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His brusque tone made her stomach tighten. She'd rehearsed this conversation a dozen times on the walk over here, planning how she would explain her experience in one of the biggest mech-factories in the city, and then her administration experience from her bar work, but now she was here, the words stuck in her throat.
But they did say in for a penny, in for a pound. What did she have to lose? A job she didn’t have yet?
Lifting her chin, she met his gaze head-on. "I wanted to speak with you. You're listed as the contact for the engineering and administration position listed on the station job board. I want to apply."
"That was a mistake. There is no job. Come with me."
Before she could respond, his large hand wrapped around her upper arm. She gasped as the heat of his palm seared through the thin fabric of her shirt and allowed herself to be all but dragged along. He set a punishing pace, long strides eating up the distance and she struggled to keep up on her shorter legs.
"Hey!" she said as they reached a door, and he pushed her inside ahead of him. "What the hell was that about?"
He released her arm and rounded on her as the door slid shut behind them with a hiss, silver eyes blazing.
"What were you thinking, coming here without an escort?" he demanded, looming over her.
"I was thinking I wanted to apply for a job," she snapped back, lifting her chin in defiance. "What's wrong with that?"
"You cannot just wander out of the human section," he said. It sounded like his teeth were gritted. "And you can't just wander in here. It's dangerous for those unfamiliar with the systems."
"How am I supposed to become familiar with them if I'm not allowed in?" She shot back.
His jaw clenched. "Your protection is my primary concern."
"Oh, I'm just a silly human who needs protection?" She cut him off. "I'm not made of glass. I can handle myself."
"Can you?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous as he looked down at her. "You know nothing of our technology. One wrong move could kill you."
"I'm not useless," she ground out. "I'm smart, and I learn fast. If you would just give me a chance instead of dismissing me outright?—"
"This is not about you," he said, his voice sharp. "The engineering bay contains dangerous equipment requiring specialized knowledge. It is off limits to untrained personnel."
"Then train me!" she said, her voice tight with frustration. "I want to work!"
He shook his head. "Why? You need to find a mate to protect you and provide for all your needs."
"I don't want a man to provide for me! I want to work, be useful!" Her cheeks burned but she refused to back down.
She was so sick of her only value being seen as a potential mate and mother. Ever since coming to the station, she'd been buried under the weight of expectations about joining the Mate Program, settling down, and having babies. It was suffocating.
"I want to use my mind. Not just be some... broodmare."
His eyes widened in shock. For a moment, the office was dead silent.
"Is that what you think your only purpose here is?" he asked in a low voice. "To bear young?"
"It's what everyone seems to assume." She couldn't keep the small note of bitterness out of her voice. "As far as I can tell, my only worth is in the fact I have a functioning womb."
He watched her long enough that the hairs rose on the back of her neck. She forced herself to stay still, forced herself to hold his gaze. She didn't care if he was pissed off, it was the truth. He stepped closer, crowding into her space. Her breath caught, but she stood her ground, tilting her head back to look up at him.
"You think I see you as nothing but a womb?" He tilted his head as if she were a puzzle to solve. "You think your mind holds no value?"
The mockery was gone from his voice, leaving something more intense in its wake. His gaze bored into hers, stripping away her defenses, and she swallowed. His masculine scent enveloped her, leather and smoke and something uniquely him. It clouded her thoughts, scattering her anger like it had never been.
"I..." She trailed off, grasping for the righteous fury that had fueled her rant before but couldn't summon it.
His gaze dropped to her lips and her mouth went dry, heat burning across her cheeks and up her neck. The air between them was charged with tension and a dangerous potential. She didn't know if she wanted to run away or throw herself into his arms.
He stepped back, and the spell was broken. She sagged against the desk as he turned away, her legs unsteady and her mind spinning.
