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Aliens
and the longer style he’s sporting these days suits him.
“Yes. You should have,” I shoot out through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t know they were going to ask you to do that,” he whispers. “You can’t agree to it. It’s far too dangerous.”
I share his sentiment but for different reasons. I can’t kill the love of my life or his dad. But Dante? That’s debatable. I think I’d be doing womankind and the world a favor by taking him out.
“You heard him!” I hiss. “He isn’t giving me a choice!”
“Look, we’ll figure something out. I promise.” He smiles but it’s strained, and it pretty much mirrors how I feel on the inside.
Thankfully, the VP is offsite at a meeting, so he isn’t around to notice my tardiness, or my agitation, nor the way my tummy rumbles with gnawing hunger all afternoon. When five p.m. arrives, I drag my weary, weak body outside and meet up with Haydn.
He takes one look at the state of me and wastes no time in whisking me back to the apartment. I don’t object when he contacts Neve to rearrange the time of our dinner date and then tucks me into bed for a nap. Mercifully, I conk out the minute my head hits the pillow.
Haydn rouses me a couple of hours later with another muffin and a glass of juice.
I feel semi-human with some food in my belly and freshened up thanks to an invigorating shower and clean set of clothes. Forcing all thoughts of G and his hideous request from my mind, I snatch my coat and hurry to the living room.
The screen springs to life as we’re walking toward the door, and we both halt on the spot. Cheers and screams pierce my eardrums as the image loads on the TV. We drop down on the couch in sync and watch. The roadshow has hit Alaska, and the people of Anchorage are enthusiastically welcoming President Bane, King Adjani, Logan, and Dante.
Predictably, my heart skips to its own beat at the sight of Logan. He is wearing a customary suit—inky black this time—which perfectly matches the color of his carefully coiffed hair. He could easily be mistaken for a male model or the latest Hollywood star, but I can tell that he’s uncomfortable with his attire and the unwanted attention, because his posture is stiff, his expression solemn.
The president and the king both make impassioned speeches, but they can hardly be heard over the screams of the adoring crowd. A slim blonde-haired girl somehow manages to evade security and she races across the stage, flinging herself at Logan. Caught off guard, he stumbles backward and the girl falls into his arms. I grind my teeth all the way down to my molars. Security attempts to pry the girl from Logan as she clings to him, sobbing and yelling “I love you.”
I can’t tolerate watching another second. “Sleep.” The screen dies at my command. “Let’s go,” I tersely tell Haydn.
We take the elevator to the parking garage, and Haydn silently powers up the Autovee. I slide in the passenger seat and try to snap out of my bad mood. What a pity G hadn’t requested I take aim at one of Logan’s many lurkers. Considering what I’ve just witnessed, I’d happily take out the blonde and anyone else who manhandled my Eterno intended. I sigh. No, I wouldn’t. I don’t have it in me to kill anyone, not even annoying groupies or Logan’s Hulk-like detestable older brother. I honestly don’t know how the hell I’m going to extricate myself from the mess I’ve gotten myself into.
Grateful for the tinted glass, I stare out the window, absorbed in thought, as we exit the building and head out on the quiet back roads. Fern and her alien BF—Rylan—are joining us tonight, so we are meeting them on the outskirts of the Core Circle. It lessens their travel time.
“You’re the only one he cares about. He’s crazy about you.” Haydn jolts me back into the present.
“I know,” I acknowledge quietly. “Doesn’t mean it’s any easier to stomach.” No girl wants to witness other girls casually throwing