The door shut, turning her eyes back over her shoulder. The other guy had gone, leaving Ikvar to take the seat opposite them across the table. Goldie remained standing at the side, arms crossed, giving Ikvar the same look as a disapproving teacher who just caught you cheating.
“You seem to inspire loyalty easily,” Ikvar said, addressing Tanin calmly.
“I feel so much safer now,” Tanin replied in an even tone. Garnet knew he was joking, because there really was nothing Garnet or Goldie could do to these guys if they did want to deal out some actual police brutality, but the comment still made her feel warm all over.
Not because he was relying on her for protection, but because he was even willing to joke about it. He wasn’t too proud to insist he didn’t need protection or too serious to not play along. But the way he said it wasn’t mocking or dismissive either. Like there was a chance he might mean it.
It gave her the impression that, if she could, hewouldlet her fight for him. He would stand back and let her protect him. Even if he didn’t need it. Even if the danger was minimal. He’d warned her of danger during the pirate fight, but when she chose to join it anyway, he hadn’t chastised her for it.
Unlike Ikvar, he wouldn’t patronize her like a child. But she also knew, if need be, he’d step in and deal with a problem if it became too much for her.
Reliable without being suffocating. Strong without being braggadocios. He was great, and she felt real good sitting on the table in front of him. She wanted to scoot over and spread her legs, to trap him between them right where she wanted him.
But she wanted neither her sister nor some random dude to be involved with that, so she resisted the urge. For now.
“These females insist they’re safe with you,” Ikvar said.
“They are.”
Just that simple. Garnet had to bite her lip to avoid moaning out loud. He was so sexy without even trying, and it was such a turn on.
Maybe she shouldn’t be lusting after the guy who was in charge of their lives though. They had to rely on him for everything right now. At least until they were savvy enough to be able to take care of themselves. A sexual relationship would just make things messy.
But damn, that was a hard thing to tell her long neglected pussy. When was the last time she’d even gotten sex, much less good sex? Her and her last ex certainly weren’t enjoying anything together at the end there.
“Tell me about the male who sent you to retrieve them,” Ikvar continued.
“I already told the other keeper everything.”
“Tell me again.”
Tanin started speaking in monotone, explaining everything he’d told Garnet. Some shinuk king had paid him to go retrieve a chest. While inspecting it, he found them. He then contacted Ikvar. He had all the ship data to prove it.
“You really think I could have taken them myself?” Tanin asked when Ikvar remained silent even after the explanation. “My generator needs five days to rest and recharge between swings. At minimum. Even if it didn’t, I don’t have the tech to hide from detection. Earth is protected by an entire army. Of your people, in fact. You really think that old boat could hide from them for five days before I could swing again? Or even get close enough to Earth to take a female in the first place?”
“I think it’s very convenient that your ship and generator are so obviously old. I’ve seen males like you hide advanced tech by aging it.”
“You’ve already scanned my ship. You know it’s glorified junk.”
“I’ve scanned your crew as well. You’re not much better.”
Garnet looked away from Tanin – who she had been shamelessly ogling – to throw a glare at Ikvar. His gaze darted to her then back again. Ignoring her censure for, what she saw as, his prejudice to people whose only crime was coming from a bad place.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Tanin said, his voice just as even and calm as ever.
“I know all your identities are fake.”
“Fake? Surely not. I investigated all my crew’s datawork myself. They all look legit. And I know for a fact that my identity is real.”
He was lying through his teeth. Garnet had to resist the urge to smile. He was practically taunting the captain.
“You’re trying to play me for a fool,” Ikvar growled, tail whipping. The only sign of his anger.
“I’m following all laws.” Tanin assured him, his tail lazily resting on the floor under the chair. “My record is clean. Therefore, there’s nothing stopping me from owning or operating an intergalactic business. My males are only crew members, they’re not subject to the same laws. And if they’ve given me fake IDs, please let me see the proof of their real ones. I would never want to hire employees I know are breaking the law. As a responsible and law-abiding business owner, I would not risk my licenses.”
Ikvar’s tail whipped again, but he didn’t offer such proof. Because he didn’t have it. He might know their IDs were fake, but he couldn’t provide evidence of the real ones.
“You’re a criminal,” Ikvar finally said. “If you were born and raised on Rik-Vane, you had to have donesomething.I know you have.”
