Seth said, moving behind me, “I wanted to warn you about the possibility, but Don would’ve told you if you were his mate.”
Trying to lighten the mood, I teased, “You just want me to stay.”
“I do. I really do, but I wouldn’t lie about this.”
I faced him, taking his hand and swinging it between us. “I know.”
“Do you like him?”
“Of course I do.” I liked Don more than I’d ever liked anyone, except Seth.
“Maybe this could be a permanent thing between you two?”
Maybe. But did I want that? And more importantly did Don?
When I stepped into the room, Vince’s thoughts and emotions were all over the place. The sole clear thing I got from his mindwas that Seth had been here, in my quarters, and he’d said something to confuse Vince.
Had Seth started to care for Vince in the same way?
Jealousy ripped through me.
I moved toward Vince, instinct demanding I claim him. Vince, in turn, raced toward me and threw his arms around my shoulders to yank me down, lips finding mine. I paused at the searing kiss, lust rushing through me and settling in my cock.
Without thinking, I lifted Vince. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his legs around my waist. His cock was hard against my stomach while his thoughts whirled around going to the bedroom and sucking each other off—something I was more than fine with.
As I carried him to my bedroom, I kept a tight hold on him. I didn’t care what Seth had said. Vince was mine. Until he decided to leave, I would keep him, and no one would take him from me.
Chapter 31
Another planet, or by another name—a delay in disguise.
I kissed my way down Vince’s back as I stood. He’d been sleeping in my room for the past week since my brothers confronted me and since that mysterious conversation between Seth and Vince had taken place—the one Vince hadn’t thought about or told me about.
The only time he’d returned to his quarters was to get his stuff, putting his shiny pillows on my couch and his pink blankets on my bed and a large pillow he’d told me was meant for the floor near the wall. His clothes now filled my closet, and his hygiene products were in my bathroom. He’d effectively moved into my quarters, and I couldn’t have been more pleased about it. Falling asleep and waking up next to him was a dream.
Rather unwillingly, I put on my uniform before leaving the room and Vince behind until lunch when he would meet me in the canteen. Even having just left, my thoughts turned toward him and my senses stretched through the walls to him, needing to be connected to him. As he was asleep, I didn’t feel much besides his general presence.
Disappointed, I moved to the lift while I recalled how his thoughts kept skittering around something. I respected his privacy, not digging for what I wanted to know, as much as it pained me.
With every day that we spent together, Vince was getting better at avoiding my inner fire, reminding me heavily of Kalvoxrencol. Out of all my brothers, he was the best at evading me; Vince was becoming his equal in shocking time.
The two of them, while they would both hate the comparison, were similar in the oddest ways.
When the door opened to the command floor, I pushed Vince from my thoughts as much as I could—he wouldn’t leave completely, not ever.
“Captain on deck,” Bimwoxcol said when I entered.
“Return,” I ordered right away. “Status.”
Bimwoxcol rambled off the same information as yesterday, not a surprise. If there had been something new, I would’ve been informed already. We were in Coalition space, not far from the Drakcol Empire. I didn’t expect any trouble, though I always remained vigilant.
I took my seat, grabbing my screen to look through the notes and reports that had come across my system. Both Hallonnixmin and Monqilcolnen had sent me notes that were almost identical. They wanted to know if I’d told my brothers yet and spoken with Vince. I ignored them, because I’d done neither.
All of my younger brothers had attacked me at various times to find out what was going on, and I’d rebuffed them. Zoltilvoxfyn and Serlotminden were more annoyed at my evasion; Kalvoxrencol was hurt, which tugged at my soul. I would have to tell them soon.
Though, interestingly enough, I worried about what Kalvoxrencol would do more than any of my other brothers. He was viciously protective of us. If he thought Vince’s departure would injure me, he wouldn’t hesitate to act. Not to mention, he wanted Vince to no longer present a threat in regard to Seth.
The door to Command opened, and I paid it no mind. If someone was late for their duty shift, Bimwoxcol would handle it. All crew schedules and problems fell to her unless it was severe enough for me to interfere.
