Born of Defiance

“Felicia?”


Standing up on her tiptoes, she looked past the doorman’s shoulder to see Talyn, who must have been waiting for her in the lobby. Dressed in his major’s red and black formal attire, he was breathtaking. A strange warmth flooded her at the sight of him, even though she was more afraid of him than she was the rude doorman. “Hi.”

And that one word totally changed the doorman’s demeanor toward her. “Here, mu tara. Allow me to help you.”

“It’s all right, Starrin. I’ve got it.” Talyn took the box from her hands. He glanced out toward the street. “Where’s the rest of your things?”

Now it was her turn to blush. “This is everything I have.”

Instead of judging her, he smiled kindly. Something that was completely at odds with the horror stories Fresca and Rynara had filled her with.

“Then let me take your pack and I’ll show you upstairs.” He gently pulled her rucksack from her shoulders and led her past a long, shiny desk of tough-looking security guards. Each of them eyed her as if they were committing her features to memory.

A huge burly male approached them. “Is this our new tenant? Tara Orfanos?” he asked Talyn.

“It is.”

She felt a rush of delight at the respect in his tone. Something she definitely wasn’t used to or expecting. Most tended to treat her like the doorman had on her arrival. Because she was very small and woefully shy for an Andarion female, it invited others to push her around and treat her like a child.

“Excellent. I’ll make sure everyone is familiar with her.” He smiled. “Welcome to the building, Tara Orfanos. If you need anything at all, my name is Aaron. I live here on the ground floor and am head of security.” He inclined his head to Talyn. “I’ve already assured Major Batur that I will personally see to your safety, as he was quite adamant that no harm befall you, lest he make our future mobility quite impossible and painful. While I’m not as ferocious as the major, I am quite accomplished at my job, and will make sure no one bothers you.”

Felicia smiled at the male even though his words did nothing to lessen the fearful knot in her stomach. “Thank you, Aaron.”

He opened the elevator doors for them. “Good afternoon, mu tara. Welcome to your new home. I know you’ll be happy here, and if you’re not, let us know and we’ll make sure that you are.”

Felicia bit her lip at his kindness. “Thank you, again.”

Talyn pulled a shiny black card out of his pocket. “You’ll have to swipe the card to reach our floor.” He showed her how then handed it to her. “After the swipe, it requires a hand scan.” He pressed his hand to the panel. It lit up before the elevator moved.

“So you don’t press a button for the floor?”

“No. It knows where you live by the handprint. As soon as you’re squared away, I’ll call the manager and he’ll get you entered into the system. Whenever you have visitors, you’ll have to notify security. Then you can either meet them in the lobby, or security will escort them up. But only if you’re home. If you’re not, they’ll have to wait for you in the lobby. Like I said, the security here is very serious about the safety of their tenants.”

She glanced up at the camera in the corner. Not to mention the hand-carved mahogany wood and gilded ceiling. “This is much nicer than anything I expected. Thank you for letting me live here.”

He shifted the box in his hands. “No problem. Since I can’t visit very often, I wanted to make sure you were completely safe. I, um, I don’t know if you cook or not, but I had them stock the kitchen for you, just in case. There’s a grocery across the street and I worked it out with the manager to deliver anything you need or want. All you have to do is call them with your order and they’ll bring it over. Or if you pick it out, they’ll deliver it and charge my account. There’s also a deli and full restaurant on the first floor of the building, and a small convenience store that’s open twenty-four hours, even on holidays. Just charge the condo and it’ll go to my monthly bill.”

She gaped at his thoughtfulness that belied the ruthlessness she knew him capable of. Surely a beast wouldn’t go to this amount of trouble for a paid companion. Would he?

For that matter, her own father and brothers wouldn’t go to this length for any of the females in their lives. Especially her. They barely acknowledged she was a member of their family, and then, only when required by law.