Chapter Twelve
Xan sat fuming at his desk in the den, staring at the monitor that showed not only his disobedient slave, but all her shipmates from the Reconnaissance, which meant these men were either panicking looking for their own disobedient wards, or were still sound asleep thinking they were safe and sound asleep as well.
He shook his head knowing that the first phone call he’d have to make was to Rowth. Xan found himself thankful that the man was no longer his superior.
There was a light knock on the den door.
“Come in.”
Billex entered, walking slowly toward Xan. “She did it again, Sir.”
“Indeed.” Xan ran a hand over his face to hide the twitch from wanting to blister her ass just thinking about it.
Leaning slightly, his butler peered over the desk to get a closer view of Xan’s neck. “She used the injector, I see. But… you’re awake quicker. It didn’t last as long as the last time.”
“My naughty minx thinks she’s outsmarted me, but it is I who has outsmarted her. I put a diluted sedative in it, reducing the amount of time we’d be knocked out. From watching the videos, it appears we were only asleep for approximately forty-five minutes.” Xan mindlessly tapped on the keyboard, changing the views he had back to the view of the girls at his cabin.
“Sir, if I may be so bold. If you were going to dilute it, why not just put sugar water in it so you wouldn’t pass out at all, thus capturing the disobedient slave in the act immediately?” Billex quirked an eyebrow in Xan’s direction.
“Point well-made.” Xan leaned back in his chair, regarding his employee thoughtfully before answering. “I thought of that myself, but you see, I wanted to see if her conscience would get the best of her. Once she saw me paralyzed by her hand once again, maybe her fear and loyalty would have her hesitating, feeling guilty and waiting for me to wake up. I wanted to see the depths of her fidelity. Alas, it seems my bad girl has a way to go yet, and I have to admit it stings a bit.” Xan looked over at the image on his desk of Blythe in her collar, tail, and ears, playfully laughing for the picture.
He’d have to question her in depth when he brought her home. He thought they’d hit a point of trustworthiness in which she would always choose to be with him… and their baby girl.
How? How did she risk being caught by the monitor bugs? Risk being put in jail… or worse, killed? Did he and Tegan mean nothing to her?
These were all things they’d delve into later… while she sat, or stood, with an aching backside.
“I’m sure it does sting, Sir, but let me assure you she loves you and Tegan completely. I’m sure you’ll find that it was the lure of meeting her friends rather than the act of leaving the house… or you. You know how women are. They love nothing more than getting together to laugh and eat. I bet they’re doing exactly that now, aren’t they?”
Billex walked around the desk. They both sat staring silently at the women in his cabin. Blythe had her head back laughing, mouth wide open, tears coursing down her cheeks. Mira was telling a story very animatedly, her hands waving around wildly, and the women were all laughing and clapping their hands at her antics. There was tea, lannes, eegle jam, and snack bars.
He knew Billex was right. She missed her friends, and part of him loved seeing her laughing—so carefree and uninhibited.
Does she not feel this with me?
Of course not, asshole!
Part of him was jealous. He wanted to be the one who made her laugh like that. Would he always have to worry about her leaving and escaping to be with her Earth friends?
Keeping her leashed tightly wouldn’t be the answer, though, but he didn’t know how to loosen the hold he had on her. And then, watching the women, he wondered maybe he wouldn’t have a choice in the matter; maybe they would all finagle a way to make their journey back to Earth.
He’d let them have a bit of time together before calling Rowth and the others, and then the time of their comeuppance would ensue.
“She’s a bit feisty, Xan, but she’s a good girl.”
Xan sighed loudly. “I know you’re right, but I thought we solved this issue months ago. We’ll be discussing it further, that’s for sure.” He tapped an icon on his screen. “Call Commander Rowth Lashat.”
“Hello.” A groggy voice growled into the comm viewer.
“Rowth, this is Dr. Breckett, Xan.”
“Yes, yes. I know who the fuck you are.” Rowth ran his hand through his hair. “What I really want to know is what the name of Na are you’re doing calling me at this ungodly hour of the morning?”
“We have a situation, sir. Do you know where your ward is?”
“In her bed sleeping, as I should be. Why?”
“Can you go check, please? I’ll wait,” Xan said.
Rowth’s eyes narrowed, and with a loud, exasperated sigh, he rose from his chair and left the room.
Xan and Billex smirked at each other, knowing the commander would be shocked at his findings. The surveillance cameras clearly showed his girl, Brinley, shoving lannes and eegle jam into her mouth, talking a mile a minute with the girls. That’s another girl who would be sorry.
“All right, you cocksucker, how about you tell me the full story. Where is my brat?”
Xan turned his surveillance monitor on so Rowth could see it. “As you can see, she’s fine… uhm, more than fine by the looks of it. It seems they have a bottle—a very expensive bottle—of my Luesluno. They appear to be quite inebriated, if you ask me.” Xan stretched the screen and laughed, shaking his head. “Yes, that they are drunk, and the bottle is almost gone, so that will give them time to sober up before we retrieve them.”
“How did this happen, Breckett?”
“It seems that my girl took my vehicle to pick the women up at your house. How they got in touch with each other or the women got to your house is beyond me. I’ll contact the rest of the foster families; we can meet at my cabin. If you’re up to it or interested, we can punish them together since they decided to get into trouble together.”
“Oh yes, I think that’s just what Brinley needs. Let me get ready; I’ll come over to your place and pick you up since you’re without a vehicle.” Lashat abruptly stood. “I’ll leave you to your phone calls. See you soon.”
“Bye.” Xan looked up at Billex. “I have a long evening, or morning, in front of me.”
“I’ll make you a carafe of defas. It appears you’ll need it.” He watched the wizened old man leave the room, thinking for the hundredth time—easily—how difficult his life would be without his trusty friend and employee.
Swiping at his comm screen, he found his contact sheet and started communication with Mira’s family first.
He couldn’t wait to find his girl—for many reasons—but the first of which was to hold her in his arms again and ensure she was safe.