Laylla looked back at Rich in exasperation. “It’s just for the day.”
He looked up at the building where the unclaimed males lived and shook his head stubbornly. She knew he didn’t understand. She felt frustrated that she couldn’t explain that she had to work on the wall today and that he had to come here. For his care, primarily. But also, so Nate could work with him.
“Come on, Rich.”
He gave her a pissed-off look. She forced herself to give him a stern look in reply. He was not in charge. She was. But inside, she wished she could give in to him, take him back to her hut and spend the day with him. Spending the night with him curled around her had been amazing. Although she still couldn’t believe that she’d let him take charge by the river last night. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered that he had smacked her ass.
And that she had liked it.
What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be in charge. To be the dominant one. And yet she’d enjoyed having him take control. She was just thankful that they’d been on their own and no one had seen. Males of her species did not dominate females.
She crossed her arms over his chest, mimicking his stance. “Rich, you come or I will drag you in there.” She didn’t feel good about the threat, but if the elders thought she couldn’t control him, they would be within their rights to remove him from her care, claimed male or not.
And she couldn’t allow that to happen.
She snapped her hair out and his scowl deepened. But he seemed to understand her threat because he stomped forward, glaring at her as he reached the doors. They were opened by two female guards.
Laylla nodded at them as she followed Rich into the large sleeping hall.
“Ah, there you are. I wondered if you were not coming.” Nate walked up to them, bowing to Laylla. He looked at them both, obviously taking in their scowling faces. “There is something wrong?”
“Rich didn’t wish to come here. He doesn’t understand.”
Nate turned to Rich, speaking to him in his language. He nodded then turned to her. “He believes that you are leaving him here again. That you took him back to your hut last night because you were horny.”
“Horny?”
Nate’s lips twitched. “That you wished for release.”
Her eyes widened. “He was just as in need of release as me.”
“Really?” Nate drawled. “Do tell.”
She glared at the older male who shrugged unrepentantly. “Can’t blame an old male for trying.”
“Will you please explain that I have to work on the wall today and can’t watch over him, which is why he is here. That I will be back to collect him tonight.”
Nate turned to Rich. They talked back and forth for a moment, and by the end of their conversation, Rich’s frown had deepened, but he was no longer glaring at her.
“He understands, but he is not happy. He said that it is ridiculous that you are being forced to do heavy manual labor while the males around here sit on their asses and get their cocks sucked. Um, his words,” he added as she raised her eyebrows.
“But the males cannot be expected to do physical labor.”
“Where Rich comes from, the males do most of the physical labor.”
“His race is patriarchal?”
Nate spoke to Rich. “Not precisely. At one time, yes. Males and females are considered equal where he lives. But he says if you lived with him then he would not allow you to do hard labor.”
“Allow?” She gaped at Nate.
Nate shrugged, smiling. “He also said a few words about the elders, but I do not believe it wise to repeat those.”
Allow? Was he serious? “He does not allow.”
“Like you do not allow him to do some things? Rich is different from the males here.”
“I know that,” she said stiffly.
“Perhaps you do a little bit, but I do not think you fully understand. Where he comes from, he is considered very important to his government. Um, the people who rule his planet. In fact, he intends to return to his home planet and take over rule from a currently corrupt leader. Being treated as though he is of little use, as though he is a child, it is humiliating.”
Laylla stood there, absorbing those words. She had not ever thought she was humiliating him or treating him as less than hers. On the contrary, she only wanted what was best for him.
And what if that wasn’t being here with her? Rich was different. He was smart and strong, and she guessed she’d always known, deep down, that she couldn’t keep him.
“People are coming for him. They will find him eventually. I just thought you should know,” Nate told her gently.
Before her feelings for him grew so great that letting him go would become impossible. “I had no right claiming him.”
“Perhaps not. If it is any consolation. He seems to have a lot of feelings for you.”
Laylla nodded stiffly, then looked over at Rich who was staring at them both. She reached for him and pulling him close, kissed him. “I will be back for you in a few hours.” She turned and walked away before she could make a fool of herself. Before she could beg him to stay.
She might want to keep him here, but if she truly cared about him then perhaps she had to let him go.
***
Something had changed. Since Laylla picked him up last evening, she’d been different. More intense. The sex had been insane. She’d been insatiable, taking him so many times he’d lost count. But there was almost a sadness to her, something he couldn’t figure out.
So, when she dragged him out of the hut soon after they awoke, he didn’t know what to expect. He thought she might be taking him back to where Nate and the other males lived. But she led him in a different direction, towards the stream then the meadow beyond. He was surprised to find the female with the limp there, standing next to one of those two-headed beasts with the purple manes. Were they going for a ride somewhere?
The female with the limp spoke to Laylla who simply shook her head. Then Laylla grasped hold of the other female, hugging her. The other female looked shocked as Laylla stepped away and climbed onto the purple animal. Laylla held out her hand to Rich. He shrugged then took it, letting her help him onto the beast. This time he sat behind her, hugging her as she took off. They rode for hours, only stopping for a few minutes at a time to rest and eat some of that disgusting jerky. He hoped this journey they were on wasn’t going to last long. The sun was starting to set when they found themselves in a long meadow. He looked across, squinting. Was that? Shit, it was!
“My ship! Holy hell, you’re taking me back to my ship.”
She kicked the beast, and it took off towards his ship. What did this mean? Was she letting him go? Why? Did she not want him anymore?
Shit. He should be overjoyed that she’d brought him back here. It was what he wanted. Yet he couldn’t help but wonder why. He wished he could communicate with her, it would make life a lot easier. He remembered the translator he’d purchased from Kyle. It was something he had been working on to help facilitate communication between the humans and Zerconians. It wouldn’t work on him because her language wasn’t loaded on there. But his language was.
If he could manage to find it.
He jumped up as she pulled up next to the ship. He turned back to her and held up his hand. “Stay,” he told her in her language. He waited for her nod before running into the ship. He had to pause and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. There should be an emergency pack around here somewhere with glow sticks.