Page 71 of Invasion of Sorority Z

“Like Rem?”

“A bit.” His jaw flexes like he’s working over a problem he doesn’t quite know how to solve. “I often felt like a poor apo to him. I had to shoo him away to train for many hours. And while he wished to be much like me, I wished that he would fixate on anythingotherthan me.”

Looking out to the trees, I watch his throat jump with a swallow. “He got into the habit of following me, and I got into the habit of busting him. I should have known how much more this would encourage him.Challengehim.”

Oh no.

“He wished to battle with me, even at age ten. Even as I told him that glory was worth little next to innocence. Determined in his desire for warriorhood, he snuck onto my ship. My soldiers and I traveled directly into battle, as we normally would. I didn’t see that he was aboard until it was too late.”

“Oh, Marrec.” I gasp, feeling hot tears fall from my eyes.

“He was hit by a stray blaster ray before I could properly shield him. There was nothing that I could do to save him. I held him as he died. I watched as his soul seed flickered with panic. As it perished before my eyes, I felt as if I also died. It is not something that I wish to feel again.”

I’m sobbing silently now, squeezing his hand.

“Our parents refused to blame me, though I blamed myself. But after the day I handed them my apo’s body, they did not look at me the same as they once did. Even after I regained control of Aprix entirely, they chose not to return. They didn’t want to come home without Mar’ree, I believe.”

I frown, sniffling. “What about you?”

He almost shrugs. “What about me, my mate?”

“They should have come home with you, Marrec. I’m so sorry if no one has told you that, but it’s true. I know they probably miss your apo very much. But that’s not an excuse to neglect their other child. You’re important too, Marrec. You’re important too.”

“I do not wish to speak ill of how they handle their grief. I did many questionable things in the name of my pain.”

“Fuckthat,” I tell him. “I’m so sorry, my sweet love. Butfuckthat. Mar’ree was young, yes. So were you. You werebothchildren. They were the parents. You deserved their utter devotion. Their love. And if I ever see them, I’ll tell them that straight to their faces.”

“My Stee-vee…”

“My parents weren’t the best either,” I admit. “They worked too much, and sometimes I just knew that they loved each other more than they could ever love me. I didn’t have any siblings, so I can’t possibly tell you that I understand what you went through, seeing such a tragic thing with your own eyes.”

I sniff back my tears. “But I can tell you that your parents were wrong. It was not your fault, and they should have told you that over and over until you understood. I can tell you that I will never leave you behind like they have. Never.”

Taking our connected hands, I plant his palm flat on my stomach, covering the life seed. “I will never leave any of our children behind either.Wewill never. That’s how good parents behave, and we’re going to be the best parents in the whole universe.”

His lips twitch in the cutest small smile. “Children? Plural?”

“As many as you’ll give me. Even if we run out of names that start withMar.”

“Ten?” he asks, letting his smile shift into a sly grin. At my shy nod, he lets it widen further. “Fifteen?”

I choke on a laugh. “Is that even possible?”

“Together? For us? Nothing is impossible, little blossom.”

29

Vegetable Sheep: A cushion plant that has wooly leaves and survives in the harsh, rocky areas of New Zealand.

Stevie

A Week Later

Firm hands glide around my slicked-up body, softly palming my more tense muscles. He gently rubs my back and my arms, massaging me so good that I’m almost prepared to grab my wallet and pay for it. I don’t even have my wallet here, and credit cards would do nothing for him.

We just finished having sex ten minutes ago, and my mate has been rubbing me down since. He’s taking extra good care of me, using his strength with precision and control.

We have sex a lot. Like,somuch. And it’s always incredible. Today is no exception.

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