Talson Temptations 3: Talson's Net (10 page)

Val let out a breath and muttered to Rowe, “And you call
me
arrogant.”

Rowe snickered. “Listen to him. My plan will work.”

The thought of his precious mate in danger didn’t sit well.
“Rowe…” Then Quinn was there, in his face, his hands on either side of Val’s
head.

“Remember what I did before, Val?”

“Wh-what?”

Quinn kissed him. A harsh embrace that burned through him in
seconds. To Val’s shock, Quinn thrust his tongue inside and stroked, with his
psychei
as well. Val grew hard and came immediately in a brutal, draining orgasm.

“That is so sexy. You have to do it again, without all the
clothes.” Rowe’s voice sounded from a distance.

“Y-You… Dammit, Quinn.” Val shook his head, not sure when
Rowe had tucked herself under his arm and Quinn had stepped away.

“See? Imagine Rowe with the ability to drain Keilor’s
reasoning.”

“Not like that,” Rowe hurried to forestall Val’s obvious
objection. “I think Quinn was having a bit of fun with you, not that I minded.”
She turned to Quinn. “But you should have asked.”

“Sorry. But he had it coming.”

“He sure did.” She shoved a hand under Val’s pants and
grasped his slick cock. She rubbed him for a few seconds, stimulating him anew,
before letting him go. She wiped her hand on his belly and sighed. “That was
really sexy. Promise you’ll let me watch next time when you’re both naked.”

“Next time?” Val wished he didn’t sound so hoarse, but shit,
he had a hard time catching his breath.

“Definitely next time.” She sounded emphatic, and he
couldn’t think of anything but sex with his
iriu
and Quinn.

Her
psychei
brushed his, open to him again. “Quinn
can muddy anyone’s mind with sex. He’s potent, but he has to physically touch
the person. If he’s in my mind, along with you, when I confront Keilor, I can
use all our gifts to nail him. But we have to get him on record or there won’t
be a legal way to get him and my uncle off Chartrell Shipping’s council. I need
to clean house, and I can’t if they remain in power.”

“I get it, I do.” He tried to ignore the throbbing in his
cock, still not liking how Quinn had overwhelmed him with a kiss. Talk about
powerful
psychei
. “But I don’t like you in danger. Why don’t you just
let me and Quinn handle this?” The wrong thing to say by the rage on her face.

“Why?” Her eyes narrowed. “Because you’re both Otra and me,
the ‘little human’, can’t take it?”

“Half-human,” he corrected, and should have kept his mouth
shut.

“Damn it. I thought you were different. That we were past
this.” She turned on her heel, but not before he saw the glint of tears in her
eyes.

“Rowe, stop.” He held her in his mental grip before she
could take another step away from him. Then he brought her closer and held her
still, his hands on her shoulders. “I love you. I can’t handle the thought of
you in danger, okay? I don’t care if it’s from Fulton, Keilor or an
out-of-control hovercraft bearing down on you out in town. I just can’t think
of you being in danger without losing my mind.”At her silence, he blew out a
tired breath. “What?”

“So the danger thing isn’t an excuse to keep me away?”

“Away from what? It’s your company,
iriu
. I just want
this mess cleared up so we can get on with our lives. The plain truth of the
matter is that you’re softer and prettier than me. You’re not as strong,
physically. A fact, baby. Deal with it. Even you admitted you’re not in full
control of your
psychei
all the time.”

Her eyes looked liquid. “You’re so nice to me.”

He didn’t understand her lightning-fast change in mood. He’d
spoken nothing but the truth since this stupid conversation had started. “I
am?”

“You care if I get hurt. This isn’t a power play about
keeping me away from the business. You really don’t like the idea of me in
trouble.”

Annoyed, he gave her a quick, hard kiss. “Isn’t that what I
just said?”

Quinn cleared his throat. “Excuse me. But, Val, you’re not
hearing her.”

“Obviously. And what the hell are you still doing here?
You’ve eaten everything we had left in the storage cycler. Shouldn’t you be
going now?”

Quinn shrugged. “I’m a growing boy. Like some others I could
mention,” he added slyly, his gaze on the embarrassing wet spot on Val’s
trousers. “All I’m saying is that Rowe’s been struggling to be taken seriously
in the company from day one.”

“I told him that already,” Rowe interrupted.

They’d shared their histories during their time together.
Val knew all about her troubles trying to fit in, to show she belonged with the
only family she had left.

Quinn continued, “Yeah, but you two don’t seem to speak as
well out loud. I feel like a friggin’ translator.”

Val and Rowe shared a look.
Glad to know you’re finally
understanding why I find him so annoying
, he sent her.

Annoying, but sexy. You came hard, Val.
To Quinn, she
said, “You’re on board, right?”

He nodded.

“Val?”

He didn’t like it, but he knew she wanted to handle her
cousin and uncle her way. And it was her company. “Yeah, okay. But we’re going
to be right there with you.” He tapped her head. “And outside the office too.
We won’t let Keilor know we’re near, but I’ll be damned if I let you go see him
without being close enough to help. Not take over, I said
help
, if you
need it.”

She nodded and turned to Quinn. “And about that other thing.
As soon as we take care of Keilor, we’ll make it happen.”

Val stared from his mate to his
eda
with suspicion.
He just knew their “other thing” had to do with him. “What?”

Her secret smile made him twitch. And made him hard. “I’ll
tell you later.”

“See? I told you she’s bossy.” Quinn stretched. “She’s a
bully, plain and simple. A perfect fit for your arrogant ass. And on that note,
time for me to go.”

“I’ll give you bossy, Quinn.” Rowe frowned at her friend as
she eased into Val’s embrace. “Admit it, Val. You need a tough mate. An
easygoing woman would bore you to tears.”

“I feel like crying right now,” he muttered then turned to
Quinn. “I’ll see you first thing in the morning. Pick us up here.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Quinn flipped him a one-finger salute
then left them alone together.

Val turned back to his
iriu
and smiled. His entire
focus on Rowe, he played through several fantasies that had been torturing him
since the first moment he’d met her. “One thing’s for sure. You’ll never bore
me. I love you, Rowe.”

“I love you too.” She grinned up at him, her heart in her
eyes, and he wondered how he’d gotten so lucky. “Oh yeah,” she breathed,
clearly reading the images he sent her. “I like the one where you’re tied up,
too. It was all I could do not to jump you that day I had you tied up in the
Barrens.”

He sucked in a breath as her hand wrapped around his cock,
and he groaned when she leaned close and nuzzled his nipple through his shirt.

“Told you I’d find you.” He tried to sound tough but moaned
when she had her way with him.

Dear Lord, she was a bully. And he loved it.

Chapter Seven

Rowe tapped her fingers against her biceps, her arms crossed
over her chest to keep from strangling the large Otra men on either side of
her. So much for inconspicuous.

“Relax, Rowe,” Quinn mumbled under his breath. “We won’t let
anything happen to you.”

I cannot believe I let Val and you talk me into this
stupid change of plan. Keilor will never believe any of it.

He will, or he’ll answer to me.
At her irritation,
Val corrected,
I mean, to you.
Val didn’t so much as blink next to her.
He wore a Chartrell Shipping uniform, complete with a cap to shadow his
features. In his hands he carried a bulky package for Keilor’s secretary, one
that had an invoice error, which would take a bit of time to straighten out.
His excuse to hang around while Rowe did her “thing”.

Just remember to keep calm,
Quinn said.
Keilor can
sense even the slightest hint of fear.

She didn’t look at him.
You’re not helping.

The minute the elevator’s subtle chime sounded, she
unclenched her arms, straightened her knee-length skirt and cropped matching
midnight-blue jacket, and walked purposefully toward Keilor’s office. Val
peeled off to head to the secretary’s desk and stood behind a woman already
there waiting.

“Rowe.” Keilor’s secretary smiled at her in welcome. “He’s
waiting for you. Go on in.” The woman gave Quinn a less-than-subtle once-over,
which he promptly ignored, and she and Quinn entered Keilor’s massive office.

He stood with his back to them, speaking in a low voice to
the micro-communicator clipped to his collar. Studying the breadth of his
shoulders, the long lines of his legs, she felt a moment’s pride that she’d
once defeated the large man.

God. So much has happened in so little time.

Recalling her brief bout with her cousin, she knew well how
a short span of time could seem an eternity. Like her bonding with Val. The
potency of their lovemaking hadn’t faded, but the urgency to consummate had
lessened.

Though the sex was still indescribable, she still couldn’t
believe she’d taken on both Val and Quinn at the same time. Flushed, she
restrained the urge to fan herself and heard Quinn cough.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he murmured, and her face grew
hotter because he’d caught her train of thought. Too bad she didn’t have the
poker face her
iriu
possessed. She had a hard time reading him if their
psychei
remained closed off from one another. Though always connected, the separation
between them to shield private thoughts kept her sane.

Keilor finally turned and gave her his full attention. “Ah,
Rowe, I’ve been worried about you.” He exerted a substantial amount of probing
psychei
in her direction.

The combination of hers, Val’s and Quinn’s energy shielded
her well.

With a frown, Keilor took a seat and perched his chin over
steepled fingers. “I do hope we can put that unfortunate incident in the
basement behind us. I’m more than ready to apologize for my behavior. But you
have to know it was your Selection that affected me.”

She nodded slowly. “Quinn reaffirmed my fault in what
happened after we left the building.”

Keilor’s eyes narrowed. “Oh?”

A wealth of meaning lay in that one word. This was the
tricky part, the part of their amended plan that smacked of more pure, male
ego. But it was the only way Val had consented to let her handle Keilor, her
way. “Yes, well…” She paused and blushed, the tinge of her cheeks not at all
feigned. Beside her, Quinn remained unmoving, expressionless. “After Quinn and
I, ah, came together, he left. I had asked him not to report my condition to
you.” She lowered her eyes. “It’s embarrassing.”

Keilor nodded, his tension easing. He knew how hard
Selection could be on males of their species.

Then she dropped the next bomb. “Unfortunately, when Quinn
left, Valis Talson ‘Or Fal showed up at my apartment.”

Keilor stared in shock.

“There’s more,” Quinn added in a rusty voice. He
deliberately kept his posture rigid, his eyes straight ahead. Proud, yet
subservient to the heir apparent of Chartrell House. “I learned too late the
bastard fucked her. Hard.”

As much as it irked her to be talked
around
, she
could see the right in Val’s plan. She’d intended to confront Keilor
point-blank. But Val had pointed out that engaging his temper would help put
the male off balance.

Keilor sat down, tension radiating along his frame. He
gritted his teeth, his fists clenching and unclenching on top of the desk.
“That piece of filth touched what’s mine. You, Quinn, I can forgive. The
Selection is all-consuming. But you have good, quality ‘Or Ryi blood. But a
Talson. The hated ‘Or Fal.” He shook his head and glared at Rowe.

She did her best to act meek, though she wanted to shove her
foot up her stuck-up cousin’s ass. “I would ask Quinn to give us leave to speak
privately.”

Quinn mentally encouraged her.
Go easy, Rowe. And if you
need me and Val, shout
.

I will,
she said to Quinn, and waited.

Keilor nodded, and Quinn made a show of leaving with obvious
reluctance.

Keilor’s gaze sizzled as he stared at Rowe’s face and body.
“Quinn’s loyal to you, and to me. An esteemed quality in my bride’s future
protector.” His assessment turned to rage. “Tell me he lied. Tell me a Talson
didn’t fuck you. That low-born scum touching what’s mine.”

All the years of being told she was less than nothing. That
her mother was a whore, her father a stupid wastrel not worthy of the clan ‘Or
Ryi. Keilor’s snide comments, his superior attitude. She’d been waiting for
this day for a very long time.

Rowe approached his desk and leaned over it, her smile cold.
“Actually, Keilor, I fucked Val with more pleasure than you can possibly
imagine. I took him in my mouth, between my legs, and in my ass. I licked his
cock, swallowed his cum, and accepted his vow of protection. Willingly. I
wanted a man, not a sniveling worm.” She shot Keilor a disgusted glance,
stepped back, and crossed her arms over her chest with unveiled satisfaction.

The explosion she’d been expecting occurred as Keilor
flooded the room with enough
psychei
to give everyone on the top floor a
headache. Through sheer will and stubbornness, she pulled on her
iriu’s
and Quinn’s power and held her wall tight.

Are you okay? What the hell is going on in there?
Val
shouted, not having expected the assault.

I’m good. Just a little payback from my obnoxious cousin.
Don’t worry. I’m in control.
So she hoped. Keilor had an odd edge to his
psychei
,
what she’d always thought of as a mean streak, but now came to understand as a
touch of madness. Keilor was unbalanced. And very, very powerful.