he stood at the door. It was gone a heartbeat later, but seeing his doubt helped her make up her mind. If he didn’t truly care about her, then he’d have no reason to be uncertain. Whatever was going on between the three of them, it was real, even if the timing couldn’t be worse. She lifted her head and met Hawke’s gaze. “You don’t need to call ahead, Hawke. But if we’re going to be living together for the next while, knocking might be a good idea.”
There was no mistaking the flare of interest in Hawke’s eyes at her words. “We’re going to be living together?”
Brandt’s fingers tightened on her shoulder for a brief second, a silent acknowledgment of the olive branch she had just offered up. “T’karra’s reconsidered our offer and has agreed to it, for now.”
She couldn’t help but laugh a little. “For now. I will not permit anymore violence in my sanctuary. If that means I have to put up with an armed escort and a strange bed for a few days, so be it. Though, I will repeat my earlier protest, I do not need those guards.”
Hawke crossed the room so quickly she barely saw him move, and the next thing she knew his hands were on her desk, and he was leaning in so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I know you can take care of yourself, T’karra, but we’re not going to take any chances. This isn’t about your abilities, this about securing the station from any and all threats.”
There was nothing but truth behind his words, she could hear it. Sense it. There was nothing of the cocksure flirt who had sat at her bar and made her laugh with his stories. This was another man completely, and T’karra believed every word he’d said. “This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you, Hawke. If you try anything, I swear I will make good on my promise to decorate my office with your head. You, too, Brandt.”
Brandt gave a low sigh before speaking. “You finally use my first name, and it’s tacked onto a threat. Still, I suppose that’s progress…of a sort.”
“She’s talking to me again. That’s definitely progress,” Hawke chimed in, smiling broadly at her. It really wasn’t fair how good-looking he was when he smiled. Not fucking fair at all. Still, she wasn’t ready to just give in and let him off the hook.
“I am talking to you again, for now. You spilled your blood in the defense of my family and my home, Hawke. That is the only reason we’re having this conversation.”
“Then I guess us sharing a bedroom for the next few days is out of the question, huh?”
T’karra bared her fangs, uttering a low growl. “Don’t push your luck, ’leet. Your head would look very nice bronzed and displayed on my shelf.”
Brandt groaned. “Please don’t kill him. I’m too old to start breaking in another partner.”
***
CHAPTER SEVEN
T’karra wasn’t happy Brandt and Hawke had teamed up against her and insisted they all needed food and rest before continuing their investigation, despite the fact she was bone weary. As they stood in the elevator that would take them to their quarters, she had to dig deep to find the energy to stay standing and not give in to the temptation to lean against the wall behind her. When this was all over, she was going to lay claim to one of the bar’s holo-rooms for a week and take a holographic vacation.
The elevator opened and the three of them stepped out, only to be greeted by a pair of grim-faced, heavily armed security officers. They both thumped their fists over their hearts in salute when they recognized their commanders, and took a few steps back so there was room in the corridor for everyone.
“Everything quiet?” Brandt asked.
“Yes, sir. No one’s been in or out since we got here.”
“We’re retiring for a few hours at least. No visitors expected,” Hawke said, and both men nodded. One moved into position only a few feet from the elevator doors, while the other turned smartly, walking the short
There was no mistaking the flare of interest in Hawke’s eyes at her words. “We’re going to be living together?”
Brandt’s fingers tightened on her shoulder for a brief second, a silent acknowledgment of the olive branch she had just offered up. “T’karra’s reconsidered our offer and has agreed to it, for now.”
She couldn’t help but laugh a little. “For now. I will not permit anymore violence in my sanctuary. If that means I have to put up with an armed escort and a strange bed for a few days, so be it. Though, I will repeat my earlier protest, I do not need those guards.”
Hawke crossed the room so quickly she barely saw him move, and the next thing she knew his hands were on her desk, and he was leaning in so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. “I know you can take care of yourself, T’karra, but we’re not going to take any chances. This isn’t about your abilities, this about securing the station from any and all threats.”
There was nothing but truth behind his words, she could hear it. Sense it. There was nothing of the cocksure flirt who had sat at her bar and made her laugh with his stories. This was another man completely, and T’karra believed every word he’d said. “This doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you, Hawke. If you try anything, I swear I will make good on my promise to decorate my office with your head. You, too, Brandt.”
Brandt gave a low sigh before speaking. “You finally use my first name, and it’s tacked onto a threat. Still, I suppose that’s progress…of a sort.”
“She’s talking to me again. That’s definitely progress,” Hawke chimed in, smiling broadly at her. It really wasn’t fair how good-looking he was when he smiled. Not fucking fair at all. Still, she wasn’t ready to just give in and let him off the hook.
“I am talking to you again, for now. You spilled your blood in the defense of my family and my home, Hawke. That is the only reason we’re having this conversation.”
“Then I guess us sharing a bedroom for the next few days is out of the question, huh?”
T’karra bared her fangs, uttering a low growl. “Don’t push your luck, ’leet. Your head would look very nice bronzed and displayed on my shelf.”
Brandt groaned. “Please don’t kill him. I’m too old to start breaking in another partner.”
***
CHAPTER SEVEN
T’karra wasn’t happy Brandt and Hawke had teamed up against her and insisted they all needed food and rest before continuing their investigation, despite the fact she was bone weary. As they stood in the elevator that would take them to their quarters, she had to dig deep to find the energy to stay standing and not give in to the temptation to lean against the wall behind her. When this was all over, she was going to lay claim to one of the bar’s holo-rooms for a week and take a holographic vacation.
The elevator opened and the three of them stepped out, only to be greeted by a pair of grim-faced, heavily armed security officers. They both thumped their fists over their hearts in salute when they recognized their commanders, and took a few steps back so there was room in the corridor for everyone.
“Everything quiet?” Brandt asked.
“Yes, sir. No one’s been in or out since we got here.”
“We’re retiring for a few hours at least. No visitors expected,” Hawke said, and both men nodded. One moved into position only a few feet from the elevator doors, while the other turned smartly, walking the short
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