Page 17 of Fever

“As if I’m responsible for his absence. He makes his own choices.”

“Boom.” Anna claps.

“He chose you over his duties. So now you’re here. While here, have you thought about Anna’s proposal?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alpha,” he corrects.

Right. I nod.

“Thought about what?” Sotay leans in, elbows on his knees.

The prince tears his gaze from me—thank you!—and turns the serpent fangs on Sotay. “Anna offered Leah her position.”

Sotay’s chest rumbles. It’s not a pleasant purr; it’s a rattle that makes me scoot away.

“Negative,” Sotay says.

The prince shrugs. “I didn’t have anything to do with it. I trust my Omega on this matter.”

Sotay turns to me. “You don’t want to work for him. Nobody in their right mind wants to work for him.”

“I heard that,” Tamika shouts from the desk.

“He’s not that bad,” Anna says. “Just anal.”

“Yesss,” the prince hisses.

Anal sex on my mind, I smile politely. Surely these people aren’t perverted like me.

“She’ll give you an answer tomorrow,” Sotay says. “After we’ve had time to talk this over.”

“We?” I sit up.

“We,” Sotay says.

“I accept,” I tell the prince.

“Negative,” Sotay says.

The prince smirks. “If you would be so kind, Leah, dear, and go downstairs to Human Resources.”

“Nope.” Sotay shakes his head.

The king turns and speaks in Rahkan. The three males talk, and I can tell from Sotay’s expression that he likes whatever they’re discussing. His eyes positively shine. The good news is punctuated by the king slapping Sotay on the back before leaving the office.

I look to Anna, and she shrugs. She can’t understand them either, and I’m certain they’re speaking alien on purpose so we’re left in the dark. After the conversation, the prince gathers his things. It’s not much, mainly a portable holo, a few pens, and papers. He stuffs them into a backpack. Anna groans and struggles to stand, only to hold her very large belly. “I need to pee again.”

The prince comes and positions the backpack over Anna’s shoulders, then lifts her and carries her off. She waves at me. “Best wishes!”

I wave back. “Awww, that’s so sweet.”

“Which part?” Sotay asks.

I didn’t realize I spoke out loud. “The fact he carries her.”

“Oh yeah?”

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