AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I huff.
“I’m serious.” She watches me with those big, soft eyes of hers. “I know you like to be hard and independent, but it’s okay to need people, too. It doesn’t make you weak. And if being emotional with us or having sex with us makes you feel vulnerable, I want you to know that I understand and I would never, ever hurt you.” She smiles up at me. “I think you’re amazing.”
“Quit it,” I grumble.
“Quit what?”
“Being so keffing ridiculously sweet.”
She laughs and tilts her face up toward me, obviously wanting a kiss. “I’m your mate. One of them, anyhow. Why wouldn’t I think you’re amazing? You’re strong and brave and incredibly smart. You’ve been so kind to me ever since the day I met you, making sure that I’m safe.”
Her expression turns impish and she taps the corner of her mouth, insisting upon that kiss.
So needy. I lean down and kiss her.
“And you have an amazing tongue,” she whispers, and winks up at me, the scamp.
I huff again, but mostly to hide my laugh.
Dora links her arm with mine, clinging to me. “Now, you’re going to lead when we go on board this guy’s moon, right? I’m a little nervous about the whole thing, so I’m mostly going to be silent and let you handle being head wife.”
There’s a quiver in her voice that she’s trying to hide with her jolly mood, and I realize that she’s anxious about this. It makes me feel protective of her. It has to be terrifying to be a clone, with your memories a mess (if they’re even there) and the entire universe against you. I pat the sweaty hand gripping my arm tightly. “You’re safe with us. Neither of us will let anything happen to you. Understand?”
“I just worry. This guy sounds like he’s shady.”
“I’m sure he is, but who on this end of the galaxy isn’t slightly up to no good?” I grin at her. “Us included.”
She manages a tiny smile at that.
“Like Jamef said, we’ll have dinner and simper a bit. Think of it as a game. We should be the most submissive, accepting, devoted wives to Jamef. He won’t know what to think. It’ll blow his mind.”
Dora giggles. “I don’t think it’d blow his mind if I did that, but if you did? He’d think you were planning a trap.”
“Which is why this is going to be a lot of fun. As a female, sometimes you have to play stupid and helpless around males,” I tell her. “Never let them think that you have a brain in your head. Let them underestimate you. It’s not them exerting their masculinity or taking control of the situation. It’s you letting them think they have control. You’re still in power. Because if they don’t know how smart you are, they’ll never see it coming when you attack.”
And I give her a wicked smile. “This is the biggest weapon a female has sometimes. Well, second biggest.”
“What’s the first biggest weapon?” she asks.
“In your case? Tears. If you cry, Jamef is going to lose his mind. He’s not going to know what he did to cause it, just that he must fix it.”
“And what about you?”
“I don’t cry,” I say, amused she would even think such a thing. Ludicrous.
“No, I mean, how would it make you feel if I cried?”
“I wouldn’t like it. Just as much as Jamef.”
She leans her cheek against my arm. “Then I’ll try not to cry unless I’m really upset…or I desperately need control of the situation.”
“Atta girl.”
Fifty-One
JAMEF
Kaatir’s moon doesn’t have a name. It’s just…his. That’s kind of how Kaatir works. He doesn’t have time for frills and nonsense. He’s all business.
It’s why I like working with him. I know exactly what I’m going to get when I show up and ask for assistance with a project.
The moon station is a small, old one on a planet that was stripped for mining long, long ago. No one lives there now, and it’s definitely not a tourist spot, which means traffic in this particular sector is rare. That’s just how Kaatir likes it. The base itself is a cluster of circular, room-sized pods, anchored together to form a large communal living “base.” Over the years, Kaatir has added on to it, and now there’s a hangar and a terrarium for his wives’ gardens, along with guest quarters. It’s a nice, quiet set-up he’s got here, and sometimes I’m envious of it. But Kaatir has more than enough company to keep him busy, and I’m usually by myself.
Well, up until I decided to be part of a triad. But that part’s new. So new, in fact, that I’m not entirely sure that it’s real.
Alone, I head down the ramp into the hangar. Bethiah and Dora have instructions to stay behind on the ship until I call for them. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I just don’t want to show up on old Kaatir’s doorstep with too many people.
