But no one was looking in his direction. His crew was gathered around a table in the back corner in various positions. They all stared at Alexa. Was that a blush on her cheeks?
A heated blush that made Hysterian’s skin run cold with need.
“You don’t say?” Horace muttered.
“You guys dating?” Pigeon asked when Alexa didn’t answer, deciding to bury her face into her hands instead.
“Well…” she started but trailed off.
“Alexa wants to take it slow, and so slow we shall go.”
Muscles straining, fingers twitching to break bone, Hysterian growled. “What’s going on here?”
The easy camaraderie of the group dissipated. They turned to look at him as one. Raul got to his feet, Alexa dropped her hands and went white, and even Pigeon’s smile fell.
“Captain,” they said, and the last of the easy laughter vanished into the ship’s buzzing.
“We’re enjoying a drink, Captain. Why don’t you join us?” Pigeon pushed a bottle in Hysterian’s direction.
He didn’t want a drink; he wanted relief. He wanted Alexa to meet his eyes instead of staring hard at the cup between her hands. Was what Raul said true?
Dating? Who the fuck dates? And three of them?
How had he missed that?
His ship wasn’t that goddamn big, for fuck’s sake.
What else had he missed?
“Captain? Can we do something for you?” Pigeon asked, a little uneasily.
Hysterian stared at Alexa, waiting for her to answer. She sat beside Pigeon, and not Raul. Hysterian was pretty sure if she had been, Raul’s blood would be dripping down the walls already. Raul was still close, too close, and Hysterian couldn’t remove him without someone else getting hurt.
This was why he fucking hated ships.
Without destroying everything Hysterian strived for, he couldn’t break Raul’s neck in front of everyone. He wanted to, but the risk was too great.
There was no way he was going to have Alexa if he traumatized her.
His crew shuffled uneasily when he didn’t answer. They glanced at each other.
“Yes,” Hysterian said after a minute. “You can leave.”
Horace gulped down the rest of his drink and strode out of the lounge. Pigeon offered his hand to Alexa to help her rise, but she shook her head. Pigeon sighed as he walked out.
Hysterian turned to Raul. “I said leave.”Leave or die.Right now, Hysterian couldn’t decide which choice he wanted Raul to make more.
Raul glared at him, unmoving. “I’m waiting for Alexa…sir.”
Hysterian stepped forward. “When your captain gives you an order, you follow it. Anyone teach you that in basic training?”
“I plan to, sir.” The disgust on Raul’s face couldn’t be more evident. “When she’s ready.”
“Raul, go. I’ll be right behind you,” Alexa said, and with good timing too, as Hysterian was about to snap Raul’s neck.
“I’m not leaving without you.”
“I’m not giving you a choice,” she said. “Go.”
