Page 21 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

Grace

Had that been a good date or a bad one?

Grace worried her lip as her foot bounced anxiously under her desk. She had her displays open, watching from multiple angles as the dock team worked on the Humility. Things were preceding quickly. Even as she watched, they were hovering in the new food synthesizer.

Grace hadn’t meant to divulge such a personal detail about herself.

Not on the first date. That was way too heavy for a casual meal in the park.

Her usual excuse – looking for fun and excitement – was her go to reason for how she ended up here.

No one ever called her out on it before.

No one ever confronted her so immediately, so confidently, before.

It was like he could read her insecurities and demanded the truth.

Then, she’d just blabbed her honest feelings to him.

He’d said the sweetest, most romantic thing she’d ever heard, and the date just kind of ended.

They didn’t finish eating. He walked her back to the employee dorms where she lived.

She was so in her head, reeling from her own confession, from the things he said, she forgot to give him a goodnight kiss or ask even him out for a second date.

And now, in the light of day, having had some sleep, she was pretty sure she’d just trauma dumped on the poor guy, and now he was trying to politely distance himself after consoling her.

Reetak kept sending her looks, like she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t get close.

Covor was hovering. And looming. And booming orders in his loud, domineering voice.

He was clearly irritated about something.

But since Grace was focused on the fact that she might very well have screwed up royally with a guy she was genuinely interested in, she didn’t care.

She was letting him stomp around being obnoxious and irritated without even paying attention except when he addressed her directly.

Would Sway want to see her again after that? The things he said to her were so deep and poignant, she was desperate to hear them again. She wanted more.

But she was also acutely aware that, despite spilling her guts prematurely, Sway had actually said nothing about himself. He’d listened so kindly, spoken so sweetly, then he promptly returned her to her place just like that.

Grace was convinced she’d just shoved her foot right in it. He probably thought she was a crazy, stage five clinger. And he had every reason to think that after she just vomited her mommy issues all over him on the first freaking date !

Regret was a hot, bitter thing in her gut as she was sure she’d just ruined something great before it even had a chance to get started. She really liked Sway. She was hopeful about whatever it was they were doing.

He’d thanked her for asking him out. So, that had to mean he didn’t completely regret it, right? Or maybe she was just reading what she wanted to in what was nothing more than kindness from a guy who was trying to talk the crazy girl off a ledge.

She really wanted to see him again. To get a take two on their date and prove that she wasn’t that girl. Even though she’d acted like one already. She was normal! She could be a good date. She could have casual fun without being psycho.

Hopefully. Oh, man, what if she couldn’t? What if she was that girl? What if she’d well and truly ruined whatever she might have had with Sway?

As though her thoughts had summoned him, on the display, he walked into view. He was speaking to the dock manager. Without turning on the audio, Grace couldn’t hear what was being said. But her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the feathered male.

How was he more attractive every time she saw him?

It was the same black shirt, black boots, jumpsuit tied at the waist combo that he’d been wearing every time she saw him, but he looked so good in it.

He moved so gracefully as well. There was no bounce in his steps at all.

He kind of just glided across the ground, smiling that shy, reserved smile of his.

If she asked him out again, would he dodge her? Would he ghost her? Or was there a chance she hadn’t just completely screwed everything up?

The dock manager was saying something, pointing further into the docks. Sway was listening, his expression rapt as though he were committing it all to memory. Then, he was turning, walking not back into his ship but towards-

“Grace!”

Covor’s big, booming voice blasting right in her ear made her jump and turn. Her boss was glaring down at her with dark anger harshly carved on his face.

“My office. Now,” he snapped, turning and immediately walking away. Like he knew she was going to follow without any further question.

And she did, wincing. She couldn’t even argue if he was mad at her.

She’d just been sitting there, staring at her holodisplays, for the last half a mark.

There was plenty of work for her to do. She should be getting ready for the meeting Loyalty had scheduled with her about the repairs to his ship – which still weren’t being done.

She didn’t understand why since the exterminator said there were no signs of pests that she could see. She should be figuring that out.

But nope. She had just been staring at Sway and the Humility. Pining after him.

Crud. She was a stage five psycho clinger, wasn’t she?

That was a humiliating realization about herself. Only made worse by the circumstances. Learning new things about yourself did not mix well with getting in trouble at work.

She followed Covor up the small lift in the center of the room that led to his office. It was a room that was just as big as the one below – one large enough to house all the dock masters. Though considerably more time and credz had gone into this room.

He had his own, massive, ‘u’ shaped desk, with the wings spread apart, giving plenty of space for the huge male to turn and face whatever display he might have up.

There was a sitting area with multiple couches, big enough for him, any higher up members of the company, or any ship crew that he might be hosting.

He only managed a single dock – Dock One – but it was the largest. Anyone who docked at One was not only wealthy but powerful, so the luxury was as much for them as Covor.

There was currently a peacekeeper ship in his dock getting its ten-year routine service.

A process that took several tendays and cost a great deal of credz.

Through the domed ceiling, Grace could see the ship in question hanging over her, the nose of it pointed straight down at the top of her head like it might be crashing into her.

Dock One, unlike the other docks, wasn’t capable of being flown into.

It was made of a series of pieces that could form a large ring around a massive ship or, more often, broken apart into little ‘islands’ that moved to the various places on the ship that required attention.

The biggest dock also had the biggest crew working it, and through the domed window, Grace could appreciate them like a swam of busy ants racing across the surface.

However, she only got to take in the sight for a moment as Covor was suddenly there, in her face, snarling like an enraged beast.

“Where were you last night?”

“Huh?”

That was so far beyond what she had been expecting him to say, Grace couldn’t come up with any more intelligent of a response than that.

What an odd question. Why did it matter? Where she went and what she did when she was done with her work wasn’t any of his business, or even his right to know. So hearing the demand for an answer actually drove it from her mind.

“You were out late,” Covor continued, looming over her. All four fists tightened. “You came back to your dorm with a male .”

Grace frowned, crossing her arms, indignation straightening her back. “Were you watching me?”

“Of course, I was,” he snapped, surprising her more. He didn’t even pretend to be contrite. Like he had every right to watch her.

“What I do and with whom is not your business,” she said stiffly. “If you have anything to say to me about work, please do so. Otherwise, I’m going back to my desk.”

“You’re not going anywhere!”

Grace let out a short cry of pain when one of his hands closed around her arm, engulfing the entire thing.

He squeezed, the pressure like a blood pressure cuff, cutting off circulation and making her hand throb as blood backed up.

She scratched at his fingers with her other hand, trying to get him off.

For all the good it did. He didn’t even flinch as he yanked her close enough she could feel the heat of his breath in her face as he snarled.

“You are mine .”

“What?” She tried to pull back, to get any sort of distance between them, but the ironclad grip he had on her arm meant she couldn’t even gain an inch. “Let me go!”

“I had you brought here to me because I’ve claimed you. You are to be my mate,” Covor continued, crowding her so heavily, she had to lean back to avoid touching him, straining her neck and knees and causing more pain in her arm.

“That’s not-” Grace squeaked as his fingers tightened.

“You. Are. Mine,” he repeated, lower this time. Threatening. “You have always been mine. I have been patient, waiting for you, but you were always mine to claim.”

“I never agreed to that!”

“It’s the only reason you’re here.” Covor looked down on her over his square, boxy nose. “I knew you were meant to be mine when I saw you the first time on Holotulle. And I offered you this job so you would join me here.”

“What?” Grace started, surprised and horrified.

Wait! No! He wasn’t serious, was he?! How did his people mate? How was it recognized? He couldn’t really be her true mate, right ?!