Page 87 of Kissed By the Alien
“I decide who I’m with, not you.”
“You chose Devlin, and he?—”
“Lutan is nothing like Devlin.”
He picks up a file. “I have information on this warrior. Do you know about?—”
“Stop right there. Everything I need to know about him, I already know, including about his brother.”
His eyebrows rise. Nailed it. I knew he’d try to use that against Lutan.
With a thump, the file hits the desk. “We have to discuss Japan. It’s a go.”
Change of topic. Typical. He’s not ready to relent on Lutan, so he’s tabling the discussion for now.
“And?” I ask, trying to gauge if I should push him about Lutan or give him time to accept. Hell, I’m not sureI’vefully accepted Lutan yet. I love the guy, but…
Butnothing.
IloveLutan.
Suddenly that truth, that huge, wonderful truth, is so clear to me.
My dad snaps his fingers in front of my face, getting my attention. “Should I call Dr. Forsyth for you?”
“I’m fine. Continue,” I say in my business tone. I can switch from daughter to employee quickly, a talent I got from my father. “You want me on the Japan job. Got it. What else?”
“You’re part of the family, Lexi. And you’re my best analyst. I need you.”
“Do you?” My words drip with doubt.
He approaches me and puts his hands on my arms. “Maybe I haven’t handled everything with you as I should, but you’re still my daughter. Don’t let this warrior come between us.”
“I’m more worried that you’ll try to come between Lutan and me.”
He sighs. “I’m sure if the warrior cares about you as you seem to think, then he won’t have any issues with you continuing to work for me. Unless he objects to women working, which goes against all the progress we’ve been trying to achieve.”
“I make my own decisions. You should know that by now.”
A slight grin surfaces. “That’s my buttercup.”
This is the father I know. The one who listens to me when I have ideas and usually follows through on them. He respects my opinions.
“I think I deserve a few days off.”
He laughs. “Indeed. With hazard pay.” Still chuckling, he opens the door for me. In the hallway, Lutan stands with his arms crossed over his chest, an austere expression on his face. Five of Daddy’s guards stand opposite him, as if expecting trouble.
“Five days, then we start the new job, yes?” Dad says.
“Yes.” I flash a weak smile, the tension in this hallway is making my skin crawl.
“Will you be at your hideout or the Zyanthan Embassy?”
“I don’t know. But I’ll be with Lutan.” I tip up on my toes and kiss my father’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll be safe with him.”
Lutan and I descend the steps leading to the governor’s circle. A car rolls around front and the driver hops out to open the door for me. “Your father said I’m to take you anywhere you like, Miss Barrington.”
My eyes seek out Lutan, who hasn’t said much since the guards dragged McCauley off. “I told my father I’d be with you. I didn’t mean to presume. I can go to my hideout, if you prefer, although I guess it’s not really a hideout anymore. Everyone knows about it. And it’s where I was kidnapped, and?—”
