Page 41 of Savage Giant

As he remained bent over near the door, I tried very hard not to stare at his firm, muscular buttocks.

Tried and failed. Damn, that ass.

It wasn’t long before heat surged in my core and my breaths became ragged.

He turned and gave me a scolding look. “No,” he said firmly. “No.”

I placed my hands on my hips and glared. “And a good morning to you, too, Mr. Sunshine.”

His eyebrows drew together, confusion spreading over his face. Sometimes he didn’t quite get my humor. Ah well. He would have time to learn. Only the rest of our lives. My heart swelled at the thought. Forever.

“I look nothing like the sun,” he finally said with a quick shake of his head. “It is you who resemble the sun. My golden-haired beauty.” He closed the distance between us in three quick strides and took me in his arms.

Breathing deeply of his scent, I wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him back. His warmth surrounded me, and I melted at the current of affection he sent my way.

But my stomach flipped when he suddenly released me and hurried to the front window. I followed him on quiet feet, my senses on high alert. I didn’t hear anything. Just the wind and the usual creaking of the cabin.

It was early morning and still dark outside. There wasn’t even a hint of sun on the horizon. I couldn’t imagine what he was looking at—I couldn’t see anything in the darkness.

But then I heard it, a faint buzzing. It was the sound of a hovercraft coming in for a landing, though as I peered into the sky, I didn’t see any lights. Yet it sounded close. I’d turned the porch lights off last night, so if it did land close to the cabin, we wouldn’t easily see it. Well,Iwouldn’t easily see it. Gorran probably would. He would likely smell it, too, or rather he would smell the occupants on board the vessel.

I felt cold all over, and I wanted to ask Gorran just how close the hovercraft was, but I didn’t dare make a noise, not when I knew he was concentrating on something in the distance. His eyes darted from side to side as though he were tracking the movement of an object.

He guided me away from the window just as the buzzing grew louder. Then there was an audiblethudover the wind—the telltale sound of a hovercraft landing.Oh my God.

Gorran dressed me quickly in my jacket, hat, and gloves that I’d left near the front door, then urged me to step into my boots. My heart raced and my hands trembled, but I suited up in silence, understanding that he meant for us to run.

Or maybe he just meant for me to run. Was he sending me into the forest alone so that he might confront the trespassers?

He swept me into his arms and headed for the back door. No words passed between us. A hundred questions danced through my head, but I didn’t dare speak out of fear that I might prevent Gorran from hearing the approach of the trespassers.

He halted just before we exited the back door, however, and he bolted back the way we’d come. Apparently, he’d sensed some danger coming from behind the cabin. My fear intensified, and I sent up a thousand silent prayers for our safety.

Glass shattered all around us, and beams of light pierced the darkness. I screamed as Vaxxlian blaster fire rang out, though I knew the alien warriors weren’t the ones attacking us, but rather the mob boss who’d made a fortune selling their stolen weaponry.

“Hello, Cari,” came a familiar voice that drenched me in terror.

With multiple lights beaming at us, I couldn’t see anything, but I felt Salax’s presence in my gut. Even if he wouldn’t have spoken, I would have known he was there. He’d come for me. He’d fucking tracked me down.

Idiot. I felt like the biggest idiot. The cabin was still in my father’s name—I’d simply hoped he wouldn’t think to look up property records. I’d hoped he’d died during the attack on the warehouse. Or I’d hoped he would assume I’d been captured.

But after a week and then another week had passed, and still he hadn’t come for me, I’d foolishly started to relax. I’d believed I might truly be safe from his wrath.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Gasps sounded all around us, no doubt the goons—and Salax—shocked by the sight of Gorran.

“Holy fucking shit, boss,” someone said. “Do you see that?”

“Should we kill it? Capture it?”

“Whatis it? Think it’s some sort of alien we haven’t heard about yet?”

Gorran roared, shoved me to the floor, and flipped the couch on top of me, shielding me with the large piece of furniture. I covered my ears as blaster fire erupted and screams pierced the air.

Chapter 30

GORRAN

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