Page 3 of Breakaway
"Okay," I say, my voice small.
I appreciate what he's trying to do, and it helps me in this moment decide I'll call them over if my gut gets a flicker of uncertainty. I make no promises of actually doing it when the time comes, but right now I feel good about putting my worry of inconveniencing them to the side.
Marr goes over a few more details of their schedule. He tells me who will be the primary in the morning, evenings, and at night. If I'm going to leave the apartment, at least two of them will accompany me. They have access to the cameras in the apartment building, as well as the parking garage and exterior. If I choose to leave on my own, they can't stop me, but they make no promises not to tail me to ensure my safety.
By the time we pull into the parking garage, my mind is racing with how drastically my life has changed. It's almost as many changes at once as it was when I accepted Mauve as my agent and she skyrocketed me into stardom.
I used to be able to go grocery shopping without anyone looking at me twice. Now I can't leave my apartment without being swarmed by paparazzi or asked about my sex life by some perv who works at a gossip blog site.
The elevator ride up to my apartment is uneventful, but I don't worry about someone running up and trying to accost me in the parking garage when the three men surround me. This already doesn't seem like the worst idea in the world. They stop outside of my apartment, Marr watching me as I slide my keys into the lock. The other two have already stepped into George's apartment.
"Thank you for being here," I tell Marr. "I already feel a little bit better about all of this knowing you guys are out here."
Marr looks like he couldn't be happier with my words. "You need anything, let us know."
"I will," I promise. I'm pretty sure I mean it for real this time.
Marr stays where he's standing, making it clear he's not moving until I'm inside and probably staying there until he hears the deadbolt. I lock the door, the deadbolt, and the little chain lock, even though that might be the least helpful of the three. By the time I take a peek outside the little peephole, Marr is disappearing into the apartment across the hall.
I let out a long sigh, dropping my purse and keys on the little table by my door and kicking my shoes off. I'm going to get into a pair of stretchy pants, open a pint of ice cream, and sit on the couch watching trashy dating shows until I'm too exhausted to do anything but sleep.
Or that's the plan until I turn on the light in my bedroom and see the mess that's been made in there. I don't even know where the panic buttons are, but I slap at the wall like a mad woman, throwing my arms to either side of me, slapping at the wall as I try to take in the scene.
My clothes are thrown all over the place, my dresser drawers are scattered on the ground, and my bed doesn't look touched except for the stains on the dark comforter that weren't there when I left this morning. I'm still slapping at the wall when I hear my front door get kicked down. Strong arms wrap around me, hoisting me up and out of the apartment as Brandr and Ingo enter my bedroom, looking for a threat.
"Tell Mauve I want whatever her idea is for someone in my apartment," I say, my voice sounding too loud and too faraway at the same time. "I don't care what it was. Tell her I'll agree to it."
CHAPTER 2
ZILL
Breaking News! Empress's underwear is being sold for thousands on online markets after the pop singer's apartment was broken into.
In the known universe, there are a few different species with some kind of mind-reading capabilities. Within the Intergalactic Alliance, the governing body over most liberated and advanced species, there is one species known for their ability to read and alter thoughts, Sombrans. We were some of the first to join and help form the Intergalactic Alliance. That was a long time ago, and yet our role has remained largely the same.
"I have two jobs," I say once the crew is settled in our briefing room, also known as the dining area of the ship.
Seven years ago, I founded my own security company, specializing in private security for various species, as well as offering our services to the IA if they ever request it. In the last seven years, we've made a good name for ourselves. Our success rate is one hundred percent, and high-ranking officials from across the universe request us.
We don't take on every single one of the jobs offered to us. There are only four of us, and I'm particular about the ones we take. We're babysitters, sure, but only for legitimate threats. I don't need some of the strongest Sombrans in our species' history doing pointless jobs.
Most Sombrans are lucky when they can share thoughts with more than just their mate. Having a handful of us who can read minds, alter thoughts, and bend minds working with me means we're among the most sought-after Sombrans right now.
"They're both on Earth, so that means Kolos is out."
Kolos rolls his eyes, but if I were in his mind, he'd be thanking me. He hasn't been back on Earth, as far as I'm aware, for fifteen years. Not since he found his mate, was rejected, and decided running away was preferable to yearning too close to her for the rest of his life. If he didn't have such issues with going to the planet, he'd be my first choice, since he grew up there. His mother works for a high-ranking family, and she's bonded to a human. If anyone's good with navigating humans, it's Kolos. Seeing as he and his shadows are acutely aware that his other half is somewhere on the planet, it makes it more difficult for him to do his job. Not that he'd ever tell us that.
"I don't mind being on Earth," Isha says, her brow lifting when Skia turns to face her. The siblings are probably arguing in their minds about who's going to be left on the ship to keep Kolos in line since he likes to cause mischief when he gets bored. Usually, I stay on the ship with him, but I've been requested specifically for a job.
"You should probably hear about it before you accept it," I tell the two as I pull up the job specifications on my comm and send the information to all three of them.
Kolos pulls up the information, even though he won't be going. We all stay up to date with one another's work in casewe're ever needed for backup or to relieve the other for any reason.
"Oof, even if I wanted to go to Earth, this is not the job for me," Kolos says, laughing as he watches Isha and Skia's faces screw up tight.
It's not the most ideal job, but someone needs to do it.
"The human female was altered to have a Rytharian reproductive system, and she goes through the same heat cycles. I've been told she'll have the means to deal with it, but she'll be going through heat at least once while you're with her."
