Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
If she was his wife, no one could take her from him if he hadn’t broken the law. Defending his home from intruders was not a breach of the law. This scenario, rogues breaking in to steal his new Earth bride? It was grounds for Zane to do what he did. The men were armed. The asshole that’d hurt Tanya didn’t have his weapon out – not his firearm, anyway. He’d had another weapon out, though. Zane’s mind flashed back to the terrified look on her face, her dress pulled half off, riding up her thighs, falling down in front, her panties torn and hanging off her bleeding, swollen, and purple ankle. He growled again in frustration.
Nova put his hand on Zane’s shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Zane did not feel comforted. Nova was a good guy, a decent officer of the law. Zane had been friendly with him at the sports club they were both members of.
“I’ve gotten the rest of the scene documented and cleaned up. Her undergarments are part of evidence. We have the survivor from the landing pad in custody, he has a braincell shortage, or he’s been drugged. The idiot was blathering like a songbird. His pupils are blown. We’ve got the last of the corpses out of here. There’s one vehicle at large with two women missing and your tracking software is helping with that. We’ve retrieved two others and luckily, you’ve thwarted your bride being stolen. It’s good you got here.”
Zane folded his arms across his chest. “Forgive me if I don’t escort you out. I want to rearm my security system, check some logs, fix the front door, and see to my bride.” Fierce possessiveness blended with immense sorrow gripped him at his own words.
“Of course. We’ll patrol tonight. I’ll send you an update after tomorrow’s meeting. If you need anything, feel free to contact me any time. Sorry your wedding night was marred by this, Zane.”
Zane shook the man’s hand and pressed the elevator button for him. “Thanks. I’ll wait ten minutes and lock down everything.”
“We’ll only need five.”
“Good.”
CHAPTER 9
TANYA
I heard murmurs as Zane and a police officer he talked with spoke outside the door. As I drained the glass of booze, I found it miraculous that my ankle felt absolutely zero pain. I glanced under the c-shaped pillow that was wrapped around it; it still looked awful.
Flashes of the time in the playhouse zoomed through my mind. I very nearly got the vaccination, in a violent way. I was so grateful Zane had pulled him off me when he did. I shuddered in memory.
My thoughts were interrupted when the door opened. I startled.
Zane.
My heart settled, but only for a beat because it was immediately evident that he was beyond angry. He was barely containing that anger.
My mind flashed to the look in his eyes as he stared into my attacker’s eyes, ice cold, and then continued to glare while discharging a weapon that made the life just drain away from the man.
Nothing about Zane frightened me, though. I knew, somehow, that the danger he was containing wouldn’t come at me. He just seemed heroic. Everything about him did.
“Was anything taken?” I asked.
He frowned. “Pardon me?”
“Was it a robbery?”
“A robbery?”
“Did they steal from your home?”
“Yes. You.” He gestured toward me with an open hand. “They wanted to steal you from me.” That hand moved into his hair and he swallowed with his eyes closed.
My face went hot and my belly did a somersault.
“I first thought maybe they were here to steal your things and just happened upon me and ---”
“They came here specifically for you. They caught a few other women. Some have been retrieved, but two--- they’re still trying to recover them.”
Right. I didn’t bother explaining what I’d heard through the window which did make it obvious that they were there for me. I bit down on my lip. And my heart sank because I knew all those girls. Not all of them well, but I couldn’t help but wonder… who had been taken? And what would happen to them? I had a flashback of that one who tried to assault me.
“The authorities are using my software and the tracker implants to locate them.”
“Oh, good.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed and lifted the pillow off my ankle, examined it, and then put it back on. “Let’s move you.”
“Move me?”
“To my room.”
“Oh.” Another belly flipflop, but also panic.
He lifted me up. I was keenly aware of the fact that I still had no underwear on, and I was in a short dress. I kept my knees together.
“I can’t sleep in here. It was Ollie’s idea to set this up for you, but I… I’m sure it’s now got some unpleasant memories for you. I’m just not comfortable leaving you by yourself after earlier, so do you object to being in my room? I’ll be a complete gentleman.”