by Lolita Lopez
“Yeah, I got that.”
“Hey,” Menace said gently and cupped her chin. “I don’t care what Terror thinks. Don’t give him a second thought.”
She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “All right.”
Menace decided then and there that he was going to have a talk with Terror. Naya had had enough run-ins with the police on her planet to pick up on the vibes a guy like Terror, the top Shadow Force operative in the sector, would give off. Terror had investigated Hallie fully when Vicious had Grabbed her. Menace had no doubt Terror would do the same thing to Naya but she didn’t need him giving her the third degree out of some misguided attempt to protect a friend.
“So what did you think of Hallie?” He touched the pamphlets sticking out of her shirt pocket.
This time Naya’s smile was true. “I think she’s incredibly sweet and a really nice person.”
The elevator stopped and he took her hand to lead her to their quarters. “She’s been good for Vicious and the ship. She’s an incredible force for someone so small.”
“She wants me to join her wives club thing.”
Menace tried to imagine Naya sitting around at Hallie’s get-togethers to talk about whatever it was that women talked about at those things. He couldn’t. “Are you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll go to the first one just because I have questions. I’ll see how it goes.”
Insecurity flared deep in his gut. Questions? He’d seen the pamphlets Hallie had given her. One of them he was already familiar with because it had caused quite a stir after the last Grab. Some men weren’t thrilled by the fact that their women were informed of rights that were generally kept quiet, but Hallie and other wives had argued that giving new brides all the information would foster trust and communication between couples. He didn’t disagree with that assertion but still couldn’t shake the grip of fear that Naya would choose to file for separation rather than give their union a try.
“I can answer any questions you have, Naya. You don’t need the wives club for that. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”
She touched his arm. “I know that. I meant questions only other wives can answer.”
“Oh.” Feeling sheepish, he grabbed her hand and gently pried apart her fingers. Holding her thumb, he pressed it to the biometric scanner. It beeped when it successfully read her thumbprint. “You’re in the system now. You can control all the locks and consoles in our home and gain access to entry points throughout the ship.”
Surprise rippled across her face. “But you said I’m on restrictions.”
Still clasping her hand, he tugged her into their quarters. “You are but as you just experienced, restrictions are lifted during an emergency or when you’re with me or someone on my emergency contact list like Vicious or Hallie. When I decide to lift your blanket restrictions, there will be no delay in your ability to move about the ship freely.”
“And when will that be?”
Menace shut the door to their home and listened to the reassuring hiss and beep of the locks engaging. Secure in their space, he backed her against the wall and crushed his mouth to hers in a possessive kiss. When he pulled away, she panted and clutched at his shirt. “When you’ve been a very, very good girl.”
Grinning at his sexy teasing, Naya traced the heavy outline of the tattoo peeking out above his collar. “How do you suggest I go about proving that I can be a very, very good girl?”
“You can start by stripping out of those clothes.”
Her eyebrows lifted with surprise. “Here?”
“Yes.”
“But—”
“Now, Naya.”
Her immediate response to his forceful tone pleased him. Her breaths deepened and she licked her lips. Menace suspected that Naya enjoyed being bossed around by him because she had been forced to maintain complete control for so long just to survive. Submitting to him seemed to feed some deep-seated need she’d only just realized she had. For Menace, the knowledge that he was the only man who had ever successfully ordered her around proved a heady thing indeed. It was a gift he would never take for granted.
Skin flushed, she peeled out of her ill-fitting garments and toed off the shoes Hallie had given her. Menace couldn’t keep his hands off her. He palmed her lush breasts and let his hands ride her sinful curves. The feel of her satiny skin beneath his fingertips sent heat streaking through his lower belly. She mewled softly and rocked her hips.
Menace needed no other invitation. Dropping to his knees, he peppered her torso with kisses and licked a circle around her navel. She had been averse to the idea of a genital piercing, but he couldn’t shake the idea of a shiny precious stone adorning that gentle dip in her belly. He nipped the area. “We should pierce this.”
“What?” she asked breathlessly. “Pierce my bellybutton?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He grinned up at her and nibbled a spot on her hip. “We’ll discuss it later.”
“Menace, I don’t want—”
“Open your thighs for me.” Cutting her off mid-argument really frustrated her. He tried not to laugh at the pissed-off look on her face. She was rather striking when her dark eyes flashed like that. “Don’t make me ask again.”
She glared at him but slid her feet wider apart. He grasped her inner thighs and tried to nuzzle his face against her sex. Her hands shot out to block him. With a quick shove, she pushed his face away. Shame burned her cheeks and made her voice waver. “Don’t do that, Menace.”
Growling, he frowned up at her. “Put your hands behind your back. Now.”
She blinked twice but followed his order. He brushed his thumbs up and down her slit. “This is my cunt, Naya. Your body belongs to me and I’ll enjoy it whenever and however I please. Is that understood?”
She spluttered with indignation. “I’m not your toy, Menace!”
“No but you are my woman. Right now, I want to taste my woman.”
She tried to squeeze her knees together but his firm grasp on her inner thighs prevented it. “Menace, it’s not appropriate.”
So they were back to that again. “Is this because we made love this morning?”
“Yes. You can’t…you know…until I’ve showered again.”
“Says who?”
“Um…”
“You worry too much.” He kissed her mound. “Now hush and enjoy the feel of my tongue in your sweet cunt.”
“Menace…” Her protest turned to a low moan as he swiped her pussy with his tongue. “Oh!”
Groaning with need, he delved into her pink folds. His tongue circled her clit. He made sure to let her know that she was absolutely delicious as he lapped at her. If it took a tongue-lashing every morning, he would break her of this idea that her body was unclean or shameful.
Her tense muscles relaxed. She lifted her hips and widened her feet even more. Smiling triumphantly, Menace grabbed her ankles and lifted her legs onto his shoulders. He cupped her ass and feasted on her pussy. As if overcome with ecstasy, Naya bounced her heels against his back and slapped her palms against the wall. She cried out his name again and again as she climaxed hard, her clit pulsing against his lips and tongue.
When he finally tore his mouth away from her, she sagged against the wall. He grinned up at her. The dreamy expression on her face told him he had completed his mission. He let her legs slip from his shoulders and rose to his full height. His cock was so hard he expected it to bust out of his pants any second.
As if reading his mind, Naya reached for his tactical pants. She jerked free the buttons and yanked down the zipper. With a rough shove, she pushed his clothing down his hips. Menace clasped her by the waist and lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her thighs around him and used the wall to brace her upper body. He plundered her mouth, kissing her fast and hard in the same way he intended to fuck her.
He groaned when she grabbed his dick and wiggled her hips. The throbbing head of his cock parted the folds of her wet pus
sy. As soon as she placed him against her entrance, he thrust forward, sheathing himself fully in her hot, slick depths. She cried out and threw her head back, baring her neck to him. He buried his face against her throat and held tight to her trim waist as he rocked in and out of her.
Naya’s fingernails scratched at his scalp. She threaded her fingers through his short hair and panted against his cheek. “Menace,” she moaned his name, the sound heavenly to his ears. “Menace! Oh! Ah!”
There was nothing easy or gentle about their mating. He claimed her with feral intensity. Their bodies slapped together as they chased release. Too busy holding her up to help her climax, Menace dragged his lips along her jawline. “Touch your clit, Naya. I want to feel your pussy milking me when you come.”
She gasped at his brazen order but slipped her hand to the spot where their bodies joined. He changed the angle of his upper body to give her room. Their gazes met. The sight of her pink tongue swiping her upper lip spurred the memory of her mouth on his cock. He had to muscle down the overwhelming surge of lust that threatened to push him over the edge too soon.
Her sheath clenched him tighter and tighter. Naya’s shallow breaths matched his. The moment she began to shudder, Menace let go and joined her in their shared climax. He thrust as deep as possible and jerked roughly as the bursts of bliss rocked him.
Cheek-to-cheek, they clung to each other. Menace planted his hands against the wall, bracing their bodies with his hips. He pressed his mouth to her neck. “You just get better and better.”
She laughed and peppered ticklish kisses along his jaw. “Menace?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“I know I can ask for a separation…”
His stomach clenched painfully. Was she going to drop that bomb on him now?
“But I want to give our relationship a try.”
A rush of happiness threatened to topple him. He lifted his head and gazed down into her beautiful face. She wore an expression of uncertainty. Wanting her to know just how much he appreciated her offer, Menace smiled reassuringly and claimed her mouth in a sensual kiss.
She cupped his face and swept her thumbs across his cheeks. “I don’t know about you but I could use a nap.”
“I could use a little shut-eye.” Menace tugged his pants up higher and slipped out of her slick heat. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away from the wall. Capturing her lips, he carried her away from the entryway. He let his hand drift down to her bare backside and gave her plump bottom a good smack. “But first I think I want another round with you.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Again? So soon?”
“What can I say?” He squeezed her ass before dumping her on the bed and crawling over her. “You drive me crazy.”
“Menace, I don’t know about—oh!”
Chuckling against her belly, Menace put a mental check in his column. He’d definitely won this round.
* * * * *
Curled in the corner of Menace’s surprisingly comfy couch, Naya fooled around with the strange touchscreen tablet. She had seen similar devices used by Josef when she visited his testing site with Jennie. This was the first time she had ever had a chance to play with one and get used to it. Menace had spent much of the afternoon helping her learn to use the various bits of technology in his—their—quarters.
She had meant what she said earlier about giving her new life with him a real try. After seeing the way he’d jumped to defend and keep her, Naya believed Menace when he said he wanted her and only her. She had been burned so many times in the past but Menace seemed to be proving himself different than all the people who had betrayed her.
Listening to Menace move around in the bedroom, she couldn’t shake the nagging ache in the pit of her belly. She needed to tell him the real reason Terror had scared her. Menace was no fool. He had picked up on her anxiety and had seemed so ready to help her but she simply hadn’t known how to tell him the truth. So far, he had accepted that she’d been arrested for theft and on suspicion of smuggling things like medicine but there was so much more to tell.
As a street kid struggling just to survive, she had done some truly terrible things. Things she doubted he would understand. Things that would probably get her arrested in his world. She had smuggled more than just medicine and tech. Her business had been seeded with the funds scraped together by her illicit activities for people who had absolutely nothing to do with the altruistic Red Feather.
“Naya?” Menace strode into the living area. “I’m going to head out for our pre-mission briefing. I won’t be back until morning.”
Naya turned her upper body and got her first good look at Menace in full gear. The sight of him in all that harsh black and armed to the teeth chilled her. This was the boogeyman vision of her childhood. “Um…wow.”
His jaw clenched. “I’ve scared you, haven’t I?”
“A little,” she reluctantly admitted. Her gaze moved over his terrifying black form. She had never seen one man wearing so many weapons. “You think you have enough firepower?”
His face relaxed and he laughed. “You sound like Vicious.”
She gestured to the holsters strapped to his muscular thighs and the belt at his waist. “It’s overkill. Don’t you think? I mean, a vest, a belt, two thigh holsters and knives? Who the hell are you expecting down there?”
“I plan for the worst.”
“Clearly.”
Menace moved closer to the couch and brushed his fingertips along her face. He wore thick fingerless tactical gloves. The acrid scent of the fabric made her nose twitch. “There’s food in the refrigeration box and the pantry.”
She grasped his hand and rubbed the underside of his bare wrist. “I’m not five, Menace. I pretty sure I can figure out how to make something to eat.”
“Sorry. You’re right.” He bent down and kissed her long and hard, leaving her wanting and filled with need. “When I get back, we’ll pick up right there.”
His promise sent ripples of excitement through her core. “If you keep this up, I won’t be able to walk by the end of the week.”
Menace grinned. “Is that a dare?”
She snorted and smacked him. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you’re too sexy for your own good.” Menace kissed the crown of her head. “You can use the tablet to control the entertainment center.” He paused. “You might want to stay away from the nine-hundred range.”
“Why?”
“It’s pornography.”
“Pornography? You mean…?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“I see.”
“Have you ever seen pornography?”
Her ears grew hot. “Yes. I came across racy pics and magazines back in Connor’s Run. They’re sold in back alleys and bars. Teenage boys trade them as currency to buy cigarettes or whatever.”
“But you’ve never seen a film?”
“Until this afternoon when you showed me that,” she gestured to the big flat screen built into the living room wall, “I’d only ever seen short government films projected on white sheets in the town square.”
“We’ll have to watch one together.”
“What?” Now her face was as hot as her ears. “No. I don’t think so.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
She pursed her lips. “You’re a pervert.”
“And you love it,” he said with a laugh. He retreated to the entryway. “I’m locking the door. You won’t be able to leave unless there’s an emergency.”
She tried not to dwell on the fact that he was basically keeping her prisoner. After what she had learned from Hallie about the lost property laws, Naya had no desire to explore the ship on her own. Another more troubling thought rushed to the forefront of her mind. “Can anyone else get in here?”
“Only Vicious,” he said. “He’s my emergency contact and yours. You’d have to let anyone else in the door.”
“Good.”
“What has you so worried?” Men
ace tilted his head. “Is it the pamphlets and all that business about the property laws and stealing wives? Because I can tell you right now, Naya, there isn’t a man on this ship stupid enough to try to break into my home to steal you.”
What about Terror, she wanted to ask. He definitely wasn’t stupid, but Naya felt sure he was brazen enough to do it. Over lunch, she had cautiously pumped Menace for info on Terror. He had said the one-eyed soldier was a logistics clerk, but Naya had silently called bullshit on that. The secret police down on Calyx also had similarly innocuous titles. Janitors, sanitation workers, maintenance men—they were occupations no one gave much thought and men who were overlooked on the street. It was the perfect cover.
“Naya?” His gentle voice called to her.
“Yes?”
“Try to relax tonight. Enjoy the quiet time. Watch something silly or fun.”
“I’ll try.”
He shot her one last sinfully sexy smile before walking out of view. She heard a few quick beeps before the door opened and closed. The loud locking mechanism made her feel fractionally more secure. Alone with her thoughts, Naya hugged her knees to her chest and tapped the screen of the entertainment console. Menace’s suggestion to find an entertaining program seemed like a good one. Anything to rid her mind of the worry her run-in with Terror had caused.
But not even the melodramatic program on the screen could tear her thoughts away from the man who threatened her most. Oh, the two sisters fighting over the man who had proposed to one but gotten the other knocked up was interesting enough but those worries about Terror wouldn’t leave her.
What could she do? Trust Menace with the secret that could send her to prison? She doubted there was anything he could do to help her even if he knew what she had done. Whether he would want to help her was the real question. The thought of being betrayed by Menace cut deeply. She had known him a very short time but already she was beginning to care for the green-eyed sky warrior.
Naya reached for the tablet again and found the information browser Menace had shown her earlier. She tapped at the screen and entered her search term. A few seconds later, dozens of results appeared. It was going to be a long night of reading.
