Page 72 of Fire Forged

“That I understand.”She looped her arm through his and pressed her cheek to his bicep.“Every day when I got home from work, I’d hope my mom would’ve come out of her shell.I feared losing another parent.Being afraid’s horrible, crippling, and a tricky bastard to get rid of.”She smiled at him.“So, you’re training me?”

He chuckled.“You are incorrigible.”

She nudged her head at the shuttle.“Let’s go.I’ve had enough of Luchur.And when we get back, I’d like an O.D.I.please.”

“I agree,” he said, lacing his fingers through her hand as he led her to the shuttle.

Against the one wall sat the Viqrian prisoners, the men guarding them while standing in the center again.

“I also want a private channel with you,” she said, settling her gaze on Nerx.

He paused mid-buckling her into the chair, this time without the chain.“A what?”

She flicked a gesture between Ziot and Nerx.“You know, being able to talk and you hear it over there.”She hitched her thumb behind her, indicating outside.

He laughed.Sena and Ziot joined him.

Folding her arms across her chest, she huffed, tempted to kick Nerx since he still crouched before her.

He stroked her knee, sending a ribbon of heat up her leg to her core, but she was too pissed to savor it.“Britta, we have enhanced hearing.”

“Bullshit,” she said.

“Whisper something to me,” he said, touching his ear.

“Oh, we’re reverting to parlor tricks?Okay.”She leaned in close, making sure her lips brushed the shell of his ear.“Will we betalkinglater?”

His cheeks darkened.His eyes smoldered.He cleared his throat.“Ziot?”

“‘Will we be talking later?’”the pilot said without glancing over his shoulder.He was focused on getting them off the ground and into space.

“Fine,” she huffed, “but I still get that O.D.I.”

He stood, and in the process kissed her, pushing her back until her head tilted up.With a sweep of his tongue, all her anger fizzled, now replaced with a different fire.

“Seducer,” she muttered when he released her.

He gave her a sexy smile and said no more.

Chapter Nineteen

Maker.Nerx wanted to shake, kiss, and hug Britta for an eternity.When she’d watched from the ramp, his heart had leaped into his throat.And she fought him, even when she was in the wrong.She drove him crazy.Then her silliness about a private channel.He chuckled.

“I have to comm my king,” he said after Ziot docked and opened thekuta’sdoor.

“Go,” she said, striding past him and into the bay.

“Britta…”

“Nerx…” she called but didn’t stop, marching through to the common.

Sena said nothing, Ziot too.

Nerx shook his head and strode to the comm room.She wasn’t in the common as he’d hoped.He wanted to find her, to do…what?Duty called.

“Sub-Commander Matir, Pilot Edon,” Nerx said in greeting.“Comm the king, please.”

Adviser Kanzo appeared on the display vid.“Greetings, Supreme Commander Nerx.”His gaze snagged on Nerx’s short braid.“A tale for when you arrive?”

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