Mercenary Abduction (Alien Abduction) (21 page)

The strangest family the universe probably ever saw, but at the same time, the most loving. The

remainder of her childhood passed in a rapid blur as Olivia traveled with her new guardians, learning about whole new cultures and ideas faster than the speed of light – which Karma giggled was such a retro pace.

When her uncle became too stifling and his brand of magic too dangerous, Olivia branched out on

her own, hooking up with Ifruum after they met in a jail cell. The rest, as they say, was history.

*

Olivia held her breath as she finished her sad tale. Makl had been silent for a while now. He’d

gotten over his raging tantrum when she’d gotten to the part where her mother callously cast her off. For some reason hearing about her mistreatment sent him on a rant where he threatened to kill her until Olivia reminded him her mother was already dead. She found his reaction extreme, but warming at the same

time. Despite his oddities, it showed he cared for her on some level.

Not that she did – care, that was. She wasn’t stupid. She grasped something was afoot. The super

passionate Makl acted like a man on a mission and she had a sneaky suspicion she knew why. Still, when the news arrived via the automated computer announcement that they’d docked at his cousin’s planet, she couldn’t help a pang of hurt.

He’s really going to drop me off.

For some reason, she’d truly expected them to keep on going as they had, pulling off heists,

thumbing their nose at authority, getting more and more infamous. She’d even gotten to the point she

looked forward to the missions because she couldn’t deny she loved the adrenaline of pulling off a well thought out caper and seeing the wild glee in Makl’s eyes as they beat the odds. And the sex… Wow.

In her bid to better understand her purple lover, she’d even begun studying the
A Mercenary’s

Guide to Prosperity
on the side. Some of the rules and sub-clauses sent her into fits of laughter.

Forget living the life of a criminal, though. It seemed her days of being half of the Galactic

Lovebirds was over. Makl intended to follow through with his plan to dump her on his cousin as a nanny.

How depressing, but then again, what did she expect him to do? Keep working as a team and

screwing like the floppy-eared bunnies on that pink planet several star systems over? So what if they had fun and awesome sex and great talks and…

Oh shit.

To the side she shoved him, hard enough he hit the floor, but not as hard as the realization

smacking her between the eyes.

I love purple.

Oh no. When had she allowed that to happen? Why? Had she not learned her lesson growing up?

Loving someone, letting herself trust someone, gave them the power to hurt her.

And I am the worst kind of idiot for letting it happen, especially for a cocky, murdering

mercenary who never made any bones about the fact he just wanted me for sex.

Thank goodness he reminded her why she didn’t want to hook up with him in the first place.

Springing from the bed, she dressed quickly and packed even faster. As she nudged Makl aside to grab

her favorite bra from the floor to stuff in her luggage, she finally caught his confused gaze. She couldn’t hold it, not with the revelation of her love for him still so fresh. Away she looked, searching for

something else to pack so she could take a moment to wipe the threatening tears from her eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“What’s it look like I’m doing? Packing, of course. I’m going to need clothes for this nanny gig,

aren’t I?” She injected an irritable note in her reply.

“Probably a wise thing. Megan would probably kill any female who thought to cavort naked in

front of her mate. But, how did you know we’d arrived? Did Ifruum tell you?”

That traitor knew? She’d shave him later in retaliation. “No, he didn’t, but it’s kind of obvious.

We didn’t plan a mission or stop, and yet, the ship’s landed. You made sure you
cleared your head,”
she air quoted, “a few times more than usual. Add to that woman’s intuition and it was a no-brainer.”

“You don’t seem upset?” Makl said it questioningly as he followed her, her quick strides clacking

on the floor.

“Why would I be upset?” She plastered a falsely bright smile on her face. “I did after all promise

to do this nanny gig. And as Ifruum reminded me, even thieves need some kind of honor among

themselves.”

“So you are no longer intending to shirk your promise?”

“Nope.” She jabbed at the screen for the docking door, wishing it would damn well hurry up and

pressurize before she said something stupid like, “Please let me stay.”

“But we were having such fun.”

She shrugged. “Yeah. And? Even you should know by now that all good things come to an end.

Best to do it now before you got too clingy. I can’t abide a clingy man.” She feigned a shudder, but almost lost her stoic look to giggles at the astonishment on his face. “It’s been fun, purple. See you around the universe.”

As the ship’s door opened on to a dusty plain, she blamed the fine particles in the air for the

moisture in her eyes.
I am not crying.
Not for him. Not for anyone, not anymore.

As she strode away from the one thing that made her happier than she remembered, the one man

who’d made it past the shield she’d erected around her heart, she thanked her lucky stars she did it on her terms before he could truly hurt her.

Now, if only she could find some antacids for the ache in her heart and a tissue for the moisture

rolling down her cheeks. Compatible atmosphere her ass. Stupid alien planet, it was already making her sick.

She’s leaving. She’s actually leaving me.

Makl watched Olivia walk away, each stride tightening an invisible band around his chest until he

thought he’d asphyxiate. A thump on the back had him drawing a heaving breath.

“Well, it was nice knowing you, Makl.” Ifruum shambled past, a duffle bag thrown over a hairy

shoulder.

“She left.” Makl said it softly, disbelieving, unable to hide the unanticipated pain of it.

Ifruum stopped and spun to reply. A shaggy brow rose. “What did you expect? You didn’t exactly

ask her to stay, did you? This is, after all, what you wanted, why you attempted to abduct her in the first place, and why we’re here.”

But he never actually expected it to happen. A part of Makl had pictured the scene, a much

different scenario. He’d announce they’d arrived at his cousin’s planet and tell Olivia it was time to start her new job. She’d cry and beg for him to keep her because he was so magnificent. Being magnanimous,

as well as handsome, fearsome, and an excellent lover, he’d let her plead her case – on her knees and back – before begrudgingly giving in after negotiating a daily oral wake up call for the next few planetary cycles. They’d resume their journey, probably dodging missile fire from an irate cousin who still wanted a nanny, and live...well, happily ever after.

None of that happened. Instead, Olivia couldn’t escape his presence quick enough. She didn’t even

give him a last kiss or glance. Not a single tear.

By all the frukxing planets he’d fleeced, it irritated him. Hurt him. Angered him. Crushed him.

Off he stomped back to his ship’s main command area, muttering under his breath.

Why can’t you admit that you want her?

Because he didn’t.

Oh, please, look at the fun you’ve been having with her.

Pleasure he’d find without her as well, never mind the fact he recalled just how boring his life

was before they’d met.

When are you going admit that you love her?

Never. He couldn’t. He didn’t. He shouldn’t. He was a mercenary. Mercenaries didn’t love. They

killed. They went after priceless things. They got rich and famous.
Until they got mated and settled
down.

Unbidden, Makl recalled a conversation between Tren and his brother before his cousin Jaro

hooked up with Aylia. Jaro asked, “What do you mean you’ve found something more precious than

treasure?”

And Tren replied, “If you repeat this, I’ll deny it then kill you, but in truth, the greatest treasure of all, the most priceless thing I own, is the love of my mate. Without her, I am nothing. She is the sum of my universe. The reason I plot and kill. She is the most precious thing I can ever hope to possess and the only thing worthy of my life or attention.”

Makl, like Jaro at the time, hadn’t understood it and thought his cousin a tad touched in the head. It happened to the best of them after a few too many concussions. But now…now Makl had to wonder.

What was fame and fortune if he had no one to share it with? Without Olivia at his side, who

would he rehash his greatness with? Who would clap her hands at his wondrous feats? Gasp in horror at his bloodthirsty, murderous side? Moan in pleasure at his excellent prowess as a lover?

Who and what was he without someone to love? No one.
I am alone.
And that just wouldn’t do.

But he couldn’t just turn around and tell her that. A male did not bow to a female, even one he loved. Best he let her play the role of nanny for a little while. Let her miss him and their adventures, then, when he arrived to abduct her, mercenary style – because no way was he asking her permission – she’d be so

grateful for his rescue from a life of misery, she’d gladly fall in love with him too.

And if she protested at first, there was always that set of cuffs he’d meant to pull out and try but

never got around to. He’d let his excellent skills in the bedroom sway her mind.

A great plan. A perfect plan. A chill went down his back as he could have sworn he heard a

ghostly chuckle.

*

Olivia swallowed back the tears as she walked away from Makl toward the unknown. Ifruum, for

once, didn’t say a word as he scuffed alongside. Uncle Murphy, though, didn’t see a need to hold his

tongue. He popped into existence beside her, walking stick in one hand, oblivious at the yells from the soldier droids manning the airfield to halt and identify himself.

“What are you doing?” Murphy asked, twirling his baton and somehow blocking the projectiles

flying his way.

Halting with her hands held high, Olivia sighed. “What’s it look like I’m doing? Trying not to get

shot? Or did it not occur to you that suddenly popping into sight on some guy’s planet, which is crawling with security, might set off an alarm?”

“Bah. They won’t hurt me. I’m a god.”

“But I’m not. Remember?”

“Of course I do. I am your uncle.” He puffed up his chest indignantly.

“Unfortunately,” she mumbled.

“You still haven’t answered me. What are you doing? Why are you down here instead of with that

purple idiot who has debauched you of any chance at a good marriage?”

“For the millionth time, Uncle Murphy, I never plan on getting married. And for your information,

I left because that purple idiot didn’t want me.”

Her uncle gasped. “Say it isn’t so? And here I had the whole marriage planned out. Yards of lace

on order and the wedding planners lined up to compete for the chance. Break one of my hundreds of

hearts, why don’t you,” Murphy lamented, hand to his chest.

“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

“Of course, I will,” Murphy scoffed. “The question is, will you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You like the purple mercenary.”

Olivia shrugged, unable to stop the fresh wave of hurt at Makl’s rejection. “I guess. I mean, it was

a fun gig while it lasted.” She narrowed her gaze at her uncle. “I don’t get why you care. I thought you didn’t like him.”

“Of course I don’t like him. It’s my job as guardian to hate all men who come near you. But, as my

sister told me when she was chasing me around the sun in the Kippij Galaxy, it’s not about what I think that counts, but you. You like him.”

“Do not.”

“Do too. I’d even go so far as to say you love him.”

Olivia grabbed Murphy’s necktie and wrapped her fist in it before shaking it. “I do not. Take it

back.”

“I will not, because it’s the truth.”

She released him, unable to hold onto her anger, an anger at the veracity of the statement. “Fine.

Maybe I do love him. Big whoop-de-do. Lot of good that does me when he obviously doesn’t love me

back,” she yelled, hot tears finally spilling unchecked as she let her anguish emerge in an angry burst. “He didn’t want me, just like my mother didn’t want me. He just used me until me he didn’t need me anymore.”

“But I do need you.”

The quietly spoken, shocking admission had her spinning on her heel. Makl, his hair standing on

end, his pistol smoking, stood there watching her with an expression she’d never seen before. He looked desperate. She peered past him and noted the littered droid bodies. He’d battled his way to her side?

What for?
And how much did he hear? Oh God, please don’t tell me he heard me say I love him.

“Purple? What are you doing here? I thought you left.” She scrubbed at her damp cheeks, trying

too late to erase the evidence.

As if he wouldn’t notice. His thumb brushed across her damp skin before he cupped her cheek

with his large hand. “I meant to. I probably should have. But I can’t.”

She didn’t let herself fall for his obviously feigned chagrin. “Why not? Forget to collect your

payment for delivering me?”

“No, I forgot something more important.”

“Gas for the spaceship?”

“No.”

“Looking for a new sidekick?”

“I already have one.”

“That was quick,” she muttered, turning around and trying to blink back fresh tears at the callous

announcement he’d so quickly replaced her.