Page 84 of Ren: Warlord Brides
She was the kind of person who had a trust fund and didn’t know it.
“I have a trust fund,” she said slowly.
“Yes, like every other Mahdfel mate.”
Just… there wasn’t the right combination of words to express how monumentally huge that was. If she had known, she could have paid off Gemma’s blackmailers, she never would have taken the shady job with Pashaal, and she would have thrown that shady ass alien peddling his shady ass deals out on his, um, ass.
“How did I not know this?” she asked and intuitively knew the answer. Because Ren shipped her home in record time. There was no orientation or welcome packet.
“I’ll have the fund contact you,” Nakia said. “That’s everything on my end. Do you have any questions for me?”
“Uh,” Emry said, full of wisdom and insight. “Sorry, I’m a bit overwhelmed. I’m free to go?”
“Yes. The charges are being dropped.”
“What about Thalia?” It felt wrong to walk away with Thalia still in the brig.
“Already released,” Nakia said.
“Can I call you if something else comes up or I think of a question?”
“Absolutely. I’m sending you my contact info.” She glanced down, off-screen again, before turning her attention back to Emry. “It was a pleasure working with you. Hopefully, we can meet again in better circumstances.”
“I’ll buy you a coffee next time I’m on Sangrin. Hell, I’m making you a muffin gift basket,” Emry said, before realizing that she had no idea when or if she’d return to the planet. She didn’t know what would happen once Ren returned with Gemma—he had to return with Gemma because she refused to imagine the other option. They hadn’t talked about the future or expectations or anything. Maybe he’d send Emry and Gemma back to Earth.
No. Ren said he regretted letting her go, so that meant he wanted her to stay.
Right?
Did she even want to stay?
Emry honestly didn’t know.
Released from the brig, Thalia rushed over to her. “Havik and Ren are at the hospital. We have to go. Now.”
Chapter 21
Emry
Emry raced down the corridor. Her mind dissolved into a mess of static and panic when Thalia told her Ren was at the hospital. Sure, Havik too. Thalia was probably worried, but she kept it together enough to hustle them both into an auto transport and to the correct hospital. Left on her own, Emry might have spun in a circle, unable to pick a direction, and fallen over in exhaustion.
Okay, maybe she was being dramatic, but the man she loved was in the hospital. Whatever doubt she had—the second-guessing, the unknown, all the things they never talked about—fell away. They were important, yeah, but not more important than him.
She turned a corner, her shoes skidding on slick linoleum. Ren stood in the corridor, wearing armor that fit him like a glove, and staring down at a coffee cup like it held the answer to life’s questions.
“Ren!” She jumped him, literally jumped, knocking the cup to the ground. Strong arms caught her, holding her against him. Words tumbled out of her in a rush. “Thalia said you were in the hospital. What happened? What’s wrong? Don’t you dare be injured. You swore you’d come back. You swore.”
“I am well,” he said.
“Well, he says.” She rolled her eyes, then kissed him because it seemed a shame not to be kissing him. “God, I was so worried. Why are you at the hospital?”
Carefully, he lowered her to the ground. “The signal was a trap. There were injuries.”
“Who?” she demanded. The door to the room was closed, and smoky glass protected the occupants.
“We found Terran females. Abductees.”
“Gemma? Was she there?” She was afraid to hear the answer, but not knowing would be worse.
