And kept Admiral DeRuyter apprised of everything they were doing.
Nissa felt…dirty. She hated that she was lying to Justyn. He’d demanded her loyalty, and instead, she was spying for the admiral. She dropped her head into her hands. The guilt was eating at her like acid.
Her self-control wasn’t faring well, either. Justyn tried every day to coax her to join him for meals in the mess, but she was trying to keep her distance.
Having Justyn Phoenix so close, hour after hour, was slowly, painfully wearing her down. The man was always there, leaning over her shoulder, touching her arm, grinning at her, surrounding her with his delicious scent.
With a sigh, she stared at her notes again. She really didn’t want to climb into her bed and toss and turn, her head filled with Justyn.
She swiped the Sync to turn to the next page. She was reading an e-book history of the caravanserai and its many visitors. It was actually quite interesting reading.
The sentence she read suddenly hit her. She reread it, her heart starting to pound. She read it again.
Goddess. Nissa shot to her feet. Energy raced into her veins. She had to tell Justyn.
She swung out of her cabin door and jogged down the corridor. Justyn and his brothers had cabins on the next level up, separated from the main guest level.
When she reached his door, she was surprised to find it ajar. Without thinking, she pushed it open. She couldn’t wait to tell him what she’d found, even if she had to wake him up.
She stumbled to a halt. Her heart stopping.
He was awake.
He and the woman stood close together, her hand pressed against his bare chest. She was wearing…not much. A small, silky scrap of a nightgown in a vibrant purple. She was one of the female colonists who’d been flirting like mad with all three Phoenix brothers. Justyn’s jeans were hanging low on his hips, the top button undone. His hair was mussed and he had that “just got out of bed” look on his face.
Justyn’s head whipped around. His gaze crashed into Nissa’s.
She finally got her brain functioning around the pain roaring through her body. “Sorry…” She stumbled backward. “I…sorry.” She didn’t want to see the tableau anymore. Or see that woman touching him.
“Nissa! Wait!Shit.”
She hurried down the corridor. Goddess, it hurt. She had no claim on him. She shouldn’t feel like her insides were shredded.
A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her to a halt. “Nissa, I said wait.”
She hadn’t heard him. Either he could move damned quietly when it suited him or she was too messed up to be paying attention.
“Look, I’ll talk to you in the morning.” She tried to pull away, not looking at him, instead staring at the plush carpeted floor like it was the most interesting thing she’d seen.
“Dammit.” He tightened his grip and backed her up against the wall, caging her in. “Let me explain.”
Oh, no. Nissa didn’t want to hear any explanations or details. She steeled herself, looking over his shoulder. “You don’t have to. It’s not my business who you fuck.”
“I wasn’t fucking anyone,” he growled.
She flicked a glance at his face. It was smoldering with rage. Right, she’d interrupted. He wasn’t fucking the attractive woman in his cabin at one in the morning…yet. Goddess, she was so cut inside she was surprised she didn’t see blood running down her body. “Then I’ll let you get on with it.”
He leaned in closer, his bare chest pressing hard against her breasts. His fists were planted on the wall on either side of her head.
She felt her nipples harden and she sucked in a breath. “Let me go.”
“I can’t.” Another growl in her ear. His lips pressed to the side of her neck.
She cried out. His lips were hot, his tongue finding the sensitive space below her ear. Had he kissed that woman in the same place, made her writhe and light up inside? “Get off. Go back to your friend!” She pushed against him.
“She snuck into my cabin?—”
“I don’t want a blow-by-blow!” Nissa shoved again. “You fuck whoever the hell you want.”
