will behave,” he assured her, but her words caught his attention and he realized he might have made an incorrect assumption. He had assumed that Lucie was her only child, but she had called all of the young females hers. Was it possible that she meant that these were all her children?
“These are all your girls?” he asked.
“Yes.” She gave him a puzzled look.
“Your children?”
“Well, I suppose in a sense—wait a minute. Are you asking if I’m their mother?”
“Are you not?”
A feeling of relief shot through him as she slowly shook her head, immediately followed by the feeling that he had made a mistake as her eyes narrowed. Without another word, she turned around and stalked off. The other girls had been watching the exchange from the doors of their cabins and he was aware of a sudden silence.
“You fucked up now, boss,” TeShawna said, and rolled her eyes.
“What did I do?” he asked, before he could restrain himself.
“Don’t you know nothing about women? Even if you thought she was old enough to have five grown children, you shouldn’t have said it.” She shook her head. “You better go apologize.”
“It was only a question,” he protested.
“And if someone asked you if you were too old to drive this ship, I bet you’d be pissed. Even if it was only a question.”
The female’s words rang uncomfortably true. He glanced around at the other females and they all bore expressions of amusement or pity. Even Jedan shook his head.
“Go on now,” Elaina said sympathetically.
“Take her a present,” Cassie advised. Hrebec cursed under his breath. After ordering Jedan to arrange for a guard, he headed off after Abigail.
When he entered his quarters, the door to the bedroom was open and he could see her bending over the bed to put the infant next to the older child, surrounded by pillows. The position drew her pants tightly across her luscious ass, and he couldn’t help but envision taking her in that position, his cock sinking deep into her undoubtedly succulent cunt while all that warm, soft flesh cradled his body. His shaft responded to the image but he forced it away. They didn’t even know if these human females had a similar physiology.
Then she turned around and his efforts at logic disappeared. She had shed her outer garment, leaving her in a tight pink top with thin straps cut low across spectacular breasts. She gasped at the sight of him and the quick breath had the tempting mounds threatening to overflow. His cock went to instant, aching fullness and his tail lashed.
“What are you…”
Her startled gaze dropped from his face to his groin and he had to bite back a groan as he saw her nipples harden.
“I, uh, came to apologize.”
“I see.” With a glance over her shoulder, she stepped into the front room with him and closed the door panel. “Why?”
“I am afraid that I hurt your feelings, and that was never my intention.”
She sighed. “No, I know it wasn’t. I overreacted. It is technically possible that I could be the mother of any one of them. They’re all so young, especially Molly. Please make sure that your officer knows that. She is not of legal age in our society.”
Her words didn’t make sense to him. “I don’t understand. If she’s not of age, how did she become pregnant?”
“Because she trusted someone who took advantage of her.”
Horror filled him. “Someone took advantage of a female? A young female?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “All of the girls ended up with me because they were let down by the people in their lives, especially the men.”
“Including you?”
Her eyes shifted away from him. “I suppose so. My… partner left because he didn’t want to have to worry about a child interfering with his plans.”
“He didn’t want a child?” The thought was inconceivable.
“That never happens to the females in your society?”
He bowed his head, the bitter truth washing over him once again. “There are no females in our society.”
Abby’s mouth dropped open, too stunned to respond. Hrebec studied her face, then walked over to one of the cabinets, opening it to reveal a small bar area. He returned with a bottle and two small glasses.
“Would you like a drink?”
“Is that alcoholic?”
“Definitely.” A smile split his face for the first time, and despite the strangeness of his features, it was oddly appealing and she couldn’t help smiling back.
“I think a drink would be very nice.”
He poured her a drink then gestured to the couch. It wasn’t a very large piece