Page 83 of I'm Not Your Pet

Confused then.

I’d figured that color out too.

He turned to Mala and they spoke in soft tones again for a few minutes before they came to a decision and Ushuu tapped several buttons on his communicator. I wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but my eyes were full of diamonds and panties—and my ears were ringing.

It chimed twice before the dial cut off and Roark’s deep rumble filled the air. I’d gotten so used to listening to his scattered English it was odd hearing him talk so fluently in his native tongue with someone else.

He sounded like a captain.

Which I knew he was—but still.

In control. Smart. Serious.

My belly flipped as Ushuu responded to him, before handing the device to me.

I blinked down in surprise when I realized he’d tapped the hologram option and the tiny see-through shape of Roark’s head popped up. Holograms. Holy shit. So fucking cool. I’d never get over the fact that they were real.

Or maybe that was because Roark was purring at me in that same soothing way he always did when I was upset. Like magic, I relaxed, curling my palms around the communicator, and pulling it closer like if I did so I could feel his heat against my body or taste his scent in the air.

“Huu-goh,” Roark murmured as I cradled him. I wasn’t sure what view of me he had right now—only that it was far from flattering. He didn’t seem to mind though. He made another rumbly soft sound that I whined in response to. “Little one.” It was the same name Ushuu had called me, but when he’d said it, tingles hadn’t danced across my entire body. Not like they did when Roark did.

I bit my lip and nodded to show I was listening.

“It is okay,” he urged. I could hear the murmur of voices on the other end of the line—like he wasn’t alone. Immediately, Ifelt ashamed. I’d probably interrupted him while he was doing something important.

Shit.

“He’s busy,” I tried to hand the communicator back to Ushuu, but my hands refused to let go. “I don’t want to bother him—” Roark continued to purr at me, and Ushuu turned to his little holo-head and translated for me. He leaned in close, allowing me to continue to hold it as they talked for a few minutes. A couple words of English were tossed back and forth before Roark turned his attention to me and Ushuu stepped back.

“Listen,” he said. There was so much command in that one single word I couldn’t stop myself from melting. Because Roark was here, and he was giving me orders, and if I followed them I knew everything would be alright. Whatever he was about to say had to be important.

I nodded and he emitted a pleased noise that made my icy limbs go gooey warm.

“I never too busy for my Huu-goh.”

No one had ever said that to me before.

Tears stung my eyes and I inhaled sharply, pulling the communicator close enough it almost felt like a hug. When I smiled, Roark did too. His eyes turned into the happy-crescent shapes again and he purred as I dashed away my tears.

“Money is not problem,” Roark told me when I was settled.

“It is,” I argued, and he made a frustrated noise. I held him out to Ushuu before he had to ask and they spoke back and forth for a few more minutes in the same garbled English-Sharkish. When he stepped back again, Roark didn’t look annoyed.

He was as patient as ever as he waited for me to settle before speaking again.

“You need limit?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Need?” he reiterated, asking very seriously. I understood what he meant. Was this a thing I couldn’t move forward without? I hesitated to say yes, because I knew it was the wrong answer. Theweirdanswer. I should just take the gift and shut the fuck up.

But…

I knew Roark didn’t want that, and I’d be ruining his present if I kept my mouth shut. So I nodded.

“Good boy,” Roark rumbled. “Proud.”

I preened, despite my wet lashes and the way my cheeks were flooded red with humiliation. Mala and Ushuu were politely pretending like they weren’t listening, but I knew they were. Not that Mala understood much of what was going on, but Ushuu sure did.

---