Total pages in book: 175
Estimated words: 166095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 830(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 830(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
“I would prefer not to tell her,” Jamef says quietly.
“I would prefer you actually speak up when you’re hurting,” I snap back. “Doesn’t look like we get what we want, huh?” A snooty-looking noble in a heavily embroidered house robe pauses and stares at me, and I make a rude gesture at him. “Kef off, Junior, this is a private conversation.”
Appalled, the male staggers and hurries towards the sumptuous hotel.
“Bethiah,” Jamef growls at me. “You’re supposed to be a lady.”
“It’s hard to be a lady when I’m so keffing mad I can’t see straight,” I tell him. I turn towards my mate, my bounty hunting partner, my person. “You don’t get to keep secrets from your mates anymore, all right? We’re doing this as a team. You, me, and Dora. That doesn’t mean you soldiering on and pretending like your shit isn’t breaking down. If there’s a problem, you come to us and you tell us and we figure out how to solve it, together. Understand? None of this works if we’re not all three in this a thousand percent.”
Jamef stares at me long and hard, and then his mouth curves up in just a hint of a smile. “I almost think you care.”
“You are a keffing idiot,” I snarl at him as I lean in and grab the front of his bodysuit. It’s a plain black work uniform, standard with a lot of hired security, and it looks good on him. I haul him close and plant a big, sloppy kiss on his hard mouth.
“Disgusting,” someone cries in the nearby crowd.
“Bethiah,” Jamef murmurs against my lips. “You’re supposed to be a lady —”
“You think ladies never slum it with hot security guards? Wrong.” I nip at his lower lip and suck on it, loving the ragged breath he takes. “I bet a lot of ladies come here to have all sorts of indiscreet affairs.”
“We’re supposed to keep a low profile,” he points out, but he’s not moving away from me, and his tail brushes against mine briefly, telling me that he loves all the attention I’m giving him, even if it’s a little public.
“I’m just playing the part of a naughty Homeworld lady,” I tell him in a husky voice. “One that needs to be serviced at the hotel by the most dangerous guard she could hire. Now come on. Lady Vanora va Sithai needs to get dirty with the hired help.”
“Did…did you say va Sithai?” Jamef stares at me. “Isn’t that —”
“Mathiras’s sister? Yeah. Now come on. I need a room.” I release his clothing gently and turn, wiping my lip-stain from the corners of my mouth and keeping an eye on Jamef as I do.
Just in case he’s worse than he’s letting on.
One Hundred Eleven
BETHIAH
“This place is definitely fancy,” I point out yet again as we head inside. Circling chandeliers made entirely of exotic crystal float overhead, and an aquarium full of enormous, expensive fish is tended by a moden along one massive wall. There’s a bar nearby with a well-dressed male slinging drinks, and an ooli musician set up on an alcove a few floors up. I gaze up as far as the eye can see and the hotel itself looks hollow, with every floor neatly framing the interior lobby. An elevator made of pure crystal pauses to let in a richly garbed lord and lady, and I suspect that’s where we need to go.
I glance over at Jamef, who’s very quiet right now, and I want to choke him again. I wonder just how much pain he’s in. That makes me ache, because I hate that he’s hurting, and I hate even more that he didn’t tell me.
Well, the best thing for pain is a distraction. “I bet Kivian would love this place. I hope he’s not here.”
“Kivian?”
“Bounty hunter. He runs a ship called the Jabberwock.” I make a face. “Really loves a fussy sleeve.”
“And let me guess, you don’t want to see him because you owe him credits?”
“Me?” I feign surprise. “Impossible.”
Jamef snorts, but his expression looks a bit easier. I’ll take it.
“Let’s go for the elevator. Walk a few steps behind me,” I tell him. “If anyone asks, I’m heading up for a tryst. And if I show a little tit action, don’t be surprised.”
“Tit…action? Do I even want to know?”
“I’m sure you can guess. And if you can’t, well, let’s just say that they can look but they can’t touch.” I give him a confident smirk I’m absolutely not feeling and then saunter toward the elevator. We don’t have the number for Lord Nerit’s room, but I suspect that all we really need is to find the most expensive suites and we’ll locate him there. How hard can it be?
A large guard steps in front of the elevator doors as I approach. He wears a smarmy smile and puts a hand up. “Apologies, my lady, but my sensors are stating that you are not a guest here at our hotel.”