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Chapter Nineteen

LACIE

YOU ARE MINE ! … Those words are what have led me to where I am now.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much at once.

One moment, I’m riding out one of the most intense orgasms of my life, only to be humiliated two seconds later.

To top it all off, the Commander got to witness me doing the walk of shame as I was running down the ramp after being called in so many words … a gold-digging whore by MeK’s mother.

This day was supposed to be fun and relaxing.

Instead , it’s turned into something my mind can’t comprehend.

The moment his mother walked in, MeK turned off just like you’d flip a switch.

His eyes became solid black, and his runes dulled, suppressing all his emotions.

Even with his release running down my legs, I don’t think he was really seeing me anymore.

I had simply become an object no longer needed.

‘ God , what have I done?’ Tears flow down my face and the sad part is, I have no one to blame but myself.

I’ve never felt this ashamed or worthless before, and the fact that I’ve allowed someone to have that kind of power over me just shows how ignorant I am.

Papaw told me over and over, ‘ Do not put yourself in situations you have no way out of .’ As his words echo in my mind, I don’t think that spreading my legs for an alien who has never seen me as anything more than a primitive, ignorant being was something he was truly trying to warn me about.

“ Papaw , I sure wish I had your strong arms to hold me right now and tell me this is all going to be ok.” But I don’t.

No matter how many times I wish it was different, I am alone .

It takes me a second to figure out where I am, as I usually don’t wander around any of the other landing zones that the dropships are not in.

Shaking my head at my ignorance and not knowing exactly which way to go, I see the perimeter fence ahead.

Drying my eyes, I know I need to get back to the beach, and that the wall stops right before the enchanted forest. Walking in a daze, eventually I’ve gone far enough away from the ships that I can no longer see them, … only to stop.

If I show up at the beach now, especially after that confrontation between MeK and Eric earlier, which I know everyone saw, not only will I have to explain where this oversized jumpsuit came from, but also why I no longer have a bathing suit.

I know Briar will notice all of this immediately and I can already see the questions in her eyes before she ever opens her mouth.

I don’t know if I can stand there knowing the moment everyone sees me, they’ll realize what I’ve done and how quickly I was discarded.

I’m so out of it that I don’t even realize I’m barefoot until I catch my toe on a root.

Without any other choice, I keep walking only to suddenly realize when I come to the end of the fence that I’ve gone in the complete opposite direction than I should have.

Looking around, I can tell this part is not finished and must be where MeK said the maintenance bots had run out of materials.

Leaning against the last pole, I close my eyes, wondering what I’ve done to deserve this day, and then just thinking his name brings a new set of tears to my eyes.

How did I allow myself to get into this situation?

What did I really think was going to happen when he carried me away from the beach?

I already knew he was going to leave when this was over, and he never promised me anything.

Did I honestly believe he would give up everything he’d ever worked for …

for me? A girl with nothing to offer besides herself.

God , I’m an idiot ! Crumbling to the ground, sobbing so hard I can barely breathe, I swear, I can still feel his hands on me and the rough sound of my name over and over as he thrusts that puss destroyer in and out of me.

Finally , my tears run out and I feel strangely numb inside.

The chaos caused by this one event has practically destroyed all the wistful dreams I had for the future here.

And to say I would be unconsolable if I told anyone is an understatement.

I know I could never withstand the whispers and the snide looks.

Suddenly , I realize no one besides the people in that room really knows what happened, and if I have any say, that’s how it will remain.

If MeK wants to pretend I’m nothing and what we did meant nothing, then so be it.

I’ll not allow him or any other man to ever make me feel like this again.

Perhaps I was too trusting and I made a mistake, but it won’t happen again. I’m DONE !

Coming to that decision, I know the first thing I need to do is get back to ANDI before anyone else does.

But dammit, all the dropships returned for repairs earlier.

The only other place I can think of that might have a change of clothes is the medical facility, but Vedece may not have received any yet, as she just added clothes to her list. Still , I have to check.

If I can find something more appropriate to wear, I’ll tell Briar that MeK and I got into an argument and that I was uncomfortable walking around in a bikini.

That’s not really lying since I was uncomfortable in it.

Picking myself up off the ground, I’m wiping the tears from my face when I hear a faint whimper further inside the woods.

Stopping to look around, I’m just about to leave when I hear what sounds like a kitten crying.

Slowly , I step past the last pole, scanning the area, but I don’t see anything.

Making sure to keep the post in sight, I walk a little further into the forest. It seems like every aspect of this planet is different.

Where the houses are being installed, the undergrowth was remarkably clear.

Here , it’s brushy and darker; it even smells damp and moldy.

I’m about to turn around when it cries out again.

This time, I hear it clearly. I find that I’ve already moved a few steps toward it when I suddenly stop.

What if this is a trap? I’ve seen this on the Discovery Channel .

Could this be a sound something is using to lure prey away from safety?

The more I think about it, the more absurd that sounds— hell, we just got here.

The animals don’t even know to fear us yet.

The next cry is so pitiful that I disregard my own inner warnings.

“ Here , kitty, kitty … come on out, I won’t hurt you.

” Stopping to listen, I hear something moving through the brush in front of me.

Slowly making my way forward, I see the kitten before I notice its huge mother lying on her side in front of it.

Realizing just how large that animal is, I start to step back as quietly as possible until the little one sees me and pounces my way.

Its large paws land on my leg and then its claws bite into my skin as it climbs my jumpsuit before settling on my shoulder.

Standing still, I move my head just enough to see the kitten panting hard, looking all around as if it’s scared of something, and I’ve become its safe spot.

Lifting my hand, I let it sniff my fingers before I slowly pet the top of its black-spotted head.

This entire time, I’ve been watching the mother out of the corner of my eye.

I can see this turning bad quickly, as there is nothing more aggressive than a mother defending her baby.

The kitten leans heavily against my head, and that’s when I notice that the mother is not moving at all.

Even though my Spidey senses tell me I’m just continuing to walk the path of a dumbass today, I walk a little closer, only to scream when I see the ground literally open up and swallow that big ass cat whole.

Two seconds later, you would never have known it was even there.

Confused , I grab the kitten a little more securely and start walking backward, watching the ground all around me the entire time as I expect it to reopen and swallow me at any time.

The kitten squirms on my shoulder, only to jump off the moment I move my hand.

Instantly , it’s back over where its mother was, sniffing the ground.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’ve run over and grabbed it up off the ground, holding it securely against my chest in case the ground suddenly decides it needs a small kitty snack.

Because my nerves are shot, I can’t stop the scream that leaves my lips when I hear a voice suddenly behind me.

“ Lacie , if you’d told me that you wanted to keep us a secret from everyone else, I would’ve been fine with that.

You didn’t need to sneak out here.” I actually close my eyes, wondering what I’ve done to deserve everything that has happened to me today.

Turning , I find him leaning against a tree with a smug look on what should have been an attractive face.

“ How did you find me, Eric ?”

“ Lacie , now, now … don’t act like you don’t know I work this part of the perimeter fence.

Ricky , Owen , and I all still had to patrol today, but the Commander gave us a few hours off for the celebration that you ruined for me.

After your alien protector hauled you off like some kind of war prize, I decided not to stay, but I had no idea you were going to be waiting for me out here. ”

“ Eric , I didn’t come out here because of you. I heard this kitten crying and decided to see if I could find him.”