Moon Mark (16 page)

The rebellion leader’s lips curved. “I’m sure she did. That’s why I’m asking for the details. She’s been a thorn in my side since she arrived here. I can’t wait to kick her ass back to her own kind—after I’m through taking my enjoyment with her.”

My bullshit radar pinged, and I crossed my legs in a telling action.

But Corza didn’t notice anything amiss. She continued on, even slapping a hand down on the desk as she clarified, “I know you want her here. That much is clear. If it’s just for sex, then that’s pretty low even for you. When you have sex with her, I know you were forced into it—”

Geo’s head cocked. “When was that?”

Corza’s brows puckered in confusion. “When the damn Dynasty made you!”

“Oh, yes. You’re quite right.” He waved a hand. “Keep going.”

“Well, she won’t be running away from you anytime soon.” Corza sat back on her chair and stretched her arms up, and placed her hands behind her head. Completely relaxed. Just a brother and sister talking with one another. “She learned her lesson.”

“I still haven’t heard the good part.” He paused. “At least, I hope it gets better than this.”

Corza’s smile was all too smug. “I dangled her over the top of the building.” She whistled long and hard. “You should have seen her face. It was a sight to behold. It was magnificent.”

I glanced away and focused on the far wall. Even though I knew the rebellion leader was baiting her—that much was obvious—I couldn’t stand to listen to it any longer. My cheeks were flaming red in humiliation, the heat actually making my forehead sweat, and my fingers were strangling each other in a knot on my lap. The toilet might not be close enough if the stomach acid churning in my stomach rose in my throat.

The seconds ticked by in the silence as it descended on the room.

Tension had fled long ago…and was now replaced with a rising aggression. And power. Wicked and cruel power leaking from the rebellion leader. It haunted the office like a creeping smoke that would choke the lungs if breathed in too deeply. It didn’t take very long for Corza to start fidgeting in her chair next to me, the wooden thing creaking beneath her weight. Only then did I believe she understood her mistake, her massive blunder to his ‘mate.'

This wouldn’t end well for her.

Geo sniffed the air once and rested back on his own chair. Gentle as a whisper, he stated, “Corza, you know Madeline is under my protective care and is not to be physically or mentally harmed. What transpired when we were captured by the Dynasty has misguided you. And your actions this morning have mentally harmed my mate.” His voice was so quiet, so calm. Utterly frightening in its control. A shudder ran down my spine as he finished his speech. “But that won’t keep me from punishing you for breaking my law.”

Purple eyes turned to me, capturing my attention. “You may leave.” He tipped his head at his door. “And tell Xri to come in here when you go.”

I nodded and rose from my chair.

Though I froze when Corza’s hand landed on my right wrist.

I sucked in a harsh breath when Geo moved so fast it had me skittering backward. He was over the desk and slamming Corza’s torso against the wood in a mere blink. With one hand on the back of the struggling woman’s neck, Geo’s narrowed gaze met mine. He ordered quietly, “Now, Madeline.”

I gulped and hurried toward the door. I wasn’t about to get between the rebellion leader and his disorderly sister’s punishment. The knob was cool to my touch when I twisted it and charged out. I barely withheld my smirk as I told Xri he was wanted inside. It was pleasurable to watch Xri waiver this time to enter his leader’s office, the tables now turned. I cleared my own throat and observed as he finally walked in. When the door closed behind him, the furious bellowing that erupted from the rebellion leader put an added bounce in my step that I was in dire need of.

The crumbs on my shirt were quickly brushed off when Geo entered through the glass doors of the conference room. My late dinner sat hearty and hale in my stomach, but the aftermath of it still rested all over the conference table. I made quick work of smashing the wrappers into balls and tossing them into the tiny hov-basket to my right. My blue eyes turned back to the rebellion leader as he made his way toward me, holding two large mugs of what smelled like coffee.

He took the seat next to mine and placed one of the cups in front of me. I stared at the steaming dark liquid as he sipped from his own mug. He eventually pointed at the gifted cup and broke the silence. “It’s a peace offering. Take it. You look like you could use it.”

I snorted. “Thanks.” Though I did lift it and take a sip. It wasn’t bad, and the caffeine was appreciated. I was still so thrilled that the Kireg had this little treat on their planet. “I heard about the conference you gave earlier.”

He sat his drink down. “My people obviously needed to be informed of what actually happened with the Dynasty. There were too many ridiculous rumors running around.” He tapped his fingers on his cup and tilted his head until I met his lingering gaze.

My lips pinched, and I finally exhaled in a rush. “What did you do with Corza? She was only protecting you. She loves you very much.”

Purple eyes stared into mine. Unflinching. Unapologetic. “She received her first mark of misconduct after her mate had agreed it was the best punishment for the guilty act.”

I coughed so hard I had to put my cup down, my eyes widening on his. “Surely you didn’t charge her with something so extreme. Not for a Human—”

“I assure you, I did. She broke my law. She knew the consequences.” There was no remorse in his features. He was at peace with his decision. “She wears the guilt of her actions on her left bicep. It is a tattoo, a tally, much like the marks you wear on your wrists—except, this is a transgression. It is the Kireg way.”

I chewed on my bottom lip until I chuckled quietly. “And now, she is an example.”

He gently nodded his head, his deep timber quiet. “That too.” Dark eyes held mine for a moment longer before he cleared his throat. “I want to say something to you.”

I raised my brows, waiting for him to proceed.

His words were hard to hear, so blunt and severe. “I don’t think what we did while we were captured was wrong. What you did…what we did together…to stay alive, isn’t anything to be ashamed of. And my people now know the whole story. They have been set straight with the facts, and they know when to heed their leader.” He paused, his purple eyes unflinching. “Outside of that dreadful situation, what we’ve done together afterward in the bedroom is no one else’s business but our own.”

I swallowed hard and ran my eyes over his beautifully brutal features. My brows puckered, and I quickly glanced away when I found myself staring. I eyed my notebook papers in front of me with my messy scrawl all over them, and mumbled in a gust of air, “Thank you for saying that. But I need you to know, we probably shouldn’t have sex anymore. Not right away.”

He was quiet for too long.

I finally looked at him again.

The rebellion leader had been waiting patiently for my attention. His head cocked, his white hair brushing the shoulder of the white dress shirt he wore. “Why is that?”

I rubbed my lips together. Shrugged.

His lips trembled. “Is it because you liked it too much?”

My eyes closed very slowly and stayed that way. “Yes, I did like it too much.”

He snorted. “That isn’t horrible, Madeline. I am your mate.”

I opened my eyes and watched him. “But it screws with my head when I’m trying to figure out how I feel about you. Pleasure is one thing while a lifelong commitment is another.”

A white brow arched. “Madeline, our connection will never change. It is forever.” He cocked his head, his eyes on mine. “But I never said I wanted to have sex with you again soon, either.”

“Oh.” My mouth bobbed, and my cheeks flushed. “I guess that makes it easy then.”

One side of his lips lifted in a rare smirk, his dark eyes watching my reaction.

Too bad my own gaze took a wander to that mouth of his. His lips were so lush I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to kiss them, to run my tongue over them and taste. To wipe that smirk away as I nibbled and…

I squirmed in my chair, aware of the wetness in my undergarment, and pulled the sheets on the table closer to me. “So I was looking over what the council members said today…” I trailed off as he leaned closer, his right shoulder directly next to my face as he reached in front of me and moved my coffee cup to the side so he could see the papers better. I cleared my throat and pretended like his scent and warmth weren’t turning me on further. “Um, so the council members said the Imperial household has moved to a different location. If it truly is your mission to eradicate them, you can start there. I could even make an explosive weapon to help you enter the facility—”

The rebellion leader yawed, interrupting me. “I’ve already talked with Corza about this. She agrees that your expertise could help on this mission. Though you won’t be going inside the building. I won’t take that chance with your life.”

My brows puckered. “Okay.” I lifted one paper and read the location. “Their hideout is relatively hidden. There’s only one large province near it. We should be able to—”

“Yes, I know,” he murmured, again stopping me. He leaned forward and placed a long finger on the bottom location—Bol province. The soothing scent of coconut oil in the heat of the sun surrounded me…and stirred my lower region to clench even further. Sweat began to bead on my forehead. “We’ll enter through here, depending on the manpower I can raise by tomorrow.” He ran his finger to the other provinces in a smooth glide, ticking them off. “Then we’ll work our way east, removing any lingering radical groups remaining. With enough men, I should be able to plan multiple surprise attacks on those groups.”

I grunted, eyeing the paper and reviewing his plan. “That’s a decent plan since it was the last province you overtook. There will be more Dynasty supporters left there compared to any other province.” I nibbled on my bottom lip. “But what about me? I will need to work in one location to create what you’ll need.”

“You’ll work at a site twenty clicks from here before you meet up with the group. It should take two weeks to complete the march to the Imperial family if I leave tomorrow. Will that give you enough time?”

I nodded. “Yes, that’s plenty of time, granted you have the materials I need.”

“Currency talks. Luckily, I have plenty of that.”

“Enough to create a bomb.” This would be over soon. Peace could begin.

I chuckled and peered to the side, up at his eyes.

I stopped solid.

The black of his eyes had dilated, and his cheeks were tinged with the slightest flush on his tan face. His nostrils were flared as he stared down at me, inhaling deeply.

I gulped and shook my head, my voice husky. In need. “You can’t look at me that way.”

A white brow lifted. “Then quit getting turned on in my presence.” He inhaled again and leaned closer in slow increments. “Your smell drives me just as mad as mine does for you.”

My head shook again. “You said you didn’t want to have sex with me again!”

“That’s not exactly what I said if you had listened.” He dipped his head down, and his lips found purchase on my tender neck. “You should pay attention when I speak to you.”

I moaned, his teeth nibbling up to my left earlobe. “I
really
can’t do this with you again.”

“I’m positive your body is saying otherwise.” He growled softly against my ear. “I don’t want this any more than you do. You’re not a full-blooded Kireg, and you’re mind is weak against attacks.”

It came out a sigh. “Then stop.”

He chuckled, the noise cruel. “But my body is saying otherwise, too.” His teeth nipped my earlobe hard, and I groaned. He liked that, having me susceptible to his charms, his mouth curving against my flesh. “Fuck it. You are my mate. One more time before I leave will be good for battle.”

I sucked in a large breath when his hands found my ass. He picked me straight up off the chair, my legs holding around his waist. He shoved my back roughly against the glass and pressed a hand to it. He typed in code with fast fingers and the glass tinted gray, the doors latching in a locked position.

“This is probably not the best place for this,” I muttered, even as I wrangled my skirt up to my waist. Then my fingers were busy undoing his belt and unzipping his pants, too lost to care when his lips found my jaw, his right hand palming my left breast over my shirt. My flesh fit his palm so damn well, creating an even more painful ache between my thighs.

“We won’t be here long. We’ll make it quick before we head to my room,” he rumbled, assuming I would sleep in his bed again. Which I might. The bed had been very comfortable. The rebellion leader nibbled closer to my mouth. I panted hard when his lips hovered over mine, tantalizing as he teased. “The glass will hold us too. It’s bomb proof.”

I chuckled softly. “That’s a relief.”

I waited with my hands on his pants, just waiting for his mouth to touch mine.

A brow quirked, his voice scratchy with need. “You’re going to hold out until I kiss your mouth?”