Caillen made a smooth landing on the back pad while the pirates and fighter followed suit nearby.
It only took a few minutes to lock the ship down and open the hatch. Before Caillen could do more than unbuckle himself from his chair and stand, three women ran on board and practically tackled him to the ground. Desideria would have been jealous had she not recognized them as his sisters.
They each took turns scolding and adoring him in a variety of pitches. Their words came so fast and furious that it actually made her dizzy trying to follow them.
“How could you be so reckless?”
“Have you any idea how much trouble you’re in?”
“What brain were you attempting to use?”
“How dare you put us through this, you selfish little worm.”
“We’ve been so worried about you!”
“Thank the gods you’re all right.”
“When was the last time you ate? You look thinner.”
“What happened to your face? Do you need a doctor?”
“I swear, you’re such an idiot! How do you get yourself into these things?”
A loud whistle split the air and silenced them.
Desideria cringed at the shrillness and plugged her ears. She looked to the source to find the infamous Syn. Dressed all in black, he was dark and deadly. His long black hair was secured with a band at the nape of his neck. With at least a day’s growth of whiskers, his face was roguishly handsome and finely boned. Those black eyes took in every detail of the situation with an eerie astuteness that only Caillen’s could rival. One corner of his long coat was pulled back, out of the way of his holstered blaster so that he could get to it if he had to.
But there was no need. A person would have to be an absolute imbecile to confront someone with an aura this lethal. Syn’s sternness made her appreciate the fact that Caillen’s fierce aura was tempered by his humor and good nature. It would have to be hard to live with someone as grim as Syn.
He strode forward with a predator’s lope as his gaze went to each of Caillen’s sisters in turn. “Dagan women, down. The poor man can’t even breathe with all of you stifling him so badly.”
Kasen curled her lip as she raked Syn with a less than kind smirk. Oh yeah, Caillen was right. His sister was insane to confront Syn with anything except devout respect. “The imbecile’s lucky I’m not choking the breath out of him right now.”
Caillen snorted. “Love you too, sis.”
Kasen sneered at him. “Don’t you dare get lippy with me after the week you’ve put us through, you little worm.”
Desideria’s temper flared at the insults and the way Kasen treated him. How dare she! Especially given all the messes she’d gotten Caillen into over the years… such as the stunt that had almost resulted in his execution.
Before she realized what she was doing, she stepped forward to confront her. “Excuse me, but in case you haven’t noticed this really isn’t about you, cupcake. For all the misery you think you’ve suffered, I assure you it pales in comparison to what we’ve been through over the last few days. So before you continue to jump on him, you might want to steer down and step back. In the mood I’m in right now, I will do damage and unlike your brother, I don’t mind hitting women. Live for it, point of fact.”
hahara gaped, her expression astonished, then she laughed as Tessa and Kasen glared at her for it. “Oh, Cai, I really like her. You done good, little brother.”
Kasen’s nostrils flared before she started toward Desideria.
Caillen caught her by the arm and held her back. “Girl, don’t even. Trust me when I say the little dumpling can take you down. Remember, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog and Desideria has more fire in her than any I’ve encountered. She will hurt you.”
The light in Kasen’s eyes said she was willing to test them both.
“Kase,” Shahara said with a sharp, commanding note. “Be nice for once. It’s not often we find a woman who can tolerate your brother, never mind actually defend him.”
Hatred flared deep in Kasen’s eyes as she shrugged off Caillen’s grip. “Fine. Whatever. She’s just a passing fancy for him anyway. Just like all the others. I’ll be here long after she’s gone and he’s moved on to his next lay.”
Those words viciously slapped her and brought home the fact that Caillen, for all his tenderness with her, was nothing except a player who changed women more often than she changed her mind. Oh yeah, that reality slammed into her and burned.
Caillen felt his own temper rise at Kasen’s cruelty. “You need to shut up. Fast. I’ve about had it with you.”
She shoved him back, then invaded his personal space, daring him with her smug expression to hit her. “What are you going to do?”