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‘We say ‘khosi’here on Eden II,’ he replied, inclining back into the cushions and stretching his massive arms above his head, his muscled chest flexing with movement.
She shook her head, aggravated. ‘Why didn’t you say so earlier?’
‘You didn’t ask who you’d be seeing. Instead, you asked when and where you’d be seeing them.’
His lips quirked as Selene glared at him. ‘Besides, we both needed some rest,’ he rumbled. ‘And you seemed a little on edge.’
Selene couldn’t argue the point any further, so she took a different tack. ‘So why did thekhosi, you, need to be my pilot?’
Kainan shrugged his massive shoulders. ‘I had a free day. I wanted to study who I’d be dealing with. Closely.’
She lifted an eyebrow. ‘Really?’
‘Naam, really.’
‘So you brought me here and watched me work out who you were as a test?’
He merely smiled.
‘And what conclusion did you come to?’ she continued.
‘You’ll do,’ was all Kainan offered after a momentary pause.
Selene wasn’t convinced. ‘Most leaders send their assistants to fetch their allies for meetings. Why go to so much personal trouble?’
‘Because I feel the mission warrants my personal attention,’ came the quiet reply.
‘And why was that?’
The gold eyes deepened with intensity. ‘Because your father was a good man, we worked well together, and I respected him. So he and Dunia deserve nothing less than my full attention.’
Selene felt tears rush up, and she sat heavily in a chair across from him. ‘You worked with my father - the Prime?’
Kainan leaned towards her, reaching out a large hand which he gently placed on her barely shaking shoulder.
‘Closely. We will all sincerely miss him. My deepest sympathies.’
She flicked away the tears, memories flooding her like jagged flashes.
Kainan’s hand remained steady on her shoulder, hot, throbbing and potent. She felt the waves of grief slowly ebb away.
Composed, she finally looked up, and he sat back. But then, his hand fell away, and she instantly felt its absence.
‘Thank you for your kind words,’ she said quietly. ‘I do appreciate them.’
He inclined his head in acknowledgement.
She reached out a hand and touched the back of his softly before withdrawing it shyly. ‘And apologies for not knowing who you were earlier. I should have known.’
‘De nada. Don’t give yourself a hard time. It takes courage and grit to make your way to a foreign place to ask for the help you need.’
‘So will you help, please? Even though I insulted you by calling you a mere pilot and almost stabbed you with my finger?’
He lifted a thick brow. ‘I like it when my allies stand up to me, as long as they don’t do it too often.’
Selene stiffened. ‘I’m unlike any other ally you’ve worked with.’
‘Don’t I know it,’ he drawled.
