Chapter 27
27
“ W ell, what do you think? Do I look enough like a submissive human plaything?”
I stare at Paul, mouth agape, as he spins in place to show off the “outfit” he put together for the job. He’s somehow squeezed his ass into a pair of Tari’s briefs, the fabric stretched so tight across his dick and ass that he looks like he’ll burst out of it at any moment.
That’s bad enough, but then there’s the matter of the thick collar banding his throat, and the chain leash attached to the center, which he holds in one hand as he gives me a sheepish smile.
“You absolutely do!” Rema says with far too much amusement in her tone. “I’m glad the collar fits you.”
I don’t like the way her eyes trail up and down Paul’s muscular form with delight, but I resist the urge to call her out on it because it’s good practice for when we’re at the club. I can’t tell everyone there to fuck off and stop looking at my pet if I want to ingratiate myself enough to get a private meeting with our target.
Apparently, the scum uses these events to scout for potential “recruits” for their club. I’ll have to pretend to be amenable to letting Paul go if an offer is good enough, and not look like I’ll rip the throat out of anyone who touches him.
I clear my throat, trying to get rid of the possessiveness and arousal clogging it. “You look perfect. The collar isn’t too tight?”
Paul shakes his head. “I don’t think so, but try it out and see.” He holds out the end of the leash toward me.
“Yeah, go on. Try it.” Rema’s purposefully goading me now. I’m not sure if it’s her usual teasing or a test to make sure we’re ready, but either way, I plaster on a fake smile.
I take hold of the leash and give it a testing tug. Paul stumbles forward a step and comes to a stop in front of me, eyes wide. It takes me a worried moment to recognize that the look is from excitement, not discomfort.
“Kneel,” I command, pointing down to the floor. I ease my grip on the leash as Paul sinks down and gazes up at me, waiting for my next move. His breath is coming faster now, and there’s no room in his briefs to hide how his cock has started to thicken.
“Good pet,” I murmur, stroking a hand through his hair so I won’t reach out and smack Rema, who is watching the scene unfold with undisguised interest, moving closer to peer at Paul.
After a moment, I step away, giving Paul no choice but to crawl after me. We’ve practiced this, but it’s different when the collar compels him to move or be choked. I watch him carefully, making sure to give him enough slack in the lead, then stop. I can’t resist stroking his hair again, and the urge to pull him up into my arms and kiss him rises.
Paul’s lashes flutter as he presses his cheek against my thigh.
“You’re so good. My perfect pet.” The praise slips from my mouth, even though I know I shouldn’t sound that besotted when we’re at the club. Vash-ka , I need to get myself together.
“Alright, that’s good for now,” I rasp, dropping the leash from my shaking fingers and extending a hand to help Paul up.
“Aww, you were getting to the good part,” Rema pouts, crossing her arms with an over-exaggerated sigh.
I scowl at her. “Quit being a pervert. We’ll have to deal with enough of that soon. Do you have any feedback?” While I’ve had plenty of kinky sexual encounters, Rema is far more experienced than I am. Her advice will be helpful, even if she’ll do her best to drive me crazy as she gives it.
“Paul doesn’t mind me looking, do you, Paul?” Rema asks, shooting a grin at him.
He clasps his hands in front of his still semi-hard cock and shakes his head. “I don’t. I need to get used to people staring at me and, at least with you, I know you’re not actually trying to get into my pants.”
“See!” Rema says triumphantly, but a moment later her eyes narrow. “Wait, how do you know I’m not trying to fuck you? You’re quite handsome, in your strange human way. Hadrell has good taste.”
I growl, and Paul places a hand on my arm like he thinks he needs to hold me back. It’s adorable, though unnecessary. I know he’s mine, and so does Rema.
“Uh, I thought… nevermind.” A wash of red floods Paul’s skin.
I raise a brow at him. “What did you think?”
He looks between me and Rema, who is now frowning at us in confusion. “I thought I saw… When I went to the med bay to ask for help, you were with Bret’u and…”
I groan when I see Rema’s shocked expression. “ Esh’et , I knew it.” I’d hoped that maybe I’d imagined Bret’u’s possessiveness over her the other cycle, but if Paul saw them together, then it was real. “Void, I didn’t think you’d be that much of a fa-shar fool.”
“Oh, don’t give me that look!” she scoffs. “You know I’ve been attracted to zir for ages. You don’t say Tari and Val are stupid, even though they’re making their attraction a problem for the whole crew.”
“It’s not the same! Neither one of them has a mating imperative that makes them hostile to any perceived threats to their chosen mate. You know that. You know Bret’u will become unhinged when you sleep with someone else.”
“Ze is a logical being not governed by zir instincts. It’s not going to be a problem. Besides, how do you know I didn’t agree to be in an exclusive mating with zir?” Rema’s words are all bluster, judging by how much she’s squirming at my very surface-level prodding.
Vash-ka , when this job is over and we’re able to find who framed us and clear our name with the Consortium, I’m dumping them both off on a remote planet until they sort their shit out. Maybe I’ll send Tari and Val, too. Yaz is due to visit his family soon. Then it can be me and Paul, without all this nonsense. Able to do whatever we want.
There’s a deep ache in my chest when my brain catches up with that fantasy. Paul won’t be here. He’ll be back on Spire, living his life. If I kick everyone off the ship, I’ll be alone. Again. I could go home, I suppose, but that’s never what I hope it will be when I return. My family’s viewpoints are so stagnant, a visit will end with them asking me for the millionth time when I’m coming home. Wondering when I’ll stop playing around and be responsible—as if my work isn’t often directly in service of the governing council on Sela 2.
Esh’et , maybe I’m angry at Rema because she’s found someone and I know it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be alone and heartbroken.
“I’m sorry, I’m being an ass,” I sigh, placing a hand on Rema’s arm. “If Bret’u makes you happy, I’m happy.”
Her scowl softens into a small frown. “I think ze might.”
“How romantic,” Paul murmurs with a dreamy smile. “The concept of mates isn’t that familiar to me, but finding the person you’re meant to be with is a universal dream for many.” His eyes flick over to me, then quickly away again. “Anyway, how about that feedback?” he asks with a strained laugh.
“Of course.” Rema looks between the two of us. “Paul, you’re doing an amazing job. I love how good you are at pretending that Hadrell is the center of your universe.”
My gut clenches at her choice of words. It doesn’t seem like an act at all, but maybe as an outsider who isn’t wrapped up in lust and affection, she can tell that Paul doesn’t actually feel that way.
“Oh, uh, thank you.”
Paul sounds like he wants to say more, but Rema turns to me and frowns. “You need to back off on the love-struck looks. He’s your pet, not your soul bond. Right?”
Her eyes flare, daring me to argue. To claim Paul as mine.
I can’t do that. Not right before we’re going on a job where I have to pretend he’s disposable. And definitely not when I know he’ll be leaving sooner rather than later. “Yes. For this scenario, he is my pet.”
Rema gives me a far too knowing look, but doesn’t press me. “You need to act like that. Be more demanding. Tug on his leash instead of coaxing him around. You won’t mind that, right, Paul? ”
He looks at me and gives me a crooked smile. “Not if you’re the one doing it.”
“There you go. If you can do that, you both should be fine. They’ll be so dazzled that you have a human that they might understand why you’re enamored. Again, brilliant suggestion to go with them,” she says, clapping Paul on the shoulder. Her touch lingers for a moment too long and she tilts her head at me, waiting to see what I’ll do.
“I’d expect nothing else from him,” I say, keeping my tone casual, though I can’t help gripping the back of his neck possessively as I wait for her to stop.
She slides her hand away and winks at Paul. “Too bad I’m banned from this club. We could’ve had fun pretending that you’re my pet.”
“ Rema ,” I warn through gritted teeth. “Go get the supplies from Bret’u. We’ll be approaching the station in an hour, so don’t get distracted.”
“Of course, Captain. You probably shouldn’t let yourself get distracted, either. Better to save up all that sexual energy for the club, don’t you think?”
Paul laughs. “It won’t be a problem.”
Maybe not for him, but my mind is screaming at me to fuck him and cover him in my slick so that everyone on the station knows who he belongs to the second we step into Sin Horizon.
Rema heads out, leaving me with my simmering lust and the building sense of dread about what’s going to happen on this job.
We’ve talked it through multiple times. Practiced our roles more than was strictly necessary. Gone over every contingency plan, with Paul reciting what he needs to do in each scenario multiple times until I was satisfied he’d remember in the heat of the moment.
This is going to work. It has to work .
Vash-ka , I don’t want to bring him. If it wasn’t for needing to take care of the rest of my crew, I’d forget finding out who set us up and jump back to Spire to deposit Paul there safely. Damn the consequences.
“Don’t give me that look,” Paul grumbles, poking me in the side and startling me out of my worries. “I’m going with you, and it’s going to work.”
I give him a half-hearted smile. “You’ve gotten quite good at the whole delusion thing.”
Paul chuckles, but shakes his head, reaching up to place a hand on my cheek. “It’s not delusion this time. We’re going to do this because we’re ready and have the skills to pull it off.” He goes up on his toes and kisses me tenderly. When he pulls away, he gives my cheek a light pat. “Now get your head out of your ass and go get changed.”
“My head out of my what?” I ask, snorting at the colorful human idiom.
“You know what I mean,” he huffs.
“I do. You’re right. We’ve got this.”