“Well, I’m not going to let that happen,” I muttered to myself as I stood. I’d finally met a truly good guy. I wasn’t going to let him destroy himself over me.
The door swishing open made me turn, forcing myself to smile as the Raas entered the room. His stormy expression softened when he saw me. “You waited for me.”
I swallowed the bitter taste of regret as I walked toward him, smiling seductively and adding an extra twist to my step. “You thought I wouldn’t, Raas?”
His brow furrowed but relaxed when he spotted my empty glass. “Vandar wine?”
I shrugged. Let him think the wine was loosening my inhibitions instead of my cunning. He would not be the first to be taken in by my feminine innocence—at least the appearance of it. I shook off any guilt that I was tricking the Raas. Despite what he promised and what I’d allowed myself to believe in the heat of the moment, I knew the reality of the empire’s reach and power. And I was not willing to sacrifice his life to it.
“We’ve left the planet’s orbit and are on course for Laurinia.” He unhooked his shoulder armor by the door, hanging it on a stand, and then unlaced his boots.
“Laurinia?” I helped him pull off his leather arm coverings without him asking, letting my hands linger on his warm skin.
“A pleasure planet we’ve never visited. The crew needs a break. Our last missions have been unrewarding.”
I studied his face. “I suspect the Raas also needs a break. Will you be going down to the surface with your raiders?”
His gaze slid to me. “Not to indulge in the offerings, but I will visit to appraise the planet. It is reputed to be an impressive sight.”
“Bron.” I took his hand and led him to the bed, pushing him down so he was sitting on the foot of it. “You do not need to deprive yourself because of me.”
One of his dark eyebrows lifted, as he wrapped his arms around my back. “You think I’m depriving myself when I’m fucking you every night?” He tugged me so that I stood between his legs. “There is nowhere I would rather be than inside you.”
Warmth suffused my face, and liquid heat stirred in my belly. “Then why don’t we sample the pleasure planet together?”
Raas Bron frowned, even as he lifted my wrist and feathered a warm kiss across the delicate skin. “You want me to take you off the ship?”
The unspoken reason this was such a problematic idea hung in the air between us.
I couldn’t sound like I wanted it too badly. The Raas was clever. He would see through me if I pushed too hard. I kept my voice light, twitching one shoulder as if it was of little consequence. “I thought it could be fun, but I don’t have to go. I can wait for you here.”
He leaned back and looked at me. “You must have been to pleasure planets before. In your previous line of work.”
“Only a few seedy ones. If this Laurinia is so special, maybe we could sample the offerings together.” I held up a finger. “Without the assistance of any pleasurers.”
“You do not wish to share?” he teased.
I crawled on top of him and straddled my legs around his waist. “No.” I dragged my palms down the hard slopes of his chest. “I want you all for myself.”
A velvet growl rumbled in his throat. “You know you have me, Alana.”
I leaned down and nipped his ear. “I haven’t had you on Laurinia.”
He laughed, coiling an arm around my waist and flipping me onto my back in a single, smooth motion. “Maybe we could arrange an outing to the planet.” He hovered over me, his eyes sparking with heat. “As long as you promise not to attempt another escape.”
I wrapped my legs around his back, squeezing and crossing my feet briefly at the ankles. “I’ll only run from you, Raas, if you insist on a chase.”
He reached for my wrists, lifting them over my head and pinning them easily to the bed. “Caught you.”
For now, I thought, as his mouth crashed into mine, and I surrendered to him, my heart breaking a little as the traitorous thought whispered in the back of my mind. For now.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Bron
“You’re sure about this?” Alana didn’t glance up at me as we stood together on the transport, the ramp touching down on the surface of Laurinia and sending sunlight flooding the compact compartment.
I wasn’t sure about my decision, but I was learning to live with uncertainty. Besides, the reports of the pleasure planet and it’s exotic environments had been too tempting to ignore, even for one who had no intention of engaging a pleasurer.
“If you can promise me you won’t try to steal a ship and escape from me.”
She snorted out a laugh as we both peered outside. “Even I’m not crazy enough to run away from this.”
I took her hand and walked down the ramp, my own mouth gaping as I took in Laurinia. Our transport ship had landed on a circular pad, but it was surrounded by water. A long walkway connected it to a stretch of pink sand that was lapped by sea-green water so clear it was easy to see vibrantly hued creatures darting within its depths. There were fabric cabanas on the beach, some with sheer fabric walls closed so that only the hazy outline of writhing bodies could be seen and others with pristine white curtains drawn to reveal females reclining on wide, cushioned platforms, their bodies beckoning males to join them. Pod-like boats hovered above the surface of the water, scantily clad pleasurers lounging on pillows while musicians sat on the edges of the boats and played. Everywhere, music and moans rose into the air.
Beyond the sand, gleaming white cliffs towered high with glistening chrome villas
