Born of Defiance (9 page)

“Who's the female?”

“Is she the Hammer's girl?”

“She's my daughter,” he snarled at the reporters. “Now get out of our way! I'll field interviews later!” He opened the door to a chauffeured transport and helped her inside. Then he joined her.

She shook her head incredulously at the spectacle. “Is it always like this?”

“Yeah. Talyn's a once-in-a-lifetime champion. No one's ever seen a fighter like him before. I doubt if they'll ever see another.”

And Talyn had requested a contract with
her
.

She still couldn't believe she was tied to a famous athlete. “He should be celebrating his win. Not pulled back to duty before he could even finish his shower.”

The look on Erix's face made her stomach shrink.

“What?”

He glanced away.

“Erix? What is it?” What was he not telling her?

“Nothing. Just agreeing with you.”

There was more to it than that. She knew it. “Tell me why you look like that.”

“Just thinking of what his CO will do to him for daring to win tonight. I hate that unreasonable bastard with a passion.”

“Who's his CO?”

“Colonel Asshole Anatole. The tadara's grandnephew. A ne'er-do-well who bought his rank and hates every male who puts him to shame. Which is pretty much everyone. And, in particular, Talyn.”

She knew the type well. “It's not Chrisen Anatole, is it?”

He frowned at her. “You know him?”

“Only by reputation.” He was banned from her agency for almost killing one of the companions who'd been dumb enough to contract with him two years ago. Her agency used him as an example that though a patron might be highest caste, he might not be the best choice.

“Yeah, it really chaps my ass that my blood son died in battle to protect us, and that cowardly dog sits with a colonel's commission and uses it to bully and abuse those beneath him. There's just no justice in this universe.”

“Is there no way to get Talyn out from under his command?”

“Yeah. Kill the bastard … and don't think the idea of taking that contract out with The League hasn't occurred to me.”

She frowned at him. “Can't Talyn simply buy another commission?”

“It's not just a money thing. Officers have to bank training and service time for a promotion. Unfortunately, Talyn donated his to get his mother
her
last commission. And even if he had used it himself, it wouldn't have gotten him out from under his CO. He has to go up two ranks to bypass that asshole.”

She cringed at the thought of him staying with such a beast. “So what do you think will happen when Talyn returns to base?”

“If experience holds, he'll be sent out on patrol as soon as he gets back and they check his blood to make sure it's clean. His leave for the next month will be revoked, and he'll be given every shit assignment that comes across Anatole's desk.”

“And there's nothing we can do?”

Erix shook his head sadly. “Just be there for him when he resurfaces, and hope his CO doesn't kill him.”

 

C
HAPTER
4

“Hey, Felicia.”

Felicia smiled as she heard Talyn's deep, sexy voice again. It'd been two weeks since she'd seen him at the fight. While she'd sent him several texts and had left messages, the most she'd gotten back was a word or two as a texted response.

“Hey, sweetie! How are you doing?”

Talyn hesitated before he answered. “I'm okay. I … um … where are you?”

“At home. Studying.”

“Are you alone?”

She scowled at the strange note in his voice and the peculiar question. “Yeah. Why?”

There was a brief pause before he spoke again in the cutest little bashful tone. “I'm on my rec time, and I was wondering if you could talk dirty to me.”

Her jaw dropped in shock. “Excuse me? Rec time?”

“It's private time we get twice a week for half an hour to, um … take care of our hormone levels.”

His embarrassed tone made her cheeks heat up as she finally understood what he was talking about and why he was making such an odd request. Adult Andarion males had to have a fairly regular ejaculation schedule, or they became extremely aggressive and physically ill. It was the main reason why companions and prostitutes were acceptable roles for females in their society.

And her male needed help from her.

Smiling at the fact that he'd finally called her for something he was paying her for, she set her assignments aside. “Okay. What do you need me to do?”

He hesitated again before he spoke. “What are you wearing?”

“Shorts and a shirt.”

Talyn laughed. “Not what I was going for, Felicia.”

“Oh, sorry. I'm naked.” She scowled as she looked at the really expensive brown sofa. “Though I should probably put down a blanket on the couch first. I'd hate to mess up this nice leather. Not to mention that's not exactly hygienic. Be kind of gross whenever someone comes over. Gods help us if they have a UV light.”

Again, he laughed at her comments. “You've never done this before, have you?”

“No. Sorry. I didn't take the course on sex talk.… Um, I'm kissing your lips and breathing in your ear.”

“How could you be kissing my lips
and
breathing in my ear?”

She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I'm really limber?”

“Are you?”

“Yes. Does that help?”

“Not really.” His tone said he was smiling at her.

“Well, if you're going to be literal, Major Picky … I'm rubbing your back.”

“Not the part of me I want rubbed. I'm thinking of something lower.”

Her face heated up even more. “Sorry. I'm rubbing your…” What word should she use? “Male hardness?”

“Ew,” he said with a laugh.

“Turgid penis?”

He made sounds of extreme painful distress. “Gods, girl, you're killing me. Way too clinical. Put down your textbooks!”

“Sorry. I'll call my mom tomorrow and—”

“Uh, gah! No! Don't! Don't bring your mother into this! And for the love of the gods, don't discuss our sex life with her!”

It was her turn to laugh. “You sound like you're in pain.”

“I am. Agony. I can't believe you just invoked the maternal image in my head. I don't think I'll ever purge that. You've scarred me for life.” He sounded so miserable that she felt terrible for causing it.

She took a picture of herself pouting and sent it to him. “Did that help?”

“A little.”

She snapped another picture of herself looking demure and sent it. “Better?”

Talyn grinned as his body hardened even more from the image. She was lying down, her face engulfed by the mess of curls that fell in every direction. All he wanted in life was to bury his face in that soft curly mass and breathe her in until he was drunk from her scent. “Much.”

“Want me to try again to please you?” she asked.

He bit his bottom lip as he imagined her hands on his body. Closing his eyes, he hung on to the vision with everything he had, and elaborated on it with her sinking to her knees in front of him. His breathing turned ragged as he quickly reminded himself that she was waiting for an answer. “You already are. Just the sound of your voice saying my name is the sweetest thing I've ever known.”

When she responded, he heard the tears in her sweet voice. That meant more to him than anything. “I miss you, Talyn. I really wish I could see you.”

Not half as much as he wished he could see someone who didn't look at him with disdain and scorn. Someone who didn't treat him like the unwanted maggot that had somehow found its way into their favorite meal.

Only Felicia had ever welcomed him. Even if she was faking it, he was desperate enough to be grateful.

Felicia waited so long for a response that she was beginning to think they'd been disconnected. Finally, he sent over a picture of himself smiling bashfully. The dark red and black of his uniform caused his eyes to glow bright white in the dim light of the spartan room where he appeared to be lying on a small industrial cot. “Miss you, too.”

She traced the lines of his face on the screen. “I'm so glad you finally had a chance to call. Have I told you how handsome you are?”

“Am I?”

“Yes, you are. Extremely gorgeous. Utterly lickable. Sexy. Hotter than any male I've ever seen, in the flesh or on-screen. I would love to be there to eat you up, from the tips of your toes, all the way to your delectable lips.” She sighed happily. “I can't get the taste of you out of my mind. Or the feeling of you holding or touching me. Every night, I go to sleep imagining that I'm bathing you again. Only this time we get to finish what we started, and I get to nibble all of you while you lie in my bed.”

“Mmm.”

She arched her brow at the deep growl in his throat. “Are you okay, sweetie?”

“Mmm-hmmm.” He sucked his breath in sharply, then let out an elongated groan.

Heat burned her face as she realized what was going on. “Did you just…?”

“Yeah,” he said breathlessly. “Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because you sound embarrassed and I didn't mean to do that to you. But I do appreciate your help. I really needed that.” He sent her another photo.

“You look very relaxed now.”

“I am. But I'd rather have done that with you actually participating.”

“Me, too.” She snapped another picture of herself pouting at him.

He sent over a video request.

Accepting it, she smiled as she saw his face in live time. “Hey, handsome.”

“Gods, you're beautiful. Is everything okay with the condo?”

“Only one thing would make it better.”

“What?”

“You being here.”

His bashful smile made her heart race. “Did the school get their payment?”

“They did. Thank you.”

“Any time.” He grimaced as that familiar buzzing started. “My time in the locker's up. I have to go. I'll see you when I can.”

“Miss you, Talyn!”

“Miss you, too, baby.” He hung up.

Her lips quivered as she stared at the blank screen, hating it. How could she ache so much for someone she barely knew? Yet there was no denying what she felt. Or how deeply.

Holding the link to her heart, she drew a ragged breath as she glanced around the luxury Talyn provided for her. He spared no expense when it came to her needs and comfort. It wasn't fair that she was allowed to live here on his money, while he was forced to endure hell to pay for it all.

She'd never been one to suffer injustice, and this really pissed her off. All the assholes in the universe and a male so decent was punished for not being selfish. It was so wrong.

Felicia brushed her hand over her contact list and hesitated as she saw her half brother's name there. She never really spoke to that side of her family—they were too mocking for that, and she'd never asked a favor before.

Would it upset Talyn if she did?

There was no way of knowing. For everything she felt toward him, she didn't really know him well enough to guess how he'd react to her interference with his life.

Given his size and strength, the last thing she wanted to do was anger him.

Not willing to risk it, she turned the link off. For now, she'd leave it as it was. But if Talyn's CO didn't shape up and treat him right soon, she would call Lorens and see what she could do to help Talyn.

*   *   *

Talyn paused as he walked past the jewelry counter in the BX. After his call with Felicia, he'd come in on his way to the barracks to replace the flight boots that were starting to rub his heel, and to pick up a new brass kit and charges for his blasters.

While he'd known the jewelry section was here, he'd never paid attention to it before.

But in the small case in front of him was a collection of the hugging heart rings that were a popular gift pilots bought for their partners. A larger silver heart was wound around a smaller gold one, as if hugging or protecting it. One in particular was made of pale pink gold and encrusted with diamonds. For some reason, he thought Felicia might like it. It just looked soft and warm. Petite.

Like her.

“Major,” the clerk greeted him as she approached from the other side of the counter. “May I be of service?”

Talyn started to walk on, but he couldn't quite do it. “I was just looking at the rings.”

She smiled brightly. “Ah, yes. The Remember Me ring. You know, they're said to be good luck. It's why they're our biggest seller.”

“How so?”

She reached into the case to pull out the display. “You give one to your special lady to keep, and so long as she wears it, it'll bring you safely home to her arms.”

Talyn smiled at the thought as he reached for the one that had caught his attention. Up close, it appeared rather large. Felicia had tiny, graceful hands. “I don't know what her size is.”

“I can give you a voucher and she can take it to any jeweler for sizing.”

He held it out to her. “I should like this one, then.”

“Very good. I just need to see your ID.”

Pulling out his wallet, he flipped it open and held his badge toward her.

She gasped the moment her gaze fell to the black card that was bisected diagonally with a burgundy stripe. She recoiled from his badge as if it were poisonous. “I'm sorry, Major Batur. I can't sell this to you.” She immediately returned the ring to the display and locked it in the case.

Confused, he scowled at her. “I don't understand.”

She gestured toward his card. “You're a lack-Vest bastard. Your kind can't buy a ring, for anyone. If I sold that to you, we'd both be arrested.”