She had her mother?s long blonde hair and well sized bosom but with her father?s high cheek bones, aristocratic fine nose and deep green eyes, she was...a heavenly creature with the heart of the damned. Currently the selfish princess was searching for a rich yet very pliable husband to pander to her demanding whims. The party settled down to an uneasy silence. Queen Kailya had attended royal banquets since she was a young maiden and could start conversation with the reserved Skaadi northmen. She. Shit, I have already lost the battle in my mind, and I am not even positive this is a pirate ship, but for damn sure, it is a warship. Then again, if it is not a pirate, then why in the hell is a Dhisoi ship out here a quarter of the way across the galaxy from its home system?Dammit, I will go down as the officer who lost his ship on his first attempt at command, but even as the thought crossed his mind, he could think of exceptions. Still, why could it not be on my tenth command or my. Figuring there was no point in staying here, he was in the middle of sitting up when the doorbell rang. He jolted upright the rest of the way and leapt out of the bed. He grabbed his phone from the night stand and leafed through the messages. He had several from Rita that he had not responded to. They all said the same thing; she would be dropping Amanda and Krissy off at his place that morning.The doorbell rang a second time just before he opened the door. “Hey Dad.” Amanda hugged him. Freddie couldn't help noticing that they were all good looking women. But Norman had always been attracted by a face and a figure. And, of course, it had been Norman's inability to restrict that attraction to the woman he was married to that had been the main marital problem he had faced.They stepped out onto a brick paved walk that led down into the formal garden. "Of course," Norman said, seeming to get closer to the subject in hand, "if I didn't have to pay the alimony I would be able to get.