Page 25

Zephyr

I could tell that Sherrod was trying his best to ignore the gigantic elephant in the room as we finished docking at the station and I was grateful for it.

In the light of day, my emotions were far more mixed up than they had been last night, especially after realizing that I’d fallen asleep next to Sherrod in a bourbon fueled haze.

We hadn’t done anything, I knew that right away.

Not only because there was no dried cum on my skin, but because I trusted him more than anyone.

Because he’s Jacen…even if he’s also not. Yeah, confusing isn’t even close to what this situation is.

I suddenly wished I could com my brother or father. They would approach this logically, steady me and help me cut through all the emotions. At least I thought Kier would. Who knows how he might’ve changed since falling in love with Chloe?

Our docking procedures went smoothly and in no time we were preparing to depart.

Zelena had diverted us to a private docking bay that was connected to our VIP suite and Sherrod had made sure all the surveillance systems were jammed while we disembarked.

Still, I felt like I was being watched and my skin broke out in dots of sweat.

“You okay?” he asked as we made our way down the short corridor.

“Peachy.”

He quirked an eyebrow but didn’t inquire further.

The door at the end of the blue gray corridor opened to reveal a tall Valtoshan woman dressed in what looked like silky scarves artistically draped around her breasts and crotch.

Her makeup was heavy and flawless, accentuating her eyes and sinful mouth, while her tendrils undulated behind her, decorated with silver cuffs set with amethysts.

She was stunning, and when she smiled, her canines glinted in the low light.

She gave off a predatory air, infused with lust, that was immediately shattered when she saw us.

“Sherrod!” she squealed as he put his arms around her and they spun around.

She giggled like a schoolgirl and I couldn’t remember seeing Sherrod this relaxed.

Jealousy punched me in solar plexus and I was knocked back a bit by the sudden strength of it.

I shouldn’t care who Sherrod has fucked or will fuck.

I shouldn’t care that she has been able to know him all this time when I’d been deprived of the pleasure.

I shouldn’t care about any of this, but it was suddenly all I could think of.

“Zelena, let me introduce you to Zephyr,” Sherrod said once they were done.

“Hi,” I replied curtly and swept past her into the room.

I heard a deep, feminine chuckle behind me before Zelena said, “I like her.”

The room was enormous, easily the size of two of Sherrod’s ships combined and then some.

There was a sunken living room of sorts with curved white and gray couches, and a glass table in the middle.

The wall to my right was entirely made up of a holo window that showed a tropical waterfall scene that was so real I could almost believe that’s where we were.

A set of stairs curled up to my left where I was sure the bedrooms and bathrooms were.

In front of me, just beyond the living room, was a low table surrounded by black and gray cushions, where an elaborate tea with pastries and covered dishes were laid out.

Next to that was a huge side board with every color of liquor imaginable in exquisitely cut crystal decanters.

I glanced behind me and next to the door, where Sherrod and Zelena were still talking, was another door that was just opened enough for me to see a training room with weights, speed bag, punching bag, mats, and a fully stocked weapons rack.

The floor under my feet was covered in a thick carpet with swirling designs of silver and black shot through with white.

Above were a series of intricately constructed chandeliers that spun up so high I could barely see where they connected to the ceiling.

There were also dozens of silver wall sconces and lamps scattered around.

“I’m going to change and meet the fight coordinators and other VIPs,” Sherrod said, coming up behind me.

My skin pebbled feeling him so close to me and yet not touching. It was as if finally knowing who he was had unleashed my desire for him instead of cooling it, and every time he’d been close to me, since I woke up this morning, I felt feverish and jumpy.

“Alright,” I said, forcing myself not to turn around.

But then he put his hand on my arm, sending electric pulses through my body as he turned me to face him.

Though my face was a mask of indifference, inside I was a maelstrom of emotions and wants.

He was too close to me and not close enough, his hand was warm and the touch innocent enough, which was good, but I wanted naughty and demanding.

I wanted him to take control and tell me that just being friends was a bullshit scenario and he wanted more.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, letting me go and crossing his arms across his chest.

It stretched his dark blue shirt and I could see the play of muscles in his chest and upper arms. I’d seen what was under that shirt last night, the hard slabs of lean muscle that hadn’t been nearly as impressive when Sherrod had been seventeen.

I’d been able to resist staring only because everything had been so raw and I had distracted myself with playing twenty questions before passing out.

But now, my brain and my libido seemed to be in some kind of mutiny against my resolve to keep myself out of the fuck-zone and were determined to drive me crazy with the absolutely filthy things I wanted him to do to me.

I have got to get a handle on these feelings…maybe get laid too.

I rubbed my fingers across my forehead as if I could press the thoughts out of my mind.

“I’ve just got a headache, that’s all.”

His lips pressed together and I realized my mistake too soon.

“It will pass,” I said firmly. “Go do your thing and I’ll…do mine.”

“Zelena has the fitting arranged upstairs in one of the rooms,” he said. “She’ll answer whatever questions you have. I might not be back before you’re required to go to the staging area.”

I nodded expecting him to leave but he didn’t. Instead, he shifted foot to foot, hands on his hips, then in fists at his side and then again on his hips.

“Are you nervous?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“No. I’m scared for you. I don’t like the thought of you going into this situation with me up in a booth sipping champagne with people I’d just assume shoot rather than pretend to like.”

It spilled out of him fast, like he wasn’t sure he wanted to say it but couldn’t help himself. His worry reminded me of the person he had been, and I softened my walls a bit to reach out and hold his hand in mine.

“I’ve got this, I’ll be fine.”

“If anything happens—”

“It won’t,” I squeezed his hand and caught his eyes. “You’re worrying about me because of our past. You have to stop that and let me do my job so you can too.”

His throat worked as he swallowed and never had a neck looked more lickable in my entire life.

No, no it isn’t. It’s repulsive, awful, not sexy in the least.

“You’re right,” he admitted with a long breath. “I’m sorry, I know we said we’d be friends but it’s gonna take some getting used to.”

I gave him a strained smile, trying to be reassuring.

“I know, I’m feeling the same way. Let’ s just do what we came here to do and try to ignore the…stuff.”

“Stuff…yeah, that’s one word for it.”

Am I imagining it or does he sound incredibly bitter?

I didn’t really have a chance to examine his tone further because he was climbing the stairs two at a time and Zelena had taken his place in front of me.

“I’ve waited so long to meet you,” she said with a wide grin. “Shall we go upstairs and get you fitted? We can have some girl talk while we do.”

“Goody,” I replied with a smile that was utterly insincere.

“Now I realize this is all a bit overwhelming,” Zelena said as she scanned my body for measurements, “but I promise, I will be able to get you a suit that fits you like a glove before tonight.”

We were in the largest of the bedrooms upstairs to accommodate the sewing contraption and bolts of fabric and tech she’d brought in.

There were draped sheets of mesh that glimmered in the light like finely woven gold, along with bolts of deep purple and lavender fabric.

The sewing contraption looked like a combination of a droid and a small assembly line with a large CPU and screen that I assumed would show the progress of what was being made.

Zelena had been taking my measurements with a scanner for the last fifteen minutes, making notes on her holo tablet as she went.

“Don’t you mean a bathing suit?” I muttered.

She snorted.

“Oh believe me, I realize the outfits are on the ridiculous side but it’s pure pageantry, my dear. What better way to distract people from the truth than with some well revealed flesh?”

She oozed charm and sensuality in an effortless way that was disarming.

As she programed the sewing bot that took up the space between the bed and the huge walk in closet, I was suddenly ashamed of myself.

What the hell was wrong me that I was willing to forgo getting to know someone because of a guy?

And who am I to be jealous of anyone Sherrod slept with these past years? I wasn’t exactly chaste either.

“I’m sorry,” I said before I could think better of it. “I’ve been…”

“Jealous? Angry? Confused?” she asked with a grin over her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. This entire situation is enough to make anyone off kilter.”

“You’re really very calm about all this. Is it business as usual for you?”

She let out a deep, full laugh that took some of the remaining tension out of me.

“In a way,” she admitted, monitoring the sewing on the screen. “I was trained by your uncle, or the commander as we all called him.”

My throat tightened.

“Did he…I mean did he train you to be…?”