“I do like. I like a lot.” Rain jumped up. “Thanks.”
“I'm good for now,” Talon said. “That steak smells amazing and I'm really enjoying this beer. The shower can wait.”
“Suit yourself,” Rain said as he followed Cyprian.
“If you need help scrubbing your back, let me know,” Lily called after Rain.
“What the fuck?” Jason gaped at her.
“Um, in case no one has noticed, the Dralmar is really hot without fur. Hell, he's kinda hotwithfur,” Lily said as if she were talking about the weather.
“Thanks, red.” Rain grinned at Lily. “But maybe I'll take you for dinner before we shower together, eh?”
Lily grinned broadly. “You're on, kitty-cat!”
Rain winked at her and then gave me a look before he left the room. That look had been quick, but it said all I needed to hear—what happened in supe prison, stayed in supe prison. I didn't have to worry about Rain telling my men about the way he'd masked my masturbation with his own. Maybe I'd tell them myself, but not right now. They were too wound up as it was. Besides, nothing happened beyond some gawking. My clothes had stayed on even if his hadn't and there had been bars between us. I honestly didn't think they'd be too bothered by it.
“Nicely done, Tempest,” I noted wryly.
“I figured I'd better scoop him up before you added him to your collection,” she teased.
“It's not a collection, and I'm exceedingly happy with the way things are,” I said with a soft look at my kishanos. Then I noticed Talon's lifted brow. “Oh, I'm sorry. I expect you're a little confused.”
“Not at all.” Talon held up a hand. “They explained your situation to me while you were upstairs. You've got an impressive family, Duchess.”
“She's a queen,” Malik corrected him.
“Mal,” I chided. “That wasn't necessary.”
Malik shrugged as if he'd thought it was.
“Your Majesty.” Talon executed a courtly bow with a smirk.
“You're trouble, aren't you?” I teased Talon as I went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water.
“Trouble is a relative term.” Talon shrugged and sipped his beer. “But my mother would agree with you.” Then he blinked. “Fuck, I should call my mom, she probably thinks I'm dead.”
“I can take you up to my ship; you can contact her from there,” Malik offered.
“Or a phone would work,” Talon said with a wry grin.
Mal chuckled. “Oh, I assumed she was on your home planet.”
“Nah, she lives in Germany with my father. We moved to Earth over a century ago.”
“Do they live in a supemarket?” I asked. “I've been to the one in Munich, it's lovely.”
“No, they have a place in the country. They came from a big city and wanted something different.”
“I'll show you to the office,” Malik offered. “You can make your call from there and have a little privacy.”
“Thank you, I'd appreciate that.” Talon followed Malik out of the kitchen.
“Rain should call his people too,” I murmured. “He's got a tracker on him, and I wouldn't want a bunch of angry Dralmar showing up here, trying to 'free' him.”
“Already done. He used my cellphone shortly after we got back,” Leo said.
Before I could remark on that, Cyprian returned to the kitchen, took a look around, and declared, “All of you had best decide what you're going to do if Alex gives you an ultimatum.”
