Born of Betrayal Read Online Free PDF Page B

mistake.
    Not his.
    While she regretted every minute she’d ever known Fain Hauk, she’d never once regretted Talyn in her life. No matter how hard or awful it’d been, one look at his precious face had made everything worth it.
    â€œWell?” Fain asked. “Why didn’t you marry Merrell?”
    â€œAside from the fact he was psychotic and cruel, Merrell wanted nothing socially acceptable to do with me after you left. I was a pariah to everyone, Fain. So deformed, they all claimed, that I drove the high-caste male I was pledged to into the arms of a pathetic human female.… Instead of shoving you into that auditorium, I should have killed you where you stood. That would have saved my social status, and that is my sole regret in life.”
    â€œReally? That’s all you regret?”
    She laughed bitterly. “You’re right. I do have one more.”
    â€œAnd that is?”
    â€œThat I didn’t aim at your head on your arrival.”

 
    C HAPTER 3
    Talyn drew up short as he left his mother’s office to find his “uncle” waiting in the secretary’s lounge. A few inches shorter than him, Dancer looked a lot like his father. Enough that it made him want to punch the bastard out where he stood.
    But unlike his father, his uncle had red, glowing eyes, instead of the typical Andarion white.
    It was a rare genetic defect that caused Dancer’s eyes to glow red like that. One that meant his uncle was overly possessive and loyal to his female and family. A trait that was inside Talyn, too. Ironic, really, as that was a genetic mutation most Andarion females would sell their souls to have in their males.
    And here all but Felicia had rudely turned him away.
    If they only knew his true heritage.…
    Dancer raked him with a less than complimentary stare. One that turned into a stern frown as he finally focused on Talyn’s features, which were very similar to both his own and Fain’s.
    Just as Dancer opened his mouth to speak, a tall Hyshian female swept into the office with a bright smile.
    One Talyn returned immediately as she grabbed him into a fierce bear hug. At least she made his day better since she was like a second mother to him. “Jaynie? What are you doing here?”
    Her back to Dancer, she cupped his face in her hands. “I heard Lena shot Fain on his arrival and had to tel-ass immediately to see for myself.” She frowned as she saw the bruise on his eye and split lip, courtesy of his father. “What happened to my sexy baby?”
    Talyn shrugged nonchalantly. “Same as ever. I bumped into a fist.”
    Tsking, she continued to examine his face. “I thought you retired from Ring fighting?”
    â€œI did. But not from asshole fighting.… So how’s Hadrian and the kids?”
    She snorted. “All good. Sway’s been nagging me to let him go camping with you again. I don’t know what the two of you did last time, but he really enjoyed it.”
    â€œTraded porn mostly. You know … typical guy stuff. Kid gets tired of swimming in the mostly estrogen pool.”
    Chucking him on the arm, she laughed.
    â€œYou two know each other?”
    Turning around, Jayne finally realized Dancer was in the room. “Hey, sweetie! I didn’t see you there. Why you hiding in a corner?”
    He jerked his chin at Talyn. “Keeping my eye on him.”
    She laughed. “I must have missed one hell of a party.”
    â€œThat you did,” Hauk said drily. “Fain failed to explain to us exactly what a powder keg the commander would be. We were extremely ill prepared for her hot reception.”
    She turned back toward Talyn. “So, I have to know. Fain refused to tell me. What is this prank your mother supposedly pulled on him in school?”
    â€œMother?” Dancer asked incredulously.
    Talyn ignored him. “On their graduation day, she shoved him naked into an auditorium full of