Page 42 of Secret Twins for the Alien Dad

“And this is…?”

“What you were looking for.” Boris and I exchange the same awkward glance. “The missing comm Myra was accused of stealing?” Brev looks beyond me.

“Oh, that. Yeah, yeah.” I’m still not sure he understands. Boris steps in.

“It has those photos that we talked about.” A light pops into Brev’s eyes.

“Oh yes, yes!” He and his hookers burst into laughter. “Gah, I forgot about that. Oh, Bori. I know I said I’d get it back, but you know how it goes.”

“Myra didn’t steal it.” I present it again. Brev takes it, frowning, and tosses it on a chair.

“Come have a drink, you and your sad friend.”

“Boris’ friend isn’t sad. He’s angry. What about Myra, Brev?”

“Well, hey, now,” he shrugs, pulling his shades down. “Myra’s a nice girl, but she ran out on her contract. You know? Deal's a deal.” He pushes them back on his nose, looking off.

“Fuck you.” My clenched fists catch his eye. He still has the power to end me if he wishes. Fortunately, he just sighs.

“You know it's my fucking day off?” He pouts. “Don’t go acting like I’m the bad guy.Isaved her from Armstrong, you know. I’m practically a fucking saint.” Finally, I see my chance. This has to work. For Myra.

“Okay, Brev, you think you’re so magnanimous? Prove it. Take this busted comm-pad and trade it.”

“For what?”

“For Myra. Her contract. Think of all those girls you can tell about the human you freed 'cause you’re, what did you call it, a fucking saint? What did you pay for her? I'll buy her contract so we can call it even.” Brev takes a moment to consider.

“Fine, take your stupid human.” We quickly settle the terms and make the transfer, and he even signs a bill of sale on his comm-pad and sends it over. Then he waves his arms at me, ready to get back to his buzz.

I grab the unwanted comm-pad as a talisman of my victory and go to leave. Then something hits me, deep in my core. I’ve been too distracted to check in with her, but my thoughts jump to Myra, the babies. Our bond pulls at my heart, and I know I need to get back to her. Now.

“Boris!” By some miracle, he’s still at the helipad. “Quick! I need a ride!”

21

MYRA

“B-9,” Eva says, sinking my final starcruiser in our game of Holo-Battleship with a smug smirk. How is she so fucking good at this game? “Another round?” she suggests.

I groan. Bedrest is boring, but at this point, anything is better than getting my ass kicked at a children’s game. “You got anything else? If you brought cards, I can teach you Kalei Hold ‘Em.”

“More like you want revenge for me beating you at Holo-Battleship,” she retorts.

I wink. “Why can’t it be both?”

“Myra,” Zair says breathlessly as he bursts into the room, his brows knit with worry and confusion. My heart flutters, and the traitorous monitor picks up on it. Zair’s eyes anxiously flick to the stupid thing and then settle back on me.

Eva shuts off the game system and pats my shoulder. “I’ll give you two some privacy,” she says with a wink.

Walking to Zair, she gets up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, but he's too tall for that and has to stoop to hear her. “I may be a puny human, but if you hurt her, they will never find the body.”

He blinks and then stifles a laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”

She pats his arm. “Good man.”

As soon as she leaves, we both burst into laughter. Getting the shovel talk from a kindly school teacher must have been just the right thing to put Zair at ease, and I wonder if Eva did that on purpose.

Once our mirth dies down, he looks me over, his gaze searching for any outward signs of injury or pain. I smile and gesture for him to have a seat where Eva had just been sitting.

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