Working at a task--cleaning--that required few active brain cells, Belle was deep enough in her own thoughts that she hadn’t even been conscious of anybody being anywhere near her and the unrecognizable voice sent a jolt through her. She whipped a sharp look toward the sound, realized she didn’t recognize the woman or her voice, and then scanned the immediate vicinity, trying to decide if the woman had spoken to her or not. “I beg your pardon?” she asked after a moment, thoroughly confused.
The woman scanned her length assessingly. “You haven’t bred yet. I was just wondering if you were holding out for somebody in particular.”
The tone set Belle’s back up--well, and the look. It was rude--almost accusing. She didn’t think she would’ve taken exception, though, if not for the condemning tone.
She wrestled with the urge to retaliate with an equally rude response. “How do you know I haven’t?” she finally asked with just an edge to her voice.
“Have you?” the woman shot back at her with barely a pause.
So much for thinking you could make any kind of response to that sort of verbal attack without escalating it.
Because itwasan attack.
Belle just couldn’t figure out what it was about. “I’m sorry … Do I know you?”
The woman nudged her chin in the direction of the code on the back of Belle’s right hand. “You’re one of Captain Carnegie’s matches. Just an FYI, I’ve decided to accept him as a genetic donor and domestic partner.”
Belle gaped at the woman, blinking, too stunned to really assimilate the ‘challenge’ for what it was. Honestly, she was having a hard time figuring out what the lunatic was talking about.
She flicked a sweeping glance around in search of the object--bone of contention--of the woman’s fantasies and caught a glimpse of him near the waste processing plant under construction. “Ok,” she said finally. “That’s between you and him.”
“It is. I’m just letting you know I don’t expect you to get in my way.”
Her first assessment, she realized, had been right on point.
Psycho!
Thankfully, hopefully, she was the Captain’s problem!
She was tempted to inform the bitch that she needn’t think she was afraid of her or that had anything at all to do with her decision regarding her own choices.
But she wouldn’t fight over a man--anyman--if she’d wanted one.
Or one in particular.
Because it was just plain stupid even if she’d felt the urge!
It might stroke their ego, might amuse them, but they weren’t going to fall at the woman’s feet.
Yeah, he was pretty awesome, but she wasn’t hanging out for any of the bastards. There wasn’t a thimbleful of difference between one or another.
Except she was inclined to think Captain Carnegie was the most domineering of all and that was not a trait that she found the least bit appealing.
Not that spineless and weak appealed to her, but she didn’t want to be any male’s slave.
The woman stared at her for a long moment and finally turned and walked off.
Belle watched her, trying to decide how she felt about the confrontation.
Besides uneasy.
Now,she was going to have to worry about the other women threatening to beat the fuck out of her? It wasn’t bad enough the men were scary aggressive/domineering?
She was on the point of just dismissing the woman from her mind and going back to her task when she realized the woman had gone as straight to the Captain as she could go.
And maybe confronted him?
Because he lifted his head and stared straight at her and her heart tried to leap right out of her chest.
