Instead of getting angry or pressing her to change her mind, Terror simply nodded and extended the tray. “Here you go.”
She eyed the tray and his long arm. If he wasn’t Vicious’ friend, and had bad intentions, the second she opened the door he could lunge at her. She shook her head. “Put the tray on the floor. Back away from the door. Turn around and put your nose against the wall. Hands on your head,” she added for good measure.
He looked surprised by her instructions. Laughing, he nodded. “All right, little one.”
He did exactly as she asked. When he was safely across the hall, she opened the door just wide enough to snatch the tray through and quickly pulled it into the room. “It was nice to meet you, Terror. If you’d like to come by when Vicious is here, you’re more than welcome. Goodbye.”
She shut the door quickly and engaged the lock. She could hear him laughing on the other side of the door but he didn’t knock or try to get her attention again. Tray in hand, she backed away from the door a few steps before pivoting and making her way to the dining room. She lifted the lid and discovered food that looked appetizing. There was a big salad with lots of delicious vegetables, a slab of grilled steak, a dinner roll and some kind of cake.
But it was the handwritten note that really caught her attention. Try the cake. It’s delicious. V.
She picked up the slip of paper. It seemed so strange to see such a low-tech thing among all of this extremely advanced technology. Unable to help herself, she traced the sharp lines of his script. She carried the paper to her nose and inhaled deeply. There, under the smell of paper and ink, hid the scent she’d so quickly come to recognize as Vicious’. His woodsy soap and spicy aftershave filled her with the sharpest sense of longing.
She sat down in the nearest chair and played with the slip of paper. What in the world was happening to her? One day with Vicious and she was walking around moon-eyed! The man had chased her through the woods, tossed her over his shoulder and carried her back to his home like some hunter bringing back a prized kill. He’d tied her up, done wicked things to her body and then taken her to his bed, where he’d stolen away her virginity.
And she wouldn’t change a thing.
The thought hit her so suddenly. She went still as the realization became clear. She was happy. For the first time in such a very long time, she had someone to take care of her. She’d spent an entire morning reading. When was the last time that had happened? Oh, right. Never!
Their relationship hadn’t had the most auspicious beginnings but things seemed to be working. He made her laugh. He showed kindness and patience. He was providing her with creature comforts and seemed willing to compromise here and there. Vicious may not have been the kind of man she’d imagined marrying but he was definitely proving to be the kind of man she needed.
A series of shrill beeps made her jump. She hopped out of her seat and followed the noise to the communication console mounted on the wall of the living area. A flashing green screen displayed the word incoming. She tapped the screen and was surprised to see Terror’s face filling the display. “Oh! Hi.”
“Hello, Hallie.” He smiled. “I realized I hadn’t asked you if there was anything you might need. I know Vicious is in meetings all day and you’re basically in quarantine as a new bride. If I had to be away from my new mate on her first day aboard a ship, I know I would feel better if my friend looked in after her. So…?”
“Oh. Well.” She considered her needs for the moment. Feeling a bit sheepish, she asked, “How are your laundry skills?”
*
Vicious leaned back in his office chair and rubbed his tired eyes. Days like this, he truly loathed his position. He actually yearned for the heat of battle and the pain and brutality that accompanied it. He’d rather take a plasma blast to the balls than sift through these digital reports. A demotion to the live-action ranks would be a welcome change.
A knock on the door dragged his gaze away from the frustrating screen on his tablet. He broke into a grin at the sight of his oldest and dearest friend, Terror, striding into his office.
“Slacking off, I see.”
“Ter! How the hell are you?” Vicious rose and hurried around his desk to meet his friend. They grasped hands and embraced in their traditional greeting. He whacked Terror on the back. “It’s good to see you.”
“And you,” Terror said with his usual tight smile. The scars that made so many cringe or glance away had no effect on Vicious. He’d been there the day his friend had earned them, after all. When Terror glanced around the office, he grimaced. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to finding you in here. I don’t know how you stand it.”
“I don’t either some days,” Vicious admitted. “Usually I try to think about the men in the field counting on me to represent their best interests. It makes it easier to stomach.”
“And knowing that you get to go home to your lovely bride every night helps, I’m sure.” Terror grinned knowingly.
“Yes.” Vicious thought of Hallie and heat streaked through his belly. He imagined her naked, nubile body curled up in the corner of his living room couch. Suddenly, the work day seemed too long and his uniform pants much too tight.
“She’s beautiful—and not at all what I’d expected,” Terror said with a laugh. “Dark hair. Petite. Those big brown eyes.” He shook his head. “What happened to the blonde bombshell you kept describing as your ideal woman?”
Vicious started to answer but then realized Terror had described Hallie perfectly. Eyes narrowed, he let his fingers tighten into fists but tried to remain calm even as jealousy and possessiveness surged through him. “How do you know what my Hallie looks like?”
“I stopped by for a visit and helped her do some laundry.”
Terror’s matter-of-fact reply didn’t help to allay Vicious’ warring emotions. He forced his gritted teeth to unclench so he could speak. “You did what?”
“Calm down, Vee.” Terror smacked his arm. “We did laundry via the vid-screen.”
“What? Why?”
“Because she wasn’t sure how to use the machines.”
“I have laundry service.”
“Yes, I pointed that out, but she muttered something about privacy.”
Vicious wondered what in the world was so private about laundry. A thought struck him. Their sheets, perhaps? She was the kind of woman to be sensitive about broadcasting the evidence of her loss of virginity. A pang of guilt made his gut ache. He probably should have taken care of the sheets himself or at least taken the time to show her how to use the laundry appliances.
“She’s a fast learner,” Terror remarked.
Vicious nodded. “I think she’s had more education than most women from her village.”
“You think?”
Vicious shrugged. “I haven’t delved into her history yet. She seems to have connections to the black market ships like Shepherd,” he admitted. “I was able to learn that she’d smuggled her sister off-planet.”
“Really?” Terror seemed impressed. “That’s a courageous thing to do, especially coming from that place.”
Vicious agreed with a grunt. “I worry that she may have been involved in something deeper than just moving her sister to the colonies.”
Terror eyed him carefully. “I didn’t get that vibe from her, and I stopped by your quarters specifically to test her.” Vicious started to protest but Terror held up his hand, silencing him. “When I arrived on the ship this morning, everyone was talking about this woman you’d Grabbed. I wanted to see if she was worthy of you.” His lips settled into a grim line. “You and I both know that some women bribe the lottery officials so they can find a Harcos man to take them away from their homes. We’ve both seen men destroyed by wives who ran off with other men. Think of Raze and that mess with his wife and the man from Jesco colony. I wanted to make sure she wasn’t just after the financial perks or your military connections.”
“You didn’t need to test, Hallie.” His jaw tensed. �
�She’s not that kind of woman.”
“I know.”
Vicious remembered his instructions on staying nude all day. “Did you see her naked?”
Terror smiled. “No. Though I would have appreciated a glimpse, she kept your shirt on the entire time.” Terror moved to the chairs in front of Vicious’ desk and lowered himself into one. “She wouldn’t let me in your quarters when I brought her lunch tray. Even after I told her we were friends, she made it clear to me that you wouldn’t approve of a male visitor and that she didn’t trust me. She barely cracked that door enough to peep through.” Then, with a laugh, he added, “She made me put the tray on the floor, walk to the opposite wall, turn away from her and put my hands on my head so she could pull it into the apartment.”
A smile tugged at Vicious’ lips. “I’m not surprised. You should have seen her yesterday morning. She had a battle plan before that race even started and a handful of backups too.”
Terror stretched his legs. “I heard she almost made it to the safe zone.”
Vicious nodded. “I don’t think she wanted to be caught. I think maybe she’d been hoping to hit the safe zone, earn her freedom and take the first ship off that hellhole to the colonies.”
“Good thing you caught her then,” Terror replied.
“Barely. She’s quick and a little devious.” He chuckled as he walked to his desk and leaned back against it. “She forced me to cross a stream to catch her. You should have seen her flying across that stream on a rope and landing on the other side like some kind of jungle creature.” He snorted and confessed, “I snapped the damn branch and ended up ass first in the water.”
Terror laughed. “And I bet you loved every second of the chase.”
“Yes.” He eyed Terror for a moment. “You should use your points and enter a Grab. You and I have both been eligible for some time now. Seize the chance, Ter.”
Terror made a face and waved dismissively. “The last thing I need is a wife.”
“I used to think the same thing.” Vicious crossed his arms. “Last week, when the deadline for this Grab arrived, I finally realized I was wasting my prime. I thought, why not here? Why not now? Her planet is known for its submissive beauties.”
“She didn’t strike me as particularly submissive. Not after the way she ordered me around in the hallway. She definitely wasn’t a blonde, either.”
Vicious grunted. “Plans change.”
“Clearly.”
He frowned at Terror. “She isn’t what I thought I wanted but she’s proving to be exactly what I need.”
“It’s only been a day.”
“And?”
“You can’t possibly know if she’s what you need in that short of a time period,” Terror countered.
“How would you know?” Vicious arched his brow. “When you have a mate of your own, we’ll talk bonds and relationships. Until then—”
“Stow it?” Terror guessed with an amused grin.
Vicious smiled. “Yes. Stow it.”
Terror mockingly saluted. “Yes, sir! Colonel Vicious, sir!”
Vicious rolled his eyes. “Did you just come here to bust my balls or did you need something else?”
“Both,” Terror replied. With a sigh, he said, “General Thorn is on his way to the Valiant. You know what that means.”
His gut twisted. “Hell!”
Terror nodded. “When I heard you had Grabbed a woman, I figured you’d want to know as quickly as possible. I’m sure the invite will come down soon. He’ll expect you to come to his private parties now that you’re bonded.” Terror hesitated. “He may even expect you to share—”
“I’ll hand in my resignation written in his blood before he puts his dick anywhere near my Hallie.”
Terror smirked. “Yes, I think you would. But—you can’t avoid these get-togethers of his, not if you intend to keep your position.”
Vicious rubbed the back of his neck. “I know.”
“Just tell your bride she’s going and that’s that.”
Now it was Vicious who smirked. “You would think it’s that simple.”
“It is. She’s your wife. You own her. Tell her she’s going and that you expect her to behave with the proper decorum.”
Vicious guffawed at Terror’s black-and-white view. He wiped at his eyes and shook his head. “You know, Ter, maybe you should stay out of the Grab. You wouldn’t survive the first week as a husband.”
Terror frowned. “When did you get so soft?”
Vicious stilled. He considered his oldest friend’s assessment. “It’s shocking to me too. I had all of these preconceived notions of how this was going to work but one night with Hallie and I’m reconsidering a lot of it.”
Terror seemed flabbergasted. “Why?”
Vicious shrugged. “Because I want to make her happy.”
“And you? Are you happy bowing down to her whims?”
“It’s not bowing down. It’s compromise.”
“It’s soft.” Terror shook his head. “You better not let General Thorn see you this way. He’ll think you’re unfit for the position.” Terror stood and touched Vicious’ arm. “We men in the field need you. With you in our corner, we don’t have to fear low supplies or the lack of reinforcements. You were one of us.”
“I still am.” Vicious clamped his hand on Terror’s shoulder. He squeezed it hard enough to make Terror wince. “And I’m not getting soft.”
Terror laughed. “We’ll see.”
Vicious let his arm drop. “Are you staying long?”
“Unknown.”
Vicious understood. Officially, Terror was a clerk in the logistics unit. Unofficially, he was the head of the Shadow Forces, a covert-ops unit. “If you can, I’d like you to join us for dinner.”
“Only if your mate wears that shirt again,” Terror teased.
Vicious glared at him. “Easy, old friend. That’s my bride you’re talking about.”
“That’s why I didn’t ask for her to serve us in the nude.”
Vicious shook his head and tried to remember why he loved Terror so much. Otherwise, he might punch him in the face. Chuckling, he pointed to the door. “Get out of here. Some of us have to work.”
“Maybe I’ll go see if Hallie needs help figuring out the entertainment console,” Terror said as he strolled to the door. “She might find the channels in the 900 range interesting.”
Vicious narrowed his gaze. The 900 range on the entertainment satellite offered nothing but endless pornography. “I don’t find that even the littlest bit funny.”
Terror grinned. “You wouldn’t. I’ll see you around, Vee.”
Vicious watched his friend leave and returned to his desk. A message icon flashed on his tablet screen. He reluctantly opened the message and saw exactly what Terror had warned. General Thorn had landed and wanted to hold one of his private officers’ parties.
He wiped his face. Hallie wasn’t ready for that kind of thing. The debauched parties typically ended in wife swaps and all kinds of public play. She’d been so scared in cuffs last night. He couldn’t possibly ask her to go any further than that, and especially not in public.
If he declined the invitation, there would be hell to pay. If he accepted the invitation, he risked emotionally wounding Hallie. He’d never felt so conflicted in his life. Maybe Terror was right. Maybe he was getting soft. Making a decision like this would have been simple before Hallie. Now it was a damn minefield.
But he had to choose. Either way, he was right and truly fucked.
Chapter Six
Hallie’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the door open and close. She leapt up from the couch, carefully placed the tablet on the side table and hurried over to meet Vicious. Her smile died as he came into view. His shoulders slumped forward just the smallest bit but it was noticeable to her. He looked almost…defeated.
“Vicious?” She cautiously stepped forward. “Are you all right?”
His expression softened and he shifted the bla
ck bag he carried from one hand to the other. He reached for her. “Come here, Hallie.”
She crossed the short distance between them and allowed Vicious to gather her tightly in his big arms. His scent filled her nose. She closed her eyes and relished his heat and strength. “I missed you.”
He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head. “I missed you too.”
“Your friend came by,” she said, certain he’d want to know. “He brought my lunch tray and then helped me figure out the laundry appliances.”
“Yes, I know. Terror stopped by my office.” He pushed her back a little and gazed down into her eyes. “What did you think of him?”
She shrugged. “He seemed nice enough. A bit bossy,” she added with a grin, “but I’m beginning to think that’s a cultural thing.”
He laughed. “Yes.”
She hesitated. “His scars?”
A fleeting flash of guilt crossed his handsome face. “We were on a covert mission in the Kovark prison system.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Kovark? My god.” She put a hand to her chest. “But that place is filled with murderers and rapists and child molesters.”
He nodded. “They house the vilest of the vile there, but we had good intel on an insurgent ring operating out of one of the prisons. Terror and I were chosen to go deep undercover and infiltrate the terrorist cell. It went well—too well. Terror managed to get very close to the head of the cell by framing Dodson, the second-in-command, as a mole. Needless to say, the mole didn’t take it well. I should have been there but I was halfway across the prison trying to smuggle our intel out via a corrupt prison guard. It’s my fault he’s scarred in that way.”
Hallie started to console him, to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but stopped herself. This had happened so long ago and Vicious clearly wasn’t the type of man who wanted to be coddled. “I’m sorry. That’s an awful burden to bear.”
He swept a finger down her cheek. His expression sobered. “Unfortunately, little one, it’s now you who must bear a terrible burden.”
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