HostileIntent (10 page)

“I honestly don’t know if she’s more upset because her
non-boyfriend broke up with her or because she found out you’re with the
Coalition. That’s disturbing.” It was the first thing Gates had said all
evening.

All Adam could think about, though, what how hurt Michael
must be right now. “Yeah. I think I’ve got somewhere to be.” Adam stood slowly
before making his way back to the guestroom. When he entered, he wasn’t
surprised to find Michael alone.

“Sorry about the scene.” Michael sat on the bed they’d all
shared only hours earlier. “That must have been awkward.”

“A little.” He sat down next to Michael. “But they’ll get
over it. How are you doing?”

Michael exhaled sharply and when he smiled it was
self-deprecating. “I’ve been better.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I
was just so mad at her for yelling at me. I was only trying to protect her. And
then words just started coming out of my mouth. I swear, I had no idea what I’d
said until I stormed off. I don’t know what came over me.”

Adam put his arm around him in a show of support. “I do. Being
treated like a convenience sucks. Especially when you love the person.”

Michael leaned his head on Adam’s shoulder and Adam felt a
tingle of attraction. “I thought I could handle it. I thought I could handle
her. Even when I realized I was falling for her and the feelings weren’t
returned. Apparently I was just kidding myself.”

Adam had to stop him there. “She has feelings.”

Michael’s hair tickled Adam’s neck as he shook his head. “Don’t
lie just to make me feel better.”

“I’m not lying.” He pulled Michael tighter to him, which
made him more aware of the citrus scent that clung to him. One deep breath and
he was already getting hard. It didn’t matter that now was definitely not the
time or that he had no idea if Michael was even attracted to him without Renee
there. Michael turned him on.

He relaxed his grip and tried to get a hold of his emotions.
This was about Michael and Renee. Adam didn’t figure into it. “She was upset
when you left. She told me to fix it. I think she considered it an order.”

Michael pulled away and looked up at him. “Really? She
seemed genuinely upset.” There was hope dancing in his eyes that made Adam
smile.

“She was.”

“Did she say she was sorry?”

Adam had to stifle a laugh at the thought. “Not to me. But
she might if you go find her and work things out.”

“Where is she?”

“If I had to guess I’d say she’s bunking in Aimes’ room for
the night.”

Michael sat back and was silent for a moment as if he were
thinking about it. But then his gaze drifted to Adam’s mouth. All it took was
the simple glance for Adam’s skin to tingle as if he’d actually been kissed.
And damn. He craved that feeling.

“She’s been making me wait for years.” Michael leaned over
and pressed his lips to Adam’s. “I can make her wait.”

Adam moaned as Michael’s hand slid down his throat in a
tender caress. “It does seem fair.” Adam turned so he could kiss Michael fully.
The man’s mouth was warm and inviting as he parted his lips to welcome Adam’s
tongue to explore. He tasted like coffee and something spicy. Something Adam
wanted to eat.

When Michael’s hands slid under Adam’s shirt and then over
the planes of his abdomen, Adam felt the touch in his soul. His stomach
tightened and his heart raced at the tender affection. But tender wasn’t
enough. He wanted more and he wanted it now. “We need to be a whole lot more
naked.”

With a quick nod, Michael got off the bed and undressed.
Adam had fully planned on doing the same but he got too caught up in watching
the play of Michael’s muscles as he stripped to move. “You planning on getting
undressed or just watching me?”

It was funny that Michael was just as impatient as Renee.
She’d pretty much said exactly the same thing to him when they first met. “You
and Renee really are meant for each other.”

“And who are you meant for?” Michael started helping him get
undressed.

A pang of remorse pinched at his stomach as he remembered
the look of anger and betrayal on Renee’s face. “Don’t know. Guess I haven’t
found them yet.” He finished getting undressed in a hurry. He wanted this
conversation over. Then they could get to the good stuff.

“I don’t believe you.”

He didn’t really care what Michael believed and he fully
intended on telling him that. But Michael kissed him before he could get the
words out. And then, as Michael deepened the kiss and his fingers began to
explore Adam’s body, Adam forgot what he wanted to argue about. Everything felt
too good for him to be angry.

Adam liked women. They were sexy, bold and curvy in all the
right places. But there was something to be said about the way a man kissed.
The dominance and power were enough to steal his breath away. Women tended to
be a bit of a mystery at times but he knew how to a man wanted to be touched.

He reached down and wrapped his hand around Michael’s cock.
As soon as he grasped Michael’s dick it grew harder. And Adam became curious at
the reaction. If Michael responded that strongly to a simple touch, what would
it be like to take Michael’s dick in his mouth? Would he even be any good at
it? He’d been on the receiving side enough to know intoxicating and
overwhelming the act could be. But he’d never experienced what it was like to
hold that power over another man. The more he thought about what it would be
like, the more appeal the idea had until he was straddling Michael’s legs and
kissing his abdomen. It was decision time. Did he really want to do this?

Michael moaned just as his dick brushed against Adam’s jaw
and pleasure shot through Adam. Yeah, he wanted this. He pulled back on the
shaft to give him better access to the head and then ran his tongue over the
sensitive skin.

“Yes. Just like that.” Michael pressed down on Adam’s
shoulders and the gesture sent a fresh wave of desire through him. He liked
being in control of Michael’s pleasure. He never imagined it could be so
erotic.

He opened his mouth and took Michael into him, letting the
man’s weight rest on his tongue. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced.
His lips were stretched and his mouth was more than full but he liked it. And
judging by Michael’s moan, he liked it as well.

The rhythm Adam set started out relaxed and gentle as he
explored. But as Michael became more excited, so did Adam and he couldn’t hold
the calm tempo any longer. He devoured Michael with long licks and sweeping
caresses of his tongue. He took him all the way to the back of this throat and
sucked him hard enough to hollow out his cheeks. And when Michael was just on
the brink of climax, Adam cupped Michael’s balls in his hand and gently
squeezed.

“Fuck!” Warm, salty come landed on Adam’s tongue and flowed
down his throat, leaving him with a sense of accomplishment. He’d done that. He’d
turned Michael on and then brought him to release. And he planned on savoring
every last second of it.

When Michael’s body stopped shaking and when Adam had
swallowed the last of Michael’s come, he licked the man’s cock one last time
before crawling up to lie next to him on the bed. “Feel better?”

Michael smiled as his hand wrapped around Adam’s cock. “Oh
yeah, but you’re still hard.”

He wrapped him arms around Michael’s shoulders in a
welcoming embrace. “I’ll be fine. I just wanted to help you.”

“Damn, that’s sexy.” Michael kissed him. But this time it
was more than the usual dominance and strength. There was tenderness too. “I
think I want to keep you.”

“Too bad the love of your life hates me and everything I
stand for.”

His hand started to stroke Adam’s cock, eliciting a shiver
from Adam. “She doesn’t even know you. Besides, do you honestly think there
haven’t been times when she’s hated my guts over the past couple of years? She’s
just as passionate in a fight as she is in bed. But thankfully, her temper
cools quicker than her libido does.”

Michael set a wonderful rhythm that made him forget about
everything that wasn’t happening in that moment. “Damn, that feels good.”

There was a soft popping and Adam looked up just in time to
see Michael take his finger out of his mouth. “And this will feel amazing.” He
pulled Adam even closer to him and then traced the cleft of his ass with his
finger. Without intending to, Adam immediately tensed but a soft kiss on his
neck set him at ease. “Relax. You’ll like this.”

As Michael continued to stroke Adam’s cock he slid the moist
finger around the rim of Adam’s anus. Every instinct Adam had told him to tense
up but he fought against it. Michael had told him to relax and he would. It
helped that he was so turned-on that he’d do just about anything to find
release.

“That’s it. Relax.” Michael’s breath caressed his ear as he
said the word and Adam obeyed. “You have an amazing ass.”

Michael’s finger pushed past the tight ring of muscle and
there was a burning, stretching sensation. Still, he was too far gone to stop
the man. Even the slight bite of pain was welcomed in his desire-saturated
state. He rocked back on the finger even as Michael began to pump his cock
faster. “Does it feel okay?”

“Feels incredible.” So much better than he’d ever imagined.

Michael pushed the finger in farther and hit a spot deep
inside Adam that made his whole body convulse with pleasure. “One of these
days,” he said as he swept over the spot again. “I’m going to fuck your ass
while Renee sucks you off.”

That’s all it took. Adam’s orgasm slammed into him with
blinding force and his body shuddered around Michael’s finger as he came. Each
incidental brush of the digit buried deep inside him only brought about a fresh
wave of climax until he honestly thought he was going to pass out. “Please. I
can’t take any more.”

Michael smiled as he removed himself from Adam. “Oh, you
can. And you will. Just not tonight.” He kissed Adam before he got off the bed.
“I need to go clean up. Are you okay?”

“I’m…” There really were no words to describe how he felt
right now. He was warm and peaceful but still slightly tingly as he remembered
everything he’d just done. And had done to him. “Good.”

Michael’s rich, warm laughter washed over him. “Don’t sell
yourself short. I’d say you’re fucking incredible.” He dropped one more quick
kiss on Adam’s lips before leaving.

Michael returned shortly but Adam was already starting to
drop off into a comfortable sleep. “I think I want to keep you too,” he
confided.

“Good.” Michael wrapped him in a warm embrace that only made
him feel more at peace.

“Are you sure Renee will forgive me?”

“She just needs some time. She needs to miss us.”

“We’ve got two days until the council votes on the
directive. I hope that’s all the time she needs.” Adam felt Michael nod and
then he gave in to the siren’s call of sleep.

Renee glared at Adam and Michael as they took the seats on
each side of her in the council’s chamber even though she knew they couldn’t
see her expression. She was wearing a hooded robe because Representative Lee
wanted her presence announced at the optimal time. And irritating man that he
was, he’d decided now wasn’t optimal. She couldn’t glare at him though. He was
currently sitting behind her, next to Aimes. So she decided rolling her eyes
would have to do. Men, why did they have to be so difficult?

Even easygoing Michael had suddenly decided to make her life
harder than it should be. Would it really be all that traumatic for him to say
he was sorry? No. Especially since he was wrong. He should’ve told her who Adam
worked for. By withholding the information, he’d lied to her. It was as simple
as that. But it’d been two days, and two very long nights, and he hadn’t said
anything to her at all. It was almost as if he was expecting her to apologize
to him. And what was worse, she had to watch how happy he and Adam apparently
were together. She glared in his direction again just for good measure.

Yes, it had been a little sweet that Michael had been
looking out for her. And yes, Adam had had a couple of good ideas, which had
probably kept her from getting into worse trouble. But she was a big girl. She
could and would take care of herself. And she deserved to know who was on her
ship.

“You’re tense.” Lee’s voice broke through her thoughts and
dragged her back to the problem at hand.

“I’m dead. How can I be tense?” Her eyes scanned the men in
the room until she found the person she’d been searching for. Her father looked
drawn and almost fragile. It wasn’t a look she was used to seeing on him. She’d
give anything to reassure him that she was okay. Tell him that everything was
all right. Unfortunately that wasn’t her call. Lee was the man in charge of
this little show. She just hoped this charade would be over soon.

“I’m being serious. If you’re having second thoughts, I need
to know now.”

She shook her head. “No. Those bastards nearly destroyed my
ship to get this law passed. Even if I agreed with it, which I don’t,” she said
pointedly for Michael and Adam’s benefit, “I’d still be here fighting against
it because of that.”

“She loves her ship,” Michael said dryly. “She’d do anything
to protect it. Even wage a war against her own people if they tried to take it
from her.”

Oh, she saw what he was doing. And she wasn’t going to let
him get away with it. “It’s not the same thing.” She turned to face Michael as
she hissed the words. “My ship can’t take care of itself. It relies on me.”

“And we all know that you never rely on anyone but yourself.”

She couldn’t win. The man was just too stubborn. “I rely on
my crew every damn day.”

“And I do believe this crew has been through hell and back
for you.”

Nope. There was no winning.

“I call today’s session to order.” The Speaker rapped his
gavel on the podium twice before putting it down. “Before we can vote on the
Loyalty Directive, Representative Lee has petitioned for a vote of no
confidence in Prime Minister Vance.” The Speaker pressed a button and the
motion was displayed on the wall behind him. “Are there any in attendance who
second the motion?”

One of the representatives raised his hand. “I second it.”
The member was new enough that Renee didn’t know him.

“I object.” This one she did recognize. He was one of her
father’s oldest friends, Chairman Lowry. The Loyalty Directive was his baby and
Renee was willing to bet that this little delay was killing him. “Representative
Lee is stalling. There’s no proof that Prime Minister Vance has done anything
wrong. And Lee’s only witness to the loyalty of the planets in question is
deceased. She was tragically killed by Coalition forces. The very people this
bill will protect our citizens from.”

“Actually I have two witnesses willing to testify,” Lee said
as he stood. “The first is Adam Pallara. Son of Maxwell Pallara, whom we all
remember best as the CEO and founder of Pallara Energy.”

Adam stood as Renee was still processing the words. Adam’s
family had been the Pallaras? They were the same age so of course she
remembered reading all the gossip about him when she’d been growing up. Who he
dated. Where he hung out. Which model of transport his parents were buying him
for his birthday. They’d all been fodder for the tabloid news. He’d been
royalty in everything except title. And she’d slept with him.

“He’s been tried and found guilty of treason.” Lowry’s words
cut into her little fantasy. Of course, there was that. “He cannot testify in
front of this house or in any court of law in the universe. As a matter of
fact, I believe he’s a matter for security to deal with.”

“He’s currently in my employment and as such qualifies for
diplomatic immunity.” Lee’s calm, collected voice was in stark contrast to the
whispered chaos breaking out around him.

“Traitors don’t qualify for diplomatic immunity.”

“Check again, Chairman Lowry. He qualifies under the
political asylum clause. I had my best lawyers look into it.”

If the streak of red that colored Lowry’s face wasn’t enough
to let everyone know he wasn’t happy, there was always the spittle that rained
over the desk every time he spoke. “This is your last chance, Lee. If he
testifies I will tell the people. They’ll know once and for all where your
allegiances lie.” He obviously didn’t want to hear a single word Adam had to
say. But she did. She needed to know what happened.

“I’ve never hidden my allegiances or my intentions,
Representative. Not even with backroom deals or cleverly worded legislation.
Feel free to tell whomever you like. But in the name of full disclosure, I
brought Mr. Dallen with me to broadcast the session today.” Lee gestured to
Michael, who was obviously aiming his reader at Chairman Lowry. “You don’t have
a problem with the people hearing about your loyalties, do you?”

He glared at Lee but then shook his head. “I have nothing to
hide.”

“Good to hear. Now, can we please get started?”

“Of course. As it turns out, I do have a question for the
traitor. And since he’s here…” Lowry spread his hands in a gesture to encompass
the chamber. “Might as well ask it.”

“Ask me whatever you like. I have nothing to hide. Not anymore.”
Adam’s voice was so calm and sure that Renee would’ve cheered had she not been
still pissed off at him.

“How is it that you managed to survive when the rest of your
family and planet were destroyed?”

“Satellite,” Adam said calmly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Luca’s third moon is just that, a moon. It’s a satellite to
the planet Luca.”

“Fine. How is it that you survived when your family and
satellite were both destroyed?”

“Because I was lazy.” Adam took a deep breath before
continuing. “The rest of my family was already up and at the manufacturing
plant that day. When the shuttles dropped the H8 there was nowhere for them to
go. Nowhere to hide. I’ve been told they died quickly. In more pain than
imaginable, but almost immediately. I think they expected me to find some
measure of comfort in knowing that. I, however, was late. I’d slept in.” He
looked down at Renee as he spoke as if he was telling his story just for her to
hear. “I was the child of wealth. Oh, I went to school and studied hard. I even
managed to graduate with honors. But I also partied, spent money without
considering the hard work that went into earning it and I took my family and
their business for granted. So I slept in.” He reached up and scratched his
head. “A lot. It never mattered until that day, though.”

Without thinking, she reached up and grabbed his hand. In
that moment he wasn’t a traitor or a Coalition soldier. He was just a man who’d
lost everything he’d ever loved and he deserved to have his story heard.

“My bodyguard pulled me out of bed that day and started to
drag me to the safety pods in the house. But I argued with him. Told him that I
wanted to stand with my people against whomever was attacking us.” He smiled
ruefully. “Imagine my surprise when I learned it was my own government. And
that it wasn’t an attack but an annihilation. There was no defense against it.
Still, I was young and arrogant. I thought I could do something to help. With
time running out, he aimed his weapon at me and told me that if I didn’t get
into a pod, he’d shoot me where I stood. I wasn’t stupid, so I got into one of
the pods. He climbed into the one next to mine and then we waited.” Adam
shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he told the story. “As the
first wave of the gas swept through the house I heard the glass in the pod
start to crack. They were top-of-the-line but they weren’t designed to stand up
against an H8 attack. Nothing is. And as soon as the house started to burn, the
pod began to melt around me. The last thing I remember was watching my
bodyguard’s skin melt off his face.” As he closed his eyes and cleared his
throat, Renee found herself hoping the story ended there. Reliving that day
couldn’t be easy for him. It hurt her just to hear him talk about it.

“Do you have any experience with H8 burns?” His question was
directed at Lowry. “Have you ever been close enough to a planet during a burn
off to feel the heat the chemical gives off?” He waited for a second but then
continued as the chairman remained silent, “The pain is excruciating. I was
being cooked inside the pod. My skin blistered instantly. And even though it
was filtered, the air scarred my lungs permanently. Thankfully I blacked out
before the worst damage was done. When I came to I had to endure months of
treatments and years of therapy. But that wasn’t the worst of it. I had to go
through that knowing that everyone I ever loved was dead, my home had been
confiscated by the government and I had been found guilty of treason. In
absentia, of course. Because I was too busy fighting for my life to defend my
family’s name.”

“You sold fuel to the Coalition.” Lowry had calmed down
considerably while Adam told his story but the accusation still carried some
heat.

“No. You just didn’t want to pay us for something you could
steal.” His voice was brittle as he issued the challenge.

“We had a judge look at our evidence. He agreed with us.”
Lowry said the words with such force that they made his jowl shake.

“Oh yes. Good old Judge Doshell issued the order, didn’t he?
I would’ve liked to speak with him about his ruling. Unfortunately he died
three months ago.” Adam squeezed her hand in return. “Right about the time the
Loyalty Directive was written.”

Lee took this moment to advance his case. “I would like to
point out that Judge Doshell signed the orders for a number of burn offs that
failed to meet the threshold of evidence.” Lee nodded and the Speaker changed
the display to a list of planets Doshell had signed off on. “And Prime Minister
Vance signed off on each and every one of these bun offs.”

Lowry shook his head sharply. “A judge who had access to all
the facts thought they did meet the threshold. Are we to believe you and some
traitor that over him? What evidence do you have?”

“They have me.” This had to be the optimal moment Lee had
told her to wait for. She couldn’t imagine a better one. Renee stood and let
her hood drop behind her. There were several gasps but she ignored them. She
had something to say. “I’m Captain Renee Holt and I scouted at least seven of
those planets. There were no signs of Coalition forces on them and I wrote that
in my report in no uncertain terms. Yet the judge still signed the order. As
did Prime Minister Vance.”

“You’re dead.”

“That’s what I hear. And I’m sure that a whole lot of people
want it to be true. I assure you however that I’m quite alive.” She smiled
weakly as she looked at her father. “And I’ve got one hell of a story to tell.”

They were escorted out of the council chambers and to a
private transport two hours later. They were going to be sequestered in a hotel
until the vote. The move was for their protection. Or at least that’s what
everyone kept telling her. Then she’d finally get the press conference she
wanted. Although she didn’t think she needed one anymore. She couldn’t imagine
the press coming up with any questions the council hadn’t already asked of her.
The worst, of course, had been from her father. He’d been every bit as pissed
off as she’d thought he’d be. “My dad was not in a forgiving mood today, was
he?”

“It’s okay, sweetheart, he’ll forgive you.” Michael wrapped
his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into his warmth.

“I feel as if the entire universe is mad at me right now.
Even you’re upset with me.’”

He smiled down at her. “I am. A little. But I still love you
and so does your dad.”

He loved her? She’d suspected it for a while. She feared she
even returned the emotion. But he’d never said it out loud. And if he didn’t
say it, she could go on pretending it wasn’t true. Only he had said it. Which
meant she was in trouble.

She looked up and her heart fluttered as she caught Adam
staring at her. Damn it. She’d been attracted to him before hearing his story.
But now she felt drawn to him. Yep. She was in big, big trouble. “You know, if
you just would’ve told me what was going on, I wouldn’t have had you arrested.”
She probably wouldn’t have, at least. It really depended on how pissed off she’d
been at the time. Still, they didn’t need to hear that.

“But you would’ve thrown him off your ship and you needed
him,” Michael argued. “Besides, it’s his story to tell or not to tell. Hell, I
didn’t even know all of it until last night.”

“And yet you still trusted him?” It was something that’d
always amazed her about Michael. People had to earn her trust but Michael just
gave it to everyone he encountered. He honestly believed people were good.