are pregnant with splices themselves, and then we're going to have a whole mess of them to deal with. For all I know, there's a hidden compartment somewhere on this ship with a few more splices tucked away…
Kef me. I didn't even look for hidden compartments.
Jade pokes me with her eating sticks. "Your expression keeps changing while you eat. I can't decide if you're upset about something or turned on. What's the deal?"
"Just, uh, thinking."
"About?"
"…stuff?"
She gives me an exasperated look, pushing her bowl aside. Jade leans forward on the table, her arms resting on the surface, and it plumps her gorgeous tits nicely, distracting me all over again. "Adiron, we've talked about what a terrible liar you are. I know you're lying. You're upset about that darn gladiator, aren't you?"
"I'm getting less upset with you sitting like that," I admit. "I do like looking at those tits of yours."
I expect her to get all shy—or to hit me with those eating sticks—but she just straightens a bit more, smiles, and her breasts give the most enticing little quiver. It's like they know it's about to be their turn. As soon as I'm done eating, I'm going to lay Jade on this table and feast on her. My sac tightens and I lift my bowl to my face, eating as fast as I can.
She's what I need to distract myself from the situation, I decide. A month of me and Jade, learning each other. Maybe by the time I empty myself inside her inviting body a dozen (or three dozen) times, I'll forget all about what's in the hold.
It's not that I mind danger. It's never bothered me before. But Jade's safety has never been on the line in the past. I've got her to think about now, and I know that if that splice was freed, he'd just try to kill me. What worries me is that he wouldn't try to kill Jade. At least, not right away. And that just wrecks me.
Tonight, I think I'll sleep with my weapon within reach. And when my brothers send back a message, I have to figure out a way to let them know the problem we have on board. Part of me wants to catch up with Straik and dump Crulden the Ruiner onto his nice, pretty ship…but Dopekh and the other clones were good guys. They don't deserve that shit.
A small wooden stick taps on the back of my hand. Jade. "I've lost you again," she teases. "Come back, Adiron."
I swallow the last of my noodles and wipe my face on my sleeve. "Just thinking…and finishing dinner. You did a great job on the noodles."
She arches a brow at my compliment. "Which part did you like best?" she teases. "The part where I added water, or the part where I put them in the bowl?"
I laugh, because she's got a point. Noodles don't require much skill to prepare. "Just take the compliment, love."
Maybe it's because I'm leering at those fantastic breasts of hers that it takes me a moment to realize she's getting to her feet. Jade rises from the table, crosses the distance between us, and then turns my chair so I'm no longer facing the table, but her instead.
"Is it time for dessert?" I ask, making the most tired joke in the entire universe.
She moves onto my lap, lifting one leg and sliding it over my hip before her arms go around my neck and then she straddles me. "I have a better idea," Jade says in a light, soft voice.
"I don't know if 'better' is a thing. My idea was pretty keffing amazing."
Her smile is full of promise. "Oh, trust me. I think you'll like what I've got in mind."
"Does it involve your breasts?" I reach between us to touch her.
She flicks my hand away. "Maybe if you play your cards right. I thought it'd involve my mouth first, though."
Kissing, then? I'm down for kissing. And when she leans forward and lightly presses her mouth to mine, I know I've guessed correctly. Pleased with myself, I kiss her back, loving the warmth of her smaller body against mine, the taste of her on my lips. My beautiful, sexy mate. She nips on my lower lip and then sucks on it, and I groan, my hands sliding to squeeze that plump ass of hers.
"Mmm," Jade purrs. "Your lips taste good."
"All of me does," I joke automatically.
"Do you, now?" She lifts a hand and moves it to my collar. "I