Page 57 of Alien Mercenary's Wife
But she didn't care. For the first time in years, she was exactly where she wanted to be. If this was going to be her last few months, she wanted them to be here. With him.
The shower was still running hot when she finally forced herself to move. Tonight, he'd said. Tonight, she'd be his again.
T'Raal walkedthrough the Sprite's corridors, humming a soft tune under his breath. He felt good. Better than good. His body hummed with satisfaction, his muscles loose in a way they hadn't been in months. Maybe years. When was the last time he'd gotten laid… no, it was more than that. More than just a random hook-up. When had he ever woken up next to someone he actually wanted to stay with?
Never, if he was being honest.
Reese was… unexpected. He'd known she was beautiful and strong. She'd had to be to fight for so long with the implants eating away at her nervous system like that. But he hadn't been prepared for the way she'd come apart in his arms, the fierce possessiveness that had clawed through him when she'd whispered his name… or how it would feel between them.
She was dangerous… not because of her training or politics, but because she made him want a future beyond the next job. He'd never thought hehada future. Not beyond the Warborne, and making sure Red had a happy life.
Not until Reese…
He'd left her sprawled across his bed, dark hair spread across his pillow like she belonged there. The sight had hit him hard.
Draanth.Tonight couldn't come fast enough.
The galley was just up ahead, warm light spilling into the corridor along with the familiar sounds of the crew starting their day. Voices, the clatter of dishes, someone arguing about coffee ratios. Normal sounds. Comfortable sounds.
He rounded the corner and stopped.
Everyone was there. All of them. Skinny sat at the main table, his massive frame making the bolted-down furniture lookdelicate. Marika was beside him, her hand resting on his forearm as she smiled up at him. Eris leaned against the counter, arms crossed. She missed Zero while he was away visiting his sister; anyone with eyes in their heads could see that. Sparky had claimed a corner, shovelling pancakes in seemingly without thinking.
The conversation died as he walked through the door, every pair of eyes turning toward him.
His stomach dropped.
"Morning." He kept his voice casual as he moved toward the coffee dispenser. "You lot are up early."
No one answered. The silence stretched, thick enough to cut with a blade. His crew wasn't usually this quiet. Ever.
He poured coffee into a mug, painfully aware of the weight of their attention on his back. This was so not good.
He turned around, coffee in hand, and found them all still staring at him. "What the draanth's got into you lot?"
Fin straightened from where he'd been leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "Got something you want to tell us, boss?"
T'Raal took a sip of coffee. Had they figured out about Reese? Heard something from her quarters? But no… they looked expectant, not scandalized.
"Nothing you lot need to know."
That's when Sparky opened his mouth. "Do you think you could set your dad up with my ma?"
The coffee mug slipped from T'Raal's fingers. It hit the deck with a sharp crack, sending hot liquid splashing across his boots. He stared at the human.
They knew. Theydraanthingknew.
"I mean," Sparky continued, "she's been single for ages, and your old man's probably got resources and a nice place. Could set her up lovely, y'know?"
"Sparky," Red growled at him.
"What?" Sparky spread his hands in an innocent gesture. "I'm just saying, if we're gonna have an Emperor in the family, might as well make it official. My ma deserves all the nice things in life."
T'Raal closed his eyes for a second. Family. Emperor. His most carefully guarded secret —the truth he'd spent his entire adult life hiding —was now common knowledge among his crew.
Red pushed off from the wall where she'd been lounging and stalked toward him. "We heard the argument."
Of course they had. The Sprite wasn't a large ship, and the bulkheads weren't thick.
