Born of Betrayal (13 page)

Fain swallowed against the bitter lump that choked him. How he hated the pain he heard in her voice. Most of all, he hated himself for having caused it. “Will you give me one more chance? Please. I swear to you that I'll never abuse it. And you won't regret it.”

Galene bit her lip as she heard the last words she'd ever expected him to utter. She wanted to slap him and walk away. To be as cold to him as he'd been to her that day she'd gone to tell him she was pregnant.

But what she saw was the wounded boy she'd loved more than her life. The one who used to swing her up in his arms and make her feel so warm and protected. So treasured. The one she'd thought to live the rest of her life with.

Now …

“You're the most aggravating male ever born.”

“Completely unlovable.”

She fought hard to suppress her smile at his adorable grin. “Yes, you are.” She flicked her nails at him. “So why do I still care for you?”

“Told you. I'm irresistibly fluffy.”

More charmed than she wanted to be, she rolled her eyes at him. “I think I must be the one with a head injury.”

He quirked that adorable grin at her. “C'mon, Stormy. Let me court you. If I fuck up again, you can have Talyn kick my ass.”

“You know he will. He did break
every
single record you ever set in the Ring.”

He visibly cringed. “The joy in your voice as you say that stings me deep.”

“Good.”

Fain brushed her knuckles against his fangs. “One chance? Please?”

Against her better judgment, she nodded. “But be warned, War Hauk. If you break trust with me this time, I
will
end you. Painfully, and with relish.” She jerked her chin toward the part of his body that was bulging under the thin blanket. “And
that
stays in your pants until such a time as
I
say so. You hear me?”

He whimpered at her cruelty. “You're a vicious
mia
. But fine. I accept your terms.”

Yet as he made that bargain, Fain had no idea just what he'd opened himself up for. Something that became crystal clear over the next few days as Galene held him to his word.

And then some.

Once he was released from the hospital, she forced him to endure the strictest Andarion courtship rituals—the very ones they'd spent their youth trying to get around. Right down to having Talyn, as her closest male relative, chaperone them. She refused to be alone with him.

Even now, Fain had to ask for his son's permission to dine with her. It was so effing galling.

More so because Talyn truly enjoyed making him squirm. Irritated to the brink of murder, Fain entered the command center where Talyn was currently on duty with his adjutant. The major laughed as soon as he saw Fain approaching them.

Gavarian cleared his throat. “Commander Hauk on deck, Commander.”

Fain glared at the Andarion major for announcing him with such vicious glee.

Talyn's eyes gleamed as he turned to face him. “You need something, Hauk?”

It also irritated the hell out of him that his own son outranked him, and the two Andarion officers took a great deal of sadistic pleasure in reminding him of that fact every chance they had. “Can I have a word with you in private?”

Talyn handed his control band over to his adjutant before he followed Fain out of the room and into the hallway. Crossing his arms over his chest as the door closed behind them, he glowered at Fain.

Refusing to be intimidated, Fain growled low in his throat. His son wasn't about to have even a modicum of mercy on him. “You know what I want.”

“Have you accomplished anything new? Added more honors to your lineage?”

“In the last nineteen hours?” Fain sneered at him. “You're not really playing this shit with me, are you?”

“You have to prove yourself worthy of her courtship. My mother's a Winged Batur and the prime commander of our armada, after all. An Andarion female of the highest honor and blood lineage. What do
you
bring to this relationship?”

“You're such an asshole.”

There was the slightest quirk at the corner of his lips. “Just like my father, I'm told.”

Before Fain could comment, the door opened to show Gavarian. “Commander? There's another transmission.”

Fain didn't miss the rage in Talyn's eyes as he brushed past him to rush back into the room. He followed and watched as Talyn tried to run a quick trace and analysis.

“What's going on?”

Talyn glanced around the room, then spoke in an archaic version of Andarion that was taught only to those in the highest command positions. “We suspect a spy among your crew. Someone's bleeding information about secure Sentella movements to The League.”

Fain started to laugh at the ludicrous suggestion. Then thought better of it. While Tavali were supposed to be loyal to each other beyond reproach, they weren't always. They were, after all, profiteering pirates. “You sure?”

Talyn gave a curt nod. “Unfortunately, we can't catch a long enough transmission to locate the source of it. Or identify the traitor.”

“You're sure it's not an Andarion with your crew?”

“Not sure of anything.” Talyn sighed heavily as he took the band back from Gavarian. He snapped it onto his wrist, then glanced askance at his adjutant. “Did you detect more details this time?”

“Too well encrypted, and they never transfer long enough to catch more than the very end of it. What I got, I sent over to Morra.”

Fain frowned. “Then how do you know it's intel?”

Talyn gave him a droll stare. “How else would I know that your brother left Andaria yesterday with his wife and children and a royal Phrixian escort, and is heading toward a Sentella outpost before rendezvousing here? Or that Darling Cruel and Caillen de Orczy are meeting with Nykyrian eton Anatole at the Andarion palace?”

He was right. Fain hadn't spoken a word to anyone about that. Someone had to be monitoring his transmissions with Dancer. “I'm being bugged?”

“Unless there's a Trisani on this station we need to know about.”

Fain cursed. “None that I know of. And you're sure it's going to The League?”

“Not completely. But it's being transmitted toward an area they control, so we're operating under the assumption that it is.”

Fain looked around the room. Aside from the three of them, there were only two others currently in the center. He was the only Tavali. “Can they understand us?”

Talyn shook his head. “Only Gavarian. They're not cleared for this. Besides, they're monitoring other transmissions and not even paying attention to us.”

“You sure?”

Gavarian snorted. “Since I've been shagging the captain's sister and mother for the last year, pretty sure they're clueless.”

Neither Andarion, both of whom were captains, looked up at something that should have been massive fighting words had they heard them.

“Satisfied?” Talyn asked.

“That they can't understand us? Yeah. Think so. That we have a spy? Not even a little. Does your mom know?”

“No. We just caught this earlier today. I was about to report to her when you showed up to annoy me.”

Fain chose to ignore the barb. “Then I'll cover the con while you make your report.”

Talyn inclined his head to Fain before he handed over the command wristband. “Thanks. I'll be back in a few.”

As he stepped away, Fain stopped him. “By the way … you never answered my question about dinner with your mom.”

An evil grin curved his lips. “I'll speak to the commander on your behalf and see what she says.”

Fain clenched his teeth as Talyn headed out and left him in charge. He wasn't sure which one of them he wanted to strangle more.

Mother or son.

But as he turned back toward Gavarian, he realized something. Talyn doted on this kid. Even when they'd been in battle, he'd made sure to cover him and keep him safe. Like a mother hen with its only rooster.

Or Fain with his little brother.

“So … how long have you been Talyn's adjutant?”

Gavarian glanced up from the report he was typing. “That's classified.”

Fain arched a brow. “Excuse me? You do know I'm his father, right?”

“Then you should ask the commander.”

“Are you shitting me?”

Gavarian's expression turned to stone as he continued to read through his report. “The commander is an Andarion of high honor and exemplary moral character. It is my honor and duty to serve him with utmost devotion and discretion.”

Aghast, Fain stared at the kid. “I just want to know more about my son.”

His features softened. “I owe the commander a debt that can
never
be repaid. And I know how much he zealously guards his privacy. From everyone. The last thing I would ever do is hurt or upset him … not out of fear, but respect.”

“You love him?”

Gavarian inclined his head to Fain. “He's family to me. And where I come from, that term means something.”

Family … that word tugged at Fain's memory as he read the lineage name on Gavarian's formal dress uniform. While Andarion hard battlesuits and field uniforms had the names of high caste soldiers who could be used as political hostages by their enemies attached with patch strips that could be pulled off whenever they went into action, formal uniforms had their names stitched in. The assumption being that the formal uniforms were only worn in areas where their soldiers weren't as likely to be taken. “Ezul Terronova? Are you related to Lorens?”

“My father.” Gavarian narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You know him?”

“He was friends with my older brother, Keris. Long time ago. Good male. I trust he's well?”

That succeeded in melting some of the polar ice caps from the major. “He is, indeed.”

“Still in the armada?”

Gavarian shook his head. “Retired seven years ago.”

That news surprised Fain and filled him with dread. “Why so young? He wasn't injured, was he?”

“No, sir. My grandfather retired as one of the tadara's advisors, so my father stepped in to replace him.”

That made sense. As he recalled, Lorens's father had been a bit older than most Andarion males when he'd finally settled down and had his children. “Glad to hear it. Out of the males Keris ran with, Lorens was the only one I respected.” He swept a gaze over Gavarian. “You must take after your mother.”

Gavarian grinned sheepishly. “That's what they tell me.”

Fain laughed as he realized how that had sounded. “Sorry. Wasn't trying to insult you. I meant in looks, only.”

“It's fine. I'm used to being mocked and belittled. Had a steady diet of it from birth.”

Shocked by those words from someone whose bloodline would rival the queen's, Fain stared at him. Unless Andaria had changed a lot since he left, no one should have dared insult someone with Gavarian's rank and caste.

Gavarian laughed at his confusion. “I have a younger brother. Three older sisters, and more male cousins than anyone should ever be cursed with. None of whom pull punches with me or respect my birth order.”

“Ah. Got it. Siblings and cousins can be their own special kind of hell.”

“You know it.” Gavarian frowned and tapped his ear. “Major Terronova,” he said, letting Fain know that he was answering a call.

Fain stepped back to give him privacy. While he waited, he went over the transmission and saw red. That was entirely too much private information for the wrong parties. He didn't like the thought of anyone knowing where his family was, at any time. Nothing good could come of it.

This was war and The League was after their lives.
All
of them. Especially anyone with ties to The Sentella's High Command, which was Dancer, Nykyrian, and Jayne.

His gaze went to Gavarian. Barely two years younger than Talyn, he was in the height of his youth. They were all too young to die. It was the one thing he'd always hated most about war. The young paid the steepest price for the pride of the old.

Too many years of saying good-bye to friends and family had soured him on the whole bloody business of it.

Gavarian returned to his side with a strange expression.

“Something wrong?”

“It was my brother. Apparently, he's been assigned to the unit that's escorting
your
brother and sister-in-law here.”

Fain arched his brow, uncertain why that caused the ire in the major's voice. “Why does that upset you? Don't you like your brother?”

“Adore him. It's the other cargo he's been assigned to that I have to keep from the commander that concerns me.”

“How so?”

Gavarian's gaze turned to steel. “You should be warned that the commander doesn't like surprises, at all. And if he can't get ahold of his female on a daily basis, he will panic. You should probably tell him that she's coming.”

“That would spoil the surprise.”

“Let me reiterate that the commander doesn't like surprises. And I doubt this one will endear you to him. You said you wanted to know your son better, Commander.… I can promise you this amount of stress isn't the best way to go about it. He won't appreciate it. You should tell him Felicia's en route. Save you both a lot of pain.”

Before Fain could comment, the door opened to admit Talyn and Galene. She drew up short the moment she realized he was in the room.

For a full minute, Fain couldn't catch his breath as he saw her there in her tight workout clothes and glistening skin. Her braids were pulled back, exposing a wealth of sexy neck that had never failed to drive him crazy with lust as he ached to brush his lips down the entire length of her throat. Even as kids, he'd told her that on their unification day, he wanted her hair worn down, otherwise he wasn't sure he'd make it through the ceremony without embarrassing them both. And right now, he was rather sure he was drooling all over himself.