“It’s not about that right now, Treyu. It’s a fact. The Guild has wanted the Orion family under its thumb for a long time, you know this. Bringing you into our family achieves that end for them.”
“Bring Atlanta into the family,” I suggest. “Those two are always fucking anyway, they might as well make it official. Then the Guild still has what it actually wants—anOrionminder—and problem is solved.”
Gemini lights up. “Oh, do you think? Maybe that would be an option, Zhang-y?”
Zhang’s brother is so fucking happy, he’ll have to at the least consider it. My hopes are fucking high.
“Only if Atlanta wants it,” I add. “And then I find out what the fuck is going on. Someone is manipulating my family into something. Or trying to kill us. I’ve done a lot of shit, but this can’t be just because of me.”
Can it? Never mind. I don’t want to know the answer to that one.
Zhang stiffens. “I can ask, but I can’t make any promises.”
“Thank fuck. We’ll have really dodged a bullet here, fiancé.” I remember his text from this morning. “Never call me babe again.”
He smirks. “I wasn’t sure if anyone would check your call log. I might have spun it for the Guild that I’d shown up last night because we’re fucking.”
“Why would you do that?” I shrill. I don’t want anyone to think that. Most specifically my brain. Zhang is an annoying beast, but even species without eyes can see that he’s a fucking tall drink of Pleiadian water.
Godsdammit. Now, I’m imagining him fucking me. My breath slows, and heat climbs my neck.
Running a frustrated hand through his long red locks, he huffs. “I wasn’t supposed to be there, okay?”
Finally, the truth and a distraction from picturing him bending me over the counter. “Already figured that much out. Whywereyou there?”
His nostrils flare. “Haven’t you been listening? Someone wants you dead. When I told you my assignment was to keep you alive, I wasn’t lying about that. It was just … an assignment I gave myself, which technically I can do.”
“You’re using your angry voice again, and I’ve had enough of it for one morning. Someone take me back. I’ll stay at Orion Central until this is sorted out.”
“No. Until we have the go-ahead from Father, you’re staying where I can have both eyes on you.”
I groan. “I should marry you if just to be a real star again, and then I’d have no issues kicking your ass.”
“As your husband, I would forbid you from doing so.” His perfect white teeth glint.
“Why? Scared I might win?”
He scoffs. “Not in a million light years. I won’t have a husband who disrespects me. Period. I still want to make angel. I have a reputation to maintain.”
I laugh. “Then I promise you, marrying me would have been a bad move on that front.”
“Atlanta’s on his way,” Gem announces. “I didn’t explain everything to him, but General Ryan’s allowing it.”
“Please tell me you told him to bring my phone and my blades.”
I don’t expect an answer and instead throw myself backward on the bed like a toddler. Zhang towers over me. “Have you eaten?”
“Not unless you count coffee.”
“I don’t.” He yanks me up by the wrist and smacks my ass to get me moving toward the table.
“Um, you haven’t been given that right yet and it looks like it’s not happening, so keep your paw prints off my ass.”
“Wrong. For the next however long it takes to get this changed over, I am your husband-to-be and that means I’m your head of house. You get to obey me until that time, or I get to spank you.”
Right. Pleiadian rules. How soon I forget. He’s far too delighted by the prospect. “I’m shocked. They named me taken in hand?” My voice is laced with mock astonishment. I might as well have taken in hand stamped onto my forehead. Though, it doesn’t matter if the Guild appoints a marriage. They will appoint you as whatever works in their favor.
Grinning, I sit with the aftershocks of his handprint fanning across my ass. I don’t hate it.
