"I live here."

"The h.e.l.l you do." He turned on his brother. "I want her out of here."

Tiernan shrugged. "According to your own words, she's your wife."

"Tiernan," he said in warning.

"Adron," he shot back.

Livia came forward and by all appearances, she didn't look a bit shaken by his anger. "Thank you for bringing him home, Tiernan. I think I can handle it from here."

Tiernan arched a doubtful brow. "I don't know if I feel right leaving you at his mercy. He can let blood with that tongue."

"I'm used to people insulting me." She directed a meaningful stare at Adron. "As well as being unwanted. I promise you, there's nothing Adron can say to make me cry."

And in that moment, Adron felt low. He'd never wanted to hurt her.

Turning away, he headed for the bedroom.

Livia said good-bye to Tiernan, then followed after Adron. In spite of her brave words, she was terrified.

But then, she was used to living in fear, too. At least Adron wouldn't beat her.

He was lying on the bed with his arm over his eyes.

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Well thena""

"I want to be alone."

"It seems to me you've spent far too much time alone."

"Dammit, why are you still here? Why didn't you do what I told you to?"

She took a deep breath and counted for patience. "Because I have nowhere else to go. My father has disowned me."

"If it's a question of moneya""

"I don't want money," she said sternly.

"Then what do you want?"

"You."

He removed his arm slowly and looked at her. "You must be deranged."

"Why? Because I want to be with you?"

"Yes."

She moved to sit by the bed. "You know, while we were making love, I felt a connection with you. Did you feel it, too?"

"No."

"I don't believe you. You were too tender. You held me too close. I might be innocent, but I'm not stupid. I know men don't treat women that way."

He gave her a droll stare. "And how do you know that?"

"Zarina told me."

He grimaced at her. "Oh, jeez. You discussed it with my baby sister?"

"She was very informative."

"I can imagine."

"So, are we just going to sit in here all day?"

"No, you're going to leave."

"I'll leave when you do."

He growled at her. "Do you have any idea how much pain I'm in? It hurts to breathe, so if you don't mind, I'd like to just lie here in silence."

"Fine." She got up and pulled a small holo-cube out of his night stand. "I just wanted to show this to you."

Adron frowned as she handed him the cube and turned it on. Static flickered until the image of a brunette woman and a small, blond girl appeared.

"Hi, Commander," the woman said, holding the girl in her arms. "This is my daughter, Alycia. I don't know if you remember me or not, but I'm the woman you saved from Kyr and this is the daughter I had six weeks later. Say, hi, Alycia."

"Hi, Commander." The little girl waved. "Thank you for saving my mommy and me."

Livia watched the agony play across his face as the woman and child talked to him. Then, he snarled and threw the holo-cube against the wall, shattering it.

"Adron!" she snapped, losing patience with him.

He turned on her then with a vicious snarl. "What? Did you think showing me that would make all this okay? Did you think I'd look at them, then cry and say how grateful I am they are alive while I'm trapped like this? What of the children I wanted to have?"

The bitter misery in his eyes scorched her. "Good G.o.d, Livia, I'm only twenty-nine years old and all I have to look forward to is a future where I will slowly, painfully disintegrate into an invalid."

His words brought tears to her eyes. She had stupidly thought it would make him feel better.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was just trying to help. But you won't let anyone help you, will you?" She turned and ran from the room.

Livia didn't stop until she reached the sitting room. She curled up into a ball on the couch and bit her lip to hold back the tears. She wouldn't cry.

But inside, she ached for him. Ached for what he'd once been.

Even now she could see him laughing and playing games with his sister and brothers.

How she wished she had known him then.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her head. Looking up, she found Adron standing beside the couch. His brow was damp and she saw the whiteness of his lips as he struggled with his pain.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice tense. "I know you were just trying to help. But I pa.s.sed the point of help a long time ago."

He shifted and winced. "Look, I know about your people and customs, and I know you were raised inside a cage. The last thing you need is to be saddled with a man who can barely walk. Why don't you just go and get your own place and live? I'll be happy to put you on all my accounts. You'll never want for anything."

It was a generous offer he made. But she couldn't accept it. "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I love you."

Chapter 4.

Adron couldn't have been more stunned if she had reached up and slapped him.

"How could you? You don't even know me."

"Yes, I do. You try and hide what you are, but I see it. It shines through."

He scowled at her. "And what is that?"

"You have a good heart."

"I have no heart at all. What I have is a mechanical subst.i.tute that pumps blood though a broken body."

She rose from the couch.

Adron flinched as she touched him. G.o.d, how he wanted to kiss her.

She took him by the hand and led him into his viewing room. "Zarina said that it's painful at times for you to sit, so I thought I'd make a few modifications."

He stared at the new sofa. It was twice the size of his old one and looked more like a small bed. She'd piled pillows up all over it.

Adron sat down and leaned against the pillows, amazed at just how good it did feel.

Until Livia sat down next to him. His body reacted instantly to her nearness. "You're killing me," he whispered.

"I don't want to kill you." She leaned forward and captured his lips with hers.

Closing his eyes, he savored the taste of her. Over the last two weeks he'd done little except dream of her kiss. Dream of touching her again.

She ran her hands over his body, making him burn even more.

And when she touched his erection, he cursed. "Livia, stop. I can't make love to you."

She smiled patiently at him. "That's okay. I'm making love to you."

He frowned as she started unb.u.t.toning his shirt.

Adron opened his mouth to protest, but then she dipped her head to his neck. He hissed as her tongue gently laved his skin. And as she nibbled and licked his flesh, she unb.u.t.toned his pants, slid her hand down, and took his swollen shaft into her hand.

His head light, he couldn't speak while she caressed him. Couldn't move.

Adron trembled as she blazed a scorching trail down his chest with her mouth. Slowly, carefully. Her touch blistered him and went so much deeper than his skin.

It touched his soul.

His eyes shuttered, he watched her while she licked and nibbled the flesh of his stomach, and when she took him into her mouth, he thought he'd die from the pleasure of it.

Her dark hair was fanned out across his lap and he buried his hand in her soft curls.

Adron ground his teeth as her tongue and mouth ma.s.saged him. She was relentless in her tasting.

Never had he felt anything like it. Her actions were so selfless, so kind.

Why would she care?

Why would she do this for him?

I love you.

The words tore through him. No woman had ever said that to him before. Only her.

And for his life, he couldn't understand what about him she could possibly find lovable. Or even desirable.

The woman was insane.

But she touched him on a level that defied explanation. A level he'd never known before.

Throwing his head back against the pillows, Adron growled as he released himself into her mouth.

Still, she didn't pull away. Not until he was completely weak and spent.

He stared at her in awe. "I can't believe you did that for me."

"I told you, Adron, I love you. I would do anything to make you happy."