wasn’t fooled. Raging fury waited, banked in those eyes, his scent sharp with anger. The strength of his dominance pushed at her—invisible, intangible but very real.
Kaitlyn shrugged. “I don’t know him.”
And it would be the man’s death proclamation.
The alien’s gaze bored into her. Stubborn, she met him, fighting the urge to look down. She’d done it once today. She wouldn’t give another idiot male the advantage.
She’d feel guilty about the CO’s death, probably. But saving Rygard’s ass, and his men, had a more generous helping of her concern. She understood the trials of obligation in following the orders of a rotten commander.
“The word of a murderer has no value.” Couldn’t argue, but opinion formed in the eye of the beholder. “We will take your word, female, and see how much value it has.”
“Seriously?”
He didn’t answer. For the first time in his three decades, Rygard was at a loss for what to do. Kaitlyn paced the length of the hotel room and back again, fully dressed and lethal. The felids had left, taking their big cat with them. No damage to the actual door, they’d used a slim lock hack and smoke bombs when they’d attacked. The only evidence remaining of their visit continued in the form of her tirade.
And she was magnificent in a rage. More importantly, she hadn’t left him to die.
“It’s a freaking mistake repeated throughout history.” She didn’t shout, but her words shot out sharp as knives. “Following orders, my ass. You’re an officer. You, at least, have permission to think.”
He didn’t try to defend himself. He’d gone over the same reprisals on his own. Besides, she’d stepped up for him a few minutes ago, even after he’d started to make a solar-class asshat of himself.
Suddenly, violence incarnate filled his vision. Before he could blink, she stood toe-to-toe with him, pinning down every thought in his head.
“Why?” She asked the same question the felids had, needed a different kind of understanding.
He owed her at least an explanation, probably more. After all, she’d jumped neck-deep into this for his sake. “My tour ended with the last mission.”
She didn’t blink, knew what it meant. She proved it with her next words. “You weren’t going to re-up for another.”
He sighed. “I was searching for a yes or no at the bottom of my glass when you came into the bar.”
One gracefully curved eyebrow arched high. “I’m guessing you haven’t reached a decision in the time since.”
Despite the insanity of the attack, or maybe because of the adrenaline still coursing through him in response, Rygard’s blood heated. “Well, sweetness, I got a little distracted.” He risked settling his hands on her waist, tugging her closer when she didn’t draw blood. “Maybe more than a little.”
A smile hovered, but her countenance remained somber. “It doesn’t bother you?”
He had an idea of what she asked, but he found the body in his hands beautiful and those eyes shone all human. “I get the impression it isn’t the way you came into this life.” There, he saw it. Her gaze lowered, not to deceive, no, but to hide the flash of pain. “Tell me about it. Tell me why you spent so long alone.”
Her lips parted and a faint tremor passed through her entire body. He tightened his hands on her waist, trying to provide an anchor, but she shook her head.
“We’ve got a mission,” she said quietly. “You need to report in and then come back to take care of this.” A pause, then she flicked his hands away from her. The space she put between them left him cold. “You said this was temporary. I get that. But we’ll see this through. And don’t worry about the cred it’ll cost you, I’m not that girl.”
Chapter Five
“State your name, purpose and ship of origin.”
“It’s damned cold out here and there’s a panther at your door.” Her snarl carried down the corridor.
The little holographic worm with the shock of
Kaitlyn shrugged. “I don’t know him.”
And it would be the man’s death proclamation.
The alien’s gaze bored into her. Stubborn, she met him, fighting the urge to look down. She’d done it once today. She wouldn’t give another idiot male the advantage.
She’d feel guilty about the CO’s death, probably. But saving Rygard’s ass, and his men, had a more generous helping of her concern. She understood the trials of obligation in following the orders of a rotten commander.
“The word of a murderer has no value.” Couldn’t argue, but opinion formed in the eye of the beholder. “We will take your word, female, and see how much value it has.”
“Seriously?”
He didn’t answer. For the first time in his three decades, Rygard was at a loss for what to do. Kaitlyn paced the length of the hotel room and back again, fully dressed and lethal. The felids had left, taking their big cat with them. No damage to the actual door, they’d used a slim lock hack and smoke bombs when they’d attacked. The only evidence remaining of their visit continued in the form of her tirade.
And she was magnificent in a rage. More importantly, she hadn’t left him to die.
“It’s a freaking mistake repeated throughout history.” She didn’t shout, but her words shot out sharp as knives. “Following orders, my ass. You’re an officer. You, at least, have permission to think.”
He didn’t try to defend himself. He’d gone over the same reprisals on his own. Besides, she’d stepped up for him a few minutes ago, even after he’d started to make a solar-class asshat of himself.
Suddenly, violence incarnate filled his vision. Before he could blink, she stood toe-to-toe with him, pinning down every thought in his head.
“Why?” She asked the same question the felids had, needed a different kind of understanding.
He owed her at least an explanation, probably more. After all, she’d jumped neck-deep into this for his sake. “My tour ended with the last mission.”
She didn’t blink, knew what it meant. She proved it with her next words. “You weren’t going to re-up for another.”
He sighed. “I was searching for a yes or no at the bottom of my glass when you came into the bar.”
One gracefully curved eyebrow arched high. “I’m guessing you haven’t reached a decision in the time since.”
Despite the insanity of the attack, or maybe because of the adrenaline still coursing through him in response, Rygard’s blood heated. “Well, sweetness, I got a little distracted.” He risked settling his hands on her waist, tugging her closer when she didn’t draw blood. “Maybe more than a little.”
A smile hovered, but her countenance remained somber. “It doesn’t bother you?”
He had an idea of what she asked, but he found the body in his hands beautiful and those eyes shone all human. “I get the impression it isn’t the way you came into this life.” There, he saw it. Her gaze lowered, not to deceive, no, but to hide the flash of pain. “Tell me about it. Tell me why you spent so long alone.”
Her lips parted and a faint tremor passed through her entire body. He tightened his hands on her waist, trying to provide an anchor, but she shook her head.
“We’ve got a mission,” she said quietly. “You need to report in and then come back to take care of this.” A pause, then she flicked his hands away from her. The space she put between them left him cold. “You said this was temporary. I get that. But we’ll see this through. And don’t worry about the cred it’ll cost you, I’m not that girl.”
Chapter Five
“State your name, purpose and ship of origin.”
“It’s damned cold out here and there’s a panther at your door.” Her snarl carried down the corridor.
The little holographic worm with the shock of
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