Things like “you left me” and
“why” and “how could you” fell rapidly from her lips. Trey continued to hold the young woman as she cried out all of her fears and frustrations from her experiences over the last few months.
“G’baena, please forgive me. Ben and I had no idea that your family would do that to you. We can take you back to the planet.
Make sure you’re taken care of and that your family faces justice.”
Tee-ani realized that G’baena had begun to hyperventilate. Her breathing rapid and labored, G’baena shook so hard, Tee-ani could see the vibrations ripple across Trey’s shoulders. Unwilling to just sedate the nearly hysterical woman, Tee-ani stepped forward and placed her hands on either side of G’baena’s face. She gently urged G’baena to look at her as she spoke in a low, soothing voice.
“G’baena, I want you to listen to me. I know you’re scared and tired, but I promise you, you are safe here. No one will make you do anything you don’t want to do. You are protected and free to make your own choices. If you don’t want to go back to G’trobia, no one will force you. You have my word on that.”
G’baena’s eyes seemed to focus on Tee-ani as she spoke and the violent shaking subsided just a little. She whispered a few words, but Tee-ani needed to step closer to hear them. It sounded like she was saying “I can’t believe I did that.” Trey’s warm chuckle filled the room.
“I can believe it,” he said as he moved G’baena so he could see her face. “You have every right to be angry with me and Ben. We shouldn’t have left you behind, and anytime you want to swing that lethal punch at Ben, too, I’d be happy to hold him down.” He rubbed his nose and then pulled G’baena back into his embrace. The younger woman relaxed against him and sighed quietly.
“Tee-ani, thank you for coming to find me.”
Tee-ani knew she would never regret going to find G’baena, but the sight of Trey holding the younger woman seemed to be doing Tee-ani’s Pirates
85
funny things to her head. They looked so perfect together. They were both the same species. Hell, G’baena was very literally the mate chosen and raised for him and Ben.
Nope. The problem here was Tee-ani. She knew she didn’t belong, but did she have the fortitude to step back and let nature run its course?
* * * *
Tee-ani’s emotions confused him. He could feel sadness and regret and an anger that she seemed to aim at herself. Goddess, what was the woman thinking? Surely, she knew how much he and Ben loved her. They’d claimed her. She didn’t carry the traditional G’trobian scars, so what? She knew they belonged together, the three of them had made a commitment, and there was no way he would let her walk away from him and Ben without one hell of a fight.
“G’baena,” he whispered to the woman in his arms. “You’ll find many human women here willing to help you make a life for yourself on the ship. Take some time to explore your options and decide what you want. Just know that Ben and I will be here to help you if you need it.”
She stepped backward, pulling out of his arms. “You love her, don’t you?”
Trey glanced over at Tee-ani and then back at G’baena. He nodded.
“What about Ben? Does he feel the same way?”
“Yes.”
“So why haven’t you claimed her?”
“We have.”
G’baena glanced over at Tee-ani where she was using a medical instrument to heal several dark bruises on a patient’s thighs.
“But she doesn’t wear your mark?”
86
Rachel Clark
“True. She’s human and an ex-slave. She doesn’t want to be scarred as a sign of possession. And, well, Ben and I are…” He trailed off, unsure how to explain his step away from G’trobian tradition.
“You and Ben love her enough to let her be her own person, to let her decide for herself, and to love her regardless.”
Trey looked at her. He knew he had surprise written all over his face, but he
“why” and “how could you” fell rapidly from her lips. Trey continued to hold the young woman as she cried out all of her fears and frustrations from her experiences over the last few months.
“G’baena, please forgive me. Ben and I had no idea that your family would do that to you. We can take you back to the planet.
Make sure you’re taken care of and that your family faces justice.”
Tee-ani realized that G’baena had begun to hyperventilate. Her breathing rapid and labored, G’baena shook so hard, Tee-ani could see the vibrations ripple across Trey’s shoulders. Unwilling to just sedate the nearly hysterical woman, Tee-ani stepped forward and placed her hands on either side of G’baena’s face. She gently urged G’baena to look at her as she spoke in a low, soothing voice.
“G’baena, I want you to listen to me. I know you’re scared and tired, but I promise you, you are safe here. No one will make you do anything you don’t want to do. You are protected and free to make your own choices. If you don’t want to go back to G’trobia, no one will force you. You have my word on that.”
G’baena’s eyes seemed to focus on Tee-ani as she spoke and the violent shaking subsided just a little. She whispered a few words, but Tee-ani needed to step closer to hear them. It sounded like she was saying “I can’t believe I did that.” Trey’s warm chuckle filled the room.
“I can believe it,” he said as he moved G’baena so he could see her face. “You have every right to be angry with me and Ben. We shouldn’t have left you behind, and anytime you want to swing that lethal punch at Ben, too, I’d be happy to hold him down.” He rubbed his nose and then pulled G’baena back into his embrace. The younger woman relaxed against him and sighed quietly.
“Tee-ani, thank you for coming to find me.”
Tee-ani knew she would never regret going to find G’baena, but the sight of Trey holding the younger woman seemed to be doing Tee-ani’s Pirates
85
funny things to her head. They looked so perfect together. They were both the same species. Hell, G’baena was very literally the mate chosen and raised for him and Ben.
Nope. The problem here was Tee-ani. She knew she didn’t belong, but did she have the fortitude to step back and let nature run its course?
* * * *
Tee-ani’s emotions confused him. He could feel sadness and regret and an anger that she seemed to aim at herself. Goddess, what was the woman thinking? Surely, she knew how much he and Ben loved her. They’d claimed her. She didn’t carry the traditional G’trobian scars, so what? She knew they belonged together, the three of them had made a commitment, and there was no way he would let her walk away from him and Ben without one hell of a fight.
“G’baena,” he whispered to the woman in his arms. “You’ll find many human women here willing to help you make a life for yourself on the ship. Take some time to explore your options and decide what you want. Just know that Ben and I will be here to help you if you need it.”
She stepped backward, pulling out of his arms. “You love her, don’t you?”
Trey glanced over at Tee-ani and then back at G’baena. He nodded.
“What about Ben? Does he feel the same way?”
“Yes.”
“So why haven’t you claimed her?”
“We have.”
G’baena glanced over at Tee-ani where she was using a medical instrument to heal several dark bruises on a patient’s thighs.
“But she doesn’t wear your mark?”
86
Rachel Clark
“True. She’s human and an ex-slave. She doesn’t want to be scarred as a sign of possession. And, well, Ben and I are…” He trailed off, unsure how to explain his step away from G’trobian tradition.
“You and Ben love her enough to let her be her own person, to let her decide for herself, and to love her regardless.”
Trey looked at her. He knew he had surprise written all over his face, but he
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