by Roxie Ray
Farir looked at me, her eyes still wide, and gave a slight shrug as if to say she didn’t know why Brittany was remaining so cold and detached.
“If you’d like…” I tried again to engage Brittany in conversation. “I can explain more about your position once we’re en route to Hollander.”
This time when Brittany met my gaze, she held it, a spark of defiance in those brown depths. Still, she didn’t speak. After a moment of silence, she simply nodded curtly and angled her face and body away from me.
Frustration and confusion had me nearly scowling now, too. I wanted to hear her voice, badly, and I couldn’t explain why. There was so much I felt compelled to do in that moment, right up to marching over, taking her face in my hands and forcing her to look me in the eye once more.
But I restrained myself, hard as it was. I prided myself on my self-control, so it was a bit of a shock that I had to fight so hard against my instincts. This woman had some strange effect on me. What was going on here?
Brittany obviously didn’t want to speak at the moment. Hell, hostility was pouring off of her in waves at this point. So I turned my attention back to Farir.
“Thank you very much for bringing her yourself. I’m sure you need to get back to the medical center.”
“Yes, my lord,” she replied. She offered Brittany a friendly smile. “If you have any questions or need help with your communicator, the prince knows how to reach me.”
“Thank you,” I said when Brittany didn’t reply with anything more than a nod. Were human manners really this atrocious? Surely not. I’d encountered more than my fair share of IEP representatives from Earth, and none had been like this. She obviously wasn’t pleased to be here.
I felt badly once more about taking over her contract. Perhaps she’d had a certain place in mind where she’d wanted to go. But once she saw Hollander, I was sure she’d be more than happy with the change in plans.
“I’ll take my leave then, Prince,” Farir said, then made her way back down the gangway, glancing back at us only once.
When we were alone again, I turned back to Brittany. I wanted to say something to put her at ease, but if she wasn’t going to speak, I didn’t know if it would do any good.
“Come. We’re nearly ready for takeoff. We need to get you strapped in.” This was most likely her first time visiting a new planet. “I’m not sure how your flight to Novis went, but I can assure you my ship is one of the smoothest in the galaxy.”
It was meant to reassure her, but she obviously took my words differently than I intended as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
Sighing, I led the way down one of the corridors to another vast cabin that contained several rows of seats for when I traveled with a larger entourage. Today I’d kept the crew to a minimum since it had just been a work trip, and there were no other passengers.
Garik appeared just as I took a seat next to Brittany. “Your Highness. Ms. Stone. Welcome aboard. We’ve just secured clearance and will be taking flight in under five minutes.”
She pressed her lips together in what I definitely wouldn’t call a smile, and nodded at Garik.
“Garik is the captain of this ship. You can trust me when I say we’re in the best hands.”
When she still said nothing, I thanked Garik, and he returned to the cockpit. Drawing in a deep breath, I tried once more to make conversation.
“Your position is fairly straightforward. As you’ve likely deduced, I am one of three princes of the realm of planet Hollander. You will be my personal housekeeper, responsible for keeping my home clean and stocked, my clothing laundered, and perhaps cooking the occasional meal. It’s a fairly simple job, and I don’t require too much. You’ll probably find yourself with lots of time on your hands.” I paused, waiting for a response, but none came. “Do you know much about Hollander?”
She shook her head, and a muscle in her jaw ticked.
“But you are quite experienced as a maid, are you not?”
She nodded this time but kept her mouth firmly shut. Sucking in another deep breath, I vowed not to lose my patience. Would she ever speak? Perhaps I needed to change course.
“Tell me a little about yourself, Brittany.” She glanced at me then, and I offered her what I hoped was a friendly smile. She opened her mouth, and I leaned forward in anticipation. Finally, I would hear her voice and learn more about this woman who had me acting so out of character.
“There’s nothing you need to know other than the fact that I’m more than qualified to be your maid and I can do my job just fine. I will take care of the housekeeping services required of me, as stated in my contract, and that’s all you need to know.”
Something about the way she emphasized the word maid, and the glare that accompanied it, had me pulling back slightly. It took quite the effort to keep my jaw from dropping. I’d never had anyone speak to me in such a terse tone without good reason. What reason could she possibly have to dislike me so much? Because it was obvious she did.
She must certainly be upset about the fact that she wasn’t headed to the planet of her choosing, but what was done was done. Surely she would come around once she saw my home planet and the residence she would be living in. Most people would jump at the opportunity to work for a Hollander prince. Hopefully she would change her stance and make the best of the year ahead on Hollander. If not, I didn’t know what I would do.
I hadn’t thought that far ahead when I’d made my rash decision to bring her back as my own personal housekeeper.
I watched her in silence for a moment, trying to get a feel for her—and also to see if that strange feeling was going away now that she was here. But no, it actually seemed stronger than ever. A pull, drawing me to her, making me want to know everything about her and not let her out of my sight.
That right there was enough for me to decide we might both need a little space. I glanced out a window and then at an instrument panel at the front of the cabin.
“We’re cruising along now and it’s safe to move around the ship. Let me show you to your cabin.” I didn’t wait for an answer, unbuckling my safety belts and moving down the aisle toward a corridor that led to the personal cabins.
As expected, Brittany didn’t bother replying. She did follow me, at least. I was acutely aware of her presence behind me as I strode down the passageway, the tightening in my chest becoming so uncomfortable that I had to rub at it. Still, it didn’t ease up.
“Here we are,” I said, stopping in front of a doorway. I stepped in front of a retinal scanner and typed a code before leaning in for the scanner to analyze my biometrics. The doorway silently slid open, and I took a step back to make room for Brittany.
“I’ll take my leave now. Please, enjoy yourself. Relax. If you need refreshments, all you have to do is push this button.” I tapped a panel on the wall just inside the doorway, indicating the call button for crew assistance, then pressed it once. “The flight is approximately eight hours at hyper-speed, so you have plenty of time to rest or entertain yourself however you see fit.”
Just then, Shara, the attendant, appeared, responding to my call. She eyed me up and down, giving me that same seductive smile she had that morning. I ignored her and gestured to Brittany.
“Shara, please see to it that Ms. Stone has anything and everything she might need.”
“Of course,” she murmured then turned to Brittany. “If you please, I’ll familiarize you with your cabin.”
I turned without another word, fighting against the overwhelming urge to send Shara away and spend the rest of the flight right there in Brittany’s cabin, demanding that she let me get to know her. But that would obviously be unwise. It was clear she didn’t like me one bit.
I strode off down the corridor toward my own cabin, sighing heavily when I was finally out of sight. I had no idea she’d dislike me so intently or what was causing it. Perhaps when we arrived on Hollander, she would change her mind.
If not… Well, I wasn’t s
ure what I would do, actually. All I knew was that I needed to be around her, and the idea of her flying to another planet was completely out of the question. Why I felt that way, I didn’t know, nor did I know what the strange feeling was whenever I was around her. It didn’t make sense.
I had time to figure it out, though. She would be with me for the next year, and I’d never met a challenge that I didn’t solve. Brittany would be no different—I would figure out what it was about her that made me act so out of character that I’d hijacked an auction and brought her home with me.
I almost laughed aloud when I thought about what my parents would say when they found out. Of all their sons, I was the most level-headed. The least impulsive. The one they could count on to be reliable and predictable in every situation.
So what was it about Brittany that had me acting on instinct alone? Perhaps once we arrived and she got settled in, I’d finally be able to figure it out.
4
Brittany
“Brittany.”
The male voice came to me from far away, unfamiliar with a cadence to his speech that I didn’t recognize.
“Brittany, wake up.”
I blinked slowly, trying to fully wake myself from sleep. No small feat because I was utterly exhausted. My eyelids were so heavy, and I felt like I could sleep for hours more, especially in this bed—I’d never slept in such a comfortable bed before.
Wait—
I sat straight up, everything coming back to me in a rush. The space station. The auction. The alien who’d purchased me.
Niall.
My eyes finally focused, only to find him standing above me, just to the side of my bed. Or rather, the one in the cabin on his spaceship.
“What’s going on?” I swung my legs off the bed, ready to stand and face him, immediately on the defensive.
“Whoa, whoa, hang on there,” he said, his deep voice sounding alarmed. “You aren’t used to flying through space, you need to move slowly until you’ve acclimated.”
Right. I shook my head, trying to clear it from the haze of sleep. How long had I been dead to the world? A glance out the window didn’t tell me anything as it was just an endless expanse of stars and space, the same as when I’d dozed off.
Niall smiled. “We’re nearly there. I’m sorry to startle you. I just thought you might like to see Hollander from a distance. It’s quite a sight if it’s your first time seeing the planet.”
I blinked, taking him in. I hadn’t paid him much attention earlier, as I’d been trying my best to pretend none of this was happening. He’d removed the jacket of his flight suit and was wearing a plain short-sleeved shirt. My gaze lingered on his arms—holy hell, he was ripped!
But that wasn’t what held my attention the most. Covering most of his carved biceps and forearms were the strangest tattoos I’d ever seen. Bright colors that almost didn’t seem real contrasted with the pale golden-yellow tone of his skin, making them stand out even more.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar shapes and patterns. I almost asked him what they meant then remembered that I wasn’t speaking to him unless absolutely necessary. That didn’t stop me from checking out the rest of him, though.
His broad chest and strong, wide shoulders had his thin shirt practically clinging to him, and I was sure he was just as well-muscled underneath it. I lifted my gaze higher, studying his face. He was about a foot taller than me, and his nose was straight, his jaw carved from granite, and those eyes…
I’d never seen anything like them in my entire life. The woman in the clinic—Farir—had similar coloring, but Niall’s eyes seemed to glow with an otherworldly energy, the misty silver of his irises seeming to swirl like smoke. In fact, his entire body had a glow to it, like there was a faint aura emanating from him. He was almost too much to look at, especially with his long flowing hair that looked like finely spun gold. He reminded me of pictures I’d seen of ancient gods, and alien or not, he was one of the most gorgeous men I’d ever laid eyes on. I couldn’t deny that fact as much as I might want to.
“Are you okay?” Niall asked, his brow furrowing. “Sometimes space travel can be disorienting.”
I shook my head, quickly averting my gaze. God, if he realized I was checking him out, mortified would be an understatement. It didn’t matter, though. None of it. Not his too-perfect-to-be-real good looks or his fresh but woodsy scent that washed over me as he leaned in to check on me. Nope, didn’t matter at all.
“I’m fine,” I said in a rush, moving farther back on the bed, needing some distance from him.
Thankfully, he took the hint, moving to stand by the window, but I didn’t miss the frown that did nothing to mar his attractiveness. Ugh. This simply wouldn’t do. I couldn’t go around thinking these kinds of things about him. I was here for one reason—to do a job, to take care of his home, and that was it.
Belatedly, I wondered just what all that included. If it meant taking care of him too. And that was a path I just didn’t want to go down. I jumped from the bed and walked to the tiny mirror on a cabinet, smoothing out my hair that was slightly mussed from sleep.
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked before I remembered I wasn’t supposed to be speaking to him if I could avoid it.
“About seven hours.”
I gasped. I rarely slept that much. Work simply didn’t allow for it. Perhaps I’d just been that exhausted. Or maybe it was my brain’s way of protecting me—to keep me from worrying myself sick thinking over what I’d gotten myself into—because this definitely wasn’t the bargain I’d struck with Tory. Not at all.
I clenched my jaw as I ran my fingers through my hair. I couldn’t help but feel like I’d been taken advantage of. The last thing I ever would have chosen for myself was to be in servitude to a man, especially some alien prince!
I was seething inside as I turned back to face him. I wanted to hate him. Of all the people that could have purchased my contract, it had to be some dominating man, full of himself and his own wealth. A prince. Some women might be thrilled at the prospect, but not me. I’d been down a similar road before, and it hadn’t ended well.
I knew from experience that rich men were almost always total assholes and narcissistic pricks who took advantage of women and didn’t care less. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Prince Niall was just as bad as my ex, pretending to be all nice and kind and considerate when in reality he was just another self-absorbed jerk.
What other reason could he have for purchasing me? I was probably some novelty to him, an Earthling that amused him. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he just have hired someone to work for him the normal way?
Breathe, Britt… I had to calm down before I lost my shit completely. After all, I was stuck in this situation. Might as well not make it any worse than it already was.
He turned from the window and stared at me. “Did you get enough rest?”
I blinked, surprised by the considerate question, but quickly dismissed the idea that he’d been considerate. “Fine.”
“Come,” he said softly, his gaze going back to whatever he’d been watching out the window. “Take a look. It really is magnificent.”
Curiosity got the best of me, and I walked slowly to his side, careful to avoid contact as I peered out the window to see what all the fuss was about. I inhaled sharply.
The ship had slowed considerably from when I fell asleep, and now it looked like we were orbiting a small planet made up of mostly blue and green. In fact, it looked a lot like Earth from up here but at the same time completely different. Oceans and land, mountains and valleys, perhaps even a desert. But the colors… I’d never seen such vibrant colors in my entire life.
“What do you think?” Niall’s voice came from much too close, and I jumped, startled. He quickly took a step back.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, feeling that the word was entirely inadequate. It was like I was in a dream where color had become magnified, every pigment deeper and lusher than I
thought possible. No painting, no picture, no video could do this justice. Hollander was stunning, and part of me couldn’t wait for the ship to land so I could see all of it up close.
“I agree,” he said, his voice full of pride. “I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a planet quite like it. It’s one of the oldest inhabited planets in our system, and my family has been looking after it for longer than our histories go back. My mother and father—the king and queen—are revered by all our people and rule with a gentle hand. We have maintained peace on Hollander for millennia.”
King and queen. My mind got hung up on those words as he continued talking about his family history. So he actually was a legit prince. Like honest-to-goodness royalty. Part of me had hoped that perhaps prince was a term used on his planet to denote the elite class or something. But of course not. Prince Niall was a royal heir. And I was his servant now.
I grimaced. It definitely meant he came from money, then. And had plenty of power. I knew all too well that money and power went to people’s heads, and that the rich and powerful never cared much about the poor.
What had I gotten myself into? I was now practically enslaved to this man. One thing was clear—I had to be on my guard at all times because I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.
I tuned back in and realized he was still talking. “It truly is a wondrous planet, and I have no doubt you will fully enjoy your time here.”
“What?” That got my attention enough that I forgot I was ignoring him, and I turned to face him. “What do you mean enjoy? I’m practically enslaved by you. What could I possibly enjoy about that?”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, he staggered back as if I’d physically pushed him, his jaw clenching and eyes flaring wide. Then those silvermist irises seemed to ignite with a flash of cerulean blue fire.
I felt as if I were burning under that stare, and I was barely able to breathe.