Tempting Rever (9 page)

Ali shook her head, standing up. “No. Sit with Argis Rever to keep him company.”

The Zorn woman collected the dishes and fled.

Brenda had a sinking suspicion that Ali had left them alone in the dining room on purpose. The second she was gone although, Rever was on his feet looking anywhere but at Brenda.

“I should go.”

Her chin lifted so she could study his face. “You don’t want to be alone with me, do you?”

Those amazing eyes met hers for the briefest second. “You tempt me. I must go.”

He walked away without another word. Sighing loudly, Brenda stood up, feeling depressed, knowing that was how he was going to handle the attraction between them.

He was going to avoid being alone with her.

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“Tomorrow your bound should arrive.” Ali carefully watched Brenda. “Are you nervous? I would be a little afraid since he is unknown to you. I have never gone to live with a stranger before. I always knew the few males I became house helpers to and was given the choice of living with them or not.”

Biting her lip, Brenda pushed back her shoulder-length blonde hair. It was a hot day and her hair kept sticking to her skin. “I’m petrified. What if I hate Volder? What if he’s an asshole? What if he’s the total opposite of his brother? Valho was so damn sweet and he made me laugh.”

“I wish that I could relieve your fears but I don’t know this male.”

“It’s all right. I guess I’m going to get to know him really damn well since I have to bound with him.”

“You are lucky to be bound. It is a great honor to be chosen to birth future Zorn.”

Sighing, Brenda stared at her hands. Her heart was breaking but she didn’t dare say why out loud, instead choosing to just talk about how she was feeling about Volder.

“What I am is terrified because I don’t know this guy. What if I’m really unhappy?”

She glanced at Ali. “Is divorce allowed?”

“What is this word?”

“Can I leave him if he’s an asshole? What if he’s abusive?”

“He is highly honored to have his position. He would never abuse a female and you must trust me on this. He will treat you well, Brenda. It is a matter of honor and he has much of it to be given the job he has. He will protect you and see to your needs and you will see to his. You will be happy.”

What if I’m not?
She wasn’t happy right now. Brenda looked around the kitchen where she was seated at the table while Ali fixed dinner while Brenda kept her company. For the past five days Brenda had barely seen Rever since he’d gotten good at avoiding her except at dinner and those had been damn uncomfortable meals.

Tina was a mega bitch who took over all conversation at dinner, not letting anyone speak while she had gone on rants over stupid things, how the sky was a shade of red she hated or complained because on Zorn they didn’t have television. Rever had eaten quickly every night before leaving the table. He was gone at breakfast, off to his job, and didn’t return until dinner. After the meal he’d kept to the other side of the house, far away from Brenda.

It hurt Brenda to look at Rever. The memory of him touching her haunted her and just made her want to touch him. Her body ached for a man she couldn’t ever be with again and the knowledge that he was sleeping with that bitch Tina just about killed her, 45

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never disliking anyone more. It wasn’t just the fact that Tina had Rever, even though that would have been enough, but it was worse because she was such an unpleasant person.

“There you are.” Tina stomped into the room. “I told you that I wanted you to wash my damn back and you never came, Ali.” Tina wore a towel and nothing else. “I had to come looking for you.”

Ali’s mouth tightened into a line as fury burned in her brown eyes, glaring at Tina.

“I am not going to do that and I already told you it is not my job. I fix meals, I keep house, I do the shopping and I serve general needs. Washing your backside like you are a child is not my place. I won’t attend to a female’s personal needs that way.”

“You fuck men that support you for a living. Washing my back should be no problem.”

Brenda went instantly angry at the implied insult toward Ali. “Don’t you dare say those kinds of things to her or treat her that way.”

Green eyes narrowed as Tina glared at Brenda. “You stay the hell out of this, you freeloader. If it were up to me you’d be living in a cardboard box. I bet the guy they are giving you to isn’t really on some ship. I think he’s hiding to avoid you as long as possible because he knows what a loser you are. He doesn’t want his brother’s used goods.”

Standing up, Brenda glared at the slightly taller woman. “I’ll wash your back.”

Green eyes narrowed. “You’d try to drown me.”

Brenda smiled coldly, her blue eyes narrowing as she glared at Tina, saying nothing.

“Ali,” Tina snapped, jerking her attention from Brenda to glare at the other woman instead. “I want you in the bathroom right now, damn it. Otherwise I’ll tell Rever you’re being mean to me. I’ll cry and I’ll tell him that I want another house helper. You either get your large ass in the bathroom to do what I say or pack your shit.”

A growl tore from Ali. “Fine.”

Tina grinned coldly, turned on her heel and sauntered away.

Brenda shook with rage, deciding that Tina was the meanest bitch ever. She reached over to rub Ali’s arm to comfort her.

“Why did you agree to do it? Do you honestly think that Rever will kick you out?

I’ll tell him how bad she is. He wouldn’t get rid of me when she tried to make him and he won’t get rid of you either.”

“I know he won’t make me leave but Argis told me to be extra agreeable to her, his reasoning is she will change if we keep being nice to her.” A grin split Ali’s lips. “I could accidentally hold her under the water until she has no breath left.”

“I could accidentally go in there to help you.”

Both of them laughed.

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Ali sighed. “I wish I dared but I gave Argis my word when he ordered me to not get even for any of the mean things she does or says to me.”

“I didn’t make any promises but I was kidding. As tempting as it sounds to go shove her under the water, I couldn’t really do it.” Brenda chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t do it more than a few times but I’d make sure she could breathe between dunking her.”

Ali smiled. “I am going to miss you. This is going to turn out badly for Argis. That human has been talking to one of the guards Argis leaves at the door to protect us. She is flirting with more than one of them and this morning when I went outside to remove the trash I saw her there laughing and touching one of them. When she saw me she pulled away but she should never put her hands on another male. Argis will be very angry if he finds out but I am afraid it will hurt him if I tell.”

Dread hit Brenda. “Were they too friendly?”

“Not that I saw but Argis would have to kill the male if one took her up on her offer. She is his bound and the guards know it would be death. They are loyal to him but she still flirts. The asshole and Argis have not fought in days so I don’t want to sadden him after he has hope that she will adjust to our way of life. If she is smart she will stop now that I saw what she was doing.”

Brenda doubted Tina had a brain in her head but she held her silence, watching Ali leave the room, rising to her feet to stir the pot filled with a meat stew-like substance that smelled wonderful. Tomorrow she’d be leaving Rever forever when Volder arrived. Brenda’s chest ached at the thought of life without Rever, knowing she’d miss his incredible eyes and the sound of his laugh.
Life is so damn unfair.

A bell rang through the house. Turning off the flame, she walked out of the kitchen.

Knowing Ali was busy, she went to the front door to answer it. Rever assigned at least four guards to protect the house while he was at work so if someone came to the door she knew it was safe to open it. It could even be one of the guards delivering something.

Four large Zorn males stood on the other side of the door as Brenda opened it wide.

Their uniforms were black leather and they had weird hard-shell plating across their chests with strange designs in blood red by the shoulder. All four of them were brown haired with dark brown eyes. As she stared at the one closest to her, recognition hit instantly, seeing the uncanny resemblance to the man who had taken her from Earth.

Dark brown eyes similar to Valho’s narrowed when Brenda stared up into them but unlike Valho, this man had a hard, cold look to him, and his eyes weren’t kind. A scary, deep growl tore from his throat while his mouth tightened into a firm line before those lips parted to reveal sharp teeth. He snarled at her again, louder, making Brenda startle at the harsh noise.

“So you are the human.” His furious gaze raked down her.

In shock, Brenda just stared up at the six-foot-three male, taking in the fact that he was big but not quite as big as Rever. Confusion hit her at seeing Volder a day earlier than expected and he was really angry with her for some reason. She’d been told he 47

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wanted to bound with her, that he was coming for her eagerly, but this man was obviously not excited to see her. He looked disgusted, put out and super pissed off.

Swallowing, Brenda forced herself to speak. “Volder?”

He curled his lip. “Who else would be here to collect you, human?”

‘Human’ sounded as if it were a sneer from his tone. A cold, dark gaze ran down her body again before the man turned his head, jerking a nod at one of the three big men with him.

“Get her things.”

The man moved around Volder and literally pushed a stunned Brenda out of the doorway making her stumble back. The man walked into the house, sniffed loudly, and paused. Ali appeared from the other side of the house at that moment and Brenda met the other woman’s stunned look.

“What is going on here? Who are you?” Ali moved forward quickly trying to reach Brenda.

Volder walked into the house. “Back off,” he snarled. “I am here to collect the troublesome human. Show my officer to her room to get her things now, female.”

Ali paled. “Troublesome? Are you Volder? You are not expected until tomorrow.”

Volder snarled. “Do as you are told. Show him to her room to collect her things.”

Ali jerked her alarmed look to Brenda but nodded. She still looked pale as she turned, glancing a little fearfully at Volder’s man to lead him toward the back of the house on the kitchen side. Volder turned around, his angry gaze raking over Brenda again, definitely looking pissed off. Slowly, he circled around her, staring openly at her body with that enraged expression locked on his features.

“I had to stress the engines of my ship to reach you before you shamed my name more.” He growled low a second before his hand shot out, gripping her arm painfully.

“I want names, human, so tell them to me now.”

Tears filled Brenda’s eyes as she gasped. Volder was bruising her arm above her elbow. She stared up at the enraged Zorn man in his weird uniform with confusion and terror.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Shamed you how?” The hold on her arm hurt. “My name is Brenda. You don’t have to call me human.”

A deep snarl tore from his throat and the infuriated look in his eyes was terrifying.

He jerked his head up and gave a sharp nod while he pushed her hard, knocking her back a few feet and nearly causing her to stumble.

“Hold her.” Volder snarled the order.

A gasp was all Brenda got out before hands grabbed her from behind. She jerked her head around to stare up at the two men who each grabbed an arm on either side.

Volder growled low, glaring as he turned his head to look around the room.

“The table.”

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The men literally yanked Brenda off her feet. She kicked air, shocked that the men had just jerked her up by her arms and as they carried her to the coffee table, Volder bent, using his arm to sweep everything off it, sending a glass vase flying to break on the floor. Brenda was swung in the air and a second later her back hit the table hard when they slammed her flat on it, facing up.

Shock kept her from trying to scream and the impact with the table had knocked the air from her lungs. The men who held her arms dropped to their knees to painfully press her arms flat on the table. Their other hands gripped her shoulders so she was pinned down on each side. Volder bent over her, rage almost poured off the man and all she could do was stare at him in stunned shock.

“I am going to kill every male you let mount you.” He snarled. “Then I will punish you for shaming me. You could not wait the week for me? I have heard about your behavior.” Both of his hands reached for her pants.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Brenda was terrified, her back throbbing in pain from the almost brutal way they’d pinned her down.

A sharp tug at her waist caused her pain as Volder yanked hard on her pants, jerking them roughly down her legs. Brenda cried out in pain and terror, muffling the sound of the material being shredded. She tried to fight, kicking at Volder, but he was too strong and fast, his men holding her down tighter until he’d completely ripped her pants from her body.

Volder gripped her legs in a brutal hold, pushing his weight down on them, forcing her legs to collapse until her bent knees were inches from her chest. A terrified scream tore from Brenda as the man pinned her so her knees were shoved even higher in the painfully awkward position. She felt air on her ass, thighs and everything else from her waist down that was bare.

“Hold still!” Volder roared.

Brenda stopped struggling because there was no point and she could barely breathe compressed in the uncomfortable position. Volder looked down at her exposed body, taking deep breaths, sniffing at her. Her heartbeat was painful as it pounded with terror in her chest realizing that he was now sniffing at her exposed ass and pussy and unable to look away from his enraged face, she saw when he frowned, some of the rage leaving his features.