“Anin needs this time away to become her own person.” Drekk crossed large arms over an equally broad chest. “She can’t do that if you’re always there telling her what to think and what to do. Mara’s Light is a good place for her to grow, and no one will guard her better than those Raggas on board. You’ll see when we meet up with them. Hell, you’re the only man I know who’s ever taken Nu off his feet,” Drekk added with a grin. He sobered as he stared at Ryen’s unsmiling face. “No more ‘Yes, Sir’s’ for Anin unless that’s what she wants. Like Erin,” Drekk said quietly, knowingly.
“Were you like that?” Like me? he wanted to ask.
“I was, and it took me a long time to fit in with the inhabitants of the System. But my peer group was different than yours. We were a lot wilder, a lot rougher.” Drekk cleared his throat and broke eye contact. And Ryen suddenly felt lost. He stared unseeingly for a moment, perplexed at the changes taking place all around him.
Drekk looped an arm around his shoulder, and Ryen started. He wasn’t used to touching unless he was fighting or fucking. Much as he loved his sisters, he didn’t feel comfortable touching them. Too big, he feared accidentally hurting them.
“Don’t worry, Ryen.” Drekk winked. “I’ll help you. Before you know it, you’ll be laughing and loving with the best of them.”
The warm light in Drekk’s gaze convinced him to take a chance. After all, if it had worked for Erin, maybe life outside Blue Rim would work for him as well. And if it didn’t, well, he’d died once before. How hard could it be to die again?