Page 81 of Tempting Jupiter
“Yes,” he agreed. But not always as strong as she appeared.
***
Feeona and Seneca worked their way back to Morgan’s stage. The number of admirers hovering near him only made it more frustrating. She strode through the crowd and climbed the steps as if she belonged at Morgan’s side. Seneca kneeled at her feet, eyes on the floor, playing his role perfectly.
“So well behaved,” said Morgan. “I’m impressed. The others are a bit too cocky for my taste.”
Fee curved her lips in a hint of a smile. “You just have to know how to handle them.”
“I suppose you’re going to tell us that your fighter Dog would behave as well for you as this one,” Morgan waved a hand toward Seneca. “If we let him out of the cage.”
Fee watched her breathing and forced herself not to answer too quickly, too eagerly. “Of course.” Luckily, Morgan wasn’t watching her. He was busy playing to his audience, feeding off their attention. “He’s been following my instructions well so far.”
“Your instructions?” This time Morgan threw a chuckle in after his question and the others laughed along.
Feeona refused to let them get to her. “Yes. The ones I gave him before I sold him to you.” She took a dramatic pause and stroked the top of Seneca’s head, reminding them all that they had an uncaged Dog in their midst. “You’ve had Jupiter for some time now and he hasn’t eaten any of your guards, has he?”
The laughter that followed her challenge quivered with universal discomfort from the crowd. Morgan wasn’t taking the bait. He wasn’t letting Jupiter out of the cage. She hadn’t expected him to, but she’d had to seize the opportunity to try. She knew better than to push him.
Feeona widened her smile and touched Morgan’s cheek. “Have I told you how much I admire a man that can take a bit of ribbing? Roland always said you were a good sport.”
Sen leaned into her, pressing his shoulder to her thigh. His inaudible growl vibrated against her. Oblivious to the power of the man at his feet, Morgan took her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles before launching into a story about one of the adventures he and Roland had shared. The story was for his audience more than her, and she gladly faded out of the spotlight.
Morgan’s story gave Fee time to study the crowd as they hung on his words. Using her neural link, she identified each of them. A few had been to the Roma Rex resort, but only Cervenka had a direct connection to any of the owners of Roma. Her quick search revealed that Cervenka lived on Roma in a villa owned by Owens. It was enough to make her think she needed to be careful not to underestimate him.
When everyone was laughing at the end of Morgan’s story, Fee drew his attention back to her. “My friend, when is my competition arriving?”
Morgan looked her way, but his gaze stayed well below her shoulders. “There is no one to compare to you, Feeona. But if you’re asking about Owens, he’s sent his regrets.” He lowered his voice. “Rumors are that there was a huge fiasco in the arena. Second one this quarter. This time, some of his property escaped. He’s trying to hush things up, but you can’t keep something like that out of the data stream.” He chuckled as if he thought he was clever to point out the obvious. “A lucky thing for you, though.” He indicated Fee with a wave of his hand. “With more recent public escapes, Owens seems less interested in your Arena Dog. You might have a chance of making the winning bid.”
Morgan started as if he’d move closer to her side, but found Sen in the way. Cervenka shifted behind the other guests as if preparing to leave the crowd. She liked him better where she could keep an eye on him.
Feeona lifted her voice to be heard. “What do you think, Cervenka? Do I have a chance of winning the bid?”
The crowd between them parted. “Why ask me?” His expression said he knew exactly why she was asking him.
She lowered her sparkling eyelashes and gave him her best flattery-will-get-me-everything look. “You look like a man in the know.”
He lifted his eyebrows and dipped his chin in Seneca’s direction. “I’d say you know a great deal about the worth and sweet temptation of Arena Dogs.”
With the way Sen was dressed and kneeling at her feet, Cervenka had to think she’d been abusing him. And despite what Sen meant to her, she supposed shehadbeen abusing him from the moment they met. She’d set out to help Jupiter and Seneca, and so far, she’d failed spectacularly.
She was too good an actor to let the sudden rush of regret and grief show, but it sat heavily in her belly. Regret for what she’d had to do was bad enough, but the grief devastated her. She’d been fooling herself these last weeks with Sen. Giving in to that sweet temptation. Fee had let herself have him and now she’d be losing both the men she loved.
She had a duty to the children of her world. That would always be in the way. Jupiter and Seneca deserved better than she could give them. They deserved to have each other the way they were meant to be. If she could give them nothing else, she’d give them that.
“I’ve come to see the value of having an Arena Dog at my side.” She tugged on the silver chain still clutched in her hand. Seneca rose to his feet like a canine uncurling from a nap. She turned to meet his gaze and pulled him close against her side as she spoke. “Seneca already feels like a piece of me.”
Sen buried his nose in her neck, giving her leave to turn her attention back to the others. Morgan stared at them with fascination. The rest of the crowd were either entertained or aroused. Of all of them, Sen’s admirer was impossible to read.
Morgan adjusted the ruffled cuffs of his sleeves, then clapped his hands to summon a servant. “Drinks for my guests.”
The servant walked up with a tray of something golden and bubbly.
Morgan waved the tray to Cervenka, who’d made his way forward through the crowd. “Feeona is here to bid for Jupiter just as you are.”
Andre accepted the glass but didn’t drink. “You’re mistaken. The Arena Dogs you have available hold no interest for me.”
Seneca shivered against Fee’s skin. Something about the man’s words had hurt him.
