by Stone, Layla
But it was his stance and the confidence in how he held himself that said he was a fighter.
“Do I know you?” Z asked the unexpected guest.
The male looked him over, unimpressed. “You’re Zane.” Not a question.
“You can call me Z.” No one called him Zane anymore.
“You can call my sister. Tell her I’m here.” When Zane didn’t move, the male added, “I know you know who I am.”
His sister? Yeah, he knew who this male was. What he didn’t know was how he knew all about him, because Zane had been more obsessive than before, tracking everything Adelia did and every time she went on her Minky. A little unhealthy, sure, but he was a Demon. He didn’t excuse all of his bad behavior.
“I’d offer you a glass of jubriaan, but I’m a whiskey male myself.” Especially after he’d made it clear to all his new clients that he didn’t deal in jubriaan. They wanted the good stuff so he would get them whiskey, rum, scotch and all the wines from the moon vineyards.
“Macallan eighteen will be fine.”
Z had a bottle. Unopened. “All out, sorry. But I do have a one-two.”
Rannn stared at him. “You have the eighteen in your bottom drawer, unopened. Shall I get it for you?”
Zane narrowed his eyes then took another half second to remember something he’d read in Rannn’s letter to Adelia. His elite team. A Red Demon, a Numan, something else and whatever, and a Cerebral.
Cerebrals were telepaths and telekinetic. And if Rannn had him still, which was against Federation rules, the mind-bending bastard was in Z’s mind.
“You don’t have to have your telepathic shipmate hide outside. By all means, invite him in.”
“He and his wife are shopping. Otherwise, he would be here,” Rannn said.
All of a sudden, Z heard banging on the wall and Adelia’s voice. Right, he’d locked her in. Backing up, he went back to the door and unlocked it with his thumbprint. Adelia opened the door. “Why did you lock it?”
Assuming the Cerebral had given her the same image he had, he confirmed, “Your brother’s here to see you.”
“Rannn?” She looked surprised and then scared. Z didn’t like that. Moving her back into his office, he said, “If you don’t want to see him, he’s gone. Say the word, Pet.”
She looked at her hands, at the few flecks of color under her nails. “I’m a mess.”
“You’re gorgeous. And I don’t think he cares because he’s your brother. And if you think he cares, then he’s not a brother, he’s a dead male,” Zane said, absolutely serious.
Adelia smiled. “Thank you.”
“I was serious.” He was.
She laughed.
Delusional volcano.
She walked out and tentatively walked to her Yunkin brother. She stopped before him. “Hi.”
Rannn held out his arms. “Come here and give me a hug before I go over there, and your mate touches me with his Silk Demon hands, and I have to kill him.”
Adelia burst out laughing to Z’s derision and then ran at the warrioresque male, jumping in the air to hug him.
Uncalled for, in Zane’s opinion.
Rannn hugged her tightly and then set her down. “I’m glad you’re happy, but you should have told me you didn’t work for Captain Eriben anymore. Then again, I did get a chance to meet him and punch him in a face for what he did to you. So, I’ll let it slide.”
“Wow, you’re still a bully.” She slapped the Yunkin’s arm playfully.
Zane was about to lose his cool.
Rannn looked at him. “Calm down, Zane, she’s not coming with me. She actually likes you.”
He knew that. But to hear her brother say that was good.
Adelia, on the other hand, turned around. “Your name is Zane? Serious?”
“I prefer Z.”
She snickered at him. “No way, it’s Zane from now on.”
He hated his brother-in-law already. The male was making his mate smile and giving her a sense of family that Z couldn’t give her. Not yet. But he was trying to. Nightly. He had one fear, and that was getting his children to learn to take sleep from others. But that was contingent on them being born Silk Demons. She was a Grach, and with only a small bit of Silk left in him, they might not be born with thorns at all.
Just then, he got a mental picture of him and Adelia holding a baby boy in a white blanket. In front of them was a male who looked like a doctor, with long, wavy hair. The physician took the baby from Adelia, ran something along his palms, and then walked to a vial and poured some liquid into it.
A half second later, the male shook the vial and then shook his head at the two of them.
Zane had a feeling the Cerebral had sent the visions. But Zane didn’t understand what the doctor was saying. Was there something wrong with the baby?
The doctor shook his head again.
Is the baby going to be a Silk Demon?
The doctor shook his head.
Is the baby going to be a Grach?
The doctor nodded.
Then the vision disappeared.
He cursed. Adelia turned. “What?”
“Nothing.” He’d just had a vision of something crazy. He didn’t even know when they would have a kid.
Then another picture popped into his mind. On a calendar, there was a red circle around July 11th.
He cursed again, but this time, he rubbed his head.
“Welcome to my world,” Rannn said. Zane looked up, wondering if the male knew what he had seen. “No, he’s good at keeping private things private.”
That’s when Adelia suggested that they go to Teeda’s for dinner.
Z didn’t like the idea, but the male had to leave sometime. He had a ship to run.
Rannn agreed, and Zane sat through a meal with the male he begrudgingly put up with. The two talked about a lot of things, but none of them were about Adelia’s parents or her ex-husband. Which Z was pleased about.
Adelia didn’t need to relive any of that hell.
When the meal was done, Rannn handed Zane a little black ball. “It’s called a rong.”
“Oh, wow,” Adelia said, breathless. “That’s…”
“You’re welcome,” Rannn told her. To Z, he said, “I don’t think I need to explain what I will do if you screw with my sister.”
Zane couldn’t help it, he told the brother, “The same way you let her be abused by her ex-husband? Good job there, big brother.”
“Z,” Adelia warned.
Zane didn’t hear that. He was glaring down at the male who should have protected his mate. What Rannn said back surprised him, but sent Adelia into a spin. “Oh, don’t worry, I took care of him the second I found out.”
“What did you do?”
“What honor dictated I do.”
“Rannn. What. Did. You. Do?”
Rannn smiled, pulled her in for a forced kiss on the head, and then let her go. “I look forward to coming to visit when I’m on this side of the galaxy again.”
“What did you do?” Adelia picked up a fork and held it like a weapon.
Rannn took a drink, ignoring her threat. “I had Orin pay him a visit. He checked the rong, saw what he did. Olmy has been exiled, discharged, and the last I heard, living on Port Meno.”
Adelia was silent after that.
She didn’t speak until after her brother had left. When she spoke, she didn’t make any sense as she cried into his chest.
When he hoped that she was done and they had arrived back at the warehouse, he asked, “So, what is a rong? And why is it important to you?”
Adelia wiped her eyes, then left to the bathroom. She came back with a clean face and sat down next to him. “A rong is a device that listens and records special family moments. If one of us is ever away, it will send videos of what we are doing without the other. The programming is advanced and learns what is important to the couple. So, I’m sure it will pick up that you like to collect contacts.”
“Or that you love a
rt,” he countered. “That actually sounds interesting. How do I set it up?”
“It will work its way into your quantum system by itself and then start collecting data. You don’t get to tell it when to send the information, it just does it by itself.”
“Not as interesting anymore.”
She patted his chest and then leaned into him. “Wait and see, my mate.”
“Only to please you, Pet. Otherwise, I would sell this to the next half breed Yunkin I saw.”
Adelia didn’t say much after that, but he could tell that she was still shocked by what she had heard. What he didn’t like was that her ex-husband was found dishonorable and no one had contacted her to say, “yeah we get it now.”
Her breath stuttered, and he knew that she needed sleep but was too wound up. So he fell into his mind and did something he didn’t like doing. He sucked her energy into himself.
As he did, she fell asleep. Once he saw her tube clearly, he popped back into his conscious body, set her down, covered her with a blanket, and moved to his desk.
He searched the Federation logs, cross-referencing Garna the star carrier. That’s when he saw a name he knew. Vivra.
Pulling up her contact, he sent a message.
Hey, sweet lady, I just saw your bid for a monster-sized water tank. I have a few I can send you. 567 keleps, and they’re yours.
Z
He knew the order had been filled, it said so, but he needed to meet her face-to-face. He needed to shake her hand, and he needed an insider on the Garna crew. Not because he was looking for a contact, he wanted to watch Rannn.
Even though he didn’t particularly like the man, he was his mate’s brother and one thing he could do was keep an eye on the overconfident captain. Plus, he wanted more notice before the male walked into his warehouse next time.
Epilogue
Adelia was drinking her water instead of her beloved coffee at Teeda’s when Zane’s Minky watch pinged. He read the message and smiled.
“What?” she asked, a little jealous she hadn’t brought about that smile.
“You know that volcano picture you drew?”
She did. She’d just finished it last night. “Yes. Did you even see it?”
“I did,” he said back as he typed something on the large, curved, rectangular watch. “It looks like someone wants to buy it.” Zane looked up at the door.
How did he already have a buyer? It was only hours old.
Adelia followed Z’s eyes and saw a male with orange-red hair at the door. The same male she’d met in the art alley.
The stranger walked up to the counter, talked to Sasay, and then used this thumb to point out the door.
“Did he just rush us out of here?”
Zane held out his hand. She didn’t need any help up, but he was treating her differently now that he knew she was pregnant.
She stood up, grabbed his hand, and wended around the tables and out the door. The stranger was standing there in a white long-sleeve tee, well-worn jeans, and brown boots. If it was possible to say that he looked thoughtful and yet ordinary at the same time, that’s how he appeared.
Zane cleared his throat and pointed at the male. “Adelia, I’d like to introduce you to Karr.”
She remembered the time when he had said that if she ever learned his name, she would owe him a lot.
“Hi again,” she said.
Karr didn’t hold out his hand, but he did nod his head respectfully. “I’m glad I saved your life, especially knowing that Zane ended up taking you as his mate. Or is it the other way around?”
“How do you know her? When did you save her life?” Zane demanded.
Karr ignored him. Still looking at her, he said, “I don’t know if Zane told you, but I’m fond of your picture of Reyna. I’d like to buy it.”
She pointed to the warehouse across the way. “Sure, it’s right over there. Let me walk you to it.”
“I’d like that,” he said back affably. This was not the same you-owe-me-answers guy.
Zane didn’t let go of her hand as he walked between her and Karr.
She heard Karr snicker but he didn’t say anything. Once inside, Karr looked around. “I like what you did with the place. Looks better than before.”
“What was in it before?” she asked.
Karr shrugged. “Nothing of value.”
“Oh.” She smiled inwardly. That was the male she’d met before. Sneaky and private.
Zane unlocked the office, and she escorted Karr to her side, through the glass door in a wall of tempered and soundproof glass. Once inside, she had to wait because Karr had started to stare at all the pictures she had hanging up. She’d sold one or two, but she painted faster than she could sell them.
“I think I just walked into heaven,” Karr said. “I’m taking them all.”
“All?” She wasn’t done with all of them.
His face got serious. “All.”
“Okay. But I need to finish that one.” She pointed.
“Okay. I’ll give your husband the address. But I’m taking Reyna with me.” He went over and lightly touched the sides to pluck it off the wall. With a nod, he said, “I will see you around, Adelia. And congratulations on the baby.”
“Thank you,” she said, feeling the urge to rub her belly. To Zane, she mouthed, “You told him?”
He shook his head.
Zane walked the male out and then came back, rubbing her arms with his hands. “I can’t say I like that you met him, but I have a feeling you know not to trust him.”
“I don’t.”
“Good.” Z kissed her softly and then touched her belly. “Soon, baby. Soon.”
Adelia inwardly rolled her eyes. Lately, both she and Z had been ridiculously happy. Z because he was doing better and getting his business back, and her because she had finally achieved her dream. She had everything she’d ever hoped for and more. A mate who loved her for who and what she was—one who let her do what she loved.
Her life. Her dream, was complete. And nothing could be better.
Acknowledgments
First, I have to thank my amazing husband and children for letting me hide away while I write. I love you all so very much. Second, I have to thank my amazing editor Chelle – Literally Addicted to Detail because she knows me, my fictional world, my cast of characters and she is always on point. Third, I’m grateful for the time my beta readers, Jessica and Jennifer have taken to help me during the rough drafts. Fourth, I want to thank Aubrie and Gail listening about all my fictional characters and their struggles. And last, but not least Melissa – my everything consultant.
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Read More
Unexpected Series:
Unexpected Prize # .5
Unexpected Hostage # 1
Unexpected Demon # 2
Unexpected Commander # 3 (Coming in June 2019)
If you’d like follow me, or learn more about my worlds, characters and behind the scenes visit me at authorlaylastone.com.
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About the Author
Layla Stone is a Sci-Fi Romance author who is passionate about writing and reading romances. Her books are a blend of science fiction, romance and action and adventure.
A Business coordinator by training and a bookworm at heart, Layla makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, two children and a trio of fur babies.
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