commitment ceremony like the ones common on her
planet? A marriage? To hear him offer a new collar when
she might have been expecting something else—a ring and
a ceremony—must have hurt her badly.
“Hell!” Vicious swore and threw his legs over the side
of the bed. He stood and quickly left their bedroom. As he
crossed the living room, he realized that even though he
didn’t need a big, romantic gesture to seal his commitment
to Hallie,
she
did. His love for her would never change.
No ceremony or collar or ring would change that but she
needed this.
He found her in the kitchen sipping water. She wasn’t
crying, thankfully, but there was no mistaking how upset
she was. Her gaze lifted to his and she placed the glass on
the counter. “What is it, Vicious?”
He wasn’t sure how this worked. It seemed strange to
ask her when she already belonged to him. Still, he had to
try. For Hallie, he’d do anything.
He cleared his throat. “Will you share a marriage
ceremony with me?”
Her eyes widened and she brought a hand to her chest.
“What?”
Uncertainty rippled through him. She looked confused.
“Am I doing it wrong?”
“Will you marry me?” she whispered. “That’s the way
it goes.”
“I see.” He took a step closer and reached for her hand.
She came to him, her lips curving in a sweet smile. He
cupped her face and brushed his thumb across her cheek.
“Will you marry me, Kitten?”
“Yes.”
Happiness welled inside him, the bright, warm feeling
spreading through his chest and wrapping around his heart.
She lifted on tiptoes to kiss him. Their lips teased together
and separated. She grinned mischievously. “What?”
With a giggle, she said, “Just remember, I asked you
first.”
Chapter Nineteen
“I can’t believe my baby sister is getting married!”
Hallie laughed at Bernie’s outburst. “Technically, I’ve
been married for almost two months.”
Bernie waved her hand and settled into the comfy
corner of the couch. Hallie still hadn’t gotten used to the
sight of her sister aboard the
Valiant
. “That’s Grabbed.
Grabbed is different from married.”
Hallie couldn’t argue that. “I’m still shocked that he
asked. I mean, you know Vicious now. He’s not exactly
the most touchy-feely of men.”
“No. Honestly, Hal, I don’t know how you can live with
him. He’s terrifying.” She shook her head. “They all are.
I’m so glad I get to go back to my tiny little apartment on
Jesco and surround myself with normal-sized men.”
Hallie seized her opening. “Are you dating someone?”
“No. I don’t think this is the time to date.” She rubbed
her even bigger baby bump. “I mean, well, it’s
complicated.”
Hallie smiled. “Isn’t it always when it comes to men?”
Bernie laughed. “It does seem that way.” She played
with the floral embroidery on her pale-pink blouse. “He’s
a doctor at the clinic and has a little boy in my daycare
class. Not the prenatal side of the clinic,” she clarified.
“He’s a surgeon and a widower.”
“Oh. Wow.” She hesitated. “Does he know about…?”
She nodded. “We’ve had breakfast a few times. The
subject of the baby’s father came up and I told him the
truth. Well,” she said quickly, “not the part about you and
the Red Feather helping me off Calyx, but the other stuff.”
“How did he take it?”
“He didn’t care. He said we all make mistakes. My past
is my past. This is my future.”
Hallie smiled. “Vicious said the same thing to me when
I finally told him about my involvement in the Red
Feather.”
“Really? He wasn’t angry?”
She shook her head. “No. I think he was relieved that I
wasn’t mixed up in something much more illegal.”
Bernie stared at her hands as she asked, “You’re happy
with him, right? I mean, he treats you well? It’s just that
the stories we were told as little girls, Hallie. They were
pretty scary.”
“He doesn’t hurt me, and I’m very happy with him.”
Hallie reached out and grasped her sister’s hand. “I
swear. I wouldn’t lie to you about this.”
“I figured you were happy. He seems to think you hung
the three moons.” Bernie smiled. “I needed to ask, just in
case.”
“I get it.”
“I’m sorry that the others wouldn’t come.”
Hallie shrugged. “I knew it was a long shot inviting the
rest of our family. I’m a little sad but I’ll get over it.”
“Did Lenny’s family come to her ceremony?”
Hallie shook her head. “Apparently, they did a small
private wedding in their quarters with a few of Hawk’s
friends in attendance. She hadn’t reconnected with any of
the women from Harper’s Well aboard the ship yet.”
“Well you’ll have me and Lenny and some of the
women from the new wives group you started. That’s
something, right?”
“It’s the best,” Hallie said softly and smiled at her
sister.
Bernie started to get teary. She sniffed and wiped at her
eyes. “Okay. Change the subject. Hormonal pregnant lady
here is ready to cry at the drop of a hat.” She gestured to
the sketch pad in Hallie’s lap. “What’s that?”
“Just some cartoon ideas for the newsletter we’re
putting together for the wives and children on the
Valiant
.”
Bernie shook her head. “No. That.”
Hallie followed her gaze to the loose page peeking out
from under the one she was working on at the moment. She
pulled it out and let her gaze fall on the sketch combining
her initials with Vicious’. “Our family crest.”
Bernie frowned. “Your what?”
“In Vicious’ culture, the men have a crest designed
when they take a wife. They tattoo them on their bodies.
On the left side,” she explained. “My name will go here on
Vicious.” She touched the same spot on her chest. “When
we have children, their names will branch out from there
along his arm.”
“Really? That’s awfully sweet.”
“I know.” Hallie laughed. “Surprising coming from
them, right?”
“Extremely,” Bernie agreed. “Who would have thought
they were so sentimental?”
“Not me,” Hallie admitted. “I had all these ideas about
Vicious based on what we were told. Some of them—most
of them—were right. Quite a few were dead wrong. These
men absolutely cherish and adore their wives and
families.”
“But he makes you wear a collar,” Bernie said, her
discomfort obvious.
“I choose to wear it.” Hallie fingered the new white
collar embroidered with silver thread and the silver tag
emblazoned with his initial. “If I asked to leave it off at
home, he wouldn’t blink an eye.”
“And if you didn’t want to wear it in public?”
Hallie shrugged. “I’m sure we’d come to a compromise
of some kind. It would be too much of an insult not to wear
it at military functions. I wouldn’t do that to him.”
“Because you love him?”
Hallie nodded. “Because I love him.”
“So he’s letting you design the crest?”
“Well, I’m doing a mock-up. Their tattoo artists will do
a final for us.”
“Us?” Bernie looked scandalized. “You’re going to
mark your body?”
“Yes.” Hallie grinned. “I want Vicious’ name on me.
It’s not uncommon for a woman to have a tattoo applied in
this culture.”
“Wow.” Bernie blinked. “I guess I shouldn’t be
surprised. You never were the traditional type.”
Hallie snorted. “To put it mildly.”
“Are you going to let your hair grow now?” She
broached a subject that had been taboo at home.
“No.” Hallie fingered her shoulder-length locks. “I
think I’ll keep my hair short. It means something to me. It’s
a symbol of me surviving that nightmare and coming out
stronger on the other end.”
“Speaking of nightmares, I heard about Deniva from a
friend of mine at the shelter in Safe Harbor. She’s doing
well, apparently.”
“Lenny and I get updates on her every week or so. I’m
just glad she won’t have any lasting physical damage from
what her husband did to her. The emotional damage…
well.”
“She has a fighting chance there. Believe me,” Bernie
said with a sigh, “there are women at that shelter who
have stories even worse than Deniva’s.”
“Really?” Hallie’s heart ached for those women.
“That’s awful.”
“At least Deniva’s husband will go to prison. Most of
the women I met live in fear their men will track them
down.”
“Sergeant Crow is being shipped to a military prison.
He won’t ever get out.”
“When?”
“Today.” Hallie grimaced. “It was supposed to be
yesterday but there was some issue with the transport ship.
Vicious was so annoyed. He wants that man off his ship as
soon as possible.”
“Let’s hope he gets his wish. I think I’ll pee my pants if
I have to deal with an annoyed Vicious. The normal,
everyday guy scares me to death!”
Hallie laughed and glanced at the clock. Just a few
more hours and she’d get to marry the man who’d stolen
her and her heart.
* * * * *
“I don’t think that’s right.” Vicious glared at the pale-
pink and white flowers on his desk. He showed Menace
the picture on his tablet screen. “This is what a bouquet
looks like.”
Menace frowned. “Look, I went down there to Connor’s
Run and got the damn things from their market. Don’t
expect me to put them together for you too!”
Vicious snorted at his friend’s irritation. “Carrying pink
flowers back to the
Valiant
really bothered you, huh?”
Red tinged Menace’s ears. “It was humiliating, Vicious.
I’m a fucking weapons specialist. I’m not your errand
boy.”
“Keep running your mouth and you might be.”
Menace narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Vicious laughed. “No, I wouldn’t, but I bet I had you
wondering for a second there.”
“Maybe,” Menace grumbled. He studied the screen of
the tablet. “I think we need something to wrap the stems.
See? They used ribbon in this image.”
“Where the hell am I going to get ribbon?”
Menace chewed his lower lip. “What about tape?
You’ve got some silver fix-all tape, right?”
“Somewhere, I’m sure.” Vicious eyed the loosely
grouped bouquet of flowers. “Do you think silver will
look okay?”
“Are we really having this conversation?” Menace
shook his head. “You and me, sitting here discussing
flower arrangements? What the hell happened to us?”
“I’m not sure what’s happened to you but I fell in love.”
Menace grimaced. “Remind me not to do that.”
“Really? Because the rumor is that you’ve filled out the
paperwork for the next Grab on Calyx, the one in Connor’s
Run.”
Menace glanced away. “I’m considering it.”
Vicious clapped his friend on the back. “Do it, Menace.
I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You won’t
regret it.”
Menace started to speak but the door to Vicious’ office
opened suddenly. Terror stepped inside and looked grim.
Vicious rolled his eyes, certain Terror was about to try to
talk him out of this wedding idea. “What?”
“We have a big problem.”
“Not again, Terror.” Vicious slashed his hand through
the air. “I don’t want to argue with you over this ring-and-
ceremony business. It’s done. It’s happening. Let it go.”
“I wish it was that, Vee.” Terror exhaled loudly. “It’s
Sergeant Crow. He escaped his escort.”
Vicious shot up out of his chair. “How?”
Terror shrugged. “I assume someone took advantage of
that extra twenty-four hours he had in holding and slipped
him something to bust his cuffs. Raze and Venom weren’t
on the escort team today. Someone reported a hostage
situation in the fuel depot so the SRU team was deployed
but when they arrived, there was no one there.”
“That’s too much of a coincidence.” Menace frowned.
“An inside job? A friend?”
“Probably,” Terror agreed. “I sent two of my men to
your door. There are two others on their way to Lenny
Hawk’s door. I shut down the elevators.”
“Thank you.” Vicious breathed a bit easier knowing
Terror’s men were guarding Hallie and her sister. “I think
it’s likely he’ll try to escape this ship. Do we have
someone on the docks yet?”
Terror nodded. “I was in security when the call went
out. They’re shutting down incoming and outgoing traffic