“He did, but that was an accident. Any one of the guys could have been grabbed. Hell, you could have been grabbed at any of the other battles we’ve been to. Why the hell are you pissed at him when he went in and rescued you?”
“Because he let you go with him!”
“So he should have gone in and saved you alone?”
We were shouting full out now and when I glanced at Dax, he was leaning against the wall with a smile on his face. For once, he wasn’t butting in.
“He got you into this mess in the first place with that whole bride match thing.” Seth waved his hand in the air as if he couldn’t figure out what to call it.
“So us being matched is the reason all this happened? Jesus, Seth, you’re a dumbass. If you want to blame someone, then go after Warden Morda back in Miami because she put me through the bride testing program instead of the coalition induction by mistake. You know what, you’d be perfect for each other.”
I shook my head and exhaled a pent-up breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dax stiffen. Shit, those words probably pissed him off.
Seth’s shoulders drooped. “I just want you to be safe. With Chris and John gone, that falls to me now.”
I shook my head. “No, that falls to Dax.”
I walked to Dax and wrapped my arms around him, pressed my cheek into his chest.
“I can see your bare ass, you know,” Seth grumbled as he looked off to the side, clearly averting his gaze.
Dax’s hand shot to my lower back and gripped the two sides of the gown together.
“Now I can see his hand on your ass.”
“Jesus, Seth,” I complained, then ignored him. I reveled in the hard feel of Dax, his scent, the lub-dub of his heart beneath my ear, even his hand on my ass. “All this mess made me see that I was living my life in your shadow, doing dad’s bidding. I even went into the military trying to make dad happy, because of you and John and Chris.”
He looked at me, completely surprised. “What? I thought you wanted to do that?”
“What, take karate at ten when everyone else was doing ballet? That’s why I punched Tommy Jenkins in the nose, because I knew how to make a solid fist.” I paused, then continued. “Look, Seth, I love you. I’m glad you did all that stuff with me, with Chris and John, but I’ve always been going through the motions, looking for what I want.”
Seth tugged on his ear. “And what’s that?”
“Dax.”
I felt Dax tense beneath me, then relax. He spun me about so my back was to his front, his hands on my shoulders. I couldn’t see him any longer, but I knew he literally had my back. I doubted he knew that Earth term, but the actual gesture was telling.
“Seriously?” Seth asked, shaking his head slowly.
“Seriously. I’m going to Atlan once his mating fever is finished.”
“You are?” Both men asked the same thing at the same time.
“I am.” I was. I felt good about it, too. “I don’t need to be beside you for you to know I love you, but Dax does.”
I felt a growl rumble against my back.
Seth waved his hand as he sighed. “Go, Sarah. All I ever wanted was for you to be safe and happy. That’s all any of us ever wanted. Live happily ever after and have ten kids with—” Seth studied Dax for a minute, weighing his next words carefully as I balled my hand into a fist at my side, ready to punch him in the face if he insulted my mate one more time. “This very large warrior who, I’m sure, would die to protect you.” Seth held out his hand to Dax, who looked confused.
“I would.” Dax’s deep, rumbly vow made my pussy clench beneath the robe and I heard Dax take a deep breath, drawing in the scent of my arousal. He growled then, pulling me closer. My brother stood silent and stoic with his hand out with his peace offering.
“Shake his hand, Dax.” I pulled Dax’s hand forward and placed it in Seth’s so my brother could shake it. I smiled then, pleased to know that Seth understood. Maybe he, too, was looking for a mate.
Smiling, I wiggled my eyebrows at my brother in a suggestive manner. “You know, you’re a captain now.”
“I know.” My brother released Dax’s hand and looked confused.
“You can request a matched mate from the Interstellar Bride Program. She’d be perfect for you in every way, your perfect match.”