Shanna wouldn’t be caught dead in the potato sacks both were sporting either. If that was Zorn fashion it was pathetic. She wasn’t even going to touch on the fact that they dropped to their hands and knees, almost crawling for a man, something that Shanna found degrading. Frowning, she stared at Berrr, waiting to see what he’d do. If he ever expects me to drop to my hands and knees he is in for a big disappointment.

“She is a freed Collis prisoner who is now under my protection and that is all you need to know. It is done and that is how it is from now on. You are to make her feel welcome and you are to treat her with respect.” His voice deepened. “This is my home and you are my house helpers. I do not answer to you on who I bring into my home, understood?”

Both women paled slightly and their heads lowered meekly. The one who had questioned him nodded, her head dipping really low. She put her hands behind her back, locking them there.

“I’m sorry, Hyvin.”

Shanna wanted to flinch. He’d told her to call him Berrr but these female employees were on a first-name basis with him. It was just one more way that the alien guy was showing her where she ranked being an alien from another planet. She thought he liked her, probably from that little physical exchange they’d shared in the alley, but obviously

she was wrong since he was having her call him by his last name. He was telling the other employees to treat her with respect but he sure as hell wasn’t giving her much of it. She was trying to not be weirded out by how submissive the women were. Man, if he thinks I’ll ever duck my head and bow… She sighed. Not happening!

The tallest one looked up, her gaze fixing on Berrr again. “Are you getting rid of us to just have her as your sole house helper?”

He gave a shake of his head. “She doesn’t wish that. All of your duties are the same, Kalo.”

Shock hit the woman’s face but so did relief a second later. She actually smiled, which made her looks vastly improve. “Good. Are you hungry or do you need personal assistance?”

He hesitated. “Prepare food while I show her to a private room.” The shorter one who had to be six feet tall frowned. “She gets a private room?” Berrr growled. “It is my house.”

Both heads meekly dipped again as they backed away a few feet and then fled in the direction they’d come. Shanna was frowning, watching the women quickly disappear. Her attention returned to a frowning Berrr who was silently watching her.

He lifted his arm, waving his hand toward another part of the house.

“Let me show you to a private sleeping room.”

“The other house helpers share a room?” She didn’t want special treatment either.

That was the fastest way to make enemies at work, knowing that one firsthand from once marrying her boss, her now ex-husband. “If they share then I should too.” He hesitated. “You are a rarity on Zorn so I am not sure the other women will respond to you well until they adjust since they weren’t pleased to see you. It is better until you get to know them if you have some personal space.” She followed him through a long hallway with a few doors to the last room on the left. Berrr paused, staring at the door for a few seconds, a frown firmly in place before he twisted the knob and shoved it wide open.

Shanna stared at the room in shock. It was a really big space, decorated for a woman obviously from the lacy big four-poster bed to the large soft-colored, feminine rugs on the floor. A fireplace dominated a corner of the room and double doors stood open to reveal a huge tub, so she knew it was a private bathroom.

“Wow.”

Berrr stepped into the room after closing the door behind them to look around it with distaste. “I have not been in here in years but the house helpers clean the room and the bedding should be fresh. They always keep this room ready no matter how many times I remind them that there will never be a reason. It was good that they did not listen so you have a room in ready for you.”

Turning, Shanna stared up at the tall frowning man. “Ready for what? Guests? You don’t have company come stay here?”

His blue gaze locked with hers, his arms lifted and crossed over his massive tan chest. “This room belonged to my bound, Alluwn.”

Frowning herself now, Shanna cocked her head at him, staring. “Belonged? Past tense? I heard that Oval say you were bound. That’s present tense so I don’t understand.”

He took a deep breath, not looking at her as his gaze roamed slowly around the room again. “We are still bound but we do not live together. It is going on ten years since she left my protection to live somewhere else but this was her room when we were bound. She wanted her own space and refused to share my bed when we slept so this room was built just for her needs.” His gaze finally landed on Shanna again.

“Alluwn will never return here to me so this room now belongs to you.” Stunned, Shanna just stared at him.

He took a deep breath. “Is this not done on your Earth? It is rare here as well.

Usually bound couples live together but Alluwn wants nothing to do with me and she never did. As soon as our children were out of our home and living in their own spaces she packed her belongings to leave me.”

Shanna wasn’t sure what shocked her more. He had grown children? She stared up at his face, judging him to be in his late thirties, maybe early forties from the small lines around his eyes and his mouth. From the neck down he was in perfect prime shape. She swallowed. Maybe he’d married super young.

“If I understand this correctly bound is the equivalent of married, right?” He hesitated and then gave a nod of his head. “I believe that is the word of your world that means the same.”

“Why don’t you divorce her if she’s not with you anymore? On Earth if a couple splits they get a divorce. Hell, I divorced my husband, uh, bound.”

“You are bound?” He didn’t look happy.

“Not anymore.”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “Why did you leave your bound?” Taking a step back from the pissed-off guy, Shanna frowned up at him. “He was a hitter and a drunk, that’s why. I should have guessed that drinking was a big part of his life when he told me he not only owned a bar but lived above it.” Berrr glared at her, still frowning but he also appeared a little puzzled.