Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Relda felt a deep disquiet all the way to her bones.
She didn’t like it. She was used to being in complete control of her life.
Hunt made her feel things she hadn’t felt in so long. And didn’t want to feel.
“You do need my help,” he growled. “You’re in danger.”
He should have looked wrong or at least uncomfortable in her feminine space. It was filled with the little things she loved—candles, small crystal collectibles that caught the light, and vibrant, silk fabrics. Instead, her room just underscored how…male he was.
“Look Marshal, I’ve been getting along just fine without you in my life.” She set the ice down.
“But you don’t have anyone to protect you.”
No, not for so long. “I can protect myself.”
He cocked his head. “You don’t let anyone close, do you, Relda?”
Damned perceptive, pushy man. She gave a scoffing laugh. “I have a houseful of girls…”
“And yet you’re lonely.”
She pushed to her feet. “I’m going to change. You can see yourself out.”
In the bathroom, Relda forced her breathing to slow, and once her hands were steady, she took off her clothes and placed them in the hamper. She fingered the rip in her shirt. Damn, it wouldn’t be salvageable, and it was her favorite.
She forced herself to set it aside. She was going to have to give up a lot of her favorite things when she moved on. She’d let herself care about too many things this time around. It was a valuable lesson.
With brisk strokes, she washed the remnants of blood and makeup off her face. Then she took her time and smoothed lotions onto her skin.
She tugged on her robe, a soft, dove-gray silk that looked like moonlight, and then moved to one of the tiles on the wall. Touching the hidden pressure sensor, the tile swung open to reveal a state-of-the-art Rendarian safe coded to her biometrics. She’d paid a small fortune for it.
She touched the biopad and waited while it checked her DNA, then it opened. She pulled out what she was looking for and slipped the long silver chain over her neck.
The blue-gray diamond dangling from the bottom was a perfect orb about the size of one of the over-large marbles she’d seen Bindi and her friends play with in the street.
As the diamond sat against the skin between Relda’s breasts, absorbing her energies, the blue-gray color deepened at the edges, swirling like a storm, no doubt picking up on her mood. Tugging her robe closed so it covered the jewel, she left the bathroom.
Hunt was sitting on one of the low couches popping olives in his mouth.
“That’s my dinner,” she snapped.
“Figured there was enough to share.”
She ignored the way his gaze traced over her, from her bare feet to her even barer face. Without her makeup and clothes she felt…exposed. The thought made her spine stiffen. She headed to the couch opposite his and snatched a juicy, red berry from the platter.
“Is the Moon here?”
He just didn’t give up. Damned if she didn’t find that trait attractive. She didn’t respond.
“I did some research. After excluding the many references to objects orbiting bodies in Lagranian points—” he shot her a look “—I found a few obscure references to an artifact called the Trojan Moon.”
Her heart beat hard in her chest. She took a bite of the berry, and watched Hunt’s gaze move to her lips.
“It’s said to be a Vega-Lyran artifact.”
She took another bite. Just hearing that name made her chest constrict.
“You know who the Vega-Lyrans were?” he asked.
She lifted a shoulder, this time deliberately letting her robe slip, baring her skin. She saw hunger ignite in those ice-blue eyes. “Some mythical psionic race.”
“I have access to some recently declassified military records.” He was watching her intently. “They weren’t mythical. They were an advanced psionic race who were incredibly powerful.”
“Really?” She kept her tone bland but almost choked on the berry.
“It was said they’d started out as minor telepaths but used advanced genetic engineering to enhance their abilities.
Over the centuries, they succeeded. It’s said they could control the minds of thousands of people at once.
They could move objects and create fire.
And I mean large scale—they could move starships in space and burn down entire cities in an instant. ”
“Sounds like a fairytale.”
“They were hunted down and exterminated. People were afraid of them.”
Relda looked toward the window and the moonlight filtering in. Sadness was a weeping wound in her belly. “That’s usually what people do when they’re afraid.”
“Why do you have a Vega-Lyran artifact?”
She looked at him now. “I never said I had it.”
“You also haven’t said you don’t. These people targeted you for a reason.”
“I don’t know why.” She dropped her gaze, feeling so tired. When had she gotten so sick of lying? Or was it that she just hated lying to him?
“They’ll keep coming whether you have it or not. Those girls downstairs aren’t safe here.”
Infinite energy, he was right. Her hand circled the necklace, worrying the diamond orb at the end. “I need to get them out of here.”
“And you should go too, until—”
“No.” She intended to stay right here and face these bastards. She’d vowed over the broken body of her mother to never be a victim.
“You want to be bait.” His voice was a growl.
She narrowed her eyes. “Maybe you have some Vega-Lyran blood, Marshal. I feel like you’re reading my damn mind all the time.”
He laughed, a gruff, masculine sound. “I’m reading your face and body language.”
She scowled. She was good at hiding her true thoughts and wasn’t used to anyone seeing through her.
He moved closer, tipping her chin up. “Don’t pout, beautiful. I spent over twenty years in the Galactic Special Forces, and interrogated a lot of enemy combatants. I’m also Predian.”
Her stomach clenched. So he had some abilities of his own. She wasn’t surprised he’d spent so long in the Special Forces. With their enhanced senses and strength, Predians made exceptional soldiers.
Hunt’s thumb brushed her lips. “Don’t worry, you don’t give much away. I’m sure regular people just see a gorgeous woman.”
His fingers on her skin were so warm, big, protective. She swayed toward him.
“We need to send the girls away,” he said.
She pulled back and nodded. “I have a small house on Lake Gameelah. They can go there until this is sorted out.”
“Good. Then we’ll wait for your admirers to make their next move.”
We? “I don’t want you here.”
“Tough.”
“This is my house—”
He stood, towering over her, his eyes glittering.
“I will keep you safe, Relda. One, because it’s my job, and two—” he caught a strand of her hair, rubbing it between his callused fingers “—because I don’t want to see you hurt.
” His knuckles brushed her bruised cheek like the kiss of butterfly wings.
“I already hate seeing this. I won’t let those assholes add any more. ”
Damn him. Damn him for being a good, noble man.
And cracking the stone shell around her heart.
Relda tried to shore up her defenses, but she worried it was already too late.
Hunt paced Relda’s apartment, checking the windows, monitoring the street for anything out of the ordinary.
With the help of some deputies, they’d moved the girls off to the lake house—all of them protesting vigorously.
They were all very protective of Relda. He could see why.
She loved them, even if she wouldn’t admit it, or let them get too close to her.
She cared for them, had saved them, and given them all a better life.
He stopped at a window, glancing down to the empty street below. No shadows were stirring. Everyone was in bed.
“You think they’ll come tonight?”
He glanced over his shoulder. Relda had changed out of the skimpy, sexy robe, thank the Gods. If he’d had to watch it sliding off her shoulder much longer, he would have just dragged her to the floor and been on her like a rutting beast.
Even now, his cock was hard, pressing against his trousers. She’d changed into tight, black pants and a loose, white shirt, but it hadn’t helped dampen his desire much. “Yeah. I think they will.”
She nodded, her fingers clenched around the delicate chain on her necklace. She moved up beside him, and he smelled her. Smoke and spice temptation.
“You can see Souk’s trojan moon tonight.” She pointed at the bright spot, smaller than the main moon but larger than a star. “Khan.”
“Home to the Phoenix brothers.”
“The wild treasure hunters.”
“As long as they stick to the law on Souk, they aren’t my problem.”
“I’ve seen them in the market a few times. Handsome devils, all three of them.”
The appreciation in her voice made Hunt scowl at the moon above.
“I met two of their wives today. My impression of the Phoenixes is that they jump into adventure and maybe skirt the law when it suits them, but they don’t blatantly disregard it. They live life to the fullest.”
Hunt glanced sideways at her. “Do you live life to the fullest?”
“I told you, my life is exactly how I want it to be.”
“Right. People held at a polite distance. Lovers who are visitors to Souk and only share your bed once.”
She went rigid, her voice taking on a dangerous edge. “Excuse me?”
“I told you, I checked you out.”
“And my love life was included in that, was it?” Her voice made it clear she’d like to flay him alive.
“You don’t let anyone get close to you.” He leaned down until their noses brushed. “But you’d like me close, wouldn’t you?”
She hissed out a breath. “Arrogant, insufferable—”
He kept talking. “You find some attractive visitor, use those flirting skills I see you flex every day, seduce him, give a pleasant evening of tempting delicacies and silk sheets. Skin sliding against skin, gentle sighs and moans. Everything is under your control, exactly as you want it, followed by a slow, easy orgasm for you both.”
Her mouth tightened but she stayed silent.