Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
"Touch my woman and you'll regret it, splice." There's a wild look in his eyes as they circle around each other in the street.
Oh god, Kaz is going to run up against the brick wall that is Victor, and then he'll get killed. "Stop this," I call out, even as the men start to move.
To my surprise, Kaz takes the offensive. He twirls the strange metallic stick like a staff, whirling it through the air and then over his head, creating a barrier between him and Victor. But the bigger, ugly alien hunches his shoulders and crouches, and I know he's readying to strike. Shit. I have to do something.
I rush forward, mentally bracing myself to get smacked with Kaz's staff. Instead, he rolls neatly to the side, more agile than a gymnast, and the staff goes flying across the street. For the first time, his gaze focuses on me. "Ruthie, I almost struck you!" His attention flicks back to Victor, and he surges forward, pulling me behind him.
Immediately, I fling my arms around Kaz's neck. "Stop fighting already! Noodle! Noodle!"
"Noodle?" Victor draws up short, shooting a look over at Bee, who shrugs.
But Kaz has stopped. He relaxes, turning to me. His gaze sweeps over my body. "You're all right? No one has hurt you?" He glares at Bee and Victor. "They can't take you and get away with it. I'll call for back-up—"
I grab his shoulders and shake him. "Will you freaking listen to me? I'm fine. These people are my friends. They're showing me around town."
He pauses. Confusion flits over his face. "Showing you around town? Why?"
"Because I'm staying here for the next week."
His eyes widen. "Ruthie, why?"
I relax a little, dropping my hands. "It's something I need to do."
"I...don't understand." Kaz narrows his eyes at me. He glances at the two people waiting behind us, then slides an arm around my waist and steers me away from them. "Can we talk for a moment?"
"We're talking right now. I'm not trying to be difficult, Kaz. It's just...this is something I need to do."
"Staying in town? For a week?" When I nod, he grunts assent. "Very well. I'll pack myself a bag—"
"By myself," I blurt out.
That makes him pause. "By...yourself?"
I nod again.
It's like I've kicked a puppy. A devastated look flashes across Kazex's face. "Have I done something to offend you?"
"Not at all." I take his hands in mine and press a kiss to his knuckles. "This is all about me. I worry that I'm making decisions in my life based off of a fear of being alone. My sisters challenged me to live on my own for a week, just to see if I can. I haven't been alone since I ended up in space, Kaz. They're right to worry about me. If I can't prove to myself that I can be alone, I can't trust any decisions I make."
"But Ruthie...you know I love you. More than anything." His dark eyes are so full of hurt.
"I do know that. But I need to trust in myself before I can start thinking about you and me. I need to do this to clear my head. I hope that makes sense."
He shakes his head slowly. "It doesn't make sense to me...but if it's what you want, then I'll go along with it. I've always said I'd follow you anywhere and I mean it."
I bite my lip. "I need to do this by myself. If you love me, go back to the ship and wait for me to return, all right?"
The wounded expression remains on his face, but he runs a hand down his jaw. "Very well. One week?"
"Just one. Then I'll be back."
"Can...I kiss you?"
I move forward and tilt my face up. "I thought you'd never ask."
He kisses me, and it's full of passion and frustration, yearning and need. I know he doesn't understand this, because he doesn't understand why we need to be apart. But I need to do this, if nothing else, to prove to myself that I can. It's another notch in the belt that belongs to Ruthie alone.
Even if it feels like I'm walking away from the best thing in my life.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
KAZEX
I'm justified in my shit mood for the rest of the day. After all, it's not every guy that has to watch his female walk away from him. I don't care if it's just temporary. I keffing hate it.
Everything in me says that I need to go and get Ruthie. To protect her like I always do. It's my job. It's my purpose. I can't stand the thought of her being afraid and me not there to protect her. Me not there to watch over her and to ensure she's safe.
But she doesn't want me around, so I beat the stuffing out of a punching bag in the gym for a few hours. When it deflates from abuse, I give up and head for the showers, soaked in sweat. My head's still a mess, though.