Illicit Mate (Abducted 4)

Almost.

He walked in and sat in one of the cozy armchairs facing the couch.

“Casey, I’m sorry about how I behaved earlier. And about not answering your messages.”

“I understand. This situation has been difficult for you.” Casey sat with her hands resting on her long, lean thighs. In her crisp, fitted uniform, she was magnificent to behold.

His gaze flicked to Jenna. She wore snug pants and a soft blue sweater that matched her eyes. Casey’s hair was almost white and Jenna’s was glossy black. Casey was tall and muscular while Jenna was average height with a soft, rounded build. It would be wonderful to feel Jenna’s soft body snuggled close to his right now.

But it was Casey he loved.

Fakkreh, who was he kidding. The feelings he had for Jenna were just as strong.

But even if he was bonded to Jenna, he couldn’t live that life. Couldn’t put Casey and Jenna through that.

“I told Jenna about your background,” Casey said, “so she would understand the situation.”

His chest tightened. He didn’t like people knowing. But he knew Casey had a good reason to tell her. Jenna was her tanash’ae. And Casey believed she was also his.

Jenna’s beautiful blue eyes were filled with hope as she stared at him. Casey’s, too.

Damn, they thought he was here to talk about making a relationship work between the three of them.

“I came here to let you know that…” He hesitated, not wanting to just blurt it out.

“Are you being transferred off the ship?” Casey asked.

His gaze shot to her. He shouldn’t be surprised she knew. She wouldn’t have been sitting idly by while he’d been drowning in his sorrows.

“Darrick, we can talk to the captain together,” Casey said. “I’m sure we can convince him to change his mind.”

He frowned. “You don’t get it, Casey. I asked for the transfer.”

The color drained from Casey’s face. “You can’t mean it. You’ll really leave us?”

“What did you think would happen, Casey?”

“I don’t know… I hoped that with time….” She trailed off, looking a little lost.

“That what? You could keep seducing me into bed with the two of you until you finally wear me down? That won’t happen because you and Jenna are tanash’aei and I won’t come between the two of you.”

“But we’d both love you between us.” Casey’s lips turned up in a hopeful grin as she said the teasing words.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’ll be leaving with the Yansome in two days.”

“Darrick.” For the first time, Jenna spoke.

He glanced toward her.

“Let’s talk frankly,” Jenna said. “You say that Casey and I are tannish-aei.”

Darrick noticed she said the word with almost no trace of an accent now.

“But you also know,” Jenna continued, “that you and I are tannish-aei, too.”

He clenched his jaw, biting back the automatic denial. They were all past believing that now.

“The real problem, from what Casey told me, is that you don’t want to be in a relationship with three of us. If you can at least admit that, we can try and move forward.”