by Cheri Chaise
“You did a wonderful thing, Dahlia.” She stroked my arm before wrapping her hand around my waist. “Risked a lot…and for more than just me.”
I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Even if it was only for you, I’d have done it all over again.”
“And for that, I am eternally grateful.” Blue eyes held a trace of regret. “I should’ve never allowed myself to…”
“Shh.” My finger warmed against her lips. If not for the children present, I would’ve taken the ambassador right there. “You need never even think of it again.”
With a deep, cleansing breath she nodded. Then stepped away. “You’re free to leave at any time. The case against your pilot has been dropped due to…lack of evidence.” The wry grin and raised brow needed no further explanation. “You’ll also find the proper legal documents filed in your ship’s logs, granting you temporary custody for the transport of Rylan and Rika back to their parents on Crente.”
“And the others?” I asked, though no explanation was truly necessary.
“I have been charged with escorting Sir Kranst’s former wards into the care of the royal family. At least until their parentage or nearest relative can be ascertained.”
I stared down the passageway as Jace came around the corner and bent to meet Rika eye-to-eye. I held my breath as this moment was tested. Would she remember him? Feel safe around him? After all, the four of us would be crammed together on my ship for the next few weeks.
But Rika proved herself resilient in understanding. Without hesitation, she melted into his embrace, keeping secret their shared circumstance. After much discussion, we’d deemed it necessary to avoid telling Rylan about what had transpired with Jace’s false arrest.
My breath caught as emerald eyes locked with mine from over the child’s shoulder. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear I saw the glisten of a tear on the mech tech’s cheek.
“None of these children will ever be the same,” I whispered to the ambassador.
“An unfortunate reality,” Trina acknowledged with a nod. Then a soft smile touched her lips. “But it seems you have developed an affinity for making the best out of every situation, my dear Dahlia.”
“Do you really believe that?”
Open honesty graced her features and transformed her appearance from the lines of worry she’d been carrying. Warm hands cradled one of mine. “You’ve done that for me.”
Our hug was brief but incredibly intimate. We’d shared so much more than our bodies over the course of my visit. “May the stars carry you swiftly home.”
Fingers feathered my cheek. “And may you find a home to call your own.”
With that, Ambassador Trina Dregas lifted her thick hood and headed out into the blinding snow. I watched until she drifted into the swirling vortex of darkness. Then I strolled down the passageway in the wake of my passengers.
“What say we get this ship underway?”
Jace stood straight and saluted. “Aye aye, Captain.”
I sighed. “Just get BIP to plot the coordinates so we can get off this ice cube.”
The cocky grin dropped in stunned surprise. “Me?”
“You have managed to seduce my AI, you know.”
“Does that mean I get to pilot us off of…”
“No!” I stared up at the ceiling. “Do you hear me, BIP? Piloting auto controls only.” Jace grinned and took off toward the bridge. “No matter what Programmer Jace says.”
“Yes, Dahlia. Flight auto controls engaged.”
Rika’s eyes widened as she glanced around as if trying to pinpoint BIP’s disembodied voice. “Is that an angel? Mama always said they watched over us.”
“Yes, Rika.” Rylan looked up at me with the first real smile I’d seen her use. “An angel is watching over us.”
My heart squeezed and rapidly warmed as I grasped the true impact of the teen’s words. I’d been called many things in my lifetime.
But angel had never been among them.
“Well now…” I cleared my throat as emotion threatened to cut off the air in my lungs. “Let’s see if we can’t clean out the rest of Jace’s things and make that pod feel a bit more like home for the next few weeks, shall we?”
Chapter Thirty
The darkness of space stretched out as far as the eye could see. The stars glowed all around in the distance, blinking in and out as the ship glided along toward Crente.
The trip shouldn’t take more than two weeks. Or maybe three at normal propulsion. At least that was according to the nav panel readout, if Jace plotted everything properly.
The bridge was silent, lit only by the ambient lights on the console. Everyone else had gone off to bed shortly after our shared meal, leaving me to pursue my heartbreaking vice.
My fingers hovered over the console display, aching to tap the screen and watch the holomessage from Irik again. This would make an uneven seventh time. If I tapped the screen. Which I couldn’t.
Though I desperately wanted to.
I considered putting it on a continuous loop and lying on the floor so his voice might lull me to sleep as he hummed our song. Just as he once did all those cycles ago.
But I had to stop this madness. Somehow. I couldn’t live in this shadow world, caught between a fantasy and reality. So I did the only thing I could.
And hit delete.
My tears were mostly dry by the time Jace found me. He lolled in the doorway and leaned against the metalloid frame. “It’s for the best, you know.”
I couldn’t look him in the eye. “I know.”
“It’ll make it just that much harder to track this way.”
I studied the floor. “Of course.”
Bare feet entered my vision. “The ship is already vulnerable enough without any defensive weaponry.” Jace’s touch was soft as he lifted my chin and stared into my eyes. “Which makes you vulnerable.”
His image wavered through the tears I fought against. “Just tell me what you need, Jace. Thanks to your efforts, finances aren’t quite so dire at present.”
My sneaky mech tech had confessed it all. Besides keeping a copy of certain files to help us track Sir Kranst’s contacts, Jace had also taken time to use his technological rigging skills on the payment scanner to fatten our accounts with more than a few credits. It was about time some of those funds were put to use for the good of others.
“Fuck finances,” he muttered, gathering me into warm, strong arms. “I just want to make sure we stay safe out here. That you’re safe.”
I nestled against his defined, muscular chest. The beat of his heart offered steady reassurance. “As long as you’re with me, I will be.”
When I raised my head his lips met mine, gliding smoothly together like lovers sharing whispered secrets. His touch was soft. His tongue tentative as he opened his mouth to taste me. Tenderly.
I couldn’t handle tender right then. Not after releasing my prince to disappear into the ether. Too much emotion hovered near the surface and threatened to send me into an abyss from which I’d never resurface.
So I bit his lip. Jace responded with a groan. The thrust of his tongue grew more urgent. His erection lengthened and hardened against my hip.
“Take me, Lover,” I said, trailing my teeth along the side of his neck, leaving a welling mark of claim. “Fuck me fast. Fuck me hard.”
I felt every inch of his grin against my neck. He sucked my earlobe into his mouth, his fingers digging into my ass as he hitched me up and wrapped my legs around his waist.
His breath tickled across my eardrum and sent a wave of delicious delight through me at his words. “All you had to do was ask.”
Other Works by Cheri
Space Courtesans Saga, space opera romance
Courtesans in Space
Courtesans and Lovers
Courtesans Go Undercover (spring 2019)
Courtesans and Pirates (spring 2019)
Courtesans at the Galactic Games (spring 2019)
And more!
Carston Brothers Ranch, reverse harem romance
Captivating Cole (summer 2019)
Bewitching Bret (summer 2019)
Delighting Drew (fall 2019)
Enticing Evan (fall 2019)
Sucky Succubus, hot and humorous novellas
Sucky Succubus (2019)
Sucks to be a Succubus (2019)
And many more to come!
About the Author
Cheri Chaise writes seductive and sensual romance novels set in a galaxy far, far away or the wild, wild west of early America. A previous career in finance and a love of history allowed her to travel across the country to gain direct knowledge of many of the settings in which her novels take place, though she’s still waiting for a return call from NASA.
Cheri calls Florida home for now, but she continues to pine for the cooler temperatures and rugged terrain of northern climes that she once called home. But as long as her beloved husband is by her side, anywhere they are together feels like home.
She loves to hear from happy readers!
Feel free to contact Cheri through Facebook or Email.
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