“It wouldn’t be like last time,” Blossom said softly, kneeling in front of her son. “I’m sure your daddy would make sure it was the best preschool ever, with really nice kids.”
“Of course,” Brexton said. “There’s a private one about fifteen minutes from here. You would have to be signed in and out only by people your mom and I say can pick you up. You’d be safe there, Drew. And the teachers are really nice from what I’ve heard.”
“Okay,” Drew said.
“I’ll call in the morning,” Brexton promised, then picked Drew up for a hug and kiss before he went to retrieve their pizza.
“Daddy stay?” Drew asked, grabbing onto Blossom’s hand.
“Yes, sweetheart. Daddy will stay. He’s just getting our dinner then he’ll be back. He’s not going to leave us, all right?”
Drew nodded, but he didn’t look completely convinced. Just how much damage had she done to her kids by letting one man after another into their lives? She’d thought she was doing the right thing, trying to keep them sheltered and fed, but she had to wonder if she’d done more harm than good. Only two days with Brexton, and already Drew was talking more than usual. Her children seemed happy and relaxed, but now she knew that at least one of them was worried that their new daddy would go away, like the others had. Not that her children had ever called anyone Daddy before Brexton.
Brexton came back inside, carrying three large pizza boxes and two smaller ones. He was smiling broadly, until he looked at her. She tried to blink back the tears that had sprung to her eyes, but she knew she hadn’t succeeded in hiding them from the alien. He came into the living room and set the boxes down on the coffee table before pulling her into his arms.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Did something happen when I left the room?”
“Nothing. I’m fine, just…” She drew in a shaky breath. “Just realized how bad of a mom I’ve been up to this point.”
His eyes darkened and his lips thinned. She saw a muscle flex in his jaw and knew he was upset by her words.
“Blossom, whatever happened before I knocked on your door yesterday, it’s in the past, and that’s where it needs to remain. Your children love you, and they are the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. I don’t know what brought on the tears, but I can assure you that Drew and RaeLynn will grow up just fine. They’re young right now. One day, they may not even remember the old apartment. RaeLynn most likely won’t remember after another few months. Drew might take longer to forget, but eventually I bet he will.”
“It’s not just the apartment, it’s…” She bit her lip and lowered her voice. “He thinks you’re going to leave. Like the others. I never stopped to think what it was doing to my kids to have one man after another in our lives. I didn’t even love those men, or even like them all that much, but I was with them in hopes that my children would have a fighting chance. But I screwed up time and time again.”
Brexton lowered his head and touched his forehead to hers. “Sweetheart, you did what you thought was right at the time. I don’t fault you for it, and the kids won’t either. What matters now is that we’re together, and those kids are going to have the best of everything. I’ll set money aside tomorrow to ensure private school and college will be covered for both of them, and the one on the way. They will never struggle the way you did, and never again will they go hungry or live without the basics.”
She couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and openly cried as he held her. Brexton rubbed her back, and murmured in her ear that everything would be fine, that she was safe, her children were safe. When her tears dried up and she sucked in a shuddering breath, he kissed the top of her head then released her. The children were watching with wide, worried eyes and she picked them up, hugging each of them. Brexton grabbed their dinner and they went to the kitchen to sit down for pizza and whatever else had been ordered.
When they’d finished their meal, she bathed both kids and dressed them for bed, then Brexton helped her tuck them in for the night. She picked up the baby monitors for each room, wanting to hear them if they woke up before morning. Brexton took her hand and led her down the hall to their bedroom, then softly shut the door, twisting the lock. Blossom put the monitors on the dresser, making sure the volume was turned up. Brexton pressed in close to her back, putting his arms around her.
Her gaze locked with his in the mirror, and she saw the heat blazing in the purple depths. He placed a hand on her belly and nuzzled her neck. Blossom closed her eyes and let his scent and strength close in around her. With Brexton she felt wanted, desirable… loved. It was far too soon to ever say that word, but it’s how he made her feel. Like he loved her. She’d never had that before.
“I want you, Blossom, but if you’re tired or aren’t up to being intimate tonight then tell me and I’ll back off,” he said.
“I want you too,” she admitted. “It’s crazy. No one has ever made me feel like this. It’s like you’re a drug and I can’t get enough. All you have to do is touch me and I feel like I’ll go crazy if you don’t do more.”
“I feel the same,” he said.
“Do you believe in fate? Or destiny? Whatever you want to call it.”
“Yes. All of my people do.”
“Maybe we were destined to be together,” she said. “Maybe it was fate that brought you to my door.”
“I will thank every deity in the known galaxies every day for the rest of my life for letting me find you,” he said. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Blossom.”
“Show me,” she said, turning in his embrace.
Brexton took a step back and quickly removed his clothes. As the last garment fell to the floor, Blossom started to remove her own clothing. The sound of one of one of the kids moving around made her pause, and her heart hammered in her chest as she looked at the monitors, waiting to see if RaeLynn or Drew would need her. When no other sound came through the monitor, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Brexton.
He moved in closer, cupping her cheek with his hand. When his lips touched hers, it was like everything inside of her loosened and tightened at the same time. All the stress and worry just vanished, to be replaced with an all-consuming heat that she knew only Brexton could extinguish. Even though they’d only been together for two days, it was like her body already knew it belonged to him. She craved his touch, his kisses. It should frighten her, how fast she’d gotten attached to him, but it just felt incredibly right.
Her lips tingled and felt swollen when he drew away, and she leaned toward him, wanting more. He smiled and lifted her into his arms, carrying her over to the bed. Brexton eased her down onto the mattress, his gaze tracing over every inch of her. He caressed her thighs, then placed his hands on her hips. Leaning down, he kissed her belly before his gaze locked with hers.
“You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “What do you want, Blossom? Whatever it is, it’s yours.”
“I want you to make love to me,” she said, reaching for him.
Brexton covered her body with his, and kissed her long and deep. The weight of his body was comforting as he pressed her into the bed. Even though he was the biggest man she’d ever seen, he was incredibly gentle. He took his time, kissing her, touching her, making her want him even more. She felt his cock brush against her thigh and she spread her legs wider.
He slowly eased inside of her, every inch of his cock filling her. Brexton loved her tenderly, every stroke of his cock slow, their lovemaking intense, almost like he was branding her. He didn’t rush toward the finish line, didn’t pound into her and find his release quickly. Even if he hadn’t been experienced before, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Blossom came several times, her body feeling wrung out from the pleasure zinging along her nerve-endings. When Brexton finally spilled his release inside of her, their gazes held and everything he felt for her was shining in his eyes.
She didn’t care if it was too soon, or if people would think she was completely crazy.
She knew in that moment exactly what she felt for him. Her heart was so full it nearly ached, and she didn’t want to waste even a second of their time together. Not without him knowing just what he meant to her.
“I love you,” she said softly. “I don’t know how. It’s insane because we hardly know each other, but I love you.”
He smiled and kissed her again, his lips making her tingle and want him again already. “I love you too. I think I have since the moment you slammed the door in my face.”
She giggled. “That’s an odd time to fall for me.”
“Most women fall at my feet. Not you, my delectable mate. Nope, you slammed a door in my face and made me wonder if you’d ever open it again. And I had hoped you would. Just that one glimpse of you and I knew I needed to see more.”
“Brexton, I…”
His eyes narrowed and his head jerked toward the bedroom door. His body tensed and he nearly leapt from the bed and rushed to the monitors. When he looked at her again, she knew something was horribly wrong.
“The units in the kids rooms have been turned off,” he said, his words filling her with dread.
Brexton hastily pulled on his underwear and rushed from the room, leaving Blossom to scramble into his discarded shirt before chasing after him. When she entered RaeLynn’s room and saw the open window, everything in her world went still and silent. Blood rushed to her ears, until all she heard was static.
She felt Brexton shaking her, but she just stared at the window. Knowing without anyone saying a word that her baby was gone. Someone smacked her cheek and she snapped out of it, looking at Brexton and seeing Pryntar as well.
“Sorry,” Pryntar said. “I’ve never struck a woman, but I didn’t know how else to bring you back from wherever you went.”
“Drew?” she asked, looking up at her mate.
“Gone,” Brexton said.
She saw the devastation in his eyes and her knees gave out. Brexton caught her, holding her tight as she cried against his shoulder.
“I’ll find them,” Pryntar said. “It’s my fault. I should have been more vigilant.”
“It’s no one’s fault except the asshole who took them,” Brexton said.
“I got distracted,” Pryntar said. “All of the guards you requested have arrived and I was letting two of them through the gate and talking on the phone with another. Someone must have slipped inside then and I didn’t see them.”
“Where are the others?” Brexton asked.
“Marwick and Asvyr are downstairs. Malin is on his way here and Ryx is… somewhere. They came on the same shuttle but don’t seem to be together.”
Brexton nodded. “My mate and I will dress and meet everyone in the kitchen. Get Ryx and Malin here. Then notify the Terran station that my children have been kidnapped.”
“Of course,” Pryntar said, rushing down the hallway.
Brexton’s arms tightened around her. “Come, my mate. We need to dress and assess the situation. We’ll get the children back. Whatever it takes, they’re coming home.”
“Brexton, what if… what if Mike has them and makes the trade off before we can find them?” she asked, voicing her fears. “He wanted to sell them.”
“I won’t let that happen.”
They went back to their room and quickly dressed. It was the first time she’d ever seen Brexton in anything other than slacks and button-down shirts. He’d put on black leather pants like the other Zelthranites, as well as a black vest. When he pulled a big wooden box out of the closer, she moved in closer to see what he was doing. He lifted the lid and pulled out two very wicked looking knives with curved blades.
“These are made of Corian steel. A revered warrior on my world gave them to me after my first battle. His name is Siril, and he’s the greatest male I’ve ever met. These will cut through anything,” Brexton said, then strapped them to his hips, one on either side. He pulled out something that looked like an alien version of a gun and tucked it into the top of his boot. Then he took her hand and led her downstairs.
Chapter Eleven
Brexton crossed his arms and surveyed the people in his kitchen. Mrs. Connors had returned late and walked into chaos, but she’d immediately started making sure everyone had coffee to drink, and had surprised even him when she’d pulled up pictures of the kids on her phone then sent a copy to everyone in the room. Everyone but Blossom who didn’t seem to have one. How he’d missed that he didn’t know, but he’d rectify it soon enough.
“At the risk of you being pissed at me,” Pryntar said. “I did leave the house with the kids for about an hour earlier today.”
“Where did you go? Do you think you were followed back here?” Brexton asked.
“I took the kids to the Terran station,” Pryntar said. “I know it wasn’t my place, but I wanted the doc to look them over. He gave them some injections he said they needed, and…”
“And what?” Blossom asked.
“He injected each of them with a tracking device,” Pryntar mumbled. “I know we should have asked first, but with there being an immediate threat to them we thought it was best.”
Brexton wasn’t sure if he should be furious they did something like that without asking, or relieved they had a way of quickly finding the kids. He looked at Blossom and saw that she was just as conflicted. They would discuss it later. After the children were home safe. That was all that mattered right now.
“So how do we track them?” Ryx asked.
“Zlerak can track them from the station,” Pryntar said.
“He knew about this too?” Blossom asked.
“Yes,” Pryntar said. “It was actually his idea after… after we realized the woman who tried to kill the two of you had vanished. No one has been able to locate her. With both her and Moretti out there, Zlerak said the kids would be safer if we put a tracker inside them.”
“You microchipped my kids like pets,” Blossom muttered.
“Let’s focus,” Malin said. “I think we all need to move to the Terran station. For one, it’s the most secure place in the city. If this Moretti character is after her too, then she would a lot safer there.”
Asvyr kept eyeing Blossom, and Brexton was beginning to get annoyed.
“Why are you staring at my mate?” he asked, his tone biting.
Asvyr didn’t even look away from Blossom. “Are there more females like her in Los Angeles?”
“Seriously? You’re going to eye-fuck his mate when we’re trying to find his kids?” Pryntar asked. “Either focus or get the fuck out.”
“I’m impressed,” Ryx said. “You sounded completely human.”
Pryntar grinned. “It’s a gift.”
“A car dropped us off,” Malin said. “How many can fit into your vehicle, Brexton?”
“Aside from myself and my mate? Two,” he said.
“I’m coming too,” said Mrs. Connors. “But I don’t think you big brutes are going to fit into my compact car.”
“I drove,” Pryntar said. “My truck can hold three warriors, other than myself. Or four humans in addition to myself.”
Blossom smiled faintly, but there were still deep shadows in her eyes.
“Ryx, you and Malin can ride with us,” Brexton said. “I’d prefer it if Asvyr stayed away from my mate.”
The young warrior looked offended, but nodded his agreement. Didn’t stop him from looking at Blossom again though. If he didn’t stop, Brexton would pound him into the ground, just as soon as the kids were safe.
“I’m going to run get a few things for the children,” Mrs. Connors said. “I’ll only be a moment.”
“I should help,” Blossom said, trying to stand, but Brexton placed a hand on her shoulder and held her down.
“No, my mate. You’re still in shock. Stay here and let Mrs. Connors handle it.” He knelt next to her and placed a hand on her belly. “You have another child to think about as well. Remember?”
She nodded and she leaned forward. He gladly wrapped his arms around her,
just holding her a moment and giving her what comfort he could.
“Congratulations,” Malin said. “I hadn’t heard your mate was pregnant. You should probably take her to the clinic when we get to the station. The stress can’t be good for her or the baby. Maybe the doctor on duty can give her something.”
Brexton nodded.
Mrs. Connors rushed back into the room with a tote bag over her arm. It bulged and Brexton wondered what she’d packed, but if she thought the children would need whatever she’d grabbed, then he didn’t much care what the bag contained. He lifted Blossom into his arms and walked out to his SUV. He buckled her into the front passenger seat, then climbed into the driver’s side while Ryx and Malin took the backseat.
Pryntar followed behind him in a large truck with the other two warriors, and Mrs. Connors was behind the truck in her tiny car. They cleared the gate and drove to the Terran station, with Brexton on high alert. At some point, Pryntar pulled behind Mrs. Connors so that the housekeeper was between their cars, and probably safer if someone was watching and tried to run them off the road. He didn’t know how far the crazy fan or Moretti would go.
The Terran station was lit up despite the late hour and when they stepped inside, Mrs. Connors placed a hand on his arm.
“If you’ll carry to her to the clinic, I’ll stay with her while you and the others find the children. I swear I won’t leave her side, and we’ll go straight to security when we’re finished.”
Brexton felt torn, but agreed.
“I’ll ask one of the guards on duty to head to the clinic and keep an eye on them,” Pryntar said.
Brexton carried Blossom to the clinic, then left her in the capable hands of Mrs. Connors and Yvis. As he was heading toward Zlerak’s office, he saw two guards walk toward the clinic, and he hoped at least one of them was on their way to protect his mate. He needed to find RaeLynn and Drew, but he hated not being by Blossom’s side.
Blossom and the Alien Actor Page 13
