Rogue Alien's Secret by Kate Rudolph

Author:Kate Rudolph
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: alien romance, science fiction romance, sci fi romance, alien warriors, alien abduction, alien human romance, space western
Publisher: Kate Rudolph
Published: 2019-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

IN THE TWO WEEKS AFTER the interrupted jewel heist and recovery of their score, things went back to normal, as normal as anything ever got on an outlaw ship. But tension hung in the air. Xandr hadn’t shared with the crew that Nevys had wanted their pictures, and they’d flown further out from the Oscavian empire than they normally operated. The jobs were harder to come by, and they paid less if a crew wouldn’t dabble in the slave trade, but they were out of reach of Oscavian security patrols, which worked in their favor.

They spent two days on a pleasure planet where the crew grabbed some much needed R&R and Xandr and Andie locked themselves away from everyone as soon as they could. They didn’t emerge until it was time to get back on the ship. Everyone had looked a little tired and a lot sated, and she and Xandr were no different. Those three words that had been chasing her for awhile still threatened to bubble up, but she’d wrangled them and beaten them into submission, tying them up deep within her mind to keep them from spilling out.

How long had she known Xandr? Two months? Maybe three? It was hard to keep track of time when most of it was spent in the black of space, but the point stood that she’d had food in her processor back on Ixilta that lasted longer than this relationship. She couldn’t say anything yet. Especially when Xandr hadn’t indicated whether or not the words would be welcome.

She could read into things, look at how he’d opened up to her about issues among the crew, confided in her things he didn’t even tell Keana. The first mate knew everything about the running of the ship, but she didn’t know Xandr’s emotions, not all of them. She did, however, know his secrets. It had begun to rankle as Andie wondered more and more about the Duke of Mebion. There was no curiosity in Keana’s eyes. Whatever connection there was between Xandr and the duke, Keana knew it and she wasn’t telling, not that Andie had asked. Keana didn’t like her, nor did she hate her; the first mate maintained icy neutrality that had thawed ever so slightly in the time since Xandr took is captainship back.

On Ixilta Andie hadn’t had to worry about the politics of interpersonal relationships. She’d kept to herself most of the time, waking up, going to work, going home, occasionally finding someone to keep her entertained for a week or two. Nothing personal, nothing important. People had a bad habit of dying or disappearing on Ixilta and Andie didn’t want to risk caring for someone who could be gone the next day. Or care for someone who could betray her to the guards for any minor infraction.

Life was completely different on the ship. She was making a space for herself, proving her worth, and making real friendships even while she dealt with interpersonal conflict. It was good, and terrifying, and she couldn’t wait until she was on more stable ground.

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