Page 13 of Taming the Alien Outlaw (Brides of the Bohnari #2)

Olivia

Fatigue makes my feet and the rest of my limbs heavy as Horek escorts Mak and me back to the dormitory after a far-too long interrogation. I probably shouldn’t think of it that way, but there were times during the prince’s questioning where it almost felt like I was being treated like the bad guy.

“Alik did not intend to make it sound as if you were the criminal,” Horek says, almost like he can read my mind.

I stroke Mak’s head, hoping to make myself feel better. “I know, but whether he intended to or not, he did.”

“While it is he who owes you the apology, please accept mine on his behalf.”

Quinn really is a lucky woman to have Horek as her husband. “I appreciate you offering one.”

“Of course.” He bows slightly.

Beneath my hand, Mak stiffens and whines quietly. Her gaze is fixed somewhere in the direction of a small grove of trees. I squint, trying to pick out what she might see, but nothing stands out. She takes a step forward, then halts.

“What do you see out there?”

“It’s Janik,” Horek replies for her.

I glance at him in question and he gestures with a chin jerk.

“He’s there. She can either see or smell him. But that’s what has her attention.”

My heart shouldn’t skip a beat, but it does. I strain my eyes harder trying to make out his form within the shadows, but if he is out there, he’s well hidden.

“Are you sure?”

Horek nods. The doors of the dormitory crash open and Quinn runs toward us, yelling my name. The shift in Mak happens in a blink. She goes from whining to attack mode. The hairs on her back and down her spine stand on end and she’s crouched in a lunge position with her teeth bared.

“Mak, no.” My tone is firmer and deeper than I’ve ever used, but I can’t let her hurt Quinn even though she’s only trying to protect me.

My best friend comes to a screeching halt and raises her hands in surrender. “Holy shit, what is that thing?”

Carefully, so as not to startle her, I stroke the phinnek’s head, whispering soothing words and sounds. “Mak, sit.”

It takes her a couple seconds, but finally she complies. I stroke her again and praise her. “That’s a good girl.”

Thankfully, Alik did prepare me. I reach into my pocket and bring out a dried berry. Apparently his pup, Beck, is a fan as well. I look up at Quinn. “Come slowly forward.”

She narrows her gaze. “I’m fine right where I am, thank you very much.”

“Okay, how about we come to you?” I offer Mak the treat and she happily takes it. With no idea if she can understand me, I try anyway. “Mak, let’s go meet Quinn. She’s my best friend so you need to be nice to her. Do you hear me?” I infuse as much seriousness as I can into my demand.

With a quick prayer, I walk forward and don’t stop until my arms are around Quinn and we’re holding each other tightly.

“I was so worried. Did he hurt you? He’s going to pay for kidnapping you.”

“Janik didn’t hurt me.”

Quinn draws back and scans my face with a crease between her brows. I glance away, unable to handle the scrutiny, because even I heard a…tone in my words.

“Let’s go inside. Devon and Lindsey are desperate to see you as well and I promised I’d bring you upstairs as soon as you got here.” She releases me and steps over to Horek who has come to stand nearby.

I can’t help notice his hand is on his blaster and, while he’s fully aware of Quinn, he doesn’t take his eyes off Mak. Not that I blame him. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his mate and Mak, regardless of her impression of domestication, is a deadly predator.

“Thanks for bringing me back here.” Not that I expected anything less. The commander wasn’t going to trust anyone other than himself to escort me.

“Of course.” He glances in the direction where he is certain Janik had been before turning back to me. “Be careful.”

I nod. Quinn and he share a goodbye kiss and she whispers to him before he finally leaves. My guess is, he’ll go investigate the area where Janik was, but I suspect he’s gone by now.

“Let’s get you inside so you can tell us everything that happened.” Quinn loops her arm around mine and guides me into the dorm.

Mak follows and the guards manning the entrance warily monitor her every move.

I don’t know how I’m going to be able to keep watch over her within the city.

She’s not a pet and has been free to roam within the rainforest. Plus, she’s Janik’s companion and the rebels all know her.

She was much safer back at their camp. I wish I knew why she’d chosen to come with me.

“Where’d you find your protector?” Quinn asks when we get into the lift.

Considering she’s going to badger me for the entire story, I might as well not bother trying to keep anything from her.

“She’s Janik’s.” Although I suppose that’s not technically true.

Quinn coughs and sputters. “I’m sorry? She’s whose?”

I glare at her, because she heard me well enough.

She laughs. “This thing needs to move faster, because I’ve got to hear this story.”

Her wish is granted a second later, because the chime signals our arrival.

It had been Devon’s idea to stake our claim on the top floor of the building so we didn’t have people walking above us.

Considering the soundproofing in this place, I don’t think it would have mattered.

But I’m glad we’re up here. Mostly because it weirdly makes me feel like I’m part of the upper tier with the stunning view of the mountain through the wall of windows across from the walkway leading to our individual apartments.

We walk to the second to last room, which used to be where Quinn lived. At least until she started spending every night with Horek at the barracks. It’s still hers, though, because there’s no way we’d let any of the other women move in there, even if they asked.

Inside, Davon and Lindsey wait.

“Look who’s here,” Quinn exclaims the minute we step inside. “Don’t rush her though unless you want to get mauled by her guard wolf.”

Our two friends come to an abrupt halt since that’s exactly what they’d been about to do.

“Whoa, where the hell did that thing come from?” Devon asks in a hushed voice.

“This is Mak.” I glance down at her. “Mak, these are friends. Be nice to them or I’ll send you back. Understand?”

She nudges me with a soft whimper like she does.

To my surprise, it’s Lindsey that slowly and carefully comes closer with her hand held out.

She stops a short distance from Mak, letting the phinnek decide whether or not to close the remaining space between them.

Just as cautiously, Mak takes a tentative step forward, then another, until she brushes up against Lindsey’s fingertips.

Still, our friend doesn’t move, but continues waiting.

Several seconds pass before finally, Mak nudges her full on for scritches.

Lindsey strokes the phinnek behind her ears and Mak lets out a small rumble of pleasure.

“I think she likes you.” I chuckle.

“I’ve always been infatuated with animals although I’ve never seen one except for in books the upper tier threw in the garbage.”

That’s the thing about working at a sanitation facility. We would find all these things the upper tier considered junk. Of course, they always did their best to destroy the stuff just enough that we weren’t able to actually use it but also enough to show us what we were missing.

“I need to find her something to eat soon.” Other than the occasional treat, I haven’t seen her eat anything so I assume she hunted for herself in the rainforest.

“We can ask the chef to prepare something, but first we need to hear everything that happened since Janik kidnapped you,” Quinn says.

Since I expected nothing less, I head for the sofa to get comfortable.

Mak trots after me and the second my butt hits the cushion, she jumps up and makes herself comfortable.

She never came into Janik’s house while I was there so I have no idea if he allows her inside, let alone on the furniture.

It’s clear, she has no intention of giving up her spot though.

“I guess we’re sitting on the floor,” Devon deadpans.

“Sorry.” I wince.

She waves me off and grabs one of the throw pillows Mak has managed not to lay herself on top of. The three of them sit in a semi-circle and peer up at me with an impatient stare, waiting for me to share all that’s happened since…god, was it just last night? It feels like a lifetime ago.

“As you know, I was on my way back here with Lorik when Janik ambushed us.” I nearly flinch with guilt at using ambush to describe it, because I don’t really think that’s the right word.

Especially when Quinn curses him. I also feel bad because I haven’t asked about Lorik once. “How’s he doing by the way?”

Devon glances at Lindsey so quickly I almost swear I imagined it. “He’s fine. Recovering from a few cuts and scrapes. The self-flagellation for allowing you to get taken is a bit dramatic, but nothing anyone has said has made a difference.”

I wince. “It’s really not his fault. There were two of them.”

“He’s still chastising himself,” Quinn says. “Enough about Lorik. We want to know about Janik.”

“He took me to the rebel camp and this morning I escaped while he was at some meeting.”

The longer I stay silent, the more I force myself not to squirm in my seat.

“How long have I known you?” Quinn asks.

“Almost since infancy.”

“Exactly. So you and I both know I’m right when I say you’re full of shit. There’s way more to the story than that. I’m actually shocked you think I’ll let you get away with that half-assed telling.”

I sort of half shrug. “A girl can hope.”

Quinn glares and I sigh in defeat.

“Fine.” I tell them everything that happened after Janik took me, including the shitty game he played with Mak that scared me half to death, meeting his mother, getting drunk, how he cleared up my hangover with some magic machine, and how an unknown rebel smuggled me out of the camp.

“Damn, so Janik really has no idea Alik has been trying to meet with him?” Devon asks once I’m finished.

“None. I also really do think he never intended for anyone to be killed during that explosion in the mine.”

Quinn’s still watching me with a speculative gleam in her gaze, like she’s guessing there’s a few things I’m leaving out.

“His mom sounds like a world-class bitch,” Devon adds.

Since I agree, I just nod. She was very clearly not a fan of me.

“And you didn’t recognize the guy who helped you escape or know why he did so?” This comes from Quinn.

“He just said he didn’t agree with Janik kidnapping me.”

“Hmmm.”

I’m not sure I like that sound, so I fake a yawn even though it really has been a long day. “I’m sorry guys, but I’m exhausted. Between the stress of everything and then all the time spent in the palace answering Alik’s questions, I think I need to get some rest.”

Devon and Lindsey are both quick to apologize.

“God, of course,” Devon says, jumping to her feet. “We’ll let you sleep and see you tomorrow.”

They both hug me goodbye, careful not to move too quickly and spook Mak who eyes them in case they try anything funny. The two of them leave for their own places, leaving Quinn behind.

“I’m going to take Mak outside for the bathroom and swing by the kitchen to get her and myself something to eat. Do you want to grab lunch tomorrow?”

“Sure, sounds good. Maybe then you’ll tell me the truth. Or at least the rest of it.” She hugs me as well and walks me to the door. “I love you Liv, and I’m glad you’re home.”

“I love you, too.”

Mak’s followed us and together she and I head down the walkway to the lift. We quickly go out so she can do her business and then I stop off at the kitchen. It probably doesn’t take as long as it feels like it takes, but we finally get our food and go back up to my apartment to eat.

Once we’ve finished off everything, I crawl into bed, not even bothering to shower or wash my face.

Apparently Mak has decided to make herself at home, because she jumps up with me and curls into a giant ball at my feet.

Seconds later, she’s snoring softly. Me?

I lie there, staring at the ceiling. Quinn’s right.

I might have left a couple things out. Like the fact Janik and Alik are brothers.

Or that I suspect I might be Janik’s heart’s fire.