Page 20 of Gold Sector

That was his response to my question about why his daughter thought I intended to rape her with my knot.

It was the exhaustion in his voice that had me calling for the drink. He clearly needed it.

But now I’m wondering why the fuck he was in Obsidian Sector in the first place.

He takes a long drink before setting the crystal glass down. “I went there for an Omega.”

My eyebrow cocks upward. “You like them obedient and slave-like, then?”

His dragon growls deep, causing mine to stir in warning. “No. Fuck, I’m not a monster. If I were, I wouldn’t be here trying to ensure that my daughter makes a decent match.”

“You brought her here to make any match,” I remind him. “There’s no guarantee it’ll be decent.”

He gives me a long look, his irises flaring with a blend of black, silver, and white. “You’ve heard things about Obsidian Sector, and I’ve heard things about Gold Sector.”

“That we like trading for Omegas, yes?”

“That youcarefor Omegas,” he corrects me. “Riordan is an old friend.”

My gaze narrows. “Then why didn’t you take your daughter to him?”

“Because he suggested I come here instead. And…” Heblows out a breath and palms the back of his neck. “I need gold.”

“So you want to sell your daughter,” I translate, disgusted by the concept.

“No, I want her protected. I’ll work for the gold.” His hand falls from his neck to the arm of the charcoal-coated chair. “Taliana’s safety is my priority. But I’m hoping, in time, I can visit and maybe work.”

I study him. “Doing what?”

“I’m skilled at raiding,” he tells me quietly. “I also know the Southern European nomad lands well, and I can suggest some camps you might be interested in raiding, too.”

“I see.” I fold my arms across my chest, ignoring the drinks on the small table between us. “So you went to Obsidian Sector for an Omega. Did you not know about their penchant for experimentation?”

“Oh, I had heard the rumors. I just didn’t realize how true they were.” He grabs his drink again and downs it, a haunted shadow overtaking his features.

He doesn’t look a day older than me, our immortal genetics freezing our features around thirty years of age, sometimes younger. Yet his eyes hold a world of experience that somehow makes him appear decades older.

This male has lived through hell. It shows in the frown lines etched into his forehead. I wonder if he’s ever truly smiled.

“I grew up with Riordan in Jasper Sector. We were lieutenants together for decades before the Infection, then led different camps in the new era. I specialized in raiding. He specialized in defense.”

“Again leading me to wonder why you came to me and not him,” I drawl.

“I’m getting there,” he tells me, his words impatient,yet his tone is interestingly respectful. “On a raid just over twenty years ago, I found an injured Omega lying in a nest.”

His eyes close like he’s picturing her now, his throat working to swallow.

“Her scent was unlike any other I’d ever sensed. I was instantly drawn to her. And she seemed to feel the same for me.” His eyes open again, but rather than look at me, he focuses on the sea outside the window.

It’s probably a good thing, as it gives me time to mask my reaction to what he just said. Because I understood that part a little too well, given my recent reaction to his daughter.

A sensation of unease stirs inside me, one that worsens as he continues.

“She went into heat and asked me to knot her. Naturally, I did. And I claimed her, too. I thought she was my mate. Just as I thought she felt the same way.”

Yeah, that pit of unease is definitely worsening.

“She didn’t,” he goes on. “Or maybe she did. I don’t know. But she left for Obsidian Sector, and I followed her. I thought I could convince her to return to Jasper Sector. However, her brainwashing became apparent quickly, and I was left with a choice—leave my chosen mate and our child, or try to fight for them.”