Liv tried to keep the surprise off her face when he drew back but it was hard. The look in his eyes said he wanted to eat her alive but he’d just given her the softest, most gentle kiss she’d ever experienced. What was going on? And why was her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in every part of her body?
“You may retire to the ship for the remainder of your claiming period,” the official intoned, breaking into her train of thought.
“Oh, Liv!” Sophia threw her arms around Liv’s neck and hugged her close with a little sob. “Be strong,” her twin whispered. “You always were the strong one. Come back to us.”
“I will,” Liv promised. “You can bank on it, womb-mate.”
When Sophia finally forced herself to break free, Kat gave her a tight hug too.
“Remember, stick to your guns,” she reminded Liv in a whisper. “And if you don’t and we never see you again, you better at least send me an e-mail telling me all the dirty details.”
Liv half laughed, half cried. “No, chance. Look for me in thirty days, not any stupid e-mail, Kat.”
“I’ll be here with bells on to pick you up,” Kat promised. “We’ll go straight to Magaritaville and the drinks are on me all night.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Liv warned her. Then, knowing she couldn’t delay any longer, she turned with as much dignity as she could muster and looked up at Baird. “I’m ready,” she said.
She had never told a bigger lie in her entire life.
Chapter Five
He took her to a small back door that led to an outdoor space as big as a parking lot. It was enclosed by a high electric chain link fence with warnings in three different languages about the voltage and there was razor wire looped along the top of it. Inside it were parked a number of small, unassuming electric cars, similar to the one she drove herself.
Liv stared with wide eyes. Geeze, they sure take themselves seriously. All this security to protect a few Nissan Minisports?
“This is our ride.” Baird’s deep voice reminded her that she was supposed to be following him. She stepped out confidently enough toward the small, nondescript vehicle he was pointing to. The asphalt outside was hot and a lot harder than the bland grey carpet inside the HKR building, but she was a Florida girl and it wouldn’t be the first time she’d walked barefoot on hot concrete.
Unfortunately she forgot about the shard of glass still embedded in her heel. She’d mostly stopped bleeding during the ceremony and had more important things than a minor injury on her mind anyway but one step was all it took to remind her. The minute her hurt foot connected with the hard black surface Liv yelped.
“Ow! Son of a—” Before she could complete the expletive, Baird was there, staring at her with concern.
“What happened? Are you hurt?” he demanded even as he scanned the area with those inhumanly golden eyes, obviously searching for a threat.
“I’m fine. I just…” Liv gestured to her wounded foot with irritation. “I dropped my orange juice when those goons came to get me and I stepped on a shard of glass.”
His face fell. “You were hurt all this time and I didn’t notice?”
“I didn’t notice half the time myself,” Liv assured him. “I had, uh, other things on my mind.” Like finding out exactly what I was getting myself into with you. “I’ve stopped bleeding so I guess I forgot until I stepped on it out here.”
“You’re bleeding?” He looked even more alarmed. Getting down on one knee he gestured her forward. “Let me see.”
“No, honestly, it’s all right.” Liv felt both annoyed and shy. Why was he making such a big deal out of this? She’d seen people with foreign objects imbedded in their bodies every day of the week as a nursing student in the Tampa General ER. Didn’t they ever step on sharp things where he came from?
“Olivia, come here.” His voice was a low growl—not menacing so much as stern. To her intense irritation, Liv found herself obeying him.
“It’s just a piece of glass,” she protested even as she allowed him to settle her on his knee and lift her foot. “If you’ll just give me a first aid kit I can take care of it myself.”
“No you won’t.” He examined the heel of her foot with care as though assessing a grave and dangerous injury. “Wait until we get up to the ship and let Sylvan look at it. He’s a medic.”
“And I’m a nurse,” Liv protested, feeling even more irritated. “I can handle myself, thank you.”
“Even a small injury like this can get infected and it’s hard to work on yourself.” The growl had come back to his voice again and his eyes flashed from dark amber to pale gold in a second. “You need a medic and that’s what you’ll get, Lilenta.”