Page 47 of Matched to the Alien King
I sucked in a breath. That’s not what I was expecting at all. “Theybothdied? Your dad and your brother?”
He nodded once. “They were in two different places, both killed on the same day.”
My mouth dropped open as tears pricked my eyes, and I squeezed his hand tighter in mine. How terrible that must have been for him.
“My brother died right before a battle with the Killians while he was poring over strategy maps. He took a sniper’s bullet from a Killian.” He pushed out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it. “I still use those maps even though they’re covered in my brother’s blood. I can’t bring myself to get rid of them.”
I shook my head and whisked away a stray tear, not knowing what else to do or say.
“My father was poisoned while dining at his favorite restaurant on Mars, The Hard Red Rock Cafe. He was meeting with a doctor who did gene therapy to help the Xenoxx procreate more females. The doctor was killed as well. No one ever took responsibility for their murders, but I’m sure it was the Killians that time too.”
There was so much raw hurt and vitriol in his voice that it was no wonder he’d tried to attack Miekil as soon as he saw him. But if I’d learned anything about Miekil since I’d been here, it was that he cared. About me. About Maxx even, but especially about proving to Maxx that not all Killians were cold-blooded murderers.
“Bexx was devastated. My father was basically her father too, and she loved Caxxic, my brother, probably more than he deserved. When we married, she stepped into her role as queen with more ease and grace than I did as king. She was kind, while all I thought about was vengeance.”
“Did you get it?” I asked gently. “Vengeance, I mean?”
A pause, then, “Not in the typical sense, no.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I let it slide.
“Bexx was a brilliant war strategist. She preferred reading about that topic than talking to anyone, except for those she cared most deeply about. She was slow to trust me, even slower to love me because I sure didn’t make that easy for her.” He heaved a breath, then added softly, “Until itwaseasy.”
My whole being broke for him. Everything he’d lost—from those he’d loved, to the Xenoxx’s ongoing fight just to keep existing—would’ve brought most everyone to their knees in defeat. Still though, he continued fighting, even when nearly killed by a naked reality show contestant.
The amount of courage and strength and conviction he had blossomed something inside my salty, scarred heart. Admiration, sure, but also something deeper and more alive than I ever thought possible.
Love.
Was it possible that I was falling in love with Maxx, king of the Xenoxx? After the short amount of time I’d known him, which was—I couldn’t even math that up right now, but…yeah. I was definitely falling in love with Maxx.
The realization flooded more tears down my cheeks, and I quickly brushed them away, but not before Maxx noticed.
“Hey.” He pulled us to a stop and gently caught my tears with his scaled thumb. “I’m sorry. I should’ve spared you some of the details.”
“No,” I said on an unexpected sob. “I’m just so sorry, Maxx. So sorry. I want to hug you so badly, but you need a shower first.”
His eyebrows drew downward over his worried, pained eyes, and his mouth parted slightly on a short breath. It was the same face he made every time I cried, which was a lot lately. A face like each of my tears was a gut punch to his soul.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Nera.”
Why did he say it like hurting me would be the worst thing to happen in all of existence? The way he cared so much about my feelings only made me love him more.
“You didn’t,” I assured him, sniffing. “I feel your pain, and it’s a lot. No one should have to carry all that by themselves.”
He smiled then, faint but beautiful, and cradled my face with his large hand. “And yet, I no longer feel like I’m carrying it alone. You don’t have to either. Please know that. I’m here for you always, my beautiful star.”
I nodded, sinking my eyes shut at the healing power of his sweet words. Ever since we’d been dropped here, together, I felt safer, more confident to lower my towering walls, and dared to reallyfeelagain. My heartache. My happy memories. My ability to love.
All because of him.
None of this I could say out loud at the moment because of the emotions wedged in my throat, but I hoped he could see it on my teary, snot-covered face.
Or he could see it later. Later would be better.
We started forward again without joining hands because he stopped to hold a large leafy frond out of my way. Smiling, I passed both him and the frond, my fingers almost immediately seeking his.
Seconds passed, and I slowed my steps and waved my empty hand to where he should’ve been right behind me.
