Page 36 of Possessed By the Leonid King

Layla exchanged a glance with Rupex. He turned his eyes toward Marcus, face blank.

Doesn’t he like that idea? I know he likes that idea. He doesn’t want to pressure me.

She cleared her throat, trying to swallow the sudden dusty feeling inside it. “I’d be okay with that.” Until he decides we don’t even need a contract. Until we’re not business partners—we’re just lovers. Or more. Do Leonids marry humans? Well, they never have before, but would he? Do I want that?

“You’d be amenable to having more cubs with me? Even if it takes a longer time? Years’ longer?” Rupex moved near to her, his eyes soft and hopeful.

“I-If I survive the first one.”

“I’m also not ruling out the possibility of two or three. The booster is having other effects that I thought would be only temporary, such as this breeding frenzy you seem to be in. If the yowls I heard coming from the woods yesterday are any indication, your body takes to the booster like a cub to milk.”

“Marcus! How dare you eavesdrop.” Rupex bared his teeth, his mane puffed up angrily.

Marcus looked away, unconcerned. “Rupex, it’s a wonder that ships from the mainland didn’t file a noise complaint. I spent the day inside the vessel for my own sanity, not merely your privacy.”

“Oh, God.” Layla buried her head in her hands.

Marcus seemed (or pretended to be) oblivious to her mortification. “I had no idea humans were so noisy. The ship has far better soundproofing than the island.”

Rupex snarled. There was a dark, violent gleam in his eyes that Layla didn’t like... but also didn’t mind. It was odd. She didn’t like violence as a rule, certainly not when she’d seen far too much of it growing up. But this dark hungry look was like a warning.

He wants me.

But is lust the same thing as caring about me?

Maybe it would be better to just get this over with. I don’t know...

“Rupex, were you going to contact the crew today? These new flight restrictions are probably going to play havoc with every flight plan and crew in Felix Orbus.” Marcus panned through another screen full of documents—crew physical forms by the looks of them.

“Bastet’s claws!” Rupex lost his fierce look, replacing it with one of harried distraction. “I forgot. How could I forget? Damn.” He stormed out of the medical bay.

Layla didn’t. “Marcus. You talked about doing a booster each month, right?”

“Yes.”

“Or every week?”

Marcus swiveled in his chair. “Yes. I can’t promise it will help speed things up. It would definitely increase the—ahem, amorous feelings you have, as well as raising your body temperature.”

“Can we do it anyway?”

Marcus frowned but didn’t answer, just walked over to the small cooling unit by his desk. “I’m not going above one a week unless your MGH levels spike with a pregnancy and then drop.”

“You’re the expert. I just want this to work.”

Marcus selected a vial. “The contract you signed? You’re being paid for your time, aren’t you? Regardless of pregnancy?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m not doing this to try to rush.” Layla twisted her fingers nervously in the hem of the oversized shirt serving as her dress. She would have to find a scarf or belt later to make it look less like she was wearing a tent.

“Then why are you doing this?”

“I...”

“I won’t tell Rupex. He’s my King and my captain, but you’re my patient.” Marcus fitted a needle top onto the vial.

“I want this to work. I want this to work for him. I want him to have a family. I see how much he misses them.”

“Ah. That’s very altruistic, Layla.”

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