Page 63 of Alien Warrior Chef… With Benefits
“They did.” My breath catches.
Her hand finds mine.
I hesitate.
Then I step forward, pressing my palm to the dusty countertop between us. She turns those beautiful eyes on me.
“I... Ruby,” I begin, voice low. “There’s something I need to say.”
Her brows dip with concern. “Okay.”
I open my mouth. The words crash against my fear.What if she doesn’t feel the depth? What if she retreats? What if the bond is only one-sided?
But beneath it all, stronger than ambition or dread, the bond hums. Ready to break free.
Before I can finish, the whisper of silk signals another presence. I look up.
Aelphus stands framed in the doorway. His golden skin glows under the neon, perfect and imperious. His gaze sweeps the room, landing first on Ruby, then sliding over me.
He inclines his head.
I feel something shift—like the world acknowledges our union, even as my heart lurches in ownership and caution.
Ruby lifts a hand. “Your Majesty.”
Aelphus’s eyes glint as he steps forward, clapping once. The sound echoes, rich and refined.
“A formidable performance,” he says, voice smooth like molten gold. “But I sense the real story is not what you served—but who.”
Ruby blushes.
He turns to me, expression curious. “And you, warrior chef—do you share that sentiment?”
My breath hitches.
I swallow. I want to vomit the words. But camera drones hover, sponsors smile, the Holonet cameras focus.
“Your dish speaks volumes,” I say instead, steady and formal. “But the support… that speaks deeper.”
Aelphus's lips curve. “Indeed.” He pauses. Eyes no longer on us—but beyond. As if he sees what binds us more than we do.
He nods once, curt. “Advice—stay true to each other. That bond, if real, will propel you both beyond these walls.”
And with that enigmatic assessment, he turns and leaves.
Ruby looks at me, breath caught.
I stare after Aelphus, my stomach twisting. A stranger sees it. A predator dressed in gold. And still I held back.
Ruby clears her throat. “Well… let's prep for the finale.”
I nod. My jaw clenches. The bond I withheld feels heavier now.
That night,we eat dry rations in our cabin. No cameras. No Holonet. Just stage lights flickering beyond the curtains.
Ruby reaches for my hand across the tapas tray. The silence between us crackles with unsaid truth.
“You okay?” she asks, eyes searching mine.
