Page 22 of Bound to the Alien King
“So don’t,” she said softly, which packed a whole lot more meaning than any other way she could have said it.
It was like a gentle prodding of a mammoth-sized boulder over a cliff.It was exactly what I needed.
“I need definitive proof,” I said, nodding, “something to drag their darkness out into the light.”
A big, sly grin blossomed over her face.“Is it my imagination, or did you bring a whole TV show with you with cameras and billions upon billions of viewers?”
I sucked in a ragged breath.“Oh my god, Roxxanne… You’re brilliant.”
“I have my moments.Also, and this is me telling you this in your imagination because my dad will kill me if he finds out, but I kept one of my great aunt’s scales when she died.It’s like keeping some of her skin if she were human, which is weird and macabre and a little bit serial killer, I know.Welcome to the weird world of Roxxanne, but…it could be a good lure to trap some fuxxers.”
“Fuxxers, indeed.”With a tiny smile on my face, I tapped the table between us.“You’re sure you’re all right with me using one of your great aunt’s scales?”
“Just don’t tell my dad.There are three things he hates.”She started counting on her slender fingers.“Pigeons, even though he’s never met one, Killians, and withholding information.”
“Withholding information, huh?”I said, unable to keep the note of bitterness from my voice.
Apparently, he didn’t hate it enough to never do it himself.On the other hand, hello black, I’m kettle too.Wasn’t I also withholding info from him?Pivotal, life-changing info that could affect both our lives?Yes.Yes, I was.I had to wonder if he’d been trying to work up to telling me, attempting to find an appropriate time, same as I was him.
I’d for sure tell him later, when I was older and much wiser.
“There he is.”Roxxanne perked up, eyeing a spot over my shoulder.“Remember, act normal, and pretend you’re talking to someone who’s mentally balanced and hasn’t told you any dirty secrets.”
“Done, and I’ll take all your secrets to the grave,” I promised, and the resulting grateful smile on her gorgeous face clinched my adoration and respect for her for an eternity.
I couldn’t help it, and I didn’t want to.
“Dad, hi.”She waved while I gathered up my wits to face him again.Then her eyes blew wide with panic.“Um, I don’t know if you’re aware, but you have a Killian following right behind you.”
“I’m aware.”
The deep timbre of those two words, touched with a note of humor, rumbled through the air, vibrated into my chest, and cleaved through more of my defenses.I felt the power of his gaze everywhere, even though I hadn’t turned around yet, and it fizzed through my veins like effervescence on steroids.How could his mere presence affect me so much when all I wanted to do was despise him?
Balling my fists up tightly, I turned.My stomach and heart—the traitors—somersaulted at the sight of him.At the dominance and obvious masculinity pouring off him.It had been a while since I’d seen him in anything other than pants, but now he wore battle gear like the rest of his guards, complete with a sword in his scabbard, only his armor was golden instead of silvery purple.His full attention was leveled on me, his gaze tortured and haunted, though he tried to hide it behind a wall of royal stoicism.
Flustered, Roxxanne bounced her hands in front of her.“Are…you…going to explain why you brought our mortal enemy to our dining room, or am I going to have to guess?”
“I think it would be more fun if you guessed.”I ripped my gaze away to Miekil to gauge how he was dealing with all of this after…well, losing Bling.
I wasn’t sure he knew where he was right then.I wasn’t even sure if he was breathing.He looked stricken at the sight of the princess, caught in her glow, spellbound by her beauty.
I rolled my lips together to contain my smile.Good thing her dad was too focused on me to notice his reaction.Otherwise, we might have one less good Killian.
“His name is Miekil,” Maxx told her.“I’m sure you remember him fromAlien Love Island.”
My eyebrows skyrocketed up my forehead, and I let out a low whistle.“He’s in the first-name club now, too, so you know he’s one of the good guys.”
Miekil didn’t react at all to my teasing.In fact, I wasn’t so sure he knew I was here.
Roxxanne flicked her gaze from me to her dad to Miekil.“So…it’s nice to meet him?”
Maxx nodded.“It is.”
“A pleasure, Your Highness.”Miekil bowed slightly while his gaze never left the princess.
I had a feeling the pleasure was all his.
“Nice to meet you…” Hesitancy laced her voice, but she smiled at him anyway, effectively melting the alien into a green puddle.Then she slapped her thighs as a herd of Xenoxx warriors and human women headed toward us while balancing trays of food in their large hands.“If you decide to kill us, please wait until after the tacos since I’ve never eaten them before.”
