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“What?” Simone’s laughing eyes and wide smile implied Izzy was teasing her. “What do you mean someone spied on me?”
“Oyaz says there are footprints outside your windows, and the heat signatures weren’t human.” Izzy was too scatter-brained for her own good, and Simmy was the calm one. But the past few days had more than ruined her sister’s perfect, routine life.
She flicked a dismissive hand. “That’s impossible. I would have heard something.”
Izzy arched a brow, then snorted, like her sister knew what to listen for. “What would they sound like, Garix?”
“The Yithian language is a sequence of hisses,” he said, licking his lips before taking a long pull from his iced coffee.
Simmy’s face paled, then her cheeks bloomed. “Fuck. I could strangle you with my bare hands.”
Well, that was confirmation. Izzy laughed, having heard that threat too many times for it to have any meaning. “As to what? Using a garrote?”
Simmy’s face mottled.
Swallowing her laughter, Izzy said, “Chill, sis, it’s just until the threat’s minimized. After that, you can return to your idyllic life.”
Simmy folded her arms across her chest. “Remind me again why I’m in danger.”
“Caro and I were with Malo when shots were fired. It was crazy-scary at the time.” Izzy jumped up to pace, her long gypsy skirt swishing around her as her hips swayed wild in her agitation.
“Who’s Malo?”
Izzy faced the screen with a scowl. “Dammit, Simmy. That’s what you ask about? Not that someone shot at us?” She huffed. “Malo is...” Looking for guidance, she sliced her gaze to Garix who downed his coffee, watching over her as her ever-vigilant guard.
She loved that about him, but affection for him contradicted the maelstrom consuming her. Sure, she was a child to them, but she would be damned if she took this lying down. Those silver shark bastards had taken her bestie and tried to take her too. Targeting Simmy was O.U.T. She wouldn’t stand for it, not an effing chance in hell.
Bending over, she flicked her mass of riotous curls, trying to keep them off her face. She needed a cut, something to tame her hair, and despite the wonderful water onboard, it was still unruly. Now wasn’t the time though, yet it was the one thing she could change, one thing out of many irritations.
“Malo’s a gorgeous alien, and an Etterian warrior, to be precise. He and Caro formed a bond, and now he’s chasing after a kidnapped Caro.”
“Kidnapped?” Simmy squeaked.
“Haven’t you been listening to me?” Izzy squealed and yanked on her hair, hoping the sharp painful bites on her scalp would calm her. “They tried to take me too, and when the damn news got ahold of my name, it put you in danger. Listen, Simmy, I’m going to say this once.” She drew in a deep breath. “Titanic.”
Simmy shook her head enough to tug her pale hair free from its bun. “I’m not going. You’re being paranoid again, Izzy.” She paused. “Wait, yesterday, you said aliens? What do they look like? No, never mind. Did they kidnap Caro?” She huffed and threw her gaze toward the ceiling. “Fine, I’ll be ready.”
Izzy danced, wiggling her ass, not that she wasn’t above kidnapping her sister if need be. “If you hear anything, head into the tunnel.”
“All right, Izzy, but you owe me big.”
Didn’t she already and wouldn’t she always? Tears burned her eyes, but she swallowed past the lump in her throat and forced a smile. “Add it to my tab. You know the drill. Love you, sis. End comm.” She kept her smile in place while waiting for the image to fade. Despite Simmy not being able to see it, she could hear it in Izzy’s voice.
“Tunnel?” When the screen flickered off, Garix asked with a black eyebrow dipped in confusion.
She trailed a gaze over the defined edges of his cheekbones, his square jawline, and wide forehead above his dark-blue almond-shaped eyes. He was too handsome and too intimidating, but he was as soft as a big old teddy bear.
“Yeah, she’ll leave the lights on, lock all the doors, then sneak through the hidden passage to the tool shed at the back of the yard.”
“Alodon’s balls.” He scowled.
She shrugged. “Paranoid of me, but she’s living alone due to her stubbornness. I built that tunnel myself. Took me months, had to study drainage and housing schematics to make sure I didn’t hit a pipe and drown. Worth it though.” She studied her palms, the calluses having taken as long to fade.
“You are a good sister.” Garix’s words struck true.
She winced as pain lanced through her. Yeah, sure. Good sisters didn’t push their sister down an embankment. She blinked back the tears. She’d happily trade places with Simmy, had wished she could for years.
“What was iceberg for?”
“That’s to put her on alert. I know I’m overly paranoid, Garix, but if you knew how Simmy lost her sight...” She chewed on her lip, pulling her hands into fists to stop the tremors.
He rose and hugged her, crushing her face against his sternum. His awkward patting and the comfort he offered helped her draw in a calming breath.
“I sensed no anger or resentment in her voice or expressions. I do not think she blames you, minus susa.”
“I blame me.” Izzy yanked herself out of his arms, aware she did so only because he let her. “Nothing will change that.” She stomped to the rehydrator to request a bottle of water. Once she had taken a few sips, she faced him again.
“You wouldn’t need ‘Titanic’ if I was on the shuttle, but I know you won’t let me go.” She stuck out her tongue at him. “Blah blah, human women are special,” she mocked in a deep voice. “I’ll be waiting in the docking bay, and if you say one word about that, I’ll sneak onto a shuttle, and to fly it, I’ll sweet talk someone with promises of ice cream and...other things.”
As threats go, that was an empty one. Hiding from an Etterian was as crazy as finding her soulmate, her Eth, in a sea of bronze faces. She gripped her hip and raised her chin to show her determination.
“Etterian males obey me without question. Why can you not do as asked?” He glowered at her. “We ensure your safety, Izzy.”
“Because Etterians don’t ask. You order. Humans are never submissive, unless we want to be.” She dipped her chin to her chest to hide her sadness. If Caro was here, she’d laugh and ease the tension in Izzy’s shoulders.
“My face and height should make you cower, why is it you do not?” The poor male looked horribly lost.
“Do you want me to cower, Garix? To fear you when you raise your voice?” She placed her hand over his heart, raising her gaze to meet his.
“No, susa, I would not want any female to fear me. However, a healthy respect for my authority and the effort I have put in to be able to defend little ones such as yourself? That I do demand.”
He had saved her and became her friend since they’d ported to the battleship like something out of a sci-fi movie.
“I’m sorry, Garix.” She threw her arms around him for a hug. “I didn’t mean to disrespect you. I’ve been caring for Simmy for years.” Leaning back with her fingers on his forearms, she smiled. “It’s hard to trust someone else with her protection.”
“That I can understand.”
“Good, now do you think Oyaz will mess this up?” Her breath caught. Oyaz had the look of someone more than capable of mastering anything. His confidence, his calm, the way he smiled...wait, that had nothing to do with ability. But, oh, his lips...
“Supreme Commander Oyaz is an excellent warrior.” Garix frowned again.
“You act like there are no bad apples in the barrel.” She shook her head. “Just let him know about the tunnel and the details. You’ll be with me in the shuttle bay, right?”
“Yes,” Garix said while punching on his arm-thingy.
She clapped, bouncing on her toes, and blessing her poor friend with a wide grin. “Would you like a chocolate mousse?”
“What?” His eyelids flickered as his O.D.I. updated him. He gasped, and a slow, sensual smile spread his lips.
She ordered from the rehydrator as promised. Surrounded by gorgeous and untouchable aliens was like an all-paid vacation to Temptationville. Except she was celibate, with no sex or love on the itinerary for her.
Cursed, that’s what she was.
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