“Yes?”
“It’s Kayson. May I enter?”
If I were one to be deterred by a feminine sigh of annoyance, I would have run for the hills. Fortunately, I was not so easily dissuaded.
“Okay. Come in.”
I stepped into her private bedroom and closed the door behind me. Once inside I set the room’s system to play some calming music. When she gave me a questioning look, I grinned. “So we may speak in private.”
She wore a pale pink shirt that looked large enough to fit an Atlan in beast mode. The hem fell to the middle of her thighs. The front had a V-neck opening and the fabric looked extremely soft. But her legs, those soft, supple legs were bare. I could see the tips of her nipples under the material. I wanted to pounce, but she wasn’t mine. And from the sounds of it, there had been enough pouncing already today. “Is this typical sleep attire on Earth?”
“Depends, I guess. It’s just an oversized T-shirt. Jersey cotton. It’s comfy.”
“May I approach?” I wanted to walk straight to her and pull her into my arms, demand she tell me exactly what was bothering her. But that would be stupid, and I was not a stupid male.
“I guess. What do you want, Kayson? I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”
I walked to stand directly in front of her. Her back was pressed to the wall that separated the bathing room from her sleeping chamber. “I want to hold you so you’ll feel better and stop crying.”
She froze is if I’d burned her. Had I made a terrible mistake? Been too direct?
I stared down at her and waited as she lifted one hand to the base of her throat and gently stroked the exposed skin there. “No sex?”
“On my honor. I only wish to hold you tonight.”
I was not sure what I said to ignite her tears, but her dark eyes filled with them. I reached up and wiped them from her cheeks with my thumbs.
“Okay.”
“I may hold you?”
“Yes.”
Thank the gods, I couldn’t endure any more of her suffering.
Gently, I tugged on Smith's elbow, pulling her to my chest. Relief flooded me when she acquiesced and settled her cheek over my heart.
"Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing. I found the evidence we needed. All we have to do is track down Master Gee and let him lead us to the traitor at the palace."
"I'm not talking about the mission, my lady. I'm talking about you."
She pushed against my chest but I wasn't about to let her go, not when she was so brittle the slightest stress would break her. Had Mal pushed her too far at the club? “What happened today? Were you in danger?”
“A little.”
“Did Mal…did he…” Fuck, how was I supposed to ask such a delicate question? Did he push you too far? Did he treat you like a true sub when you clearly are not?
“No. He didn’t touch me. And what happened with Geros…” She looked up at me and I inclined my head just a bit to acknowledge that I knew what had happened between them. “That was all me. Mal had nothing to do with it.”
“Very well.” I rubbed her back slowly. She seemed jumpy as a cornered beast. “I will stop asking for explanations. You are female.” That, in my opinion, was explanation enough for this display of raw emotion. Tears.
"Give me a break, Kayson. What do you want me to say? I’m fine. I don’t even know why I’m crying." She was shaking.
"Shhhh. Rest. There is nothing else we can do tonight. You don't have to do anything but let me hold you."
"You don’t have to do that. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself."
