Lying down, Sumi watched as Hauk finally grabbed a bottle of water for himself, and went to sit with his back against a small tree so that he had an unobstructed view of the surrounding terrain. It was weird, but she no longer saw his resemblance to Fain. He’d established his own identity to her.

While they were physically similar and shared some personality traits, there was a deep sadness to Hauk that Fain had lacked. In many ways, he was even more fierce.

More wounded.

And she wanted to gut Dariana for what she was doing to him. If the bitch was going to force him into a lifetime of celibacy, why not allow him to be an assassin? What would have been the harm?

Was it really so that he wouldn’t outshine Darice’s father?

It was so unfair that someone like him was tied to an undeserving whore like Dariana while Sumi would have sold her soul to have found a father for her baby with one-half his decency. Loyal and caring males were far too rare in this world to be taken for granted. They should be cherished.

Before she could stop it, the picture of him holding the unknown baby girl went through her mind.

A male so gentle should have his own children to dote on and protect. In spite of his protests and denials, he was amazing with Darice and Thia. Far more patient with Darice than the little snot deserved.

Damn you, Kyr.

And damn her for what she was going to have to do to someone who definitely didn’t deserve it. I have no right to hate Dariana. Not when she was going to have to do a lot worse to him before all was said and done.

His entire body aching and warm, Hauk came awake slowly. He grimaced at the throbbing, awful pain he felt as he realized he’d fallen asleep, sitting upright.

Then he remembered why.

Fully alert now, he jerked his blaster out and jumped to his feet as he searched for more attackers.

“You always wake up like that?”

His heart racing, he turned toward Sumi, who was sitting a few feet away. She was freshly bathed, her pale hair still damp and coiled into a bun at the nape of her neck. There was an amused glint in those beautiful hazel eyes as she finally watched him without fear.

Damn, she was a beautiful woman. And he hungered for her in a way that should be illegal, and it probably was in most galaxies.

By the sun’s position, he knew it was well past midday. Holstering his blaster, he toed the blanket at his feet that someone had placed over him while he slept. “You?”

She nodded. “You were awake when I brought it to you. Don’t you remember?”