Caught by Menace (14 page)

“Every mark I carry on my body is a reminder of the hel

I’ve survived. These tel the story of my history as a

soldier.” He touched his left side, the bare side. “But

here? This is where I’l tel the story of us. Someday

soon, your mark wil be right here.”

soon, your mark wil be right here.”

Menace touched the space just above his heart. The

implication hit her hard. He would wear her mark on his

heart because she meant more to him than anything in this

world.

“When we have children, their marks wil join yours. I

wil carry you on me forever because you are mine.
That

is what you mean to me.” Menace caressed her cheek.

“Do you understand now?”

“Yes.” The depth of his devotion both terrified and

warmed her. No one had ever spoken to her in this way.

If any man in creation had the audacity to be everything

he promised, it was probably Menace.

He stroked her jaw and smiled sadly. “I know you

don’t believe me. Not completely, at least.” He kissed

her tenderly. “That’s al right, sweetheart. I know what

I’m up against and I’m wiling to take on the chalenge of

convincing you.”

Naya didn’t know what to say to that. Menace

reached for the orange he’d peeled and popped off one

segment of juicy fruit. He teased it across her lips. “Eat

your dessert so I can have mine.”

His sexy, playful meaning didn’t escape her. She

happily alowed him to slip the citrusy flesh between her

happily alowed him to slip the citrusy flesh between her

teeth. She munched on the delicious orange and felt the

first tendrils of anticipation unfold in her core. Only one

thought circled round and round in her head.
I could get

used to this.

Menace enjoyed watching Naya sleep. Her relaxed

face showed the slightest hint of a smile. Considering the

way he’d ravished her after she’d finished that orange, he

wasn’t surprised. Hel, he’d had a smile on his face when

he’d finaly drifted off with her secure in his arms.

He studied her ful lips and dark hair. The first soft

rays of faux sunlight spiled out of the recessed lights

above the bed. His people had long since mastered the

art of long-term space living by fooling the body with

specialy filtered UV lights set on timers that mimicked a

daily solar cycle. By eating a specialized diet high in

vitamins and exercising regularly, the Harcos lived in

space for years without suffering negative side effects.

Menace wondered how wel Naya would take to her

new lifestyle. Halie had struggled with living in ful-time

orbit. Vicious sent her to see her sister in the colonies

whenever possible so she could have a few days with her

feet on solid ground. If Naya needed that, he’d find a

way to make it work. There were years of vacation days

banked in his account waiting to be used.

banked in his account waiting to be used.

He trailed his fingertip along her colarbone to the very

tip of her throat and then lower to the valey between her

breasts. Their discussion from last night stil troubled him.

That she had a criminal past as a juvenile delinquent was

the least of his worries. The women of Calyx were faced

with ugly choices. To survive, Naya had made the

choices she felt necessary. He would never hold those

against her.

No, what troubled him most was the way the people

who should have protected her had treated her so

abominably. A mother who ran out on her and a brother

who left her behind to struggle for survival? It was an

absolute disgrace.

He now understood what he faced in earning her trust.

It wasn’t going to be easy, but then none of the things in

life worth having ever were. Naya was worth it. He had

to make her see that she was truly a person who

deserved happiness and love and security. If it took his

last breath, he’d show her that.

Remembering a promise he’d made about giving her

time before they took a step toward parenthood,

Menace carefuly slipped out of bed. To his amusement,

Menace carefuly slipped out of bed. To his amusement,

she reached for him in her sleep. He patted her seeking

hand until she settled back down. Smiling, he headed into

the bathroom and went through his usual morning routine.

Before returning to bed, he opened up the med kit in one

of the cabinets and found the thermometer.

He slid back in bed and activated the thermometer.

Before she’d gone to sleep, Naya had explained that her

temperature had to be taken at roughly the same time

every morning and after at least four hours of sleep.

Considering the routine he kept, she would likely wake

near this time every day.

Menace pressed the flat, circular tip of the

thermometer to her temple. A split second later, Naya’s

eyes flew open in sheer terror. She grabbed his wrist

hard enough to leave bruises. “Get that off of me!”

The thermometer beeped and he carefuly tugged it

away from her head. “Easy, Naya. It’s just a

thermometer.”

Wild-eyed, she smacked at his hand and sat up. “The

hel it is!” She rubbed the spot where he had taken her

temp. “What did you do to me? Did you inject me with

some kind of drug?”

Her misunderstanding would have been humorous if

Her misunderstanding would have been humorous if

she wasn’t so clearly gripped by paranoia. “Look,” he

said and thrust the thermometer into her hands. “It’s just

a temperature-taking device. You hold it to the forehead

or temple and it takes a temperature in three seconds.”

She took the device with trembling fingers and studied

it. Her fingertip traced the flat probe and then the digital

display. She swalowed hard as color crept into her

cheeks. Obviously embarrassed, she refused to meet his

gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” he said softly and tipped her chin. “It’s al right.

I should have woken you first. I can’t imagine how

scared I would have been if some woman I’d only

known for a day was jamming something strange against

my head while I was in a dead sleep.”

“I guess.”

“Let’s start this day over, okay?” Menace leaned

forward and captured her lips. “Good morning,

sweetheart.”

Happiness filtered across her beautiful face. “Good

morning, Menace.”

“Smile for me,” he murmured and brushed his

knuckles across her cheek.

knuckles across her cheek.

“What?” She laughed nervously but couldn’t squash

the bemused smile that tugged at the corners of her

mouth. “Why?”

He kissed her forehead. “Because I like to see you

smile.”

Before she could ask him why he liked that so much,

he claimed her mouth in a kiss that grew increasingly

passionate. Mornings had always been the time that he

was the most easily aroused. Having Naya’s soft, warm

body in his arms made it impossible for him to think of

anything else but possessing her again.

He pressed her onto her back and threw a leg over

her hips. Pinning her smaler body beneath his, Menace

pushed up onto his knees and planted his hands on either

side of her face. She gazed up at him with such

apprehension on her face. He nuzzled her neck and

nipped her sensitive skin. “Relax, Naya.”

“It’s hard sometimes,” she admitted, slightly

breathless. “I know you won’t hurt me, but you’re just so

damn big. I’ve spent my whole life keeping away from

big, scary men.”

He couldn’t blame her for experiencing an ingrained

response. Not wanting her to be uncomfortable, he lifted

response. Not wanting her to be uncomfortable, he lifted

off her and started to move to the side. To his surprise,

she wound her legs around his waist and shook her head.

“Stay on me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She bit her lower lip and then admitted, “I like

the way it feels.”

Now they were getting somewhere. “But it makes you

feel conflicted?”

She nodded. “I feel like I shouldn’t want to be

powerless to you. I feel like I should be the one in

complete control.”

Menace caressed her naked breast and brushed his

thumb over her nipple. The dusky-brown peak tightened

under his touch. “You respond so wonderfuly to being

submissive to me, Naya.”

“I know.” She didn’t sound happy about it.

He kissed the side of her neck and nibbled her

earlobe. Coaxing pleasured sighs from her lips made his

dick throb. Her hands roamed his sides, setting his skin

alight. “I gave you a safeword, remember?”

Her hands went stil on his ribs. “Blue?”

“Yes.” He gazed down at her. “You have the power

“Yes.” He gazed down at her. “You have the power

to make everything stop, Naya. Even if I have you cuffed

to my bed and your feet suspended in midair, you’re the

one in control.”

Interest flashed in her eyes. “Could we do that?”

He tilted his head. “You want me to cuff you to my

bed?”

She gulped hard. “Yes.”

“You’re sure?” He was ready to pounce on her

request but didn’t want to regret it later if she wasn’t

absolutely certain.

“You said I’m in control, right? If it’s too much, I can

use the safeword you gave me.”

He nodded. “It won’t get to that point, Naya. The first

moment I detect any true fear from you, I’l cut you

loose.”

A sweet smile brightened her face. “I know you wil.”

She hadn’t said the word
trust
, but they were getting

there. She trusted him not to hurt her. She trusted him to

behave honorably and abide by the rules. Knowing her

history, it was a huge step forward in their relationship.

Menace kissed her deeply. “Wait here. I need to get

some things.”

some things.”

“Um, may I use the restroom first?”

“Sorry,” he apologized quickly. “I shouldn’t have

jumped on you the second you woke up, but you’re just

too tempting.”

She laughed. “Wel with an apology like that, a girl can

forgive her big, sexy sky warrior for making her do the

potty dance.”

Menace frowned at her while she bounced off the bed

and scurried to the bathroom. “The what?”

She touched the frame and opened the door. Glancing

over her shoulder, she presented such a stunningly erotic

picture. Her bare bottom and smiling face were the things

of fantasies. “You haven’t spent much time around

toddlers.”

He shook his head. “Children aren’t very common

aboard the
Valiant
yet. We’ve only just started an

elementary school program for five- and six-year-olds. I

understand it’s a class of seven.”

“Wel, someday when you have a handful of rotten

little Menaces running around this place driving you

insane with their yeling and wild antics, you’l understand

the term.”

She disappeared into the bathroom and left him

thinking about the very real possibility of such a thing

happening in the not too distant future. An image of a

young child with the same honey-brown skin and dark

hair as Naya but his pale eyes appeared before him. The

idea of someday walking into a noisy home to be greeted

by the sounds of his wife and children filed him with the

most desperate sense of longing.

For so long, he’d fought to preserve the Harcos way

of life from those insurrectionists who wanted to ruin

everything that was good and right and true about their

society. He’d gone into battle ready to die to defend the

lives of the men who stood on either side of him.

Grabbing Naya had given him a chance to build

something even greater to protect and defend—a family,

his
very own family.

Emboldened by his desire to cultivate a lasting, trusting

relationship with the young woman he’d caught in the

forest, Menace climbed off the bed and made his way to

the playroom attached to their bedroom. He quickly

chose the items he needed for the sensual torment he had

in mind.

When he returned, he found Naya kneeling in the

When he returned, he found Naya kneeling in the

center of the bed. The ends of her hair looked damp.

Had she showered that quickly? Anxiety and excitement

radiated from her in waves. She chewed her lower lip

and picked at the sheets. Teling her to relax wasn’t going

to help. The sooner he had her bound and completely at