Paladin: Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone #4 Page 4

  “Toren, she is a child.” Simone snatched the weapon out of Grace’s hands and shoved it at him. “She should not be using weapons.”

  “But she’s highly intelligent,” he said. “She makes explosives—”

  “No, she doesn’t. Not anymore.”

  “Mom—”

  “No. It was poor judgment on Toren’s behalf to let you try this. No shooting. No fighting. No weapons of any description.”

  Grace’s face turned belligerent. “This is a different world, Mom. I want to know how to protect myself.”

  Stark pain hit Simone’s face. “No, you’re a child.” She took her daughter’s arm and pulled her away. “No more weapons.” Her dark gaze clashed with Toren’s. “If you can’t realize why this is a bad idea, stay away from her.”

  With that searing parting shot, she stomped off, dragging Grace with her.

  Toren stood there, staring at her retreating back. He felt something. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew he didn’t like it.

  * * *

  Simone was still mad at Toren.

  And she was mad at herself.

  She’d sent Grace off to classes with some of the other House of Rone kids. There were a lot of children who called the house home, and Magnus ensured they were given lots of opportunities to learn and study.

  Simone curled her legs up beneath her. She was sitting on the balcony outside her room, staying tucked back in the shade. Gladiators and cyborgs were training in the arena down below. She tilted her head, scanning the group. She spotted Mace and Acton training together.

  No Toren.

  She pressed her palms to her eyes. She’d lost it with him this morning. She knew he’d never hurt Grace, but he was inexperienced with children. Grace was too smart and daring for her own good. She did not need to be learning how to use weapons.

  Simone groaned. Dammit, she was lying to herself about the real reason she’d lost it. She hadn’t been angry with Toren, she’d been angry with herself. She’d failed to protect her child. She’d made the decision to take Grace to space aboard the Helios exploration ship, and that choice had landed them in the hands of the Edull.

  Grace wanted to learn to protect herself because she’d been hurt, and Simone hadn’t been able to stop it. She’d failed her daughter.

  Seeing Grace with a weapon in her hand, wanting to learn to fight, had broken Simone’s heart.

  And she’d taken it out on Toren.

  She sighed. He made her feel such conflicting things. She knew better than to tangle herself up with a man. Especially one who was suffering. He didn’t need her adding to that.

  There was a knock at the door inside. “Hello, I’m out here.”

  Sage and Jayna appeared on the balcony. The two survivors from the Helios were smiling, but Simone saw the stubborn glint in their eyes.

  “Come and have breakfast with us.” Sage smiled, the sunlight setting her copper-colored hair alight.

  Jayna, her hair was a tumble of dark curls against her brown skin, grabbed Simone’s hand and pulled her up. “Yep. We aren’t taking no for an answer.”

  Both women had survived the Edull and then fallen in love with Acton and Mace. They were both thriving at the House of Rone. The women dragged her out the door and down to Ever’s sitting room.

  The others were all there, and Asha was sitting on the floor, banging her toys.

  “My daughter has a talent for noise,” Ever said.

  “She doesn’t get it from her father,” Quinn noted dryly.

  Jax’s mate had been the first of the Helios survivors to be rescued. The former security chief leaned against the wall, her long, fit body ready for action. She happily fought alongside Jax and the other cyborgs.

  Quinn raised a brow. “Magnus doesn’t make a sound when he moves.”

  “Grace was the same,” Simone said. “Always moving, banging things together.”

  Sage grinned. “Looks like she never grew out of it.”

  Simone laughed. “True.”

  “Magnus praises every move Asha makes, like she’s written a concerto or invented the cure for an infectious disease.” There was pride in Ever’s tone.

  Simone’s heart hurt. “Like every proud dad should do.”

  Grace had never had that. Michael hadn’t been interested in his daughter.

  Ever reached out and took Simone’s hand. “I’ve made you sad.”

  “My ex-husband ignored Grace. He liked a quick hold to show her off when she was clean and happy…but the rest of the time, he pretended she didn’t exist.” Simone managed a tight smile. “Marriage and fatherhood were not as exciting or as fulfilling as he’d hoped.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ever said quietly.

  “Don’t be. Grace never asks about him. Michael is highly intelligent, high-strung, and always searching for the next challenge or fulfilling encounter. He was a brilliant scientist, but a terrible husband and father.” Simone grabbed some juice off the low table in front of them and sipped. “He cheated on me countless times, ignored his daughter, treated us badly.”

  “You have a new beginning here.” Ever lifted a plate full of goodies and offered them.

  “We do.” Simone took one little roll and bit into it. She moaned. “This is good.”

  “One of Calla’s creations,” Ever said. “That woman is magic in the kitchen. And Zaden loves testing everything she makes.” Ever smiled. “Those two are crazy about each other.”

  “How’s Toren?” Quinn asked.

  “He’s still struggling.” Simone looked up. “I got angry at him this morning. I caught him teaching Grace to shoot.”

  She watched all the women’s eyebrows go up.

  “He should’ve discussed it with you first,” Ever said.

  “She’s a child,” Simone said. “She shouldn’t be firing a gun.”

  “But it’s also important to remember that Carthago is not Earth,” Quinn said quietly.

  “I’m very aware of that.” Simone blew out a breath, her shoulders sagging. “Dammit, I might have overreacted.”

  Sage touched her knee. “Give yourself a break. You’re still healing and adjusting too.”

  For the first time in so long, Simone felt surrounded by friends. People who cared about her and her daughter.

  She wasn’t alone.

  Chapter Five

  Toren paced under the arches surrounding the empty training arena. He glanced up. Night had fallen, and a few stars tried valiantly to cut through the city lights. Strobe lights arced in a dizzying dance from the Kor Magna Arena and the sound of thunder—the cheering crowd—rumbled.

  The House of Loden was fighting the House of Aviar this evening. Lots of members of the House of Rone had gone to watch the fight.

  But not Toren. He was too preoccupied. Too…upset.

  He hated that he’d worried Simone. He felt that he’d broken some sort of trust. He thrust his hand through his hair.

  “Hey.”

  Grace’s subdued voice made him turn. “Hello.” She was loitering by one of the columns, dragging a toe through the sand.

  “You look guilty,” she said.

  So did she. “Your mother was very angry.”

  “Yeah.” Grace made a pattern in the sand. “It happens. She’ll get over it.”

  Toren’s stomach was agitated. “I want to…” He couldn’t quite put what he wanted into words.

  “Make it up to her?” Grace suggested.

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  The girl smiled. “Then do something nice for her.”

  He frowned. “Like what?” He could get her a weapon. Or take her to the market.

  “Something she likes. That makes her feel good.”

  Toren put his hands on his hips. He was good at fighting and apprehending people, not making them feel good.

  “Come on.” Grace reached for his hand. “I can help you.” She tugged him along the walkway.

  “Where is your mother?”

  “Eating with Ever
and Quinn. That gives us time.”

  “To do what?” There was every possibility that Grace would lead him into greater trouble.

  “To set up something my mom loves.”

  “Which is?”

  “She loves taking long baths in scented water.”

  Toren wrinkled his nose. “A bath?”

  “Yes. Don’t you have a bath every now and then?”

  “No, cyborgs do not enjoy sitting in tubs of water.”

  Grace giggled. “Well, mom does.” The girl’s smile fell. “But it’s been a long time since she’s had the chance.”

  Yes, Toren figured that the Edull did not provide baths of scented water in their cells. Determination filled him. “Then we will make this the best bath she’s ever had.”

  Grace’s smile returned and she tugged on his hand again. She moved closer and threw her arms around him, clinging like a monka pet the wealthy people of the District favored. He patted her back. It felt strange but nice.

  “Come on.” She swiveled away and picked up her pace. “Our first stop is Medical.”

  “Medical?”

  “You’ll see.”

  When they stepped into Medical, the chief healer, Avarn, met them. The older man wore long robes of blue, his long, white hair pulled back from his face and his green eyes laser-focused. “Are you injured?”

  Grace shook her head. “No, we need some nice-smelling oil to put in bath water.”

  The healer’s shaggy eyebrows shot up. “You need what?”

  Toren nodded. “Something nice to put in bath water.”

  “For my mom,” Grace said. “On Earth, oils are scented with flowers and herbs. It’s relaxing.”

  Avarn looked at Toren, then a strange smile crossed his face. “Hmm, let me see what we’ve got.”

  The healer rummaged around in a small cabinet, glass containers clinking together. Toren guessed that the healer was not used to this request.

  He scanned Medical, his gaze falling on the regen tanks at the back of the room. Avarn was used to healing injured gladiators or damaged cyborgs. And performing surgery to add enhancements and prosthetics to injured people the House of Rone rescued.

  “Here.” Avarn held up an ornate bottle and lifted the lid.

  A scent hit Toren, pungent, but pretty.

  “Ooh, it’s perfect,” Grace said.

  Avarn handed her the bottle. “It makes bubbles as well. I hope she likes it.” The healer winked at Toren.

  Grace grabbed his hand and towed him out of Medical. Soon, he found himself in Simone’s room. The place smelled of her.

  “We don’t have much time.” Grace moved around the room, lighting some candles.

  “There are perfectly good lights,” he said.

  “No, this is prettier. It adds to the atmosphere.”

  He frowned. “But the tub is in the bathroom.”

  “It would be much nicer if it was out here by the window.” Grace’s eyelashes fluttered.

  Toren studied her. “Your eyes are twitching.”

  She pulled a face. “Can you please bring the tub out here? She can look at the night sky, then. Ever said Magnus does it for her sometimes.”

  Toren sighed. He was well aware that the stone tubs in the bathroom weighed a lot. Grace’s eyelashes fluttered again, and he wondered if she needed to have Avarn check them for her. Then she waved him toward the bathroom.

  The bathroom also smelled of Simone. He saw a silky shirt resting on a stool and he fingered it.

  “How’s it coming?” Grace called out.

  “Fine.” He set about unscrewing the tub from the drain. Then he hefted it up and carried it into the living area. With his cyborg strength, it wasn’t too heavy. He set it down by the window.

  Grace clapped her hands. “Perfect.”

  Toren plugged the bottom of the tub. It took several trips for him to fill the tub with hot water using a large bowl. Grace tipped the scented liquid in.

  The diluted scent was quite lovely.

  “Here, I got this earlier.” The girl set a plate down beside the tub. It was loaded with small delicacies from the kitchen.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “Calla says it’s called rocha. It tastes almost like the chocolate we have on Earth.”

  Suddenly, he heard voices outside in the hall. He easily picked up Simone’s smooth tone.

  “She’s coming.” Grace’s voice filled with excitement. “I’m outta here.” She hurried to the door leading to her bedroom.

  His heart knocked against his chest. “What? Grace, where are you—?”

  The girl winked and closed the door behind her, just as the front door opened.

  * * *

  “Good night,” Simone called out.

  The other women waved and called out their goodbyes.

  Simone gripped the door handle and sighed. Without the company, her agitated thoughts rushed back in.

  She felt guilty about blowing up at Toren earlier. He cared about Grace, and he was showing it in his own way. She’d overreacted.

  As she entered her room, a beautiful, lush scent hit her. She froze.

  Candlelight flickered, and Toren stood stiffly next to the stone bathtub, which was now sitting by the windows.

  She blinked. “Toren?”

  He cleared his throat. “I wanted to apologize for today. Grace said you liked long, scented baths.”

  Simone wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. The scent from the tub was beautiful, and her gaze fell to a plate of rocha resting beside the tub. She’d developed a small obsession with the dessert over the last few weeks.

  “You did this?” It had been so long since she’d soaked in a bubble bath.

  He nodded. “Grace helped.”

  “Thank you. It wasn’t necessary.” She spread her hands. “I overreacted this morning. You should have asked me to take Grace shooting.” Simone pulled in a deep breath. “But I jumped all over you because I was feeling guilty. I didn’t protect her. I couldn’t keep her safe—”

  Toren closed the distance between them, resting his large hands on her shoulders. “You kept her alive. You gave her hope, and now you’re both free.”

  Her throat tightened and she nodded.

  “Get in your bath, Simone.”

  She tilted her head, her eyes going wide. “You’re staying?”

  “Grace told me to pour you a drink and to get you what you need while you’re relaxing.”

  “That’s not—” Simone realized that Toren didn’t see anything strange about that. He was a cyborg, and he didn’t feel any attraction to her, and intimacy was something he didn’t understand.

  That made her feel…not great. She bit her lip. Silly. She knew she wasn’t a woman to inspire passion in a man. Michael had taken great delight in telling her that.

  “Turn around,” she said.

  Toren frowned, but obeyed.

  She tied her hair up in a messy knot on top of her head. Then she quickly stripped off her clothes and slid into the warm water. The bubbles tickled across her skin.

  “Okay.”

  He turned and stilled. “Is it…enjoyable?”

  “Very much.” She sighed, leaning back against the edge of the tub.

  Toren moved to her kitchenette and then set a glass of blue liquid down beside the tub.

  “Galla,” he said. “I’m told the juice is pleasant and refreshing.”

  He sat on a stool. He looked gorgeous in the candlelight, the flickering light accentuating his cheekbones. She let her gaze drift over the firm muscles in his chest, then up to where the golden strands glinted in his hair. She loved his hair and that he wore it longer than the other cyborgs.

  Simone forced herself to look away, splashing water over her shoulders. Ah, that felt nice.

  She felt the tension drift away and reached over to pop some rocha in her mouth. Flavor exploded across her tongue.

  “Do you need anything?” he asked.

  She shook her head, then lifted
one leg, running the cloth over her skin. Something prickled over her, and she glanced over to see Toren watching her intently.

  He’s just curious. But as she kept bathing, his gaze almost felt like a physical touch. And she liked it.

  Warmth burst in her belly. She licked her lips. God, she was so stupid to feel this for him. For a man who couldn’t ever feel it back.

  But then again, she didn’t ever want to feel love and passion with any man. Doing that put you at risk of having your heart broken, and she couldn’t go through that again.

  She watched him shift on his chair.

  “The water’s good?” he asked dubiously.

  She laughed. “You say that like I’m dipping myself in acid.”

  “It doesn’t seem pleasant.”

  “It is if you learn to relax. To let your emotions settle.”

  His jaw tightened. “Right now, that feels like something I could never do.”

  She reached out a bubble-coated arm and touched his hand. He turned his hand, his fingers tangling with hers.

  “Time, Toren. It heals all kinds of wounds. And you’ll get better at controlling your emotions, and accepting them.”

  “Or my body will heal enough for Avarn to fix my implants.”

  And then he wouldn’t feel anymore. Her heart clenched. She felt his gaze on her again and saw that his brow was creased.

  Then she realized that he was looking down. She glanced at the water, and saw one of her breasts peeking through the bubbles. Her nipple pebbled.

  She snatched her arm back and sank lower in the water.

  Toren licked his lips. “I… Ah…”

  His cheeks were flushed and Simone stilled. “What is it, Toren?”

  “I feel hot. I feel warmth in my stomach.”

  Oh, God. Was he attracted to her and didn’t realize it? Was he feeling aroused? “From looking at me?”

  He nodded.

  They stared at each other, and she pressed a hand to her throat. Then she tucked a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear.

  He watched every move.

  “I think that you’re feeling physical attraction,” she said quietly.

  He pulled in a breath. “I do enjoy looking at you.”

  Warmth spread through her. “I enjoy looking at you too.”