The love that the family had for each other flowed over the table in their words, their thoughtful glances, even the way they shared the dishes that were placed on the table. She’d enjoyed the obviously oft-told stories of his childhood and the descriptions of their planet just as much as the food. The more she learned about Dez, the less she understood how he could ever leave.
She yawned but tried to be discreet.
“You seem tired,” Daymuhnd, Dez’s father, said. “Please, let me escort you to your rooms.”
“Oh, no, we were planning on staying on the ship,” Cyra told them although they really hadn’t discussed any plan. They would be a burden if all four of them stayed with his family. Besides staying in their home would only add to her guilt.
Seated next to her, Dez leaned close. “You must stay with me and my family. After all, you don’t want me running away do you?”
There were many things she wanted from him and none of them involved him running away. That had to be the wine. She shouldn’t think of him that way. “I’m sure that after that exquisite meal, I’ll sleep so deeply you could run away no matter where I am. I don’t want to be a burden to your family.”
“It is not a burden,” Azhume said, making Cyra realize the private conversation had been overheard, and all eyes were on her and Dez. “We live in the lower levels and have plenty of guest rooms. It would be more difficult to find a hovercraft at this time than to have you stay.” Azhume was so gracious, it was difficult to argue.
Cyra turned to her crew for backup. All three of them were begging her with their eyes to stay. Traitors. “If you’re sure…”
“I’m sure,” Azhume said warmly, and rose from the table. She kissed her daughter good night and patted her son-in-law, the prince, on the shoulder. Daymuhnd took her hand and escorted her from the room. Cyra and the rest of the crew thanked the prince and princess for the fantastic meal and wonderful company. They were invited to come back anytime their ship was in the solar system, even if Dez wasn’t with them. Another stab of guilt twisted deeper into Cyra’s belly.
Dez walked with her to the elevator, his hands clasped behind his back. “Would you like to see the forest before we leave tomorrow?”
“I would love to see everything. It seems like so much is hidden.”
“I’ll take you after our morning meal. Your crew can go with us or attend to loading the ship, as you wish.”
“Thank you, Dez.” Cyra resisted the urge to touch him, or say something more. What could she say? She had been paid to drag him to another end of the galaxy and she would complete her job, no matter how attractive she found him or how completely she adored his family, and his beautiful planet. He was cargo and her future, the future of her crew, andThe Treasurerequired her to deliver him to Kolben.
Chapter17
“Fuck.”Varik snarled at the comm display. Still no word from the pharmaceutical company on Morgual. After so many cycles, odds were Cyra had deliveredhisspiders onhisship and takenhismoney. The tracker he’d planted onThe Treasureshowed that she had launched from Morgual. Somehow she’d put together enough funds to get fuel and food to make the delivery. And clearly, despite the conversations he’d had with his contact, the company had paid for the spiders.
He smacked his fist on the desk. Unable to sit still he paced the tiny quarters on theHarlan Johnson. Captain Twalley was still dawdling about leaving and somehow Cyra kept moving. How the fuck was she doing it? Varik would have been hard pressed to get the fuel, food, and pay the crew, and he had Auvi’s funds. Wellhisfunds. Because Auvi promised to leave everything to him. Including the damnTreasure. But Auvi had lied. One false step and Varik had been cast aside without a backwards glance. That wasn’t love.
Auvi had moved on as if everything they’d shared was meaningless. He’d given Cyra Varik’s rightful place. And she took to it like a fish to water. Finding a crew. Delivering the deadly spiders. Getting off Morgual.
If she wasn’t using his rightful property to do everything, he’d almost admire her tenacity.
A knock at his door froze him mid-stride. He rolled his shoulders and shaped his lips into a welcoming upturn. On the other side, he found Jarn, assistant to Captain Twalley. Varik’s heart leapt at the site of the beautiful copper-skinned male, and his smile shifted from being a mask to a genuine reflection of his mood. Jarn was young, or at least younger, with a strong jaw, molten brown eyes, and a lean body that begged to be worshipped. Varik leaned forward to catch the scent of his soft, male musk. Footsteps echoed farther down the corridor.
Varik stiffened, wiping the smile from his face. “What?”
“Uh.. Mr. Pectori,” Jarn stuttered. “Captain Twalley requested your presence in his…um... his quarters.” Jarn’s face deepened to a heated bronze color.
Gods what Varik would give to be able to make the male stutter for real, to choke on his cock, to swallow him deep. But he had to focus on the captain and the seduction he’d started in an attempt to convince Twalley to leave the station. Until they were in space, Varik’s hands were tied. If he bedded Jarn the way he dreamed of, he’d hold no sway over Twalley and would likely lose his ride completely.
Once they launched, anything and everything would be possible. Varik smoothed his hands over his shirt, tucking it tightly into his flight pants. He tugged his collar, enjoying the way Jarn’s eyes traced every move. He would fuck this sweet boy, bring them both untold satisfaction, but not soon enough.
“Tell the captain, I’m coming.” Varik paused on the loaded word. “Just need to finish one thing.” Varik closed the door in Jarn’s face before he dragged the assistant across the threshold and ruined everything.
On his comm, he closed the tracking app and sent yet another placating message to his quickly dwindling crew that he had a meeting with Twalley and they could be leaving any cycle, to remain at the ready. It was a lie, or maybe not, depending on how the meeting went, but he had to keep as many of them engaged as possible. To wrest the ship from Twalley, he’d need more than the amorous devotion of Jarn.
Varik checked the time. He’d made Twalley wait long enough. Varik strolled down the pristine, cream-colored corridors that reminded him more of a hospital than a spaceship. TheHarlan Johnsonwas a research vessel, not a working ship. But as soon as he was in charge, this little tug would be working overtime to getThe Treasureback under his command where she belonged.
He knocked on the captains door before adopting a casual pose against the frame. A single breath after Twalley opened up Varik rolled into the room giving the captain his best heated stare. “You need me?”
Twalley swallowed, his throat visibly constricting. “Varik.”
Varik smiled a half-smirk and let his eyes go soft. “What can I do for you, Captain?”
“We’re almost ready to embark. I wondered if you might review the travel details with me one more time. You’re so knowledgeable about the ER Bridges and the best fuel rates, travel costs…” Twalley trailed off, his eyes roaming Varik’s body.
