Domestic Duet: Domestic Alliance & Asset by Cora Blu Read Free Book Online Page B

is my middle name, my mother’s maiden name.”
    Montage shook his head.
    “I will refer to you using whichever name appeals to me…Ochi!”
    To hand over power wasn’t her style, but staying alive was the top priority. She scoffed under his harsh forceful tone and shook her head. “Fine, Captain Farkus. This is your world, and these are your people, not mine.”
    “Thank you...Ochi,” he said her name slower, tempting her to have another outburst. She didn’t take the bait.
    The night saturated the shuttle in spotty shadows. Sadie’s stomach plummeted when they exited the bay to float out into space as smooth as a ride in a new Cadillac. Through the side window, the station appeared large, almost egg-shaped with eight brackets supporting it. A reddish-blue flat ring circled the circumference of the station much like a freeway in the mountains.
    Adjusting her hips, she craned her neck around and took in the magnificent view. Simply blown away by her surroundings, she said a silent prayer. By the time she’d said, “Amen,” Norese’s hand covered hers, her warm body snuggled close and her breathing quiet. In the near-black interior, Sadie listened to the captain and Montage discussing shipments of fuel, and metals, and dealing with humans.
    “How many clean shipments came in from the central hemisphere?” the captain asked.
    Montage tapped out a series of buttons on the transparent panel as he answered, “Sector Seven hasn’t received a contaminated shipment in the last eight months. The last conference between you and the human captain appears to be making headway.”
    The Captain slid a lever forward and the shuttle tilted back then leveled off. “Good. Holston’s a good man.” He chuckled. “Of the few humans I can tolerate, Holston I trust.”
    Sadie coughed.
    “Did you say something, Sadie,” the captain asked, looking over his shoulder, his features hidden in the shadows.
    “You said fuel comes from the Earth and you recycle it up here creating a cleaner burning fluid for smaller engines. Then you manipulate the metal making it stronger, and then you sell it to our government.” She held up a hand gesturing in the shadows. “Why is this a secret?”
    Montage angled his chair around, his eyes and tight features partially visible. “Humans are dirty. At one point, your species attempted to steal our technology, having no way of understanding our mother language.”
    In the dark, she rolled her eyes. “You speak English, the same language of the dirty species.”
    When would she learn to keep her mouth shut? Montage’s shoulders tightened. His hand came up inches from her face. Sadie instinctively shielded Norese, cupping her to her breasts.
    A hand shot out of the dark, clasping around his throat. Montage groaned. Aroc slammed him back in his seat, making it strain the bolts holding it together. Their faces were inches apart. “Sadie is my guest. Treat her with respect, at all times, Commander. In my presence and out!”
    Tension in the cabin built, robust as a fifth body taking up space.
    “Sadie,” he said through compressed lips. “Our language consists of many intricate symbols and lengthy phrases. Many still speak it within their homes.”
    She couldn’t take her eyes off the captain. If Montage wasn’t her friend before, the captain stepping in on her behalf didn’t help their relationship.
    “Montage, Commander, I understand that you feel exposed with me in your world, but if you don’t like us, why build a treaty?”
    “We were exposed by a rogue, leaving us with unfavorable options to secure the safety of our world, Sadie,” the captain said. “In that treaty your government chose to allow a select number of business owners access to our technology, setting up a central location out here in space—a neutral station. Our people are aware of humans. I’ve banned them from visiting Earth unless as a part of the current mission,” he, informed her in a diplomatic tone that