Untamable Lover (Worlds of Lemuria: Earth Colony Book 2) by Rosalie Redd Read Free Book Online Page A

Her attention was focused solely on her friend.
    As he pulled into the booth, Zedron scooted to the back, into the shadows. He had a perfect view of Alora. Her pale blue eyes gleamed with determination, her plump mouth pulled into a pout. His lips throbbed with the sudden urge to kiss her. He clenched his fist, hating how he still reacted to her, still wanted her, despite she’d chosen his one-time best friend, Veromé, as her mate.
    The waiter bowed and circled his hand over the table. A small hum emanated from the center and a hologram appeared with different options for the evening’s meal. “Your server will be with you shortly.”
    Zedron ignored the waiter and studied Alora. Even from this distance, she teased him—her smile, the way she wrapped a few strands of her hair between her fingers, her plunging neckline. Once she’d willingly given him that gorgeous smile, but not anymore—not after the mistake he’d made.
    A young server blocked his vision, forcing Zedron to look at the male. “What would you like tonight?”
    Zedron waved his hand in the air, dissolving the menu, scattering the images until they disappeared. “Bring me a bowl of Monton stew and a glass of muldoberry wine.” 
    “Right away, sir.”
    Alone again, Zedron stared at his ex-lover. Visions of Veromé trailing his fingers over Alora’s soft skin, kissing her tender lips, and loving her until she cried out his name made Zedron’s pulse pound in his temple. His jaw ached from the tension, and he curled his hand into a fist. Zedron had money, power, and influence. Veromé had none of those things and yet, Alora had chosen Veromé over him. He still couldn’t accept the defeat. 
    In a bid for revenge, during a council meeting he’d challenged her for the right to colonize Earth. Radnor, the council leader had honored the challenge, and the competition was on. The battle was fought with characters, like pieces in an elaborate game. His minions called him a god, but he was a colonizer just like Alora—a planet searcher—and one of the many residents that lived on Lemuria. The victor of the game won the right to control Earth’s water. 
    Alora wanted to barter with the humans for the water with gifts of knowledge and technology. For Zedron, if, no…when he won, he’d enslave the humans and force them to load the resource onto the transport ships that would bring the much-needed water back to Lemuria. 
    During that ill-fated council meeting, Alora’s pursed lips and furrowed brow had made his heart pound. He’d gotten a reaction from her, and if anger and resentment was all he could get, so be it. She’d once cared for him, and he vowed she would again, someday.
    Zedron couldn’t hear Alora and Bellamy’s conversation, not above the din of other voices in the eatery. That was fine. He had a tool that would do the job. He pulled a long, thin rod from his coat’s breast pocket. The trinket was something he’d found at a shady antique store and he wasn’t able to resist the antiquated listening device. Since he didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping, he shoved the rod up his sleeve, hiding it from any curious eyes. 
    A smirk pulled at his lip. He hadn’t realized he’d get the opportunity to use the mechanism so quickly. Heat radiated from his chest and down his arms, causing his fingers to tingle. With care, he angled the tip toward Alora and placed the receiver in his ear.
    Alora took a sip from her cup and winked at her friend. “Thank you for coming with me tonight.”
    Bellamy gripped Alora’s arm. “Please don’t make me wait any…me. What did Veromé…you?” 
    Zedron adjusted the wand, angling the tip a bit more toward Bellamy.
    Alora peered around the room, as if searching for someone. Perhaps me? Zedron could only hope.
    She rummaged in her bag and extended her closed fist to Bellamy. She released her grip, and a short chain dangled from her fingers. The bauble sparkled in the light. “This! He gave me