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Boslin acknowledged the information with a nod. “Are you sure Shalia’s message is the reason you want to jaunt off to the Citadel?”
“I had the opportunity to take that path when I learned the results of my testing. I chose my family.”
“And yet you have not found your mate or even a long-term partner.” Challenge rippled through Boslin’s tone. “You might not have chosen that path, but you clearly long for it.”
He could make excuses, claim to hate mystics as much as Boslin, but they both knew it wasn’t true. Laidon was curious. He had been documenting his dreams for years and wondered how much more accurate his psychic impressions would become with the right training. “Between Feran Entertainments and the Assembly, I haven’t had time for courting.” That was certainly true. “I am not opposed to starting my family. You know I want children as badly as you do.”
Apparently ready to move on, Boslin chuckled. “Lotta has had such a mouth on her lately, I’ll let you have her. She just turned twelve. I thought I had a few years yet before her adolescent attitude took over.”
“If you and Puritta need a break, I can take the girls for a weekend.”
“As soon as you return from the Citadel?” Sarcasm sharpened Boslin’s tone but his smile finally reached his eyes.
“That will only take a few days,” Laidon told him. “I will try to take the girls next weekend.”
“Puritta and I will be happy to send them your way.”
* * *
Cara’s assessing gaze swept the three rooms beyond the soaring foyer in which she stood. A mixture of frustration and curiosity churned within her belly. Tov and Merrik had barely spoken to her in the shuttle. They were not allowed to touch her until the contract was signed and it had yet to arrive. The restless need that had churned within her for the past week was banked at the moment, present yet easily controlled. So she let the unfamiliar surroundings distract her, hoping to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible. To her right was a library/den complete with inset bookshelves and a fireplace. On her left was a dining room. The massive table could easily seat twelve. The room straight ahead was harder to define. There were casual seating areas, yet there was also a table and chairs.
Tov had insisted on taking her to his estate, so it stood to reason that this house belonged to him. The building was large, each room spacious, but it was not as grandiose as her parents’ house. The floors were level and smooth, but exposed beams and rustic timbers made a very different statement than the lavish elegance her parents preferred.
“Have a seat,” Tov said as he moved into the main living space.
“Would you like something to eat or drink?” Merrik took a few steps forward then paused, waiting for her answer.
“Is it too early for wine?” Tension had been knotting inside her ever since they left her parents’ house. She could really use a little help calming down.
The question clearly confused him. “On Earth there are time limits on wine?”
His easy manner allowed her to relax a little so she moved deeper into the house. “In the country where I lived most didn’t drink alcohol until after the work day.”
“Many Altorians do not work during the day,” Tov commented. “Such limitations make no sense here.”
Deciding against a lengthy discussion on the social habits of humans, Cara simply nodded.
Merrik printed a glass of pink wine and handed it to her. His handsome face and muscular body made the hunger inside her surge, so she avoided looking at him as she accepted the wine. It was the same, or at least similar, to the one she had been served at the Citadel. She had enjoyed the taste then and she liked it now. Besides, it gave her something to do with her hands.
Tov gave her a moment to savor the wine, then asked, “Do you understand what is about to happen?”
“Not exactly. I know it involves sex, but no one has explained the details.”
A muffled buzz interrupted Tov’s answer. He pushed up his sleeve and triggered a small holographic grid that emanated from the inside of his forearm. He read through some sort of document, told the program to input his facial scan, then closed the function with a sweep of his fingers.
Merrik went through the same series of motions then smiled at her. “It’s official, sweetheart. You belong to us for the next thirty days.”
“Thirty-three,” Tov corrected as he stalked toward her.
She stood her ground, refusing to cower like a frightened virgin. “You were going to explain what’s about to happen.”
“I have reconsidered.” He took the wineglass from her hand and passed it to Merrik. “I think it is best if we just show you.”
Her mouth dried out and her heart began to thud wildly in her chest. She wasn’t afraid, not really. But she was anxious and unsure. “I’m not ready for this. I need—”
“We know exactly what you need and will ensure that you get it.”
A wall was suddenly at her back though she couldn’t remember retreating. Tov towered over her, stern and imposing. His beard drew her attention to his lips, which were pressed into a stubborn line. She glanced up and his penetrating blue gaze seemed to pin her in place.
