Born of Betrayal by Sherrilyn Kenyon

me. He’s not exactly fond of Andarions. The last time any were here, they blew up half his station.”
    â€œYet he adopted you?”
    â€œWhat can I say? I’m irresistibly fluffy.”
    She snorted at that as she swept past him, then froze at the opulent suite of rooms. “Is this … correct?”
    He nodded as he set her bag on the floor near a leather sofa. “It is, indeed. If you don’t like it—”
    â€œNo,” she said quickly, afraid he’d return her to the crappy side they’d just come from. “It’s very nice. Thank you.”
    He inclined his head to her. “I’ll have Talyn put in the room that’s adjacent to this one.” He gestured toward a door on his right. “You can open the door between your quarters. That should keep him in line with his barracks restriction.”
    Sadness bit her hard at the reminder. “Thank you. The last thing I want is for him to lose his rank. Again. He’s worked and suffered enough already.”
    Fain opened his mouth to speak an instant before a blaring alarm sounded.
    Galene scowled at the highly unpleasant shrieking noise. “What’s that?”
    â€œWe’re under attack.”
    All the color faded from her face. For a moment, Fain thought she might pass out as she placed her hand against the wall to catch her balance.
    Worried about her, he closed the distance between them. “Stormy?”
    She didn’t even react to his old nickname for her. Instead, she grabbed the front of his battlesuit in two desperate fists. Tears swam in her pale eyes as she stared up at him. “Don’t let my Talyn fly. Ground him!”
    He scowled at her uncharacteristic behavior. “I’ll try.”
    â€œNo,” she choked, shaking her head as she tightened her grip on him. Her breathing was labored and panicked in a way he couldn’t fathom. He’d never seen her like this before. “You can’t … I-I-I can’t … Talyn has to stay here! On the ground. Do you understand? In the station. You hear me!” She was absolutely hysterical. “He can’t fly into battle. Not again! Never … Never!”
    â€œShh, Galene. It’s all right.” Fain pulled her against him and held her close. She was literally shaking like a child. “I’m not going to let your son be harmed. I swear.”
    And still she sobbed hysterically.
    What the hell had happened to Talyn?
    Her armband buzzed with the warning, summoning her to take command of the battle. Her breathing ragged, she stepped back to silence it. “I’ve got to go.” When she met his gaze, he saw the terror that ran soul deep. “He’s all I have in this universe, Fain. Please, don’t let him fly into an attack again! Please! Keep him on the ground. Whatever it takes.”
    What did she want him to do? Shoot the kid? He had a feeling that was the only way to stop Talyn from doing what he wanted, and given the size and rage-factor of their son, that would probably only piss him off more. “You’re his commander. Order him to stand down.”
    She snorted at that. “He’s too much like his father.” She glared hatefully at him.
    Wiping at her eyes, she pulled herself together to rush to the command center for her post.
    Torn between his duty to protect the station, and a need to make sure she was all right, he ran to the hangar bay where his fighter was docked.
    Hoping to make it out before he got into trouble with his child, he was halfway to his fighter when Talyn and ten of the Andarion guardsmen met up with him.
    Shit. Fain closed his eyes and ground his teeth at the bad timing.
    Of course, Talyn headed straight for him. Because, yeah, that was the kind of luck he had. “If you have ships, we can assist.”
    Effing awesome . Either he angered his son or the woman who held his heart in a merciless grip.
    You’re so screwed,