Thanks to everyone who has read and favorited this story!
Much love to those who have reviewed this story: lisakodysam, cousland1982, WitchWeaver, The Watcher4, Wolfe's Princess, raconteurr, FalynnAngel, drakontion, and KMN91
To my dear friend and Beta Reader, Lisa: You rock the planet, and my stories!
Bioware owns all!
Time stood still for Kaidan as Alyssa entered the Dark Star. She had always been striking, but he had never seen her this way before. Her ebony hair, usually tied up in a military ponytail or bun, cascaded in long wavy curls traveling all the way to her waist.
Her striking blue eyes were lined in a dark cobalt blue and her lips were covered in a glittery red gloss. How he longed to pull her to him and possess those lips again! He flashed back to the night before Ilos, as those lips wrapped around him and brought him to his release.
She wore a sleeveless black silk blouse, transparent in the front, with only a black lace bra beneath it. If one looked close enough, one could almost see the outlines of her beautiful pink nipples.
Her pants were black leather, skin tight with the sides slashed from hip to ankle. And were those spiked heels? He had often dreamed of seeing Aly in spiked heels, showing off her beautiful long legs, but she had never owned a pair, as far as he knew.
It was her smile which caused his breath to catch in his throat. She had entered the bar with Tali'zorah and two other human women. Tali was leaning close to her, whispering in her ear, causing her to laugh joyously. Her eyes surveyed the room and came to rest on the party from the Normandy, all of whom had stopped and were staring in awe of their Commander.
She walked over to Joker and smiled. "OK," she said, "could you all please quit staring? Is there something wrong? I make no claims to this look. These torturous women have been using me as a doll for hours now."
Joker was the first to speak. "Aly, you look amazing!" He said and smiled warmly at her.
Her smile lit up her face. "Thank you, Joker." she said and kissed him on the cheek. Kaidan felt his anger rise at seeing Shepard kissing Joker. Calm down, he thought. You know there is nothing between them. They are like brother and sister.
"Alright, alright people!" said the tattooed woman, stepping forward, grabbing Shepard by the hand and pulling her toward the VIP door, "can we just take our eyes off Shep's 'Fuck Me' pumps and get this party started?" With her announcement, she dragged the laughing Commander through the doors, followed by the rest of the crew.
As the door closed on Kaidan, he felt his heart break. I will have you again, Aly! He thought to himself. And once I do, I will never let you go!
o~~~~~~~~o
Zaeed sat in a back booth in the VIP room sipping a Jack Daniels and Coke when Aly entered with the rest of the crew. The glass froze halfway to his mouth and his jaw dropped open. He had seen her in armor, and seen her in casual Cerberus clothes; hell, he had even seen her in a nightgown once - he did have access to the ship security cameras, didn't he?
But nothing he had ever seen could prepare him for the way he felt when he saw her tonight. This was his Shepard, the way he always imaged she should be. Violence and sex, all wrapped in one amazing, leather bound package.
She strolled confidently across the room, and was stopped by the ever annoying Kelly. "Shepard," Kelly called. "What drink do you want? Margarita? Vodka tonic? Beer?"
Shepard stopped and looked at the bouncing woman. "Kelly, control yourself, and keep the fucking fruity drinks away from me, PLEASE! Doesn't anybody serve simple whiskey around here?"
Oghrinn spoke up from behind the bar. "Commander, we have actually received 4 bottles of Jack Daniels specifically for your party tonight."
"No shit, Oggie?" Shepard yelled and sat on a barstool. "Where the hell did you get that?"
"Well, Commander, it was a birthday present for you, courtesy of the man seated at the booth behind you." the Turian replied, pointing to the far side of the bar.
Shepard looked where Oghrinn indicated and gasped audibly. Sitting alone, eyes staring hungrily at her, was Zaeed. He was wearing his usual smirk and raised his glass, inclining his head to her, as her eyes locked on his.
"Oggie," she said, her gaze never leaving Zaeed's, "bring my drinks to that table." Without another word, she stood up and walked slowly toward the man she knew she wanted.
Joker, sitting among his Normandy shipmates, looked up and saw Shepard advancing on Zaeed's table. He had known Aly longer than anyone on board the ship, and he knew what the look on her face meant. "Well, gentlemen," he said with a smile to those around him, "I hope none of you had any plans for the Commander this evening, because you will be sadly disappointed."
His proclamation attracted the attention of several men at the table. Foremost of which was Jacob Taylor, the Normandy's armory officer. Jacob, seated on Joker's left, looked up from his beer and stared curiously at the pilot. "What do you mean? What do you know that the rest of us don't?"
Jacob had desired Shepard ever since she had helped him stop his insane father, Ronald Taylor, on Aeia. The mission had been a nightmare, and he may well have lost his mind without her help. His longing for her had grown ever since, and he had fully intended to make his feelings clear after her party.
Joker tilted his head in the direction of Zaeed's table. "See that?" he said, the crew members turning to follow his gaze, spotting Shepard. "That is the Aly Shepard that I knew before the destruction of the original Normandy. Notice the way she walks? That is a woman who knows what she wants, and she is going to claim it. And, I am afraid, gentlemen, that her desire is our very own sadistic mercenary, Zaeed Massani."
o~~~~~~~~o
Zaeed felt his blood begin to boil as he watched Shepard stalking toward his table. Goddamn it, she was perfect! he thought, and smiled wickedly at her. His eyes drifted down her body, from the swell of her breasts to her swaying hips, and back up to meet her beautiful eyes, dark with passion.
She stopped in front of the booth and indicated the chair in front of her. "Is this seat taken?" she asked mischievously.
"Actually, I think it is," Zaeed answered, his smile growing wider at her surprised expression. "However," he added, patting the spot in the booth next to him, "this one is all yours."
Shepard laughed softly and slid next to him, her legs gently touching his. She slowly reached past him to grasp the bottle of whiskey and took a deep gulp of the warm liquor. The movement allowed her breasts to brush against his arm, causing him to groan with need. "Goddamn tease," he murmured.
"Tease, am I?" Shepard said coyly as she ran her hand down Zaeed's arm, feeling the muscles twitch at the touch of her fingers. "Well, you know it is my party, as they say, and I think the birthday girl should have the prerogative to be a tease if she wants to, don't you?" Her blue eyes sparkled with mirth, and she leaned against the back of the seat.
Suddenly, Zaeed grabbed the back of Aly's head and ground his mouth onto hers, forcing his tongue inside. She willingly parted her lips for him, sucking on his tongue and running her fingers up his chest, clawing at his shirt.
So engrossed were they in each other, neither one heard the wolf-whistles and clapping that came from the crew's main table. Shepard moaned into Zaeed's mouth as he claimed her, and she could feel his heart racing beneath her hands.
Finally, with a small whimper, Shepard pulled away, desperate to catch her breath. Zaeed still held her head, and as her eyes met his, he smiled. "Now," he said, panting softly, "teasing is all well and good, but just remember who you will be returning to the ship with. I have one more birthday present for you," he said in a husky voice as he pulled her hand down onto his hardness, "and I intend to make sure you get it."
Shepard bit her lower lip suggestively. "Yes, sir!" she purred, and turned to take another drink from the whiskey bottle. It was then that she noticed that all eyes were on them. Kelly, Tali, and Kasumi were positively beaming, while Jacob and Thane looked furious and refused to meet her eyes. "OK, folks, show's over. Get back to the partying before I shoot someone!"
True to form, Jack had to have the last word. "Damn, Shep, and here I thought we'd all get to watch you two fuck right there on the table. Now THAT would be a party!" Her outburst brought laughs all around.
"Night's not over yet, Jack!" Zaeed said from behind Shepard, and pulled her back for one final kiss. He cupped her breast with his hand, and teased her nipple with his thumb, stiffening it.
The couple heard a soft cough, and turned to see Kelly standing next to the table. "Come on Shepard, you promised to dance with us!"
"Kelly," Shepard whined, "you know I don't like performing in public."
"That's not the impression I got a moment ago," Zaeed laughed and bit Aly's neck, causing her to squeal.
Jack joined Kelly at the table, grabbed Shepard's hand and yanked her to her feet. "OK, Shep. More dancing and less foreplay. You can play with your 'birthday present' later," she laughed and headed for the dance floor.
With a final longing look at Zaeed, Shepard followed the women to the floor and the party resumed.
The celebration continued late into the night. The Normandy crew members were so preoccupied with their drinks and dancing that no one saw the lone figure standing on the catwalks high above their heads, staring down at their Commander.
o~~~~~~~~o
After the Normandy crew had entered the VIP room, Kaidan stood up from his table and headed toward the restrooms in the back of the bar. Frank followed, and watched as Kaidan approached the door marked "Employees Only", looked around and silently slipped in.
"Good luck, my friend," Frank whispered softly, shaking his head and turning to leave.
The hallway Kaidan entered led up to the catwalks above the VIP room. They were designed for ease of effort in replacing light fixtures. He selected a darkened corner overlooking the entire floor and leaned against the wall, searching for Shepard.
He saw her speaking with Oggie at the bar, and then turning toward a man seated in a back booth. She began walking toward the booth and Kaidan felt his stomach lurch. He had only seen her move that way once, and that was the night before Ilos, when she and Kaidan had finally made love.
He stared at the man she was approaching. He was much older than Shepard, with a long scar running the length of the right side of his face. He was well built, wearing a faded pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.
But it was the man's expression which made Kaidan's blood run cold. He was grinning malevolently, lust evident in his eyes. Who the hell was this man and what did Aly want with him?
The next few minutes were pure torture for Kaidan. Aly approached the table and spoke to the stranger. He motioned to the space next to him and she slid into the booth, leaning closely to him, a smile on her face.
Suddenly the bastard grabbed the back of her head and kissed her! Kaidan prepared to hit him with a Warp attack, but froze as he saw Shepard responding to the kiss. NO! he thought angrily. This can't be happening. She came back to me! She should be with me!
The scene deteriorated as the rest of the crew cheered on the couple. Finally the kiss ended and Shepard drew back, smiling at the intruder the way she used to smile at him.
With a final longing look at Shepard, Kaidan left the bar and headed to his apartment. He didn't even notice the tears flowing down his face.
He sat in the dark, fighting the migraine that threatened to overtake him. I will find a way to get to her, and when I do, she will be mine again. And if anyone stands in my way, they will regret it.
He was drawn from his reverie by a call from Alliance Command. He needed to report to Admiral Hackett's office immediately. Kaidan stood up and washed his face before leaving, images of Alyssa and the stranger torturing his mind.
o~~~~~~~~o
They made it as far as the elevator to her suite before Zaeed picked Shepard up and slammed her against the wall, wrapping her legs around him and kissing her passionately. "Goddamn, woman, I have wanted this all night", he growled into her mouth.
The elevator doors opened and he carried Aly into her room, throwing her onto her sofa and staring down at her.
"What the hell are you doing all the way over there?" she purred, grinding her hips seductively. "I thought you had a present for me. "
"Oh, you'll get your present," Zaeed said, grinning wickedly at her, "but I have waited a bloody long time for this, and I fully intend to make it last."
He backed up and sat down on her bed, reclining to give her a full view of the huge bulge in the front of his pants. She licked her lips appreciatively, and rose from the sofa, moving toward the bed.
"Stop right there, Alyssa." he said, and she did as commanded, a small shiver running through her at the authoritative tone in his voice.
"Now," he said softly. "You are always the one in command. But not here, not tonight. Tonight I will be telling you what to do and you will do it. Be a good girl and do as I say and I promise you will get everything you want, and more. Understand?"
Her eyes flashed hungrily as she nodded her head. "I understand completely. Your wish is my command. What would you have me do?"
"Strip," he said, his tone one of need.
Shepard began slowly removing her clothes. She unbuttoned her blouse and let it drop to the floor. Then she slowly reached for the front clasp of her bra and snapped it, her perfect breasts springing free, bringing a moan of desire from Zaeed.
Never taking her gaze from his, she unfastened the leather pants and slowly, so very slowly, pushed them down her legs and kicked them off. The 'Fuck Me' spiked heels had been discarded back at the Dark Star, when the dancing had begun.
Zaeed's eyebrows raised when he realized Shepard wore no underwear. "Naughty, naughty, Alyssa." he whispered huskily. "Had I known earlier just how easy access to your sweet pussy would be, I might have taken you on the table as Jack suggested."
Shepard moved closer to the bed, swaying her hips seductively. "And, now, Zaeed," she murmured longingly, "do I get my present or is there something else you need?" She stopped mere inches from him, and Zaeed could smell the musk pouring from her body. Her scent drove him over the edge of control and he grabbed Aly by the hips, pulling her to his face, licking her voraciously.
Shepard grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer to her center, screaming in delight as his tongue found her clit, running up and down furiously, bring her closer to the edge with each stroke. Just as she was about to reach her climax, he pulled back, and she groaned desperately.
"You bastard," she panted. "Please, Zaeed! I need to cum so badly! It's been so long!"
Zaeed chuckled lustily and pulled her onto the bed with him, rolling on top of her and kissing her deeply, letting her taste her own delicious juices.
After a long and passionate kiss, Zaeed lifted his head and gazed down at Shepard. "I think it's time for that present now, don't you?"
Shepard nodded enthusiastically, licking her lips.
He sat up and pulled her into his lap. She began tearing at his shirt to remove it. He laughed and pulled it over his head, hearing her sharp intake of breath as she saw his bare chest. "Oh my God, Zaeed, you are so unbelievably sexy!"
His skin was darkly tanned and he had taut, defined muscles. The hair on his chest was black and laid in a pattern which traveled directly into the top of his jeans.
Shepard ran her fingers down his stomach and tugged on his pants. "Time to unwrap my gift, I think!" she teased.
He lay back on the bed and lifted his hips, helping her remove the jeans. His enormous cock sprung free from the fabric and Aly gasped loudly.
He looked down at her, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Happy with your gift, baby?"
"You have no idea," she said and seized him with her hand, bringing his dark red head to her lips and wrapping her tongue around it, tasting the delectable drop of excitement from the tip.
Zaeed threw his head back against the pillow and growled, "Fuck, Aly! You have one amazing tongue! Show me what else you can do with those gorgeous lips of yours!"
Needing no further encouragement, Aly pounced on Zaeed's dick, pulling it deep into her throat and sucking greedily. She used her free hand to softly grasp his balls, gently massaging them.
Zaeed felt the heat beginning to build in his gut and he moaned loudly, "Oh... shit... I'm ... cuming!" With a final thrust into Aly's mouth, Zaeed flooded her mouth, screaming her name.
Aly swallowed every drop he gave her and then pulled back slowly, licking her lips as she separated from him. "Hmmm... I could have that snack every day."
Amazingly, Zaeed felt himself harden again. He reached down, twisted his fingers in Aly's hair and pulled her roughly up to meet him, climbing on top of her. She yelped in a combination of pain and pleasure, and ran her hand down his cheek, reaching up to kiss him again.
"And you will, Alyssa, if I have anything to say about it." Zaeed said and pulled her head back, exposing her throat. He ran his tongue from her ear to her shoulder, feeling her shudder beneath him.
Then he bit into the soft flesh of her neck, high enough that no uniform could hide it. Aly writhed beneath him in pleasure, wrapping her legs around his waist, bringing him closer to her center.
He teased her opening with the head of his dick, and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Before we go any further, I want you to understand something about me. I DON'T SHARE what is mine, not with ANYONE! And once I fuck you, you will be mine." he said emphatically.
"That means," he continued, "that all the men on and off this ship who want to screw you are shit out of luck! No Garrus, no Thane, no Jacob, and especially no Kaidan fucking Alenko! If they try anything funny, they die! Are we clear?"
Shepard shuddered at the seriousness in his tone. This is what she had always wanted in a man! Here was a partner who wanted her completely, body and soul, and would allow no one to come between them!
Kaidan had been a weak lover, mediocre at best, always concerned about her 'feelings' and 'propriety', never seeing that what she really wanted was a man with a steel pair of balls! Someone who would move the galaxy to keep her for himself.
Now she had found such a man, and damned if she would let him get away! "One question, Zaeed. This 'no fucking policy', it goes both ways, correct?"
"Shepard, I haven't looked at another woman since I met you on Omega. I have no desire to. You are everything I want. I am by no means the 'romantic' type, so don't expect flowers and candy and that kind of shit from me.
Will I hold your hand in the fucking hallway - no! But I will promise you this. NO ONE will have your back more than me, and no man will ever give you the pleasure I will. Is that enough for you?"
Aly stared into his eyes for a moment and smiled. "Then take what is yours, Zaeed."
With a desperate moan, Zaeed thrust fully into her, gasping when her slick walls tightened around him. "Fuck, Aly, you are so goddamned tight!"
In response, Shepard pulled her legs tighter around him, pushing him deeper into her.
His teeth clenching from the feeling of friction within her, Zaeed began pumping into her, slowly at first, gradually increasing his pace as she adjusted to his girth.
Damn, he was huge! Shepard thought lustily. Never before had she felt so FULL, so complete. Zaeed hit her most sensitive spot perfectly with each thrust, bringing her more pleasure than she had ever known.
Aly's voice grew hoarse from screaming as Zaeed's thrusts became more frantic. She dug her fingers into his back, leaving bloody marks from her nails.
With a final scream of ecstasy, Zeva reached her climax, contracting around his dick, pushing him to his completion. He shot his seed into her depths, slowly regaining his senses as their bodies lay together in a tangled heap of limbs.
Zaeed rolled off of Aly and pulled her to his side, tucking her against him.
"Never pictured you as the 'cuddle' sort, Zaeed." Aly teased, running her fingers over his chest.
Zaeed laughed, "well, I believe I can make an exception for you. Don't go spreading it around, though."
They lay together, basking in the afterglow, when a voice came across the intercom. "Um, Aly, I hate to bother you, but you have an urgent call from the Council and Alliance Command."
"Joker," Shepard responded groggily, "they had better be calling to tell me the fucking Reapers have arrived if you are interrupting me now!"
"Well, Admiral Hackett did say it was of the utmost urgency," Joker added cautiously.
"FUCK! Fine then," Shepard said angrily. "Tell them I will be there in a moment. Transfer the call to the main conference room. Tell Miranda, Garrus and Mordin to meet me there. And, Joker?"
"Yes, Aly?" Joker asked, afraid of what might come next.
Shepard sighed and climbed from the bed, reaching for her sweat pants and a tank top. "If I find out there are recordings of anything that has happened in this room tonight, I will personally rip your spine from your scrawny body and feed it to a varren! Do we understand each other?"
"Yes, ma'am." Joker answered quickly, and Aly heard the laughter in his voice as he signed off.
"Little fucker!" she spoke to Zaeed. "You just know he has some footage!" There were cameras everywhere on the Normandy, and though Shepard was sure they had found most of the Cerberus bugs, there were undoubtedly still some around.
"Well, if he does, I had damned well better get a copy," Zaeed laughed, and stretched languidly on her bed.
"Okay, you," Shepard said as she threw Zaeed his pants. "Get your ass up. You don't think I'm dealing with these idiots without you, do you?"
"And you're going in that?" Zaeed said, a smile crossing his face.
"Well, they wanted the quick fucking meeting, didn't they?" she responded. "They can see me this way. What are they going to do, reprimand me? We don't answer to those pricks anymore."
They finished dressing and headed to the elevator. Time to see what the Big Boys wanted.
o~~~~~~~~o
When Shepard and Zaeed entered the conference room, Miranda, Garrus and Mordin were already there waiting for them.
"Love the new uniform, Shepard," Mordin said, a smile on his face. Aly had grown very fond of the Salarian since their suicide mission started, and spent much of her time talking to him, learning about his days with the Special Tasks Group and listening to show tunes on his omnitool.
She laughed and looked at Garrus, who was having trouble meeting her gaze. He seemed fixated on Zaeed, and the look on his face wasn't exactly 'friendly'.
Oh, shit, Shepard though, just what I need. A pissed-off Turian vigilante on board. She made a mental note to talk to him as soon as this meeting was over.
Miranda said nothing, but smiled warmly at Shepard, glancing quickly at the sweat pants she was wearing. Aly smiled back and spoke through the intercom.
"Okay, Joker, patch us in."
The room began to glow a faint blue and Shepard felt a shiver as the ship's scanner ran over her body, projecting she and her crew into Admiral Hackett's office.
This was technology left over from when Cerberus had built the SSV-2 and Shepard had arranged for a connection to be made to the Council and Alliance Command, in case they were needed.
As the Admiral's office appeared around her, she made note of the people in attendance. The Admiral was behind his desk, and the holo projections of the Council were in the corner. And sitting in the corner, behind Hackett, was... Kaidan?
"I am sorry to call on you this late at night, Commander. I obviously interrupted your sleep. My apologies." the Admiral said, smiling slightly at the Commander's appearance.
"No need to apologize, Admiral. I wasn't sleeping." Shepard answered. A loud snort came from Zaeed and Aly had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. She glanced at Kaidan and saw he was not amused. In fact, he appeared to be glowing a light blue. Biotics charging - interesting...
The Asari Councilor spoke up. "We have an emergency situation we need your help with, Commander. Earlier this evening, we received notification that Councilor Anderson has gone missing."
Shepard stepped closer, "What? When did this happen? What information do you have?"
Admiral Hackett answered her, "We sent C-Sec officers to check Councilor Anderson's room earlier this evening after receiving a report of a disturbance in the area. The lock on his door was broken, and there was furniture thrown about the room. It appears as though there was quite a struggle. The Criminal Investigations Unit found some fingerprints in the bedroom belonging to a known Cerberus operative, Roger Morgan."
"Morgan?" Miranda spoke up. "He often works closely with the Illusive Man. I have worked with him before, myself."
"Son of a Bitch," Shepard said. "We all knew we hadn't heard the last of him. I suppose he took Anderson in some attempt to get back at us for stealing his ship and his crew. Have any ransom demands been received?"
"Not yet." Hackett replied.
"And I don't think you will get any, Aly." Zaeed spoke up, moving to stand next to her. "The Illusive Man is going to make this personal, between you and him. What we need to do is find the bastard and take him out."
"I agree," Garrus spoke up. "The only way we will ever get rid of him is to kill him."
Hackett spoke to Shepard. "Not that I wish to disagree, Commander, but shouldn't we attempt to apprehend the Illusive Man? After all, he is wanted for several terrorist crimes. He should be put on trial."
"Trial?" Zaeed laughed. "You really are naive. Do you think he will allow himself to be held by the Alliance? Cerberus is a huge galactic organization with bottomless resources. Bloody Hell, they spent billions of credits just to bring Shepard back to life. You think he can't hire someone to rescue him from you? Killing him is the only possible answer."
Kaidan stood up and spoke for the first time. "And who are you, exactly, that your opinion should matter here?" Shepard could hear the anger in his voice.
"This is Zaeed Massani. He is a trusted and reliable member of my crew, Staff Commander Alenko." Shepard answered. "He has more experience dealing with Cerberus than you could ever dream of having. After all, he was with me when I destroyed the Collector base and he saw firsthand what Cerberus was capable of. He was also there when I told the Illusive Man to fuck off. "
Kaidan blanched at the mention of his being absent at the Collector Base. He sat back down, looking defeated. Massani, huh? he thought angrily. The groping bastard from the bar. We aren't done yet, asshole.
Shepard turned her attention back to Hackett. "Admiral, I request that you allow my team to look into this matter. The Illusive Man wants me and the Normandy, and my crew is better prepared than the Alliance to handle him."
The Asari Councilor spoke softly. "Thank you, Commander. We appreciate your offer of help and accept it gladly. Please find Councilor Anderson as quickly as you can. You will have full benefit of all Spectre resources." With that, the Council holograms faded away, leaving Kaidan and Hackett alone in the room with Shepard and her crew.
"The Alliance has one final request, Commander," Hackett stated.
Shepard knew what was coming and she dreaded it. "Yes, Admiral?"
"We need to have an Alliance officer with you on this mission. Someone who can act as liaison between your crew and the Alliance. I would ask that Staff Commander Alenko be allowed to join your crew temporarily," Hackett asked, dread evident in his voice. He knew what her reaction would be.
"Are you fucking insane?" Shepard said, startling everyone in the room. "You want to put an Alliance lapdog on my ship? I told you before that I would work with the Alliance, but I will be damned if I allow you to upset my crew by adding a spy into their midst! Just how much do you expect them to trust the man who called their Commander a traitor?" She emphasized the last word, twisting the dagger a little deeper into Kaidan's heart.
"Shepard, please," Hackett pleaded. "Kaidan will be there to help find Anderson, nothing else. We know we were wrong to accuse you of turning on the Alliance. We all want the same thing, here. Please work with me. Kaidan knows more than anyone else about Anderson's activities over the last several months. He would be invaluable to you on this mission."
Shepard knew he was right, but didn't want Kaidan anywhere near her ship or her crew (or Zaeed for that matter). She opened her mouth to protest, but felt an arm encircle her waist, stopping her.
Zaeed moved behind Aly, slipping his arm around her, and running his hand under her tank top, caressing her stomach intimately. "Now, Aly, I think Admiral Hackett is correct. With his inside knowledge of Councilor Anderson, Staff Commander Alenko would be a valuable asset to the team on this mission. And it's not like he has a chance in Hell of getting his hands on ANYTHING not his on this ship, now does he?" His eyes were glued to Kaidan's throughout the entire exchange, and Shepard could almost feel the hatred that passed between the two men.
She sighed deeply and leaned back into Zaeed's body, feeling him relax slightly. "You are right, of course," she purred, placing her hand over his own. She looked back at Hackett. "Fine. Alenko can join us tomorrow at Anderson's apartment. I want my people to have a look at it. My crew is still on leave and it will take a day to get them back on board.
Besides", she added, smiling suggestively at Kaidan, "I am still celebrating my birthday. So many presents to open." Zaeed chuckled and ran his fingers further down her waist, dipping into the opening in her pants.
She turned her eyes to Hackett, loving the shocked expression on his face. "I will contact you as soon as we leave the ship and head to the Presidium, Admiral. Shepard out."
Joker cancelled the call and Shepard turned, kissing Zaeed softly. She looked at Miranda and said, "Please get the message to the crew that we need to be ready to leave in 3 days. Send me a listing of the supplies we will need. I will get it taken care of tomorrow.
For now," Shepard said, glancing at Zaeed. "I have a birthday celebration to return to."
Without looking back, she took her lover's hand and led him back to her room.