Retribution (Kall Alien Warriors #3) - Sue Lyndon Page 0,45

truly meaning it. He respected Amorrga’s enthusiasm for battle, as well as his desire to protect his people—admirable qualities in a warrior, to be sure.

After saying goodbye to Amorrga, Zamek hurried for his quarters, anxious to hold Layla in his arms, even if they were currently in the middle of a disagreement. His blood heated at the prospect of taming her rebelliousness. He didn’t wish to quell her spirit, but she needed to come to terms with her new life, as well as the fact that he expected her obedience.

They hadn’t known each other for long, but they were also stuck with one another, their lives irrevocably entwined, and he resolved to make the best of it. If he couldn’t marry again and she would always be under his ownership, it made sense for her to become his mistress. Perhaps the position offended her, but didn’t she realize the protection it afforded her?

He entered his quarters to find her standing at the viewscreen. When she turned and met his gaze, a warmth unlike any other filled him. He rushed toward her, grasped her face, and pressed his lips to hers, putting all his yearning and frustration with the little human into the rough kiss.

All rational thought faded as General Zamek pressed his lips to hers. Layla moaned as his tongue delved inside her mouth, sensually sweeping along hers, as a low growl rumbled from his throat, sending delicious vibrations through her.

Heat pummeled her core, and she pressed her legs together as the longing inside her built. She was still conscious of the tension between her and the general, but she couldn’t deny the chemistry either. Maybe she needed to stop thinking about how wrong their attraction was, maybe she needed to accept the blessing that was staring her in the face.

But was the general a blessing? She was still alive, and though he’d been cruel to her initially, he now treated her rather well. Was their connection purely sexual, or did he feel something deeper for her?

After her experience with Michael, her heart was fragile, though she would never admit this truth aloud. But it was fragile, terribly so, and she wished to never experience heartache again. Michael was her first love and also her greatest mistake. His betrayal had cut deep, and she doubted those wounds would ever heal. Trusting another man again, especially so soon after becoming widowed—and especially a Kall—probably wasn’t a good idea.

Why must General Zamek’s kisses undo her? Why must a single look from him set her pulse racing with excitement? Why must his caresses and his sexy growls fill her with longing? Guarding her heart against him felt like an impossible task.

He might plan to keep her as his mistress, he might believe the whole plan was settled, but he could predict the future no better than she. The majority of his people might view him as cursed and therefore unworthy to take a Kall female as a wife, but that didn’t mean it might never happen. And where would that put her?

It puts me in a precarious position, that’s what.

What would he do if the opportunity to take a Kall wife eventually did arise? Would he sell her to another? Or kick her out of his bedroom and demote her to an actual slave? Thanks for all the sex and companionship—now go away. The uncertainty of it all boggled her mind and made her want to resist his advances, even as she became lost in his kisses.

He pulled back and gave her an intense look full of promise. She peered up at him, trying to catch her breath. The pressure of his lips on hers lingered, and the taste of him lingered on her tongue. He drew his hands through her hair, then gave her locks a tug, causing her head to jerk back. With another growl, he descended upon her neck, kissing her and dragging his teeth along her throat.

Shudders rippled through her and pressure coiled in her lower tummy. She felt the wetness of her growing arousal in her panties and flushed, knowing he could detect just how eager she was becoming with a quick inhale.

He moved closer and the hardness of his erection nudged at her stomach. A jolt of excitement ran through her and she quivered in place, defenseless against the desires swelling within her. Maybe resisting Zamek was already a lost cause.

Still kissing her neck, he tightened his hold on her hair and slowly walked her backward, until