Page 46 of Breakaway
Zill's lips flatten. When his gaze falls on mine, he at least looks slightly amused. "I never said you weren't attractive."
"Pretty sure you did," I tell him, reaching up and looping my arms around his neck.
"Well, if that's how you remember it, I guess I'll have to apologize," Zill replies, lowering his head, eyes closing. His shadows urge me closer to him, and I don't even need the prompting because I'm lifting up onto my tiptoes to meet his mouth with mine.
"What just happened?" Isha asks, her voice like a bucket of cold water being poured over both of us.
Zill growls something I can't quite make out, his good mood souring with the reminder of what we're actually here to do and the fact that we're not alone in the hotel room. Marr lets out another loud, rumbling snore, completely ruining the moment.
"Way to be a cock block, Isha," Kolos says, hitting her in the shoulder with the back of his hand.
"Kolos," Zill says his name like a warning, but you wouldn't know it based on the way Kolos is watching us. Knowing it's not worth the argument or the headache with Kolos, Zill places his palms on my cheeks, keeping me looking at him. "I don't trust your brother. Based on how he acted when he came to your apartment last week, I think he might've had something to do with your information being leaked."
I attempt to shake my head, but am stopped by Zill's gentle hold on my face. "He wouldn't."
"I want to believe that," Zill says, his expression softening. "But I won't trust him until I can get into his head."
I clench my back teeth down hard and try to listen to what Zill is saying, to truly take it in. It's difficult when I don't want to think that my brother was the one who made all of this happen.
"They won't let you all on the property."
Zill lets out another long breath, his irritation evident, though I doubt it's directed at me. No, if anything, he hates this entire situation. The fact that there's a good chance we're separated from one another is enough for him to be upset.
"Any chance he'll talk to me?" Zill asks, clearly grasping at straws.
"He'll think you're doing weird alien magic on his mind," I tell him.
What I don't tell him is that my entire family already thinks he's done just that, and that's why I'm with him in the first place. A quick glance at Isha and Kolos tells me they aren't planning on telling Zill about that part of my thoughts, at least not right now.
"Look," I place my hand against his chest, hoping to soothe some of his worry. It's not working very well, considering he feels tenser than I've ever felt on him before. "I just have to speak with them for a second, tell them the allowance is stopping, and that I'm no longer going to be on Earth."
"And when they take that as terribly as you know they're going to?" Zill asks. The question comes out hard, followed by an apologetic wince that takes over his features as soon as the question is out. He plows on, softening his tone. "If they do anything to hurt you or make you feel unsafe, I won't forgive myself for not being there to protect you."
His jaw clenches, eyes darting down to his shoulders where some of his shadows have gathered. Whatever they're saying to him, he's not too happy about it.
"What?" I ask him, wanting to know what they're talking about.
Zill's lips roll as he steps away from me, his hands going to the back of his neck as he turns away. His shadows cling to me, urging me to follow after him so they can stay touching me, but I stay put. Zill grumbles under his breath, and his shadows helplessly struggle to get close to me.
I'm unsurprised when Isha is watching this all unfold as though it's horrific, and less surprised to see Kolos barely containing his laughter. My shooting him a withering glare seems to be what breaks his resolve, and a short laugh comes out before he can cover his mouth with his hand. Zill's head snaps in his direction, staring at Kolos with just as much irritation as I just had.
"Do you want me to wake Marr?" Kolos asks, clearing his throat and standing a bit straighter. "We could all go get something to eat, and give you and Reese some time alone."
"What?" I ask, confused at the change in subject. "No, I told Jeremy I'd be there in an hour."
Zill slowly turns to face me as Kolos's humor falls from his face. Marr snores again, but at this point, it's just really loud background noise. Honestly, I'm more surprised he's sleeping through all of this since none of us are being particularly quiet.
"You told him you'd meet with him?" Zill asks, the shock morphing into something close to resignation or sadness. I don't know what.
"You could still get it done in that amount of time," Kolos says as if it's helpful at all, as if I have any idea what he's talking about.
"You're not in my head, stop acting like you are," Zill snaps at him, and for the first time, Kolos actually looks something other than amused at annoying Zill.
"We don't have to be in your head," Isha says, placing a hand on Kolos's shoulder. "If you bond her, you'll know if she's in danger and if we need to go help her."
"Bond?" I ask, eyes going wide at this being something that's even up for discussion in front of everyone, let alone while there's a Lokan snoring up a storm in one of the only two beds in this place.
I shake my head as my eyes meet Zill's, and it's like he already knows that I'm not agreeing to it. I wonder if that's why he wasn't going to mention it.
