Page 133 of I'm Not Your Pet

“No, we aren’t,” Briar continued to argue, oblivious to my murderous thoughts.

I should feel bad, shouldn’t I? Thinking about killing pirates.

But…

I didn’t.

How could I? When they didn’t feel an ounce of regret for hurting what was mine. For coming after us—like we were objects and not people—for invading Roark’s ship. His safe space. For causing him more nightmares.

It didn’t occur to me then that I could get hurt.

And just like I had when I’d stepped into the pleasure house on F’ukYuu and they’d welded my collar into place, I accepted my new lot in life. As Roark’s protector. As the human’s leader. As a man, who wasn’t a slave or a pet—but executioner and judge.

“We are leaving,” Growly countered again.

“No.”

Peace settled warm in my chest as I gave Ushuu’s fin another gentle pet, curious to see how this argument played out—though my thoughts were still spinning through scenarios. Ideas about the best way to incapacitate our invaders, one by one, before they could cause lasting damage. I’d start with Growly first. Maybe if I jumped on the counter I could grab the container we’d been using to pour into the funnels? I could splash him with it—startle him enough that I could take him to his knees. If I dumped the rest down his throat I doubted he’d survive. Not when the liquid was acidic enough to eat through flesh.

“I…” Growly lost some of his steam, obviously stumped by Briar’s stubbornness. He didn’t seem to understand why Briar would choose to stay with me if it meant certain death. Totallyunaware that I was currently plotting his demise, he spoke again, “But…”

During this entire exchange I could do nothing but squeeze Briar’s hand, trembling a little as Ushuu’s limbs reached out, tendrils wrapping around my ankle to comfort me. He was in…what I assumed was shock—and yet, still found a way to make me understand that I was not alone.

It helped steel my resolve even more.

Thesewere my people.

The Sahrks, as well as the humans.

This wasmyship.

If Briar stood beside me, he stood besidethem.

“I won’t go with you,” Briar said. “Unless…”

Growly grumbled angrily under his breath, shifting anxiously back and forth as he decided what to do. I could hear his clothing rustle. Which was odd. Sahrk’s normally didn’t wear enough clothing for it to make sounds like that. “Unless…?” he sighed, defeated.

“Unless you help me save Hugo—and this ship. If you can do that, I’m all yours.”

“Briar, no.” I tightened my grip on his hand. “No—you can’t. We can do it without him—I have a plan.”

“Of course you d—” Briar was cut off when Growly spoke, faster than I think either of us had expected.

“Deal.”

As Growly set Briar on the ground, he let me go. The Sahrk dipped his head, the shadowy shape of it sliding in close to the pale blur of the other human’s body. I reached out blindly to stop him—only to discover Briar and the pirate were already shaking hands.

I was too fucking late.

I couldn’t help but feel like he’d just sold his soul to the devil.

“Stay.” Growly hissed out, movements surprisingly quiet all of a sudden as he wandered around the room. He never bumped into anything, or tripped. So I could only assume he had some sort of device that was enabling him to see. “Ah.” He made a sound, jabbing at something on the counter that emitted a quiet clinking noise when it moved. “This will work.”

That was how twenty minutes later, Briar, Growly, and I ended up posed at the corners of a hallway with tiny vials of rocket fuel in our hands. I’d reluctantly explained to him what the fuel was—and what it could do—and while Briar and I had pulled our hazmat suits back into place, Ushuu had filled the vials.

“Do not miss.” Growly—whose name was apparently Grimm (a surprisingly accurate name for such a mopey dick)—warned.

“Once again, I am annoyed that my dad and I never played catch,” I muttered to myself, the weight of the bottle in my hand a little terrifying—despite the fact that this had been my idea. I didn’t trust my aim, especially in the dark, so getting up close and personal would be my only option.

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