Page 93 of Zalis
His hand fell away but the grin remained. “It is good to see you, my mate.”
“Right back at you.” She leaned in for a soft kiss, pulling back before it could grow too heated. This was his parents’ house and there were some lines she was unwilling to cross. Their fingers laced together. “We’re getting married tomorrow.”
It felt unreal.
“We are technically already married,” he replied.
“Legally, but now we get to have a party about it. Did you decide on your outfit for tomorrow?” she asked.
“I have.”
“What is it?”
“It is a surprise.”
Gemma frowned. “It’s something thatyoulike, right? You didn’t pick something you think I want you to wear?” Zalis did that. He wore outfits that made him uncomfortable because they pleased someone else, like how he gladly wore the over-the-top soap opera starship captain outfits his mother kept giving him. Or how he wore a human-style suit because he thought it would make Gemma like him.
Or how he named his adopted dogDoggobecause it made scared and injured people laugh during Earth’s alien invasion.
Okay, his willingness to please wasn’t so bad, but it was their wedding day. He should wear what made him comfortable.
Zalis pointed to the dress bag hanging on the back of the bedroom door. “Is that your outfit?”
“Don’t look!” She pushed his hand down, like he had magical powers that operate a zipper from across the room.
Then again, the way he made my clothes vanish was pretty damn magical, so maybe, yeah.
“You have many rules. I am uncertain about these Earth customs,” he said. “I suspect you are fabricating them.”
“Ask Emry. She’ll tell you that you’re not supposed to see the bride’s dress. It’s tradition.”
“Whatever it is, it cannot be more stunning than you at this moment.” He tucked a strand of her cotton candy pink hair behind an ear. “I missed you.”
Communication between theJudgmentand the Val Mori surface hadn’t always been reliable. There had been a stretch of nearly two miserable weeks without being able to send a text, let alone have an audio call. Escalating Suhlik aggression made the future uncertain, but at least they would be together. More skirmishes and raids would be certain, though.
Gemma had already experienced a handful of raids on the ship. The first one she spent with Emry, sitting in a dark room, waiting for the all clear. It very much was a flashback to their childhood. Another one happened while she was helping Vanessa make birthday cupcakes for Jaxar. Gemma wasn’t ashamed to admit she had a panic attack. Vanessa’s fretti, Snacks, sat with his head in her lap during the whole thing. He was a superstar.
“I have information for you,” Zalis said.
“You sound so serious.” Gemma tensed, ready for bad news.
“Earth authorities have arrested your abductors.”
She let out a sigh. Good news. “Really?”
When Ren told her that he had a contact at the FBIA and they would take her abduction seriously if the police would not, she didn’t have a lot of hope. Nothing ever happened, right? The system had loopholes and snakes were particularly good at slithering away through those holes. No offense to actual snakes.
“Really,” Zalis agreed. “When it comes to trial, we can be present if you desire.”
“Yes, I want to attend the trial.” For closure, if nothing else.
“There is more. The chip the doctor removed from you contained a serial number linked to Niklas. He is now in custody.”
“Really? Wow, that’s a pretty awesome wedding present. Thank you.” She put her hand behind his head and pulled him in for a kiss.
Gemma melted into him. She could live in this moment forever with the moonlight, the bird song, and her secretly whimsical alien.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight,” she confessed.
