Retribution (Kall Alien Warriors #3) - Sue Lyndon Page 0,24
expectations of his people and damn his misguided need for revenge.
The man who’d taken Shessema away was the guilty one.
Layla had claimed to know nothing of his plans and he believed her. She’d admitted to suspecting Michael might be involved with the rebels but nothing more. Her voice had brimmed with sincerity as she’d uttered this confession while he’d stood above her with the strap, preparing to whip her. He’d condemned her then, told her she was as guilty as Michael and deserved the pain she had coming, but the words had rung hollow in his chest.
Before he realized what he was doing, he’d already departed his quarters and was halfway to the brig. When he came upon Layla, she was down on the floor, repeatedly pushing herself up by her arms. He opened the door and she gasped and fell on the floor.
“Little human.” He rushed toward her and knelt at her side. “Are you all right? I didn’t mean to startle you.”
She peered at him with wide dark eyes. He grasped her hands and helped her to her feet. Once she was standing, he didn’t release her hands. He couldn’t. He had to keep touching her.
Surprise gave way to wariness and she regarded him with suspicion. Her gaze dropped to his waist, as if searching for any weapons, but he wasn’t wearing a weapons’ belt today. He silently thanked the ancient gods that he hadn’t put one on, lest he frighten her needlessly.
A shaky breath escaped her lips. Her dark hair gleamed underneath the overhead lights, and her cheeks were beautifully flushed from her exertions.
“Are you here to… hurt me?” she asked in a cautious tone.
“No, Layla.” He swallowed hard. Why was he here? He struggled to come up with a reason that didn’t sound preposterous. I’ve been spying on you and can’t stop thinking about you would not suffice.
“Oh. Well, that is a great relief.” She gave him a timid smile that made his heart clench. She should hate him for what he’d done to her, but her smile was gentle, even genuine.
He brought her hands higher and clasped them a bit harder, enjoying the softness of her tiny fingers. He brushed his thumbs over the even smoother undersides of her wrists, reveling in the feel of her. The worry gradually left her eyes and he longed to see her smile again. And what did her laughter sound like? Would he ever find out?
“How have you been?” The instant he spoke these words, he felt like a fool. She was his prisoner, she was stuck in this brig, yet he’d asked her how she’d been? The human expression for fuck’s sake came to mind.
A hint of amusement crossed her sweet feminine features. Another small smile graced her lips, and it was as if he heard music playing.
“I’ve been… here,” she said with a slight shrug. “I appreciate that you let me keep the blanket and the pillow. Oh, and your shirt.” She glanced down for a moment before meeting his eyes again. “It’s a bit large for me, but it’s better than walking around half-naked.”
He hadn’t known what to expect when he visited her cell, but her pleasant demeanor surprised him. Shouldn’t she be more frightened of him? Or perhaps spitting mad?
He drew in a deep breath and reached for her hair, unable to resist caressing her silken locks. Her hair was as dark as a Kall female’s, but the texture was different, the strands thinner and softer. Her wavy hair rested just below her shoulders. He wondered how it might look after a rigorous session of mating, mussed and splayed out upon the pillows, and his cock shifted in his pants.
Logically, none of this made sense. He shouldn’t want her. He should hate her just for her association with the human male Michael Dennis. But as he stared into her eyes, he couldn’t summon a smidgeon of dislike. His curiosity about her increased, as did his desire to remain in her presence and keep touching her.
He offered her a tentative smile, and the movement felt strange. Perhaps because he didn’t smile often. “I think my shirt looks better on you than it does on me,” he quipped.
She laughed and the room suddenly looked brighter. How very strange. His cock also shifted again, swelling larger, and his scrotum drew up tight. A growl of pleasure built in his throat and he struggled to contain it, not wishing to scare her.