Page 53 of All You Need is Alien Love
I sigh. “Look, I kind of agree with Zion on this one. It’s too dangerous.”
He gets a familiar glint of stubborn determination in his eyes. “I can cut a bitch if I have to, and I’m scrappy as hell. You know that better than anyone.”
I sure do.
Even though he was always smaller than me, Evan was the one defending me from bullies in my youth. He may be tiny, but he’s fierce, and he fights dirty.
No lie, a smidge of Lord Vardox’s character is modeled on Evan.
That’s an insider secret.
I smile to myself. I’ll have to share that with Kai one day.
Evan pokes me and I squirm. “Fine! I’ll talk with the rest of the team and see what they say. We probably don’t want you on the front line in a position of danger, but there may be other ways you could help us.”
Evan crosses his arms. “Make it happen, hermano. And don’t even think of trying to keep me away. I’ll force myself in if I have to. There’s no way I’m letting my best friend fight these pendejos in need of an ass whooping without me.”
I beam at him. “I love you too, man.”
We arrive at the base, where Evan helps me haul the awkward box into my temporary changing room, and then I shoo him out.
“This superstar needs to get ready.”
He rolls his eyes and pinches my cheek. “Good luck, hermano. Knock ’em dead.”
He sashays out of the room, and I lock the door behind him and hurriedly change into my outfit.
I couldn’t have done this without Nirblob’s help, but getting into my outfit and strapping my specially commissioned device around my waist takes longer than I expected. This is also one of the reasons I’ve been completely confident my alien friend can help us design some new and revamped weapons to fight against Layne Madison and his gang. Nirblob’s a freaking genius. No wonder we get along.
Once I test everything to make sure all is working as designed, I don the glorious red satin cloak I had Evan’s designer friend make for me.
I grin as I study myself in the mirror appreciatively.Lord Vardox, eat your heart out!
I know my ensemble is going to drive Kai absolutely wild, just as I intended.Mwahahaha.
Channeling all the Lord Vardox vibes I possess, I strut out into the main hangar of the base with my cloak billowing around me, one hundred percent certain I look like a total badass.
Ignoring everyone else around me, I lock my gaze on Kai, whose eyes go wide and mouth hangs open.
I am the king of husbands.
I add more swagger to my walk, thrilling at the spark I watch ignite in Kai’s gaze. Captain Jack Sparrow hasn’t got anything on me!
When I join him before the dais where his grandmother stands, my whole body is tingling in anticipation.
“Congratulations to our loving couple, who have made it to the third and final day of the Iyaran Sanctioning Ceremony. First, they will make their vows to one another. Then, they will partake in the Closing Ceremony dance.”
We turn to face one another, and I’m pleased with how sexy my hubby-boo looks. He’s wearing a special Iyaran version of a tuxedo that has a Velcro flap he can pull open to release his tentacles during our dance.
Kai takes hold of my hands and his touch alone grounds me and puts me at ease.
“River Sullivan, I swear to love and cherish you until the end of my days. I will be an equal partner to you through the good times and the bad.” His lips twitch into a faint smile. “Although I fully intend for there to be more good than bad if I have anything to say about it.”
Our audience chuckles.
“I will uplift you and celebrate you at every opportunity. For you, I will strive to be an even better version of myself as we both continue to grow and evolve over the years. We will build a life together that allows us to share boundless joy, fulfillment, and passion for as long as the universe will give us.”
He lifts my hands and kisses the backs of them tenderly.
