Born of Defiance

For her. But she wasn’t so sure she wanted him to make that sacrifice. “Talyn, I can’t do that to you. I’m sick over what you’ve already agreed to. I don’t want to be the reason you’re beaten to a senseless pulp.”


“I’m senseless without the beatings,” he said teasingly. “Besides, I’m the reason they’re doing this to you. I can get an up-front loan from Ferrick until we contract the other fights. You can pay off your contract at the first of the week. Then you’re a total civ and your agency can’t touch you.”

That was all well and good, except for one thing. “You’ll be broke.”

“I don’t need anything, Felicia. My uniforms and military room and board come out of my pay already. I bought my airbike free and clear. Because I’m a champion, the gym supplies me with training equipment and time for free. The only thing I ever spend credit on is lunch, and I can eat in the mess hall. I don’t have to go out. And since my rank’s busted, I don’t have to carry flight insurance anymore to cover the cost of my ship in case I crash it. That’s an extra three hundred creds a month I get to keep now.”

He made it all sound so feasible and easy. Yet she knew it wasn’t. “I can’t ask you to do this for me.”

“Felicia, I’d have had to pay it anyway, if you’d contracted with me after our probation period.”

“But I didn’t know that before this.”

He took her hand and led it to his heart. “Munatara a la frah. If I had one wish, it would be to have a name and lineage to give you. But the gods didn’t grant me that. All I have to offer you is my heart and loyalty. Besides, if we were married, all I have would be yours, anyway. So take it all. I don’t want any of it without you.”

She pulled his lips to hers so that she could kiss him. “I hate you, you bastard!”

Aghast, he pulled his head back as if she’d slapped him. “Excuse me?”

“You have ripped out my heart and made me cry more than anyone ever has. You are everything in this life to me. I don’t care about laws or names or anything else. I just want you safe, Talyn.”

“And that’s how I feel about you.”

Yet they were the greatest threat to each other. Felicia picked at her food. Honestly, she had no appetite for it.

He placed his cheek to hers. “Finish your dinner. I’m going to call Ferrick and get him started on transferring funds.”

She held him to her. “I don’t need a contract to be yours, Talyn. Screw Andarion custom and laws.”

“Love you, too.” He kissed her, then left.

Alone, she touched her throbbing cheek and winced at how much it burned and ached. Like it was on fire. Her eye was still watering from the blow. Anatole had barely struck her. She couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to take the blows that Talyn did in a single fight.

Worse were the hints of the horror stories Anatole had sneered at her about Talyn while he’d tried to drag her into his transport. Covering her ears, she closed her eyes and did her best to blot it all out.

She still couldn’t believe what Talyn was willing to do to bail her out from this. It was more than any male should have to do for a female who wasn’t his blood or wife.

“I will pay you back,” she whispered. “Every last bit of credit.”

And somehow, she was going to find her own way to permanently remove Anatole from their lives. Even if she had to kill him herself.





Chapter 20





“W

here is she?” Galene pulled up short in the foyer as she eyed Talyn leaving the kitchen to head back to their bedroom.

She’d made remarkable time, crossing town. He’d only called her a short time ago to ask her what he should do to help Felicia. He’d barely finished saying Felicia had been attacked before his mother beelined to them.

She hugged him close. “Are you okay?”

He shook his head as another wave of fury scalded his throat. “I want to kill the bastard who’s responsible, Matarra. It’s all I can think about.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “I know, baby. I know.”

Guilt, fear, and impudent rage suffused every molecule of his body. “If Aaron hadn’t been paying attention, she’d be in his hands. Right now.” He ground his teeth. “I came so close to losing her…”

Nodding, she blinked back her tears. “Don’t you worry, precious. I’ll stay tonight and make sure she’s not left alone for anything. And I already put a call in to Jayne. She’s going to handle security for Felicia. No one will get near her again. I promise you.”

“Tell her to bill me.”

His mother gave him an irritated glare. “You know better than that.” She kissed his cheek and went to the bedroom. As soon as she saw Felicia, she cursed.

Felicia’s eyes widened as she met Galene’s gaze. “Commander? What are you doing here?”

“I came as soon as I heard. How are you doing?”

“Wondering how Talyn can stand up after a fight. I never realized how much it hurt to be hit.”