I can maybe survive a fight with one, but not three,” he whispered over his shoulder.
She should have been afraid. If she were a rational woman she would have cowered behind JB.
But she wasn’t.
Instead, a raging river of blood rushed through her ears. She’d dealt with many alien males before. But she’d never had to go up against the famous Sonis Royal Guards.
Until now.
All reason aside, she stretched her neck from left to right, cracking the bones. “I’m sure they bleed just the same,” she assured JB.
As Gigantor chuckled, she snapped to glare at him. She and JB would have to work together to take that one down. Pretty eyes and all.
She shook head. What the hell?
He appeared older than the other males flanking him. His black hair was pulled off his face, revealing a tribal tattoo that showed the tip of a light-blue-and-indigo wing covering his cheek and extending down his neck and chest, where, displayed proudly, was a vivid bird of prey in flight with outstretched talons.
“God, please let us survive this,” JB prayed.
One of the guards stepped forward. Gigantor put out a hand, stopping him from advancing any farther. “The female is mine.”
So he likes to beat up on women? She reached for her blaster. Her hand circled around the hilt, ready to use it in the blink of an eye.
“It seems Gigantor wants to wrestle,” she said loud enough for the guards to hear.
Gigantor raised a lazy brow. “Wrestle? Is that what you call it?”
“Cool it. Stop provoking them,” JB said.
Jess clenched her jaw. “I’m not provoking them.”
No. Provoking him would be telling him he reminded her of a living and breathing Jolly Green Giant. The same one that used to be pictured on canned vegetables back on Earth. Except he was golden instead of green and a lot less jolly.
“Ho, ho, ho, green giant,” she mumbled.
JB elbowed her in her side.
“How curious,” Gigantor said. “You are in no position to win a fight yet you will not stand down.”
“Hey, look.” JB put up his hands. “We didn’t come here for a fight. I think we might have jumped the gun.”
“Eva invited you to Sonis as guests. No matter how curious I find you, if you pose a threat it is I who will make you leave.”
“We understand. You won’t have any trouble out of us,” JB said.
“Any more trouble,” Gigantor added.
JB nodded. “Sorry for any inconvenience we might have caused. We wanted to explore a bit.” JB advanced forward and offered his hand. “Please accept our apology.”
The giant briefly looked at JB’s hand and gave him what appeared to be an awkward handshake.
JB released his hand and motioned in her direction. “This lovely lady is Jessica. She came here to work.”
“JB, you mo
therfucker.” She quickly, stepped around JB. “Call me Jess.”
She didn’t offer Gigantor her hand, nor did he request it. Instead he stared at her intently and nodded.
“If either of you are to remain, you will never provoke a guard again. Is that understood?”
JB nodded while she remained still. When Rasha locked eyes with her and JB elbowed her again, she finally relented and nodded.
Rasha turned on his heels. “You are to follow me,” he said over his shoulder.
“Sure,” JB said.
“Call me Jessica again and I’ll break your arms,” she said to JB.
He snorted as they followed the retreating pack. She didn’t find anything funny. Jessica Moore was somebody who had died a long time ago. Jess was just a shell of the woman she had once been.
They followed in silence. It wasn’t long before she spotted Eva rushing toward them. Eva stood just above five feet tall and probably didn’t weigh much more than a hundred pounds, which made her and Taio an odd-looking pair. Taio was about the same size as the giant escorting them.
Eva’s long jet-black hair was in a braid down her back. She was the first female they’d encountered wearing pants but Jess hadn’t expected anything else on Eva.
Josanis, her chunky son, dangled on her hip. He had his parents’ black hair but had one blue eye, inherited from Eva, and the other was lavender, which he had inherited from his father.
“Thank you, Rasha, I’ll take it from here,” Eva said after reaching them.
Rasha glanced from Eva to Jess. “I think I’ll claim my—”
“Rasha…” Eva said through clenched teeth.
Chapter Four
Rasha stood his ground. “I want to stay.”
Eva shook her head and repositioned Josanis on her hip. “Um…no, we already talked about this, remember?”
Rasha glanced from Eva to Jess. “But…”
Eva waited for Rasha to continue. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Eva said, “Thank you but I’ve got this.”
“They were posturing to fight us,” Rasha blurted. “It might not be safe for you and Josanis to stay with them alone.”
And he had to bring that up.
Jess pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Rasha saying it out loud and in front of Eva seemed so…so bad.
Dangerously Hers (Loving Dangerously #3) Page 3
