Page 22 of Taking Jenny
He escorted us through the corridor like some dark prince leading his favored pets to their chambers, and my annoyance grew as I remained behind the two of them on our short journey to our rooms.
“So,” Malice drawled, glancing toward Jenny with amusement. “As first days on a new planet go, how was this one?”
She laughed softly. “Well, I’d say I’ve had better, but my frame of reference is… painfully small.”
“Not many star travelers on Earth, to my knowledge,” he mused, flashing her a charming grin that grated on my nerves. “But if you survive Orhon, who knows? You may become the first star-faring legend of your people.”
Jenny gave him a sweet, genuine smile. “That would be a dream.”
Malice placed his hand on the small of Jenny’s back, as if he had every right to touch her. “You say that with no fear.”
She blinked at him. “Why should I be afraid?”
“You’ve been here a day. You’ve been kidnapped and faced torture. Threatened to be executed. And yet, you look at me like I’m an old friend. Like I haven’t already designed a hundred ways to unravel you.”
I didn’t miss the sexual connotation in his words, and my hands balled into tight fists at my sides as I watched him flirt with Jenny.
“Would you feel better if I was afraid?” she asked, teasing him right back.
He gave her a dangerously sexy smile. “As Discord noted, it’s a little insulting that you aren’t.”
She laughed. “Malice, I—”
“Mal,” he interrupted smoothly. “My friends call me Mal.”
Jenny softened at that. “Mal…I don’t fear you. Either you’re going to torture and kill me, and I can’t do anything about it, or you’re not. And I’m willing to bet you won’t.”
He arched a dark brow. “And why is that?”
“Because you keep staring at my tits.”
He chuckled unapologetically. Rich. Full-bodied. Even I couldn’t deny how magnetic it sounded. His gaze never left her, and something unspoken passed between them. Something almost…intimate.
I hated it.
I barely registered that we were at our hallway until I recognized the carved door frame to my quarters. “This is me,” I said quickly, needing space to breathe so I didn’t do something stupid, like punch Malice in his handsome face.
Jenny turned to me. “I thought we were staying together.”
I ignored the stabbing sensation in my chest and glared at Mal, but said to her, “I have a feeling you might…snore. Goodnight.”
And before I could see the hurt in her eyes—or worse, the lack of it—I shut the door behind me, a little harder than I should’ve.
Alone again.
Malice was charming, in a very dark, alluring way. Confident. Powerful. He didn't question if he deserved a woman like Jenny—he simply expected her attention. He could have anyone. And tonight, I was sure he would do his best to seduce the woman I wanted for my own.
I paced, stripping off the jacket and shirt I wore and tossing them aside. I could still hear her laugh echoing in my head, picture her leaning in toward Mal, her lips parted, her eyes curious and daring.
Laughing together. Talking together. Doing more…together.
My gut twisted. I raked my hands through my hair, sat on the edge of the bed, and groaned in quiet self-pity. Until the knock sounded at my door.
“Yes,” I called out, my tone gruff.
“Tiger, can I come in?” Jenny’s voice was soft and unsure.
I leapt up. “Of course.”
