Page 95 of Guardian's Destiny

"This is not your fault, cinna," Garth reassured her. "You can't be present during every arrival."

I liked Garth, had from the moment I first met him. He was a warrior through and through, but at the same time, he was utmost gentle with Silla. His love for her was written all over his deep, purple face. It took some getting used to Pandraxians with their metallic shimmering skin and their thick blood vessels running over their skin, not under, but by all accords, he was a very handsome man.

"I should be," she lamented. "Or at least I need to study the names of the newcomers?—"

I grabbed her arm and squeezed it in assurance. "Don't. Garth is right; this isn't your fault, and you can't be everywhere at once. To answer your question, she thinks he's dead and had no reason to ask for him."

Silla didn't look convinced but nodded, and thankfully, the servant returned with Tucker in tow.

Tucker hadn't changed a bit. He was still that hot-looking mess I remembered. Maybe a couple years older and a bit more war-wary, but weren't we all?

"Tucker," I said in greeting.

"What the fuck, Captain Storm?" His signature charming grin, complete with dimples, lit up his face as he rushed over to grab me by the hips and swing me around.

"Remove your hands at once," Vraax growled, grabbing Tucker by the shoulders.

"Ouch, Storm, call your attack dog back," Tucker complained.

"Dog?" Vraax roared.

Oh boy, this was escalating fast.

"Stop it, both of you," I yelled in my most commanding voice, stepping in between the two hot heads glaring at each other like bulls ready to bash each other's heads in. "Tucker, this is my mate." I nearly stumbled over the word since I hadn't used it in an introduction, or… ever. But years of keeping my cool paid off, and I was pretty sure neither man noticed the almost slip-up. "Vraax. Vraax, meet Tucker."

"No touching," Vraax fumed, looming over Tucker.

"Alright, alright," Tuck's arms rose in surrender, grinning at me while glaring at Vraax simultaneously—a feat I had only seen Tucker pull off.

"What are you doing here?" He turned his full attention to me—and charm. Not for me, because he knew it didn't work on me, but for Vraax's benefit to bait him some more.

"Don't," I warned. He grinned.

He had used that grin on a husband who walked in on Tucker and the man's wife in flagrante delicto. The husband had just returned from a hunt and still had his rifle in his arms, ready to shoot Tucker. What did Tucker do? He grinned that stupid grin at him that I swear could charm a nun out of her habit, apologized, even thanked the man for his hospitality and left. Unscathed. With a tale to tell that amused every marine in the unit. If anybody else had told me that story, I wouldn't have believed a word, but with a face and accent like a youngerMatthew McConaugheyand a body stolen fromHenry Cavill… well, let's just say I considered his tale true.

He had the same electric blue eyes as Nova, but where her hair was black, his was a sandy brown, longer than I remembered.

"Alright, you too, shake hands. I don't expect you to be friends, but you need to respect each other if you're going to work together."

One of Tucker's brows rose. "You've got a job for me, Captain? I thought you weren't in the MARSOC anymore."

I tilted my head and shook it at him. "Cute."

He shrugged. I glared. He offered Vraax his hand, who took it reluctantly after another glare from me.

"Good, now that we're all friends…" I remembered Garth and Silla and introduced them quickly. "So, if you want to see Nova, I suggest you pack your bags. We're leaving."

I had never seen Tucker anything other than charming, charismatic, or battle-ready. He was neither. He was speechless.

"We could use another soldier," I added, looking straight at Vraax, who was all but fuming steam from his body. What had he expected? That I tell Tucker his sister was alive and leave him here?

"I took the liberty and had the cargo hold of your new ship stocked up," Silla smiled at me.

"Thank you," I hugged her tightly, unbelievably happy that I wouldn't have to eat that slop that came out of the nutrition dispensers for an extended period of time.

"I don't have anything to pack," Tucker said. "I just got here."

"I've also added clothes and stuff," Silla smiled sweetly.

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