know what elsewhere you have, sugar. So far, I don’t know much of anything except that your assistants wear PJs and your mom curls her lip over the mention of a steak.” So saying, he faced the older woman. “So, yeah, Mom, how about giving us a little time to check out the joint, get familiar and all that?”
“But you must meet Idola and Mesha.”
Mallet held up a hand. “Afterward, I’d be happy to meet Kayli’s sisters, just don’t pin any hopes on me leaping headlong into any fancy unions of any kind. Ain’t gonna happen.”
Raemay went rigid with displeasure.
And so what? If he didn’t miss his guess, the whole union thing was a way to leg-shackle him and, no matter the level of his gratitude, he wasn’t falling for that.
And if he was wrong, at least Mom would know up front how he felt.
“My daughters are very beautiful young ladies.”
With his look aimed at Kayli, Mallet said, “No argument there.” Now that he’d met Kayli, kissed her and held her, he wasn’t about to start any hanky-panky with her siblings, regardless of how hot they might be. Most could call him a down-home yahoo, but he wasn’t a complete fool. Sisters were definitely taboo.
Raemay wasn’t amused by his lack of deference. “You, sir, are misguided in making light of such a serious situation.”
“Mother,” Kayli implored. “He needs some time.”
Outrage simmered off Raemay, but she finally relented. “Very well.” She addressed Mallet. “You have until the morning, and then you must choose.”
The hell you say! “Why the rush?” he asked, hoping to buy himself some time from whatever odd customs they had in mind.
“Whomever you choose will be removed from availability. The decision must be made before noontime, when the next sacrifice will be selected.”
Sacrifice? Now just what the hell did that mean?
Mallet started to ask, but Raemay poofed into thin air, just as he’d seen her daughter do on too many occasions.
He rounded on Kayli. “It’s damned annoying the way you women disappear without warning.”
Distraught, Kayli pressed her fingertips to her temples. “Yes, well, you’ll become accustomed.” Then under her breath, she added, “I hope.”
A little paler and a whole lot more strained, she got down to business. “Tyehim, Darian, please order up suitable clothing and shoes. I believe you heard his preferences. Hadar, prepare a room. He’ll need a bigger bed, obviously. You’ll find us shortly in the dining area.”
The one she’d addressed as Tyehim inched nearer. “I would scan you, sir.”
“Scan me?”
“It’s painless,” Kayli said. “Just hold still a moment.”
“Arms out, please,” Tyehim directed. When Mallet, wearing a pained expression of annoyance, lifted both arms straight out, he nodded. “Excellent.”
In the next instant, a bluish beam came from Tyehim’s eyes, fanning out to encompass Mallet’s size as it slid over him, head to toes.
Freakin’ amazing.
Tyehim nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“Look . . . Tyehim is it?” At the man’s nod, Mallet said, “You don’t need to call me sir. Mallet will do.”
“Mallet?”
“My fight name. You know, hardheaded? Like a big sledgehammer?”
Tyehim glanced at Kayli with confusion, then back to Mallet. “Thank you, Mallet. I will have the clothing anon.”
Mallet watched some of the men scurry off, leaving several others behind. Kayli sure had a crew of them, and they were all fair-haired, lean lightweights. He supposed, to a woman, they’d be considered handsome.
He didn’t like it.
Temper pricked, he asked, “Will your lackeys know my size?”
Kayli seemed too distracted to react as he wanted. “They are not lackeys, sir, but highly developed AMAs.”
“AMAs?”
“Android male assistants. There are but a few AFAs, or—”
“Android female assistants. Got it.” Taking their measure, Mallet strode a wide circle around the AMAs remaining in close proximity. He enjoyed the sheer
“But you must meet Idola and Mesha.”
Mallet held up a hand. “Afterward, I’d be happy to meet Kayli’s sisters, just don’t pin any hopes on me leaping headlong into any fancy unions of any kind. Ain’t gonna happen.”
Raemay went rigid with displeasure.
And so what? If he didn’t miss his guess, the whole union thing was a way to leg-shackle him and, no matter the level of his gratitude, he wasn’t falling for that.
And if he was wrong, at least Mom would know up front how he felt.
“My daughters are very beautiful young ladies.”
With his look aimed at Kayli, Mallet said, “No argument there.” Now that he’d met Kayli, kissed her and held her, he wasn’t about to start any hanky-panky with her siblings, regardless of how hot they might be. Most could call him a down-home yahoo, but he wasn’t a complete fool. Sisters were definitely taboo.
Raemay wasn’t amused by his lack of deference. “You, sir, are misguided in making light of such a serious situation.”
“Mother,” Kayli implored. “He needs some time.”
Outrage simmered off Raemay, but she finally relented. “Very well.” She addressed Mallet. “You have until the morning, and then you must choose.”
The hell you say! “Why the rush?” he asked, hoping to buy himself some time from whatever odd customs they had in mind.
“Whomever you choose will be removed from availability. The decision must be made before noontime, when the next sacrifice will be selected.”
Sacrifice? Now just what the hell did that mean?
Mallet started to ask, but Raemay poofed into thin air, just as he’d seen her daughter do on too many occasions.
He rounded on Kayli. “It’s damned annoying the way you women disappear without warning.”
Distraught, Kayli pressed her fingertips to her temples. “Yes, well, you’ll become accustomed.” Then under her breath, she added, “I hope.”
A little paler and a whole lot more strained, she got down to business. “Tyehim, Darian, please order up suitable clothing and shoes. I believe you heard his preferences. Hadar, prepare a room. He’ll need a bigger bed, obviously. You’ll find us shortly in the dining area.”
The one she’d addressed as Tyehim inched nearer. “I would scan you, sir.”
“Scan me?”
“It’s painless,” Kayli said. “Just hold still a moment.”
“Arms out, please,” Tyehim directed. When Mallet, wearing a pained expression of annoyance, lifted both arms straight out, he nodded. “Excellent.”
In the next instant, a bluish beam came from Tyehim’s eyes, fanning out to encompass Mallet’s size as it slid over him, head to toes.
Freakin’ amazing.
Tyehim nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“Look . . . Tyehim is it?” At the man’s nod, Mallet said, “You don’t need to call me sir. Mallet will do.”
“Mallet?”
“My fight name. You know, hardheaded? Like a big sledgehammer?”
Tyehim glanced at Kayli with confusion, then back to Mallet. “Thank you, Mallet. I will have the clothing anon.”
Mallet watched some of the men scurry off, leaving several others behind. Kayli sure had a crew of them, and they were all fair-haired, lean lightweights. He supposed, to a woman, they’d be considered handsome.
He didn’t like it.
Temper pricked, he asked, “Will your lackeys know my size?”
Kayli seemed too distracted to react as he wanted. “They are not lackeys, sir, but highly developed AMAs.”
“AMAs?”
“Android male assistants. There are but a few AFAs, or—”
“Android female assistants. Got it.” Taking their measure, Mallet strode a wide circle around the AMAs remaining in close proximity. He enjoyed the sheer
Similar Books
