Page 50 of Devin
Conception was extremely low on Val’s list of thoughts as Devin worked her through paces she didn’t know she needed, reaching her first climax and then being guided to a second and third. She honestly lost count by the time Devin picked up the pace and pulled her tightly to him, groaning out that sexy growl of his own release.
“You’re going to need a shower before heading out for your next appointment, pressing or not,” Val said when their heartbeats had returned to a normal cadence.
“True. But I should manage this on my own, because if you and I get wet together again, I shall definitely be late.”
Devin stood and carried her to the bed where he gently placed her. Val closed her eyes for a moment and she must have fallen asleep. When she opened them again, Devin was showered and gone.
Chapter 26
Devin
The more interactions Devin had with the Adrastian pilot, the more he did not trust him. Adrastians were considered shifty as a species, but this one was shiftier than any he’d met before. He spoke in nothing but fawning language and repeated his name so many times that Devin wanted to punch the next person who said it. The captain did not seem pleased that it made the human mates giggle every time someone said it, but not enough that he wouldn’t keep repeating it.
Jane didn’t trust him either, and that was enough to leave Devin in a bind. If he sent the captain on his way with a full cargo, and a warning that he wasn’t welcome in this part of space, the Adrastian would probably be satisfied with his bounty and move on.
But that meant Grena would have to stay here for the foreseeable future. He could not, would not put her on that ship. If he was having qualms about putting his own mother on a ship, could he doom Haxit’s mate to that fate?
“Charlette has to go,” Kave said when Devin brought up the subject. “I cannot get another Etlonian ship here for at least another three weeks.”
Devin didn’t want to spend three more weeks with his mother, but he had resigned himself to it.
“The Adrastian is hiding something.”
“Adrastians are always hiding something. He got your mother here without incident,” Kave pointed out.
Jane waddled in from outside. “I can’t shake the feeling that he’s casing the joint.” When both Etlonians tilted their head in confusion, it must have been clear to Jane that her phrase hadn’t made it through the translator correctly. “He’s trying to be nice while taking a long look around to see what he can steal.”
“But he doesn’t need to steal anything,” Kave said, waving his hand to the console. “We will give him as much as his hold can carry to take Charlette away and do whatever he wants with her.”
Jane folded her arms across her chest with a stern look.
“Or deliver her safely to Etlon, or Terra, or whatever planet she wishes,” Kave said quickly.
“And you trust her to just go?” Jane asked.
“It should not be difficult to give her another stim and put her on the ship-”
“Oh, so drugged up and snuck out under the cover of darkness?”
“It does not have to be dark if she is drugged,” Kave said. “She will have a generous war widow stipend, and that is more than she deserves. I have no proof, but-” Kave actually stopped talking.
“But what?” Devin prompted.
“Humility told me not to say anything unless I had proof. And I do not, but I will say that Haxit was not an idiot or a coward or insubordinate. He knew those structures were coming down, and yet…”
Devin stared at his warlord for a long minute. He’d been so buried in his own guilt over the process that he’d not evenconsidered that Charlette could have been responsible in some way.
“There is no proof,” Devin said.
“Which is why we send her off,” Kave said, nodding.
“I should have put a laser rifle to her head and pulled the trigger the first time she started shit,” Jane said.
Brutal words for someone who had just advocated for treating her right and not bodily hauling her off the planet unconscious with the first scoundrel that came along.
“Right,” Kave said, still nodding. “She goes.”
“My mother will stay,” Devin announced as if daring someone to contradict him, “until alternate transport can be arranged.” Kave shrugged and then Jane. It was as much confirmation as he needed.
