Hot Redemption (13 page)

CHAPTER 12

Phoenix

“So what do you think, my dear?” Pappy's bland voice pierced my thoughts.

“What?”

“What do you think of Trinity?” Pappy spread out his arms to encompass the view before him. “I'm sure this is a bit prettier than earth. I've heard there is even garbage in the ocean.”

“Not yet, but close.” I combed my fingers through my hair and forced my eyes to take in the scenery before me.

It was a magnificent view. We stood on an observation deck mounted with platinum bricks. Twin full moons glittered in the soft radiance of the magenta sky. Sky crafts zoomed through the air but we were so high up my view of the alien sky was completely unfettered. It was stunning, beautiful, and enchanting, yet I couldn't seem to truly see anything except Epic's chiseled face.

A huge beach rested before us. Waves crashed against the rocky cliffs. I couldn't make out most of the color, but the water brightened from the things that swam inside it. Kind of like the fish had little lights attached to their scales, and when they glowed, the whole sea lit up in the night.

Silk curtains draped the glass doors behind us to give us some privacy from the restaurant diners who sat inside. A savory aroma drifted out to me, but I wasn't hungry. My gut twisted and turned into itself with all that had happened the last days.

Epic's words floated in my head.
And if you need me for more—love when you're lost and alone, sex when you're horny, tender kisses just to realize another cares, I'll be there for you without asking any questions or assuming that you're mine.

I sighed.
Damn you, Epic.

A waiter stepped out from between the curtains. I doubted he was even human. His skin glowed lime green. Brown dots scattered across most of his face. He had no lips, just slits that spread from ear to ear. Instead of the usual black-and-white one-piece suit most servants wore in restaurants on earth, he wore gold plastic jacket with no shirt or matching pants. “Mabr tun v-vdrak bonon?”

“Yes. I would love a small glass of your finest scotch. Three cubes of ice.” Pappy turned to me. “Darling, what would you like to drink?”

I don't want to suffocate you. I just sometimes want to be in the air that you breathe and know that in those few seconds I'm the one on your mind.

“Darling?” Pappy tapped my shoulder. “Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yes. I'm so sorry. What did you ask me?”

“What would you like to drink?”

“Something strong.”

Pappy faced the waiter. “Give her a nice scotch too with some ice—”

“No ice, please. Just a splash of mineral water. Not the sparkling kind.” I waved my hand.

The waiter nodded. “Mabr gor. Mabr tek v-vaynoc.”

“Correct,” Pappy said as the waiter left.

“What language is that?” I asked, hoping to make up for my odd behavior. I'd been ignoring him all day and was sure he was getting suspicious. Soon my whale would swim off to another fisher-woman with less boggled-down thoughts and a more attentive attitude.

“He's a Vox, native to this planet. He spoke in his language. Yet, as you can see, he understands English and most languages quite well.” Pappy twisted the ends of his curly mustache and then released it. “The problem is that Vox mouths make it almost impossible to sound out most of the phonetics in English, so he speaks in his language.”

“Interesting.”

“I've been living on Trinity for almost twenty years. I learned their language after two years.” Pappy beamed. “I've picked up a few things.”

“That's one of the reasons why I'm here, to pick at that valuable mind of yours. I hope to gain a lot from you and maybe give in return.” I trailed my index finger from his forehead to his cheek. He quivered under my touch.
I think that got his attention.
He cleared his throat and held out his arm. I hooked my own arm around his and he guided me to the edge of the observation deck.

“Let's get a closer look,” he said.

A few feet closer and I realized that instead of just air and nothing in front of us, there was a solid glass wall all around the balcony, probably so no one would fall. I rested my free arm on it and drank in the sight. How captivating it was, like a scene from a romantic movie right as the hero and heroine come together and kiss. I'd dreamed of moments like that happening for me around a precious landscape similar to the one before us, but not with a man like Pappy. Sure, he was a nice guy and soaked in money, but he didn't resemble the heroes of my dreams, the ones who captured my heart and imprisoned my soul with theirs.

But then Teddy came along.

And most of my dreams shifted into nightmares filled with flames and smoke. I stopped fantasizing about heroes and transformed those foolish love wishes into possible plots for money. So here I stood next to a rich man who was willing to do anything for me and provide me almost instantly with the things I desired.
I should be happy.
Gloom unfurled inside my chest and pounded with the beat of my heart.

Only a monster would cage an exotic bird that was birthed for freedom and flying.

I should never have let him touch me.
That was a huge mistake.
He was getting under my skin in a most annoying way.
Damn him. I won't let him ruin this for me.

“This sky is why people all over the galaxy travel so far to see it.” Pappy broke the silence between us. “What do you think, darling?”

I forced the best smile I could manage and turned to face Pappy. “It's absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

The waiter returned and handed us our drinks with his glowing green hands. “Bron tor v-vadrak.”

“Yes. We'll let you know if we need anything else.” Pappy took a tiny sip of his scotch as it chilled in a violet glass shaped like a tube.

I put my own tube to my lips. The cold glass froze my lips a bit. I tipped my head back and swallowed all the scotch in one gulp. The frosty liquid burned as it traveled down my throat. My chest warmed. I coughed a little and snapped my fingers at the waiter before he left. “I'd like another one of those, please.”

The waiter bowed and vanished within the curtains.

Pappy eyed me speculatively. “What's wrong, my darling Nix? You've seemed distant all day.” He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear on the left side of my head. I had to suppress the urge to back away from his touch. “Are you worried about your brother?”

I choked back a snort. If he only knew the kinds of thoughts I'd been thinking about my supposed brother all day, Pappy would probably have a heart attack. I bit the inside of my cheek and sighed wistfully. “I must confess that I am stressed about his drug use.”

“Of course you are.”

“I guess. It's just hard to enjoy all of this fully when I know my brother is still getting over his addiction.”

My mind conjured up an image of Epic's dark lustful gaze staring up the line of my body as he licked my heated center. My knuckles tightened on the observation deck railing. Maybe I had a new addiction of my own.
Epic.
I cringed. Of course he wasn't the first man since Teddy who'd piqued my hormone's interest. But he was the first that seemed to be needling his way into my heart somehow. His words had haunted me all day and this evening. Images of his mouth doing its magic below me had corroded my brain waves.

I can't let this continue. I have to get him off my mind. I can't let a man like Epic get into my system any further.

“I understand, darling. I had a distant cousin that battled a drug addiction for many years.” Pappy ran his clammy hand down my arm and again, I resisted the urge to pull away from him. “I let him stay at one of my condos on the other side of Trinity and he ended up stealing everything out of it to buy his mess. And later he had a poor family of Vox renting my condo out and giving him the money. It was a disaster and misfortunate for the whole family.”

“I can't even imagine.” I feigned interest.

“Well, Mother refused to speak to him again and forbid his side of the family from vacationing with us on holidays.”

“That seems a bit drastic.”

“Well, you can't coddle addicts, darling. Trust me. I know a lot of things.”

I doubt you know as much as me.

I frowned, realized I was doing it, and formed my lips into a smile.

“Oh dear. I'm so selfish.” He patted my head like I was a puppy. “Do you want to call it a night then? We can have another date tomorrow maybe?”

I shook my head vehemently. “No, no—let me just go freshen up. I'm not going to let Epic ruin our day.”

I ground my teeth together as I said Epic's name because again his gorgeous face flashed in front of my mind's eye.
Damn him
. I didn't like the idea of hanging out with Pappy for another minute, but if the date ended, I'd have to face Epic sooner. I didn't think I was ready for that yet. I just needed more time to think, or rather,
not think
about him.

“I really am enjoying our time together.” I grabbed his hand. “I'm learning so much.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just let me go and freshen up some more in the ladies' room. Is that what they call it here on Trinity?”

He chuckled. “Well, it's called
shor tun
in Vox.”

“Shor tun?”

“Good job.” Pappy squeezed my hand as he gave me a patronizing smile. “Alright. I'll be right here waiting for you.”

“Thanks.” I smiled briefly before scampering off in the other direction to find the ladies' room.

After pushing through the silk curtains, I stepped into the dining area of the restaurant. White light bathed the space and reflected off the shiny silver walls. The allure of savory food teased my senses. People filled the tables all over the room. Leather corsets of many colors draped the women. Soft, lush fabrics flowed out from their corsets and hid their legs. Most of the men had mustaches just like Pappy. Some fluffed out in a bushy sweep. Others thinned over the lips, but all of them curled up at the ends. More green waiters journeyed throughout the dining area, carrying trays of food and drinks in their hands.

I departed from the dining room and entered a dimly lit hallway. No one walked it but me. I hoped a bathroom was at the end or at least a path to a bathroom.

“I'll be there for you without asking any questions or assuming that you're mine.”

Yeah, yeah, he says that now, but how long would that be enough, before he demanded more from me? Guys like him always want more than I want or can give.

I was so lost in my thoughts of Epic that I nearly ran face first into—

“Epic!” I exclaimed as I looked up from his massive chest that I had almost knocked myself out on. Black leather draped his muscular body. His jacket fit around his chest and arms. His pants formed around his toned thighs. For one brief moment joy burst within my chest, but then the realization that he stood in front of me while Pappy sat out on the observation deck waiting for me yanked me out of my happy moment.

“What in the darkness are you doing here?” I demanded as my smile morphed into a scowl.

He had the nerve to toss me a wicked smile, one that dripped with sex and sensual promises.
And since when does he have dimples?

“I'm watching your back—making sure nothing happens to you.” He reached up and tucked some of my hair behind my ear, much like Pappy just had, but instead of being slightly skeeved out, my body hummed with anticipation.

“I'm not a fan of stalkers. If you think doing this is going to endear you to me—”

Epic slid one hand down my back to rest just above my ass and took a few steps backward so we were hidden in the shadows of an alcove just off from my destination of the ladies' room. “Have you been enjoying yourself today?”

I met his lustful eyes as I responded, “My day has been absolutely amazing.” I hated how sultry my voice sounded. Maybe he wouldn't notice.

“It didn't look that way to me.”

“Have you been watching me the whole time?”

“Yes. I happened to see you two at the park across from the hotel. He was picking you up in his ugly car, so I decided to grab a cab and follow you two.”

“For safety reasons?” I quirked my eyebrows at him.

“Of course. It was all professional motivation, nothing more or less.” Epic's statement didn't seem to mirror where his mind really was. The hand that was on my lower back slid down to cup my ass and he pulled me flush against his body. Lust shined over his eyes. He sniffed at the area near my neck and moaned. “Why do you always smell so damn good?”

“Epic, you need to leave. I don't want you here.”

“Mmm hmm,” Epic murmured as he dropped his head to skim his full lips down the side of my exposed neck. I clutched at his shoulders, willing myself to push him away, but my body had a mind of its own. Epics other hand skimmed the top of my corset, causing my nipples to pebble almost painfully. “Think about how different it would have been if you would have let me show you the planet today instead of Pappy. I trailed you both everywhere. The whole time that boring guy talked and fondled his mustache while you stared off into the sky . . . what were you thinking about?”

“Not you.”

“You're lying.”

“No. I'm not. I thought you were going to give me space,” I practically pleaded. Because if he kept going the way he was now, I'd be putty in his hands in no time. And that was completely unacceptable. “Isn't that what you said back at the hotel?”

“I changed my mind.” Epic bit at one of my nipples through the corset. Somehow his teeth managed the form the leather around my point enough to encase it. I moaned with pleasure. He bit down on the leather again and then released it. “I want you, Nixie baby, and I can't stand the thought of Pappy's or anyone's hands on you but mine.”