Page 9 of Taming the Alien Outlaw (Brides of the Bohnari #2)

Olivia

As much as I don’t want to admit it, I believe Janik.

I also believe Johnna, Horek, and Alik. Which means someone is lying.

Now it’s a matter of convincing him of the fact, and finding out who that might be.

I’m also not sure I want to analyze why I was the only one who could calm Janik’s mating fever attack.

Or the fact that I haven’t left his side or made him let go of my hand even though it’s clear the fever has passed.

“Do you go to the drop-off points yourself or do you send someone?”

Janik tilts his head slightly. “On the occasions we are notified a ration is being delivered, I send one of my people.”

I nod. “How rare are these supply drops?”

He pauses like he’s calculating. “Perhaps every six moon cycles. It is what we pay for. But what we are given would only last three if we didn’t make it stretch.

Most of the rebels in camp wait until they’re on the edge of losing control before they take enough kanet powder to make the murderous rage manageable. ”

I had no idea it was that bad. “Have you told Alik he’s shorting you or asked for more in the interim? Never mind.” I wave him off when he glares at me. “What’s the response? The exact response you get? Wait, first off, how do you communicate about the supply as well as where the pick-up place is?”

There’s a long hesitation before Janik says anything. “Why do you wish to know these things?”

“I’m not a spy, if that’s what you’re wondering. Humor me. Please.”

Even with my reassurance, I don’t think he’s going to answer, but finally he does. “We send encrypted messages through the communication center. Several of my males filter through the messages that go through several security protocols.”

“And how do you evade Horek’s men during the pick-ups?”

“Because they never see us. The places we arrange for deliveries are ones where we have created hidden doorways. We remain out of sight and then slip in, grab the ration, and disappear within the rainforest before anyone suspects a thing.”

“Smart.”

He grins. “We are also often lucky in that the person making the delivery is one my lackeys—as you say. Then, we don’t bother with subterfuge.”

I shake my head at his arrogance. “Just how many guards do you have spying for you?”

“Enough,” Janik is far too cagey with his response, but I can’t say I blame him.

“That’s fair.” Now that he’s answered that—or rather didn’t—I still don’t know about the rest of it. “So within these encrypted messages where you mention you didn’t get what you paid for and need more, what does Alik say?”

“Nothing. Our pleas are ignored.”

That can’t be right. “So you tell him your supply is low or running out or not enough in the first place, but he says and does nothing?”

Janik nods. “That’s correct.”

Rebels or not, Alik has gone through so much trouble to make sure his people don’t die out. It’s the whole reason I’m here, after all. Why all of us humans are on this planet.

“Is it at all possible he has never received your messages?”

“One or two perhaps, but none of them?”

“I’m going to say something and I want you to just listen. No interrupting. Deal?” I suspect he’s not going to take my suspicion well.

“What if I don’t like what you’re saying?”

I chuckle. “Pretty sure you won’t.”

“Then why would I accept this deal you’re offering if it includes you telling me something I’ll dislike?”

“Because I’m asking you nicely?” I bat my eyelashes in the worst effort of being flirty in my life.

Janik huffs. “Fine. I will be silent.”

Here goes. “I think someone is lying to you and intentionally keeping you from getting more of this drug. And I don’t think that person is Alik or anyone from Preska. At least not anyone under the prince’s directive.” I hold up my finger. “No interruptions, remember?”

Janik snaps his mouth shut.

“Hear me out. Quinn mentioned you—or who Horek assumed was you—got caught in Preska the day we arrived. You said something about not being able to afford this powder. There’s only one problem with that.

Alik gives it to everyone for free. All they have to do is go to the medical center and ask the healers for it.

Johnna confirmed this. She’s another human and is married to Vornak, the head healer.

As soon as they start running low, Alik and several of his men fly to some nearby planet and trade for more. ”

I study Janik and can tell he either doesn’t believe me or he’s trying to compare what I’m saying with what he’s experienced.

“Perhaps this only applies to those living within Preska. As rebels, we cannot simply walk into the medical facility.”

“Normally, I’d agree with you, except he also sends shipments of it to the other cities. I’m actually surprised you haven’t stolen some of it during your robberies.”

Janik shakes his head. “We have never come across any.”

I pause to consider something. “Don’t you think that’s odd? I mean, I don’t know how often he sends shipments or how often you “liberate” them, so maybe it’s merely coincidence.”

The intensity radiates off Janik and I can tell he’s really considering everything I’m saying.

“Let me ask you this as well. Is it at all possible Alik is receiving your requests, but you aren’t receiving his ?”

I can tell this never occurred to Janik. Why would it? He probably assumes all the rebels are loyal to him. Why would they keep messages from the palace from him?

For several long minutes the only sounds are our breathing and the faint rasp of his calloused fingers rubbing across the back of my hand.

“You say that Alik has tried to arrange a parlay with me? To discuss the death of…?”

“Konek.”

“Of Konek?”

I nod. “From my understanding, his first request to meet was met with not just a denial, but an attempt to shift blame. Horek said the reply he got was that Alik had been the one to kill Konek in order to frame you. He allegedly pinned the murder on you to justify whatever retribution he took against the rebels.”

“I never received that message. And if you say that was his first request, then I did not receive any subsequent ones either.” Janik’s unease and confusion is evident. If he’s faking it, he’s doing an excellent job. “If what you say is true, then I need to discover answers.”

“Who would benefit the most by betraying you?”

How it’s possible I’m coming to read his expressions already I have no idea, but the pain in his eyes is obvious. Has he never questioned the loyalty of anyone in the rebel camp? If he has spies within Preska, who’s to say Alik hasn’t managed to plant a couple of his own here?

“No one. I am the only person with a rightful claim to the throne.”

Which leads me to the biggest, unanswered question—one of many, actually—I have, but I’m not sure he’ll give it to me.

“Will you tell me something?” Quinn says it never hurts to ask people things. The worst they’ll do is say no.

“If I can.”

“Why do you think the crown and throne belong to you?”

Finally, Janik releases my hand and sits up on the side of the bed. Our thighs touch and the heat of him warms me all the way through. Straight to my core.

“Many cycles ago a male was struck with mating fever while visiting another city. He attacked an elderly male, nearly killing him. The elder’s daughter intervened and by doing so placed the attention on her.

The male was so far gone with need that he did the unthinkable to her.

” Janik stares straight ahead, but I’m not sure he’s seeing anything.

“Once he recovered his senses and realized what he’d done, he offered a significant amount of credits as though that would provide some type of recompense for what he’d taken. Then, he disappeared.”

I cover my mouth in horror. How awful for that woman, to have been violated in such a way. I can’t imagine how she dealt with that.

“Soon after, she discovered she was with child,” Janik continues.

“Eventually she gave birth and raised the youngling with the help of her father who died when the child was five cycles old. Throughout his life, the child vowed vengeance against the male who hurt his mother and left them to fend for themselves.”

A churning in my stomach tells me I’m not going to like where this story goes.

“Did he? Get the vengeance against the man?”

Janik turns his head to face me and our eyes meet. “The male who violated the female died before it could come to fruition. But he left behind a mate who birthed a son who will now pay for his father’s crimes.”

Holy shit. If what he’s saying is true, then that means Alik is Janik’s brother.