"Oh no, you won't." A jealous rage gripped him. Tren knew it was foolish even as he drew his fist back and knocked his brother out. In that one act, he'd let his sibling know Megan meant more to him than he let on. More than he even wanted to admit to himself.
Looking at his brother's slumped form, a part of him regretted the past that had brought them both to this point. But, a man could only apologize so many times. It was time Jaro got over it.
Tren banged on the counter of the hiding shopkeeper who peered at him with frightened eyes. "You recognize me I assume?" The peeking head nodded. "Good. I expect you to ensure he comes to no harm, or I'll come back and show you in violent detail why you don't piss me off." Tren turned to walk away, but stopped and pivoted back. "Oh, but feel free to compensate yourself for the trouble by taking anything he has on him."
Tren chuckled as he imagined Jaro's reaction when he regained consciousness, nude as the day of his birth. He might have promised his mother he wouldn't kill his brother, but he'd never said anything about humiliation.
Concerned that Megan might have encountered trouble on her way back to the ship-or caused it-he stepped over Jaro's prone form and headed in her direction.
He discovered only one miscreant in need of dispatching on his way, his guilt evidenced by the silver prong pinning his hand to the wall beside the opening leading to his ship. He dispatched him quickly and stalked in after her, angry even if he didn't understand why.
Chapter Nine
Megan paced in front of the opening for the ship, unable to get in no matter how much she whacked the wall, but unwilling to go back out looking for Tren. It didn't help she'd left her only weapon stuck in some alien who'd grabbed her ass.
What unsettled her wasn't her sudden propensity for violence, or the odd encounter with his brother, but the scalding kiss. The one he'd given her in public and with that strange look in his eye. Brain muddling, knee melting, panty wetting, he'd embraced her and she forgot everything except how it felt to be in his arms. She wondered if she would have even protested had he decided to take her in full view of everyone. Probably not, given how hot her blood ran. The thought chilled her, but not as much as what she feared it meant.
I don't even like him. Sure, he's sexy, but dammit, the guy wants to sell me as some sex toy for some pervert. Yet, knowing this, she enjoyed his presence and craved his touch. Once again, like an idiot, she was allowing herself to trust a man, care for him even though all signs pointed to him eventually hurting her. And she'd only have herself to blame. He'd made his intentions clear from the start. She was the stupid one for allowing her heart to get involved. She blamed it on her body and its insane desire for him. If only she could slake her never ending thirst where he was concerned.
Speaking of the purple devil, he arrived, striding up the gangway, his brows arched and his lips pulled into a taut line. "Why are you standing outside the ship?" he barked.
"Probably because I don't know how to get in."
He slapped the panel beside her head and the door slid open. She turned to walk in when he halted her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
She whirled back and then bit her lip as he handed her back the chopstick she'd left behind. "Thanks."
His lips quirked. "I'd say no trouble, but I'd say that follows you wherever you go."
She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm gifted." She turned away from him and headed into the ship.
"Megan." He spoke her name softly, and again she stopped to peer back. She couldn't read the look in his clear eyes and his brow furrowed. "I will be back shortly. Try and stay out of mischief." For some reason, she got the impression he'd meant to say something else.
Nodding in reply, she didn't let her shoulders slump until the door slid shut.
What had she expected? That he would suddenly sweep her into his arms and resume the kiss from earlier? The one that seemed to speak of more than passion, but … No, she wouldn't even think it. From now on, it was probably best if they stayed away from each other. Far away.
Common sense didn't stop the disappointment, though.
It took her several slap attempts along the corridor wall, but she finally made it to the command center. She sat in the chair and twirled her hair as she waited for him to return.
"Hey computer, I don't suppose you've got any new videos to watch?" she muttered aloud.
To her surprise, the view screen lit up and she leaned forward with rapt attention as she found herself treated to real time footage of the marketplace she'd just left.
From her position of safety, she studied the various races milling about, all the while waiting to catch sight of her purple marauder. It took a while, during which she watched an almost comical display of violence amongst the various alien species, but Tren finally appeared, stepping forth from a building with a bright red, flashing sign that she couldn't read. Annoyance made her flush and drum her fingers as she guessed what it said given he had some alien females hanging off each arm. Their numerous breasts pressed against him, and he, the freaking jerk, did nothing to push them away. On the contrary, he smiled and patted the hand of one.
Fuming, she crossed her arms and turned sideways in the chair to avoid seeing him bestowing anything more intimate on the hussies. Irrational jealousy ate at her. She didn't own him and had no say in whom he spent his time with, and apparently, no matter how many times they'd fucked, the first chance he got, he preferred paying for it, which said a lot about her skill-or lack of.
She didn't care. He's a slaving pirate who intends to auction me off and if he thought he'd get any more taste of the goods, he had another thing coming.
When he finally arrived in the command center, she wouldn't swivel to face him.
"I see you finally managed to figure out some of the ship commands," he announced.
"With no help from you," she grumbled.
"I was otherwise occupied," he retorted.
"Yes, I saw how you were busy," she drawled with thick sarcasm. She pivoted in the seat and fixed him with a sneer.
"Are we back to acting irrational?" he snapped back.
She arched a brow. "Me? I never realized I'd stopped. And don't try to change the subject. I'm not the one who can't make up his mind."
Tren gaped at her. "What the frukx are you yammering about now?"
"Don't act so innocent. I saw you with those-those things."
His gaze flicked to the view screen which still ran the live footage of the market place. His brow cleared in understanding. "I admit, I didn't know what would please you, hence my difficulty in choosing."
"Please me?" She jumped up from the chair and stalked toward him. She poked him hard in the chest and then poked him again just because she enjoyed it. "Just because I let you fuck me, doesn't mean I'm open to your sick sexual fantasies."
Tren stared at her with incomprehension. "How did we get back to sex? My errand was one of your asking. Or did you change your mind about acquiring a new set of clothing and shoes?"
"Clothing?" Megan's brow wrinkled. "What's clothing got to do with those sluts groping you?"
Comprehension dawned on him and he laughed. "You saw me with the seamstresses and thought I spoke of bringing them back for a group orgy?" Megan blushed and he chuckled louder.
Annoyed at her mistake, she slugged him in the groin and then stomped on his foot for good measure. It didn't stop his laughter or his arms from coming around her frame to tug her into him for a bone crushing hug.
"This isn't funny," she muttered, her cheeks hot with embarrassment.
"I find your jealousy highly entertaining." He rubbed his chin across the top of her head, and his gentle gesture made it hard for her to hold on to her irritation.
"I am not jealous. I'd have to like you for that emotion to work." But his words slapped her in the face with the truth. Fucking hell, if I'm jealous then I must like him.
"Liar," he chided.
Yes, she was, and she didn't like what it implied. Not enjoying where this conversation headed both aloud and in her mind, she changed the subject. "So, what's up between you and your brother? I see he got both the looks and the charm. Is that why you don't get along?" Her jibe stifled his humor and he stepped away from her, taking his masculine warmth with him, and, for a moment, she regretted her words.
"My argument with my brother is none of your concern. And in the future, if you should encounter him again, you would do well to watch yourself. I might be renown in the galaxy, but he is the scourge of it."
"Nice family," she sassed. "I think I'll skip the family reunion if you don't mind. Somehow it doesn't seem like a safe affair."
"I have no family, well, other than Jaro, and we don't run into each other often."