by Bianca D'Arc
“Anyone in particular, sir?”
Mike’s glacial blue eyes narrowed. “Zeke would have been perfect for this, but he’s retired.” He was thinking aloud, a habit she’d grown used to over the years. “I need a Risker for this kind of mission. One who’s available now or will be in the next week or two?”
“Male, then?”
Mike nodded. “A Son could possibly blend in with the jit pirates.”
She started to comprehend what he had in mind. Few humans had ever reported seeing a jit’suku female, so if Michael wanted to infiltrate their ranks, it had to be done by a male. Only a Risker would be fool enough to try, and only a Risker had any odds at all of succeeding. She consulted her lists.
“Silas and Tyron are free now. Smith, Hauer, and Billy come free within the next two weeks.”
“All right. Comm Ty and see if you can get him here tomorrow for a little strategy session. Last I heard, he had some pretty good contacts on the outer rim.”
“Yes, sir.” She made a note to contact the man on one of their high-security channels.
CHAPTER TWO
Tyron arrived on the interplanetary shuttle the following work period. He hefted his satchel over one shoulder and headed for the military wing of the station. It would be good to be on a mission again. He was getting restless more often lately, but doing a special job for his brother Mike was just the ticket to take him out of the doldrums.
His golden hair was a bit longer than standard military cut, earning him a few looks from the uniformed women bustling around. They knew darn well what he was, if not exactly who he was. Men were so rare, few seldom ventured off their home worlds, and even fewer took the risk of working actively in the military on one of the more vulnerable stations. No, the only males seen up here were Sons of Amber going to and fro on various missions, both military and civilian.
Atlantia Station was the most heavily defended orbital platform, seeing as it served as this sector’s HQ. His brother, Commandant Michael Amber, ran the show from this orbiting gun platform and oversaw the defense of every planet, ship, station and colony in the sector. It was a big job and Ty didn’t envy Mike the enormous responsibility, but he knew there was no better man for the job. He admired Michael and counted him among his closest friends.
Ty would do just about anything for Michael, and he knew the feeling was mutual. They’d grown up together—at least as much as Sons “grew up” after coming out of the incubator. They’d been in the same instructional classes and had partnered for fighting exercises and other tasks. They worked well together, their skill sets complimenting each other and, more than that, they genuinely liked each other.
The same could not be said of all Sons, though most of them shared some basic comradeship simply because they were Sons. They were the only males of their kind, and that bound them together somewhat.
Ty smiled at the women who watched him pass, winking at a few—either making dour faces smile or young cheeks blush. He liked women of all kinds, though lately he’d found his many encounters with the female kind lacking. He didn’t understand it, and had no idea what he was looking for, but nevertheless, it was there. A vague sense of dissatisfaction.
Oh, he enjoyed the sex. Scratch that. He loved the sex. But he wanted something…more. What that more was, he didn’t quite know, but he was beginning to suspect, like some of his other brothers, he was looking for one special woman with whom to share his life.
He wasn’t actively seeking her—he knew he had a job to do that precluded tying himself to just one woman—but he still felt the lack. Was it love he was missing? He didn’t know. He wasn’t sure he’d ever experienced love, but he was intrigued enough to consider the possibility, though he would never act on it. No, his duty lay in repopulating the human race.
Even if there were one special woman out there for him somewhere, he couldn’t commit to her and go against everything he’d been created to do. Better he go on these missions and do his duty, protecting the remnants of the human race, and forget his foolish yearnings. Mike would help get his head screwed on straight. If there was one Son of Amber who always lived up to his responsibilities, it was Mike.
Ty found Mike’s private apartment and announced himself at the door, which would relay the signal to those inside. Mike had to be off-shift at this hour, so Ty had come directly here, bypassing the office and more formal surroundings. Ty wasn’t a formal man.
Mike answered the door with a drink in his hand and a look in his eye that said he’d had more than one. Ty was surprised. Mike had never been much of a drinker, or one to use a crutch of any kind. Dominant to the core, Michael was a straight shooter who muscled his way through life with both brawn and intellect.
“Rough day, brother?”
Mike leaned one arm up against the door frame and sighed.
“You could say that.” He stepped back to allow Ty entrance. “Thanks for coming. What can I get you?”
Ty dumped his bag by the couch as he took a seat. Michael had nice living quarters—a bit Spartan for Ty’s tastes—but still nice and comfortable. Big, solid furniture that he could sit on without worrying if he’d break it somehow, and strong enough to support his tall frame. Ty stretched his tired muscles as Michael moved to the sideboard where a number of decanters sat on a small tray with glasses.
“Some Scotch wouldn’t go awry.”
Michael poured the alcohol and handed a glass to Ty before collapsing into one of the overstuffed chairs placed in a grouping with the couch.
“I’m glad you could make it.”
Ty sat back, savoring his first sip of the fine brew. “I’m always glad to help, brother. Truth be told, I’ve been a little restless lately. This kind of assignment ought to be just the thing.”
“Leah filled you in on the details?”
Ty noted the odd tone of Michael’s voice and it puzzled him. Mike was usually the steadiest of men. The slight waver when he spoke his XO’s name concerned him.
“She sent me the pertinent facts. I can infiltrate out in that sector pretty easily. I’ve laid the groundwork. A few of the tamer pirates know me and will vouch for me with the others.”
“That’s good.” Mike knocked back his drink and leaned his head against the back of the big chair, stretching out.
“You want to tell me what’s wrong? Does it have something to do with Leah?”
That got Mike’s attention. His eyes popped open and he glared in Ty’s direction.
“I’m not even going to ask how you figured that one out.” Mike sighed heavily and his eyes closed again. “It’s nothing. She’s the best damned XO I’ve ever had.”
“And the most beautiful. Not to mention capable.”
“She is that,” Mike agreed. “But she’s beside the point.”
“Maybe.” Ty decided to let the matter of Leah drop. He’d seen them interact. There was more to that story than either one would admit, but he figured they’d sort it out in time.
“So what’s this restlessness about? Want to change careers?” Mike knew him better than that, but Ty recognized the wry, almost teasing tone. He decided to come clean. Mike knew him well. He was also highly placed. Maybe he knew more about the situation with the Sons who’d found life mates than he’d let on.
“I think it has to do with those marriages lately. I never thought Zeke would take himself off the market.”
“Yeah, I was a little surprised at first, but his Angela is one hell of a woman.”
“You’ve met her then?”
Mike’s eyes held a knowing gleam Ty recognized immediately. Every once in a while Sons gave each other a hand with a woman. It was rare, but they’d all done it a time or two.
“Angela is perfect for Zeke. I think they’ll have a happy life together.”
“I hope you’re right.” Ty leaned forward on the couch. “Mike, do you think there’s a woman for each of us? Lately I’ve been feeling…I don’t know…a little incomplete. I feel something strange when I see
some of our brothers partnering up with just one woman. Like maybe that’s what I want.”
“You got a special woman in mind?” Mike studied him.
“Maybe.” Ty was reticent. “I don’t really know what love is. But I think I want to find out.”
“When you figure it out, let me know.” Mike’s eyes were haunted and Ty thought his brother might have a bit more first-hand knowledge than he realized.
They talked of the mission and set up lines of communication they could use. Leah had prepared a set of ident chips for Ty, and they went through the details of the operation before Ty took his leave an hour or two later. He’d grab some sleep, then head out on the next shuttle. He had a job to do.
*
That evening, Leah wrote out her letter of resignation the old fashioned way, as such things deserved, and left it on Michael’s desk with a pang of regret for what could never be. She would miss him—his rare smiles, his determination, his quick mind…and so much more, but she’d soon have his son to coddle and raise. He’d never know it, of course, but she’d cherish the child for his father’s sake, and for his own. It was her fondest wish to have a baby, and there was no doubt in her mind she wanted Michael Amber to be the father. She’d made her decision.
The only thing that could possibly have made it better was if she had the guts to actually ask Michael to do the deed himself. She knew she couldn’t keep him, but spending even one night in his embrace would be a memory to last a lifetime.
But she didn’t have that kind of courage.
For one thing, she didn’t know how to ask for such an intimate favor. For another, she didn’t want to ruin their friendship—which she hoped might continue from afar even after she left the service—with messy emotional entanglements. Michael had a strict rule about not having sex with any of his subordinates and she guessed it was because the man she’d come to know had more of a heart than even he realized. He genuinely liked the women who worked for him and he didn’t want to hurt any of them. He was too astute not to realize the women he bedded often wished he could fall in love with them and stay forever.
But such was not his life and probably never would be. He was a Son. He had a job to do. He knew his duty and it was a vast one. He and the rest of the Sons had to spread their seed far and wide to save humanity from extinction. It was what he’d been created to do. He hadn’t been engineered to settle with just one woman. It just wasn’t in the cards he’d been dealt.
With a sigh of regret for what could never be, Leah left the letter on his desk and returned to her own office. She had to start setting the wheels in motion for her replacement. There were files to get in order and her belongings to remove. Her resignation wouldn’t take effect for another few weeks, but this interim period had to be used to prepare for a seamless transition to a new XO for Michael—or, at least, as seamless as possible.
He’d probably never even notice the difference.
CHAPTER THREE
Michael couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the old fashioned slip of paper on his desk the next morning. He read it twice before swearing a blue streak and jumping up from behind his desk. He stalked into Leah’s office without even the courtesy of knocking.
“What the hell is this?” Michael waved the paper in front of her face as she sat calmly behind her desk.
“It’s my resignation.”
“I can see that.” He threw the paper down in exasperation. “What I want to know is why? I thought you were happy here. Dammit, Leah, I can’t do this job without you.” Sighing, he sank into the guest chair in front of her efficient desk, slouching in an uncustomary pose of defeat. “I can’t accept this.”
“Sir,” she began, but he stopped her words.
“Don’t you think you’ve known me long enough to use my name—at least when we’re alone?”
Leah folded her hands in front of her, a pained expression on her face. “All right. Michael.” She sighed. “Look, I really do enjoy working with you, but with recent developments, you don’t need me as much as you used to. I’m getting older and, to be perfectly honest, I want to have a child before I’m too old to enjoy it. That’s why I want to leave the military. I want to have a family.”
Her words stunned him. And angered him.
“And just who did you want to father your child, Leah?” His voice was deadly and low. Leah seemed lost in her daydream, though, her lovely eyes clouded over as she thought of something only she could see. She didn’t realize the danger that had crept into the room with her words.
“I made an appointment at the fertility clinic for as soon as my final paperwork goes through.”
That made him sit back. At least she hadn’t scheduled time with one of his brothers. She was highly-ranked enough she could request time with a Son of Amber on pretty short notice, though she wouldn’t be guaranteed which of the Sons she might get.
“But why quit? We still need you here, Leah, and many women work right up ‘til their eighth or ninth month.”
She cleared her throat, seeming a little uncomfortable, shuffling items unnecessarily on her desk. “I wanted to avoid any possible conflict of interest.”
Mike sensed a victory, but he didn’t quite understand it yet—at least, he didn’t dare hope the odd thought he had might be true. “And just why would your being pregnant create a conflict of interest?”
“Look, Michael, I’ll come clean here. I respect you enough to give you the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it makes my last few days here.” She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with resignation, a becoming flush highlighting her high cheekbones. “When I made the clinic appointment, I requested…” She looked away, clearly flustered. “Damn, this is harder than I thought it would be, but you have a right to know.”
“Tell me.” His voice was low, commanding. He was all Dom in that moment, and she responded.
“When I made that appointment, I specifically requested your…um…semen be used for the implantation. I want you to father my baby. I admire your intellect, your decisive nature—all your abilities and attributes, really—and I couldn’t think of a better candidate to father my little boy.”
Mike just watched her. She grew nervous under his stare, but he needed time to regroup. She’d just pulled the rug out from under him—in the best possible way. He took a moment to consider his options.
“I’m flattered,” he said finally. “And honored.” He lifted the resignation in his hands and quite deliberately tore it to shreds, placing them neatly on her desk. “I don’t accept this.” He enjoyed the dismay on her face as he stood and leaned over the desk, so close he could smell her unique perfume.
“I—”
“Cancel the appointment.” His tone was soft, but the order in his words was clear. “If you want to have my child, I’ll give him to you personally. No other way, Leah. I’ve wanted you for the past two years. I’m not going to wait any longer.” As he spoke the words, he realized their absolute truth.
“Now just a minute!” She stood, outrage in her eyes, but he wouldn’t allow it. He rounded the desk and caught her by the arms, dragging her against his body. His lips came down on hers and time ceased to exist. He had wanted to kiss her from the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, but she never indicated even the remotest interest.
Now, however, all bets were off. He could see the very real desire as she spoke, and taste the heated excitement in her kiss. She wanted him. Probably as much as he’d always wanted her.
“You’re mine, Leah.” He pulled away enough to whisper. “You have been since the moment I first saw you.”
“Michael—”
He covered her lips with a light, chastising kiss. Everything had clicked into place when his lips first touched hers. All was right with the universe—at least, the microcosm that contained the two of them together.
Now that he’d tasted her, he would never go back to the old, arms-length relationship. She was his. The sooner she came to terms with that—and with h
im—the better.
“You know I’m a Dom, Leah, but I’ve never dominated you in our working relationship, and I never will. I’ll freely admit, though, I’ve wanted to dominate you in pleasure for as long as I’ve known you. I want to feel you come around me and I want to give you the greatest climaxes of your life. I want to imprint myself on you so you’ll never, ever forget me.”
She sighed, a small, defeated sound. “That’s what I’m afraid of, Michael. I like you too much. I’m afraid…”
“Afraid of what, Leah? You’re the bravest woman I know.” His hand cupped her chin, raising her beautiful eyes to his.
She smiled softly and his heart clenched. “I don’t want to fall in love with you, Michael. I want your baby, but I don’t want a broken heart.”
“Would it help you to know that by resigning, you’re already breaking my heart? I honestly don’t think I can continue without you at my side, Leah. We’re a team.” He rubbed circles on her back as she relaxed in his arms. She felt like heaven against him. “There’s no reason you can’t stay with me for a while yet. We can work together during the day and work on the baby at night.”
He winked, making her smile. He took her response as a good sign.
“When you get pregnant, you can continue to work as long as you like and even after the baby is born, I have no objection to your bringing him to work. In fact,” his head quirked to the side as he thought of it, “I think I’d like that. I don’t know any of my children. The chance to see one as it grows would be welcome, if you don’t mind my taking an interest.”
“Are you kidding?” She seemed surprised by his candor. “You’re the father. Of course you can take an interest in him.”
“That’s not the way it’s been ‘til now.”