Page 48

“It’sa mate mark,Lacie.Ihave one as well, as you can see.”

Heturns slightly, and right in the exact same spot is a mark that matches mine.However, he has cut his tool belt, and the symbol is shining brightly for all to see.I, on the other hand, have put a piece of gauze over mine becauseIdidn’t want people to ask me about somethingIhad no idea where it came from.

“So, is this mark why you saidIwas your mate?”

“Ithelped confirm it, yes.”

“Whatyou’re not saying is that up until it appeared, you felt nothing for me.Isthat right?Nevermind,Idon’t want to know that answer.Havea nice day,MeK.Ineed to get to work.”Hiswords stop my next steps.

“Iwas drawn to you from the very first momentIsaw you walk off that shuttle.Everythingand everyone else simply disappeared.Myeyes would search for you in the crowds, andIeven came to the pavilion for sustenance, although allIneed is already on my ship.Idid not understand the feelings that were flowing through my mind then, any more thanIdo now,Lacie.Ihave no words to explain whyIam this way … butIam sorry for hurting you simply becauseIdid not know how to handle the situation, andIknow that is not a good enough excuse.Isincerely apologize for my continued lack of understanding regarding your needs.However,Iremain committed to assisting you and your people.Intime,Ipray you will find it within yourself to forgive my shortcomings.

Imiss you, your laughter, those smiles.Theway your mind works and the way you make me feel.Myworld is so much brighter with you in it.”

Ashis words sink in,Ishake my head, looking everywhere but at him.Ineed time to think about them, andI’mjust not thereyet.Myheart is too raw, and the pain is too recent.Vedecetold me about the confrontation he had with theCommanderwhileIwas in the medical facility.I’msure he was not expecting that reaction from his father over a human girl.Somuch has happened thatIdon’t know what to believe and what not to.Partof me aches to forgive him, and the other tells me to run like hell.Nonetheless,Ijust can’t do this right now.

“Thankyou for the truth,MeK.I’msure you have things you need to be overseeing today, andIdon’t want to worryJamesifI’mlate.”

Ican tell he wants to say something else, butIdon’t give him the chance.PickingKikioff my shoulder,Iquickly set him down on the trail beside me. “Comeon, little one.”

Ican feelMeK’seyes boring into my back, and without thinking about it,Irub the mark on my hip when it flares up.Kikiwalks calmly beside me like he has been there his entire life.WhenJamesandTrentonboth walk out of the large holding area, he gets in front of me, hissing at them.Bendingdown,Irub his back affectionately. “They’rethe good guys,Kiki, but you are such a brave boy protecting me like that.”Ihave to giggle when he pushes against my legs like he’s trying to get me to back up.

“Isee you’ve made a friend,Lacie”,Jamescalls out as he walks toward me through the field.

“Yeah, he’s attached himself.Hopefully, he won’t be too much bother whileI’mworking.”

“Atleast we won’t have to worry about mice or rabbits eating the plants.”

“Dowe have mice?”

“NotthatIknow of, no.”

Weboth laugh, and for just a second, my heart doesn’t feel so heavy.

“Comeon, todayIhave the perfect job for a one-armed employee.Weare planting seeds in some of these new biodegradable pots thatSCOUTsent.Weneed to see how they’ll grow, and that’s the one job when it comes to farming that drives me nuts.Butit’s easy, so you can sit on your butt and do it all day.”

“Soundsgood to me, lead the way.”

Jamesarranges everything around me, and he’s right that this is so boring a monkey could be taught to do it.Eventually,Kikigets tired of being cooped up inside the crate container with me, andIlet him out to play when he starts scratching on the door.I’mnot sure exactly what to do with the little guy.IfIhad a place of my own, it would be easier, butIknowIcan’t take him back to the ship, andIhate to askMeK.MaybeBuKwould watch out for the little fur ball?I’llhaveBriarask him, since there’s no way he’ll say no to her.

Finishingthe last of the bowls,Imake my way outside, only to findKikiandMeKplaying tug of war with one of my old gloves.Ihesitate to interrupt them as a rare smile gracesMeK’sface.WhyIcare,Ihave not a clue, but my mind tells me … fuck him and the horse he rode in on …Myheart stands here admiring the beauty that he does not see when he looks in the mirror.Myemotions going back and forth are slowly wearing me down inside.Ireally wish my mind, and my heart would stop fighting each other.

Kikimust have seen me because he makes this adorable little chirp noise before pouncing across the field, straight throughthe onionsJameshad just planted the other day.Thankfully, he doesn’t break any of them on his way to me.Hispaws, which are entirely too big for his body, hit me mid-thigh, almost knocking me over. “Gently, little one, or we’re both going to be on the ground rolling around.Isee you found someone to play with.”Rubbinghim affectionately, he growls playfully before throwing the glove at me. “Ohno,I’mnot starting this game.Ionly have one good arm now.”

MeKwalks up to us, a smirk on his face, “Heis quite lively.Inever realized how much fun or entertaining a pet could be.Eventhough he lost interest in me the moment you stepped out,Istill enjoyed the time he spent with me.”

“Didyou not have a pet as a kid?”

“Ohno, mother would have never stood for that.”

“Ofcourse she wouldn’t.Iknow she’s your mother and allMeK, butIdon’t particularly care for the woman.”

“Youhave every right to your feelings,Lacie.”

“Well, on a lighter note, it seems likeKikilikes you, so you’ll have someone to play with whenIhave to head back toANDIin the evenings.Iwas going to askBuKto watch over him, butIbelieve he would rather be with the spare.”

“What’sthe spare?”

“Theother person they decide to like.Theyalways have a favorite and a spare.”