Chapter Five

SAMANTHA

"Excuse me? Where do you want to take me?" I said, feeling cold dread seeping into my stomach.

"We're going to a function. One of those fancy parties they show in the movies from Earth. I think you'd call it a black tie event."

It felt like ice was freezing in my veins as I realized what he was asking me to do.

"I've never been to a party like that," I said. I was starting to panic. "I have nothing to wear. I won't know how to act."

"Sam." He had a habit of cutting off my babbling by saying my name sharply like that. "Calm down. We'll get you a dress. Money is no object. As long as you act like yourself and don't offend anyone, you'll be okay.

"Don't offend anyone? Every other sentence that comes out of my mouth is likely to hurt someone. You said yourself that I'm the Vandwan equivalent of poor white trash. What makes you think I can handle a high-class soirée?"

"Chill out. It's just a party," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to sit with him on the couch.

"With all your fancy friends?" I asked. I was out of my league here, and I knew it.

"They're not my friends," he said, with a bitter tone in his voice.

"Why are you going to a party with people who aren't your friends?" I wondered.

"It's kind of like work. Having contacts is good. That's how all mergers and acquisitions get started, you know."

I stared at him. I still could not believe what he was asking of me.

"How about this. I'll take you to a store where they sell the kind of dresses you'll need. Then we'll ask Ashlyn where to get your hair done."

"And nails."

"Sure, nails too." He looked tense up until this point, but I could see him start to loosen up. "That's the spirit. I'll be right beside you the whole time."

I scowled at him. But this was why he had wanted to marry me - to help him with his image. I was a trophy wife but without the social status. How hard could it be to go to a party?

"Okay. Let's go shopping for a dress."

It didn't matter which planet I was on. "Let's go dress shopping!" was always interpreted as "You buy a dress, I'll come back later."

It happened as soon as we got to the door of the store. "Okay, I'll see you in an hour or two? How long do you think you'll need?"

"You're not coming in?" I asked.

"Do you need me with you? You're buying a dress. It can't be hard. You've gone shopping before."

"On Earth," I said, feeling panic rising inside me again. "I don't know what would be suitable on Vandwa, or how I'm supposed to look. If you don't come in and help me pick out a dress, I'm not going. You know what kinds of clothes women wear at these parties. I don't."

I resisted the urge to stamp my foot. I stood my ground, looking at him calmly. I would not let him escape. He frowned at me, then sighed.

"Fine. Let's get this over with."

"Look, I don't know what kind of girl you think I am, or what you think Earth girls are like, but I'm not particularly feminine. I would rather go on a hike than go shopping. I like looking pretty as much as the next woman, but I don't want it to be a lot of work."

He turned his head to look at me. "I didn't know that. I used to like hiking, too."

"Used to?" I said, surprised by his use of the past tense. I wondered if he regretted revealing anything about himself.

"Even though this is a water planet, there used to be parks for children to play. It was before our land started disappearing. There were still places to hike when I was a kid."

"That's good to know," I said, but I felt dissatisfied with his response. Was there more to his comment than his explanation indicated? Did I see a brief look of relief flit across his face after I closed the topic of conversation? Why would he be relieved?

Jori was a mystery. I had to admit to myself that I was slightly intrigued.

We walked into the store and immediately a woman wearing a pencil skirt and blouse came to attend us. She had a tidy bun at the nape of her neck.

"How may I help you?"

"We'll be needing a dress in Mrs. Lachlan's size for a black tie event, Dora," Jori said. I shook my head. The guy who hated shopping was on a first name basis with the lady in the fancy clothes store.

The woman's eyebrows raised when she heard the name "Mrs. Lachlan". I was surprised myself. I had not taken his name.

"Are you referring to your sister, Mr. Lachlan?" she asked. She was politely nosy.

Jori gestured to me. "I mean my wife, Dora. We're in a bit of a rush. The party's tonight."

"It won't be a problem, sir. We have some dresses that will look stunning on your wife. I can tailor them in half an hour to fit perfectly."

Jori smiled at the woman, and she blushed.

"I'll just get out a selection for you to choose from, shall I?" she said, glancing towards me for approval. I nodded politely, but I was fuming inside. That jerk smiled at the shopkeeper but not his wife. I descended upon him as soon as she was out of earshot.

"Why are you calling me Mrs. Lachlan? My name is Samantha Morrows. I am not changing it for an alien who needs me for eye candy." I was on fire.

Jori didn't say anything. I decided to prompt him again. "You knew I didn't change my name."

"I knew. But it was an easy way to tell her you were my wife. You'll get better service this way. I didn't think you'd care about the opinion of a tailor you'll never see again."

"You were wrong. Big surprise there. How about I call you Mr. Morrows? You married me. Maybe you should change your name."

"Calm down, Sam," he said, rolling his eyes. "Is trying to get quality assistance a crime? Everyone knows the Lachlans around here. Nobody in this store will forget you after today. More doors will be opened for you than you can imagine if you drop my name."

"What if I don't want to go through those doors with your..." My voice was getting louder, and another clerk glanced at us. He shushed me and I whispered the last words. "...fucking name."

He closed his eyes.

"I didn't mean to upset you. Sorry. How many times am I going to have to apologize to you this year? I hate apologizing."

"You might try being considerate," I muttered. "I feel like you're throwing me beyond The Barrier without a moment's notice. Don't be surprised if I'm upset and worried."

Dora chose that time to return to us. "Mrs. Lachlan," she began, but I cut her off.

"Just call me Samantha, Dora. It's fine." I glared at Jori and followed the woman to a private room at the back of the store where she had ten dresses hanging on a rack. Jori remained behind me. I could sense a brooding presence, but I didn't care. I needed to let my anger go. I was going to enjoy this experience, in spite of him. Today I would get to try on dresses that would cost a year's worth of my Earth salary.

Thirty minutes later, I was getting depressed. The first five dresses hadn't worked. I didn't see any I liked on the rack either.

Dora had been patient throughout the entire process. Maybe the Lachlan name meant something after all. "I have an idea," she said, holding up a finger. "I have something in the back that you might like. Not every woman could wear this dress, but you have the figure and the coloring to pull it off. Let me get it."

Jori and I waited in silence until she bustled out. Her arms carried a bundle of fabric that looked like a crimson sunset. My eyes bugged out.

"No way," Jori said, immediately. "It's too conspicuous."

"You've got to be kidding me." I turned to him, then finally remembered that we should sound happily married. We had no idea who the parole board might select to interview to test the validity of our marriage.

"Darling," I said. Jori narrowed his eyes. "You said I could pick whatever dress I wanted, remember?"

He pressed his lips together. "We don't even know if it fits," I said. "Let me just try it on."

He shook his head and shrugged. He was the picture of a defeated man.

I knew it was going to fit me perfectly. The red dress was the one. I raced to the fitting room and pulled it over my head. It slid down over my body and fit as if it had been custom made for me, just as I had hoped. It hugged my curves and contrasted with my olive skin tone, brightening it and bringing out the dark brown of my eyes.

It was stunning, and I looked like a different woman in it. I sauntered out, wondering what Jori would think.

Apparently, he didn't think much of it. His face was devoid of all expression. As I looked closer, I saw his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed, and he shifted in his seat.

The dress was even better than I had imagined. Anything that made Jori crazy with lust would be just what I needed.

Dora clapped her hands together. "It looks beautiful, Sam."

"Well?" I asked. When he didn't say anything, I smiled at Jori seductively. "What do you think, husband?"

He was speechless for a moment before he managed to gather his thoughts.

"I think it's very conspicuous."

"Every eye in the place will be on your wife, sir, that's for sure."

His face darkened. I wondered what his problem was. Did he really want to stay inconspicuous, or was he jealous? Dora looked back and forth at us, finally picking up on the tension in the room.

"I'll leave you to make the final decision. Please let me know if you'd like to try on any more dresses, Sam."

"Sure, Dora. Thanks so much for your help." As soon as she left the room, I hopped down two steps and sat down in front of Jori.

"I think this dress is perfect for me, and you said I could pick the dress. You never said it couldn't be conspicuous. It fits like it was made just for me and I look okay in it."

"You think you just look okay? You look like sex in a bottle, Sam. All the men are going to ogle you. Can't you get the black one? It fits well enough, and won't draw any attention."

"Jori, come on. I'm not going to get any action this year because of your stupid rule. At least let me have a little attention."

I glanced towards the door and wondered if anyone had heard me.

"They're discreet here," he whispered. "But keep your voice down. You know my parole board meeting is next week. We don't need rumors going around that our marriage is in shambles already."

"We'd look more happily married if we weren't both sexually frustrated," I muttered, dropping my gaze. I glanced up at him quickly, catching his eye.

"Don't do that with your eyes. And that dress. It makes things difficult for me."

"Like I said before, it's your stupid rule. You deal with it."

"We'll take the red dress and the black one. We can continue this conversation later," he said and stalked out.

Two points for me. I was getting a sexy red dress. And Jori was pissed about it.

That evening, Jori and I walked up the steps of the fabulous mansion. I had a trick for not getting overwhelmed by life. I thought about something other than my present circumstances. Currently I imagined myself back on Earth, heading out for work. I felt normal until Jori put his arm on my shoulder. I tripped, and when Jori helped me to my feet, my hands were trembling.

"Relax," he said. "Those men will forgive anything that comes out of your mouth as long as you're wearing that dress."

I glanced down at myself to make sure there weren't any specks of lint or discolorations on my outfit. I was determined to wear it no matter what. It was my body, after all. Jori relented eventually - I didn't understand what his problem was. It's not like he would be jealous or anything.

I checked that I had properly tucked in my boobs. I glanced around furtively. There was no one watching us, so I adjusted them slightly. Jori didn't think I noticed him, but I saw him watching me out of the corner of his eye. Mercilessly teasing him gave me pleasure. He deserved it for making us both so frustrated.

"As long as you can avoid politics, religion, and any talk of rising sea levels or disappearing land mass, you'll be fine."

"Those are possibly the most boring subjects in the universe," I said. Our conversation ceased when we walked through the doors of the huge house and stopped abruptly. The ceiling in the entrance stretched high above us. It was almost invisible in the dark.

We waited in a line that slowly moved into a huge room. It was full of people wearing clothes so expensive that we could move all the refugees off-planet if we sold them. My heart rate increased. Jori glanced at me, saw my emotional state and squeezed my hand. I clung to his forearm.

"Don't show any fear. Remember, you belong here," he whispered.

He said his words with kindness, but they didn't make me feel any better.

JORI

We had been at the party for an hour, and we hadn't run into any major problems. Sam was a desired conversation partner, having new things to say from Earth. She hadn't put her foot in her mouth yet. I knew she was nervous around the crowd of people, but you wouldn't know it by looking at her.

I glanced at her as she spoke to an older woman. They were talking about an obscure topic. Gardening. They were laughing together. I wasn't following the conversation, but part of me felt like laughing too. She had an infectious laugh that made you want to share her joy. It was nice to see her relaxed.

I stiffened when I saw Harrington. I could tell Sam noticed, although she didn't stop talking to her new friend.

He was looking healthy and as filthy rich as ever.

I wasn't sure if I would see him here, but he could never resist showing off. A beautiful Vandwan woman half his age clung to him. At the end of his arm, he wore an obscene number of rings on a manicured hand. The best word to describe his presentation was ostentatious.

I wondered if I should avoid him, but he looked up and met my eye. Too late. We nodded to each other. It was not a greeting. It was a challenge.

I had wondered for some time who tipped off Nat and Freya, setting things in motion that ended with me in jail. Now I had confirmation. In my gut, I knew Harrington was the one who got me sent to prison. He knew my secret, and he knew I was trying to stop him.

That made him extremely dangerous.

Samantha was saying good-bye to the woman, and I maneuvered her away.

"Want to dance?" I said.

Once we were on the dance floor, she whispered, "What's wrong?"

"I needed to get away from someone."

"Old girlfriend? Are you going to point out that special someone?" she asked.

"I will as soon as I see him again."

I never got a chance. Fast song followed fast song. Then, finally, a slow song started playing, the kind where you sway in each other's arms. I glanced at Sam. Were we going to keep dancing?

As always I saw a challenge in her face. She shrugged and wrapped her arms around my neck, stepping in close to me. I inhaled deeply. I loved how she smelled. It reminded me of springtime.

I placed my hands on her hips and felt the urge to run my hands down further to her plump, round ass. This year was going to be torture. I tried not to think about her soft body in my arms.

She pressed her cheek against my chest, and we moved slowly in a circle. We felt right together. I should never have asked her to dance. The way I felt now was what ordinary guys felt when they danced with a woman they liked. I wasn't familiar with the sensation.

Sam was proving to be more of a problem than I had expected. I couldn't get involved with a woman who drove me crazy. I needed all my focus to accomplish the mission.

When the song came to an end, Sam said she was going to the bar for some water.

"I'm just going to run to the bathroom. I'll be right back," I said. I felt nervous about leaving her unattended, but I didn't think she would want to come with me to the men's room. I would have to hurry.

With Harrington running around the place, I was going to relieve myself as quickly as I could and get back to her. She'd be safe for a few minutes.

When I got back to the bar, she wasn't there. Fear rose up in me. I scanned the room, trying not to seem upset. With relief, I spotted that damn red dress on the dance floor. The outfit was good for something, at least. But when I saw who she was dancing with, I had to stop myself from running to her.

She was dancing with Harrington.

When I reached them, I tapped him on the shoulder and grabbed Sam's hand, pulling her away from him. She held a red rose in her right hand.

"Jori? What are you doing?" As she saw the expression on my face, she stepped closer to my side.

"Hello, Lachlan," he said. He had a wicked grin on his face.

"Harrington," I said, my voice terse.

"You've got a lovely woman," he said, knowing that would upset me. He had danced with Sam on purpose.

"That woman is my wife," I said. He didn't miss the subtext: And you'd better not touch her again.

"I'd take better care of my wife if I were you. You never can tell what may happen. Accidents and such." He waved his hand vaguely in the air.

I stepped towards him, but Sam put a hand on my chest.

"Jori, don't make a scene," she said, softly. "People are starting to stare."

I forced a smile. "I'll be sure to watch out for her. I can protect my wife."

"You can try," he said. His words sounded threatening, but he said them in a jovial tone.

I wanted to punch him right then and there. Fortunately, my brain kicked back in. That was what he wanted: to get me in a fury so I would do something stupid.

Samantha was pulling on my hand, and I reluctantly let her lead me. She dragged me to the front door and we headed out to the street.

"I think it was a good time to leave," she told me.

I didn't answer her. I just got in the vehicle she hailed for us.

As soon as we were safe in the dark, quiet car, she exploded. "What the hell was that?" she asked.

"That, Sam, was the kind of guy you run away from, straight to the police station if he ever approaches you again."

Her face blanched in the dim light. "Is he dangerous?"

"He's as dangerous as swimming beyond The Barrier. He's a predator, Sam. And he's after us."