Page 36 of Taming the Alien Outlaw
I sigh heavily. “Fucking hell.”
“You’re his heart’s fire…aren’t you?”
“This is just the kind of luck I have. Come to an alien planet as part of a bridal lottery and wind up the fated mate of a damn criminal jackass whose arrogance is maddening.”
Quinn makes a noise. Then another. Then she’s laughing like she’s lost her mind and tears stream down her face.
“It’s not funny.” I playfully push her away, my own giggle escaping.
“It…is…so…funny,” she says between gasping breaths.
My laughter joins hers because she has such an infectious one I can’t help it. Mak stares at us like we’ve both gone bonkers.
“Oh, Liv. What are you going to do?” Quinn asks when we both finally stop.
I shrug. “Hell if I know. I don’t even know if he got away last night.”
“What do you mean?”
Oh, did I leave out that part? “He was hiding somewhere outside the dorm when Horek walked me back here from the palace. Mak either saw or smelled him. Your mate confirmed it.”
Quinn takes my hand and drags me over to the sofa. Not wanting to be left out, the phinnek joins us making it a tight squeeze with all three of us.
“Okay, let’s go over everything again from the time Lorik got his ass kicked and Janik hadn’t been able to resist the mating call.”
I shudder. “God, please don’t call it that.”
She nudges my leg. “Spill.”
So I do. This time, I leave nothing out. Well, nothing but the fact Alik is Janik’s brother. That isn’t my secret to share.
“Damn,” Quinn breathes out. “That’s so hot.”
I snort. “You would think it’s hot for a man to threaten to kill other men for doing nothing more but breathing the same air as her.”
She nods like a maniac. “Yes I do and you can’t tell me you don’t think the exact same way. How could you not nearly swoon over a man who is so obsessed with you, he dares another man to so much as look at you? A man who goes feral for his woman? Instantly wet.”
“Quinn, babe, you know I love you, but that is a visual I didn’t need.”
“Too bad.”
“Fine.” I huff. “Yes, maybe it’s a little hot.”
“A lot. It’s sexy as hell,” she says matter of factly.
“God, you’re insufferable when you’re right.”
She grins widely. “You still love me, though.”
“Of course I do.”
“So,” she says after a minute. “I can ask Horek if Janik’s in custody or not.”
“Do you mind?”
Quinn side-eyes me and types something out on the newly acquired comm on her wrist. Must be courtesy of her mate. Barely a second passes when she gets a ping.
“Ugh, annoying male,” she grumbles.
