Page 57 of Kissed By the Alien
My smile withers. “I guess this is why people say not to mix business and pleasure.” I exhale slowly. “Fine. He wants me to warn Virtue to move the shipment to their backup location because he let something slip to one of your men yesterday.”
“Moses said nothing to me or Hunzu.” Lutan reflects for a moment. “Perhaps Fennik. Anything else?”
I shake my head. “Only that he’d give me another gun, with bullets this time, since you took my gun. He doesn’t know you gave it back to me.”
“A mistake that nearly got you killed.”
“The mistake was not checking for bullets.”
“It is moot now. You will not meet with Virtue or give him the message through any means?—”
“If you’re planning on setting a trap in Topanga State Park, can I?—”
“No. Do not go near the park, Moses, or his men, Lexi. Agreed?”
I nod, feeling deflated but at the same time on board with staying out of Lutan’s investigation. What happened at the airfield left me shaken. I’m no stranger to dangerous situations, but I’ve never come that close to death before. My past outings have been to gather the type of information no one cared about, except my dad. Arms dealers though… That’s a whole other level of danger.
“I’ll stay away.”
Lutan watches me, as if looking for a sign that I’m lying. “I should lock you in my quarters and post a guard.”
My hands fly to my hips. “Don’t you believe me?” I’m insulted, even though I don’t have the best track record when it comes to staying out of danger.
“Keeping you here under guard would ensure you don’t disobey me.”
“Don’t you dare talk down to me like I’m some underling. I may not have your training, but that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve respect. I keep my word, do you?”
“I’m a warrior.”
“That means nothing to me.”
He lifts his chin. “I see that.”
I thrust my feet into my boots. “I’m not Narzan.”
That’s the wrong thing to say as Lutan pales and his horns shoot forward. One by one, he shoves his collection of knives into his boots, belt, and pants. So many knives… and then the blaster. The very heart of his investigation. A warrior’s weapon, one that is highly controlled. And sought.
“You don’t know what happened to Narzan,” he spits out, anger coming off him in waves.
The hairs on my arm rise like I’ve entered a minefield, but I’m not backing down. Not on this.
“You’re right. I don’t. Because you won’t tell me. I may be your heartmate, but I clearly don’t mean anything to you as a person.”
Seeing the horror reflected in his eyes makes me want to run up and hug him, but he’s crossed his arms over his chest and his horns stand tall.
Defensive.
Distant.
For his sake, I force myself to calm. “You can’t keep this all bottled up, Lutan. It’s not good for you. And since you can’t talk to me, then how about Hunzu? He said you two are close.”
“This is not his burden. Or yours.”
That hurts. That small uncertainly from before has suddenly become a huge wall between us. But I’m not one to give up, especially on someone I care about. He’s a good person, through and through, and he’s in pain.
I wish he’d let me in.
“That’s your problem, Warrior. You’d rather be alone.”
