Born of Ice

She gave the mecha a droll stare. “You know that could just mean he’s not attracted to me but that I’m the only female on board, thus reminding him of sex.”


“You keep on believing that, cupcake. I’m the one who monitors his biometrics and I’ve noticed that every time he gets near you, his heart rate and breathing elevate and his blood all rushes to a certain part of his anatomy. Trust me, I know the signs of sexual arousal when I see them. And it only happens when he’s near you. Which is really good because I definitely don’t want him coming on to me. Definitely not in my programming or job description.”

Now she was so embarrassed, she wanted to crawl under something. “You don’t monitor my bios, do you?”

“Not at all. No offense, don’t care if you live or die. You’re not my responsibility.”

“Way to prop up my self-esteem there, Vik. Appreciate it.”

He led her from the ship. “Well, if the truth offends . . .”

Rolling her eyes, she followed him through the hangar and toward the parts sector that had been set up for the convenience of the crews who traveled through here.

It didn’t take them long to find the part and purchase it, but as they headed back, she couldn’t keep her thoughts from drifting to Devyn and what he was looking for.

You don’t care who he sleeps with. He’s nothing to you.

It was true, and she knew more about men and their baser urges than she wanted to. That had been the part of her duties on her father’s freighter that she despised the most.

I need their attention focused on their jobs. Go handle them, Alix. Make yourself useful for something.

Not to mention if she kept them happy and drained, they didn’t turn their attention to Tempest. Something that had become harder and harder over the last year. In truth, she was almost happy her father was dead. Her biggest fear was that he’d do to her sister what he’d done to her.

Turn her into the crew’s whore.

“Are you all right?”

She looked up at Vik. “Yeah, why?”

“You’re suddenly very sad. Did I hurt you with my comments? It wasn’t my intention.”

“You didn’t do anything, Vik. I was just thinking of something else.”

“Then I’m sorry for whatever thought gave you so much pain. You seem like a very nice woman and while I know I’m a bit thoughtless at times with my comments, I would never want to cause you so much sorrow.”

His sincerity touched her. “Thank you, Vik.”

He opened the door to the ship for her. “My pleasure.”



Devyn paused as he scanned the women around him in the bar. Half of them were prostitutes and the other half were like him—here to find someone to ease the ache in their loins.

One seriously built redhead in a skimpy leather halter top and slacks walked up to him as he ordered a drink. She scanned his body hungrily and smiled. “You interested in female company?”

Yeah . . . but while he could easily take a bite of that apple, he knew he’d be hungry again as soon as he finished.

Because he wasn’t craving apples.

He wanted something spicier.

I am so messed up. How could he crave a woman who looked just like the bitch who’d almost killed him?

The redhead rubbed her breasts against his arm. “What do you say?”

He looked down at the deep cleft between her breasts and imagined what it would be like to bury his face there. His mouth watered. “I say you are one of the finest pieces of ass I’ve ever seen and I would love nothing more than to screw you until you beg me for mercy.”

She pouted seductively. “Why do I sense a ‘but’ in there?”

Devyn sighed. “Because it wouldn’t be you I’d be seeing while I did it.”

She ran her hand down his chest to his hip, then lower until she cupped his swollen cock in her hand. “I don’t mind, baby. You can even call me her name if you want to.”

He ground his teeth as her hand teased him. Oh, yeah . . . That’s what he’d been craving.

“There’s a room in back if you want privacy.”

The problem was he was so horny, he could screw her right here in front of everyone.

But with that thought came an image of Alix. More than that was the memory of Alix’s scent. And while the woman in front of him was truly beautiful—far more so than Alix—she didn’t have those guarded dark blue eyes or long blonde hair.

Determined to forget about that, he pulled the woman against him and kissed her. Her tongue swept against his.

She nipped his lips as she pulled back. “Come on, baby. Let me eat you up.”

He took one step with her, then cursed. I don’t want to be with her.

Are you out of your fucking mind? Look at her body.

It’s. All. Yours.

And still he didn’t move. He knew from experience that eating something because it was convenient didn’t make it satisfying. This wouldn’t quell anything. As soon as he got back around Alix, he’d be horny again.

He pulled the redhead into his arms and gave her a gentle kiss. “You are a stunning, beautiful woman and I am an idiot for doing this. But as much as I’d love to be inside you right now, I can’t.”