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He was right; his existence proved his cover remained intact. I was certain the only reason Imana’s goons hadn’t killed Jessie on the spot was so she could be interrogated.
“I do regular sweeps for bugs. I keep an eye out for tails. My antennas are fine-tuned for the slightest change in nuance.” He laughed. “But the situation is enough to make a guy paranoid.”
“Listen to your paranoia,” I advised. “A little paranoia can keep you alive. Better to anticipate threats that never occur than to be blindsided by the obvious.” In the field, I’d faced my share of life-threatening encounters, but being so close to Imana, he tiptoed through a minefield every day. One wrong step, and he’d vanish like everyone else who ever crossed her.
“In two days, three years of hard work will pay off,” he said.
“Watch your back,” I said.
“You watch yours. You have Jessie to deal with.”
“I can handle one human.”
He roared like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “You stupid bastard—that’s Terran Universal for pyot.”
“I know what it means.” I feared he might be right. “Contact me if anything changes.”
“You, too.”
I closed out the link. After doing a quick but thorough security check, I headed to bed to catch a few hours of sleep.
As I tiptoed into the darkened room, my sharp night vision and two beads of light from the door sensors allowed me to see Jessie snuggled under the covers. Fast asleep, she had one hand tucked under her cheek. The bed took up the space in the room, the far edge only a fraction of an exdat from the wall. Luckily, she had taken that side. I’d sleep on the door side, so if she tried to leave, she’d have to climb over me, and I’d awaken.
There were two other bedrooms, but I didn’t dare leave Jessie alone. At the first opportunity, she’d run. I had to ensure she got no opportunities.
I peeled my shirt off but left my leggings on and eased into bed. The mattress dipped under my weight, causing her to slide closer to me. She murmured; I held my breath.
She didn’t wake. I released a sigh of relief. I’d been granted a reprieve. For a while anyway. Fatigue had begun to weigh on me. I’d had a long, stressful day. Sleep tugged at my eyelids now that I was horizontal, but I resisted the siren song of slumber.
I could smell the lilac shampoo and body wash she’d used. Females seemed to prefer flowery scents, so that’s what we stocked in the safe houses. The lilac mixed with her womanly scent to tease my senses. I automatically took a deep breath to inhale more of her essence.
In repose, she appeared peaceful, defenseless. Awake, she was a force to be reckoned with, a powerhouse of determination and guts. She hadn’t hesitated to shoot me with her antiquated weapon. I think that’s when my admiration, my respect, my attraction took hold. How many males would say they fell for the female when she tried to kill him? My arm still ached a little.
I’d worked with so many victims, encountered so much pain and despair, it was heartening to meet someone who refused to be a victim. Her fighting spirit made my job harder, but oh, what an exciting challenge she presented.
When I’d been ordered to babysit her, I hadn’t been happy. I’d balked, desiring to stay in the field for the big finish. I’d coveted the glory of storming the ship, being the one to take Imana into custody. I’d earned that right, having been assigned to this planet for three long years, shaving my fur, covering my horns, creeping in the shadows.
Then Jessie came along, and I got sidelined.
I’d been resentful, angry even, until meeting her, experiencing her. Then I decided keeping her out of harm’s way was as important as saving two worlds. Just like my father had saved my mother.
If she got in the traffickers’ way, they would kill her. The cartel wasn’t limited to flyby snatch and grabs anymore. They had invaded the planet, become entrenched.
Her antiquated weapon couldn’t protect her against a blaster. A lone woman, even a feisty one, couldn’t beat Imana’s henchmen, chosen for their blind obedience and ruthlessness.
I reached out with a tentative finger and touched her hair. Dry now, it formed a soft cap around her head, a few wispy tendrils teasing her temples and forehead. Eyelashes curved into delicate crescents on her smooth-skinned cheeks. When awake, she had eyes the color of field grass in the spring, but her gaze was as sharp as saw blades. No one on Nomoru had eyes her color, and even on New Terra, green eyes were a rarity.
She’d beguiled me, which was partly why I’d shared so much with her. Of course, I thought a demonstration of goodwill might buy a little trust and cooperation, but in all honesty, I wanted her to look at me with an emotion other than animosity and dislike.
Pathetic bastard. That’s what my partner would call me. He wouldn’t be wrong, but I eagerly looked forward to one more day of her company.
After inhaling another breath of her intoxicating scent, I closed my eyes.
Chapter Fifteen
Jessie
Mmm… Drifting in a semi-somnolent state midway between consciousness and sleep, relaxed and cozy, I hugged my heated body pillow tighter. I needed to use the bathroom but hated to leave my nice warm bed. I’m snug as a bug in a…
