Was that simply an acceptance of the offer he’d made her yesterday, or was it something more? She’d looked at him several times with unmasked desire in her eyes. Had she finally decided to accept her attraction to him? Had she decided to accept…him?
Thinking into it too much, Drak. She’s accepting the job, not me…not yet.
Silence reclaimed control of the room, causing Drakkal torealize that he’d not used his earpiece. Everyone had overheard the brief call. All of them—even Razi, who normallyappeareddisinterested—were staring at Drakkal intently, questions brimming in their eyes.
“Who was that?” Samantha asked.
Arcanthus leaned forward, propping his arms on the table. “And what is she in on?”
Sam’s eyes brightened, and her voice filled with excitement. “She’s human, isn’t she? She sounded human.”
“Since when do females call you?” Urgand asked. “Apart from Sekk’thi.”
“I do not count,” Sekk’thi said.
“Oh, you count. Just not for him.” Urgand grinned; for a moment, the heat in his eyes was reflected in Sekk’thi’s.
Vrek’osh, what is going on here?
“Are you bringing her here?” Samantha asked.
“Yes,areyou bringing her here?” Arcanthus echoed.
“Can I answer a single damned question before you ask twenty more?” Drakkal demanded.
Arcanthus turned to smirk at Samantha. “It must be that human Drakkal’s grown fond of.”
Samantha’s brow furrowed. “Wait…the one whorobbedhim?”
“A terran robbed Drakkal?” Urgand asked incredulously. “You’re never going to hear the end of it from Thargen, azhera.”
“I’m aware of that,” Drakkal grumbled. “Now if you’ll all shut the fuck up—except for you Sam, you’re fine—I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
Sam flashed him a toothy grin.
For a few moments, Drakkal relished the quiet, though it didn’t do much to help him collect his thoughts.
“It is the same terran,” he finally said. “I freedher from a zoo in the Gilded Sector a few weeks ago, and she robbed me once we got out.”
“Took the clothes right off his back,” Arcanthus added, absently brushing his cybernetic fingers down Samantha’s hair.
“So glad you’re here to add in the juicy details,” Drakkal muttered.
“So far she sounds like the kind of female Thargen would appreciate,” said Razi.
An unbridled, involuntary snarl rose from Drakkal’s chest, and the claws of his right hand gouged the table as tension seized his muscles. “She’smine.”
Five sets of wide eyes stared at Drakkal; he met each of his friend’s gazes one at a time.
“Just want to make sure that’s clear from the outset,” he said, forcing his lips into a more neutral expression and dropping his hand onto his thigh. “Her name is Shay. She’s been struggling to make her way in the city.”
“And she’s coming here?” Samantha asked. “Tonight?”
“Yes. I offered her a job, and she accepted. She’s joining the security team.”
“I’m sorry, what was that?” Arcanthus leaned back and cocked his head to the side, eyebrows slanted down. “I thought we’re supposed to discuss personnel matters before any decisions are made?”
“I only say that because I can’t trust you to make thoughtful decisions,” Drakkal replied.