something more.
Something deeper and harder to explain.
Serra had turned into a beauty while they had been stationed off planet. At sixteen, she had lost the softness that came with youth, and there was a new confidence in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Jax and Archer had only to share a look to know they were in complete accord. They knew that the little girl they had adored with veiled amusement and affection would be the woman they’d one day claim as their chosen.
Unfortunately, they weren’t aware their reactions to her were being observed until it was too late. Tania Lysander-Dobbs, Serra’s overprotective mother, had taken note of Jax and Archer’s interest in her daughter, and had been alarmed by their attention. It wasn’t long after their reunion when Tania had pulled Serra out of the Academy and entered her into an internship program off planet.
That had been almost eight years ago.
Jax and Archer had watched with pride as she’d become one of the brightest minds the Alliance ever had working for them, and they had wanted her. Serra’s development of the shield that protected Earth and all of the Alliance bases throughout space kept her traveling. During the years that had passed, Jax and Archer’s contact with Serra had been reduced to random letters they received from her. They always responded, but she kept their correspondence infrequent, driving them crazy with her resistance to come home. She had an important position, and they knew that, but it didn’t mean they’d been happy about it.
Back before she had turned eighteen, Serra had been granted special status due to her contributions to the Alliance when she had signed on as an official inventor. Her new status allowed her to choose her own bonding partners, warning any overzealous elites that there were extreme consequences if she was claimed against her will. It had soothed Jax and Archer’s anger when she made it clear she wasn’t interested in any other men during her travels.
Still, they’d kept track of Serra wherever she went, watching out for her however they could. She had been appointed three sets of guards who rotated the duty of keeping her safe, and all six men having been warned that if they tried to touch her it would mean their death. Jax hadn’t fucked around when he’d made that statement to each of the guards, and he had let them see the truth in his eyes.
Archer had been more subtle with his protection of Serra. Perhaps it had been a little over-the-top, but he had placed a tracker in a small heart necklace made of xithradite he’d given her before she had left all those years ago. Xithradite was a precious metal found on the Helios planet that shimmered and constantly changed colors, which made it perfect for jewelry. The necklace was beautiful, but it also allowed them to know where she was, in case she ever needed them. Archer had once told Jax that he would delete the program if she ever chose a bonding pair instead of coming back to them, but she never had, so the link remained active.
They knew in their hearts that she was meant for them. She knew it too, but something held her back—something they didn’t understand. They had been willing to let her work up her nerve to come to them. Over the last few years they had seen her briefly, and the hunger for her had been growing into a gnawing ache that needed to be sated. Now the time had come and they wouldn’t wait any longer.
They had a past, but more important…they had a future.
Jax’s patience was at an end and he turned away from the two regents, heading to the door of the viewing room. He had to force himself not to snarl as his father reached out to grip his arm, stopping him before he could open the door. He didn’t pull away because the hold was gentle, and he respected his father too much to dishonor him by doing so.
“Jax, this is too important to just let go. We may not have any evidence that she was the one who sold the shield
Something deeper and harder to explain.
Serra had turned into a beauty while they had been stationed off planet. At sixteen, she had lost the softness that came with youth, and there was a new confidence in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. Jax and Archer had only to share a look to know they were in complete accord. They knew that the little girl they had adored with veiled amusement and affection would be the woman they’d one day claim as their chosen.
Unfortunately, they weren’t aware their reactions to her were being observed until it was too late. Tania Lysander-Dobbs, Serra’s overprotective mother, had taken note of Jax and Archer’s interest in her daughter, and had been alarmed by their attention. It wasn’t long after their reunion when Tania had pulled Serra out of the Academy and entered her into an internship program off planet.
That had been almost eight years ago.
Jax and Archer had watched with pride as she’d become one of the brightest minds the Alliance ever had working for them, and they had wanted her. Serra’s development of the shield that protected Earth and all of the Alliance bases throughout space kept her traveling. During the years that had passed, Jax and Archer’s contact with Serra had been reduced to random letters they received from her. They always responded, but she kept their correspondence infrequent, driving them crazy with her resistance to come home. She had an important position, and they knew that, but it didn’t mean they’d been happy about it.
Back before she had turned eighteen, Serra had been granted special status due to her contributions to the Alliance when she had signed on as an official inventor. Her new status allowed her to choose her own bonding partners, warning any overzealous elites that there were extreme consequences if she was claimed against her will. It had soothed Jax and Archer’s anger when she made it clear she wasn’t interested in any other men during her travels.
Still, they’d kept track of Serra wherever she went, watching out for her however they could. She had been appointed three sets of guards who rotated the duty of keeping her safe, and all six men having been warned that if they tried to touch her it would mean their death. Jax hadn’t fucked around when he’d made that statement to each of the guards, and he had let them see the truth in his eyes.
Archer had been more subtle with his protection of Serra. Perhaps it had been a little over-the-top, but he had placed a tracker in a small heart necklace made of xithradite he’d given her before she had left all those years ago. Xithradite was a precious metal found on the Helios planet that shimmered and constantly changed colors, which made it perfect for jewelry. The necklace was beautiful, but it also allowed them to know where she was, in case she ever needed them. Archer had once told Jax that he would delete the program if she ever chose a bonding pair instead of coming back to them, but she never had, so the link remained active.
They knew in their hearts that she was meant for them. She knew it too, but something held her back—something they didn’t understand. They had been willing to let her work up her nerve to come to them. Over the last few years they had seen her briefly, and the hunger for her had been growing into a gnawing ache that needed to be sated. Now the time had come and they wouldn’t wait any longer.
They had a past, but more important…they had a future.
Jax’s patience was at an end and he turned away from the two regents, heading to the door of the viewing room. He had to force himself not to snarl as his father reached out to grip his arm, stopping him before he could open the door. He didn’t pull away because the hold was gentle, and he respected his father too much to dishonor him by doing so.
“Jax, this is too important to just let go. We may not have any evidence that she was the one who sold the shield
Similar Books
Flag On The Play
Lolah Lace
The Cowboy And The Debutante
Stella Bagwell
The Guardian
D.E. Hall
The Sad Man
P.D. Viner
P.S. Be Eleven
Rita Williams-Garcia
Dune Messiah
Frank Herbert
Gone, Baby, Gone
Dennis Lehane
Hardcastle's Traitors
Graham Ison
Surrender to a Donovan (Kimani Romance)
A.C. Arthur