Siril snorted. “From what I’ve heard, I don’t think that would be hard to do.”
She flinched when she looked up at him. “Why are you with my mother? Are you her guide? Well, you can take her right back to the shuttle. They shouldn’t have even allowed her here.”
Siril tried to remind himself that this was his daughter by mating, even if he did want to turn her over his knee and give her a good spanking. Someone should have tamed her smart mouth a long time ago. He couldn’t believe how disrespectful she was to her mother, and in front of everyone. His arm tightened around Jennifer’s waist, letting her know she wasn’t alone and had his support. He would follow her lead when it came to her daughter, even if he did want to toss Lila off the planet.
“Your mother is my mate,” Siril said.
Lila’s eyes widened and she took a step back. “You’ve moved here? I can’t even leave an entire world behind without you following me and ruining my life?”
“Enough!” Siril said with a harsh tone. “Your mother hasn’t done anything wrong. We met when she came to the Terran Station to look for you. She was devastated, not knowing where you were or what had happened to you. It was selfish of you to do that to her, after all that she’s sacrificed for you. I don’t care that she’s your mother or that you’re an adult, do not ever speak to her that way again or I’ll have you removed from this planet.”
“You’re not a council member,” Lila sneered. “You can’t have me removed.”
A throat cleared nearby and Siril realized they had an audience.
“Actually, that’s Siril. He can pretty much do whatever he pleases, and the council will go along with him. If I were you, I wouldn’t anger him, or upset his mate,” Kelvyk said. “And if he doesn’t have you removed, my uncle is the Chief Councilor. I will be more than happy to speak to him about your behavior.”
Ryoku stood at Kel’s side as always, folding his arms across his black and white chest, staring Lila down. The young girl flinched and inched away a little. Siril was glad the warrior duo scared her. She needed to be scared. For some reason she didn’t think she’d get into trouble for the way she was treating her mother, but Siril wasn’t about to let Lila destroy her mother verbally or otherwise in front of everyone. He had too much respect for his mate to allow that.
“Why, Lila?” Jennifer asked. “I worked so damn hard to give you a place to live, clothes, shoes, all those movies you loved so much. Why do you hate me so much?”
“All of my friends were buying the latest trends and I was shopping at the thrift store. We never had money for me to see movies at the theater with everyone else, or meet them for lunch somewhere. They pitied me, made fun of me, and it’s all your fault. You should have tried harder to find my father. I bet he wouldn’t have let us live in poverty.” Anger rolled off Lila in waves. “Do you know how embarrassing it is to tell people my mother works at the dollar store? And try explaining to your class why you’re the only student who never has a birthday party? And I’m supposed to thank you for that?”
Siril took a step forward, but Jennifer reached out and placed a hand on his arm. He could see the pain in her eyes and knew that her daughter’s words were tearing her apart. He could almost see her drawing armor around herself as she faced off against her daughter. The crowd was still watching them, waiting to see what would happen. He knew that how Jennifer handled this situation would determine how accepting they would be of her. His people could be very welcoming, but he didn’t doubt there were expectations of the mate he chose.
Jennifer stepped away from him a little. “I’m sorry you feel I ruined your life. I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant with you. I was twenty and didn’t have a clue how to take care of myself much less a baby. I didn’t have support from anyone and couldn’t find your father because I never learned his name. He was a one-night stand gone wrong, but once the fear eased, I realized he’d given me an incredible gift. You. I might not have had a glamorous job, but I worked damn hard to give you what I could. Your clothes might not have been new, but they were in good shape and good quality. I tried to give you the things you wanted, even if it meant I did without. Do you know how many days I only ate the meals I fixed at home and went without breakfast, lunch, or both, just so I’d have extra money for whatever toy or movie you wanted?”
Lila’s jaw set and she opened her mouth, but Jennifer raised a hand to silence her.
“I worked at a thankless job, doing work I hated, just to have a steady paycheck. So I could take care of you. When I realized the men I dated didn’t want anything to do with you, I stopped going out. I centered my entire world around you, this perfect little girl who had been gifted to me. It pains me to realize how selfish and spoiled you are, how entitled you are. I didn’t raise you to act like this.”
“Yeah, Mom. You really deserve mother of the year,” Lila sneered.
Jennifer shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry you were so disappointed in the way we had to live. I’m sorry I wasn’t enough for you, because you were always enough for me. I can’t watch out for you anymore. You’ve clearly made your choice and have decided to face the world alone, and you will be alone. Anyone who hears the hatred and venom spewing from your mouth would never want you for a mate. I want you gone. You were given money for coming here. I suggest you use it to build a life for yourself. Get a job, because you’re going to need one. The house, your belongings, everything left on Earth is gone now. You’ll be completely on your own, just the way you wanted.”
Lila looked uncertain as she stared at her mother. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that my life is here now. Yours isn’t. In the weeks you’ve been here, no one has claimed you, and no one will after this. Your time here is done. I’m requesting that you be placed on the next shuttle back to Earth. It doesn’t even have to be in Kentucky. Pick a place to start over. I’m sure they’ll take you to any Terran Station on Earth.”
“You can’t do that.”
“She can,” Siril said. “And I support her decision.”
“As do I,” Kelvyk said.
A murmur went through the crowd and Lila must have realized everyone was against her. Her face paled and he could almost see the thoughts racing through her mind. But it was too late to take back the hurtful things she’d said, too late to turn back the clock and erase her behavior from the past few weeks. What was that Earth saying? She’d made her bed and now she had to lie in it. He’d never really understood it until now.
“I love you, Lila. I always will. Regardless of how you’re treating me, you will always be my little girl.” Jennifer placed a hand on her stomach. “Even when this baby arrives, they won’t replace you in my affection. But I can’t be around you like this. No one should have to.”
“You’re pregnant?” Lila sputtered.
“I lived my life for you for eighteen years,” Jennifer said. “Now I’m going to live my life for me. I’m starting a new life here, with Siril. We’re starting a new family, and we’d have welcomed you into our home, but I won’t have someone so hateful under my roof. I hope one day you learn compassion and the value of hard work. Until that day comes, I worry about the life you’ll lead. It will be a lonely path, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“You’re really sending me away?” Lila asked softly.
“Yes. You wanted to be an adult, start a new life. You have my blessing. It just won’t be here. You can contact me anytime at one of the Terran Stations. I’ll always answer when you call. But until you learn a few hard lessons, I can’t… I…”
He saw Jennifer struggling and pulled her against his side.
“Your mother loves you,” Siril told her. “But you threw her love away when you acted rashly. Now you have to pay the consequences. When you’ve grown up a little more, when you’ve learned those lessons she’s mentioned, then perhaps we’ll welcome you into our home for a visit. Maybe one day you can try living here again.”
“I only received thr
ee thousand dollars for coming here and I spent half of it on new things before my trip,” Lila said. “How am I supposed to survive on fifteen hundred dollars? It could take months to get a job. And where will I live?”
Siril kissed the top of his mate’s head, knowing she would waver if he didn’t step in. She had a tender heart, especially where her child was concerned. Siril approached his new daughter by mating and hoped he wasn’t about to make a mistake. He didn’t understand Earth money, but if the council had given her three thousand Earth dollars, he didn’t see why he couldn’t offer the same, if it gave her a little security. He knew it would keep Jennifer from worrying about her quite so much.
“This is a one-time offer. I will match the three thousand the council gave you in order for you to have a fresh start. The council will arrange for you to take a shuttle to a destination of your choosing. And will provide you with a hotel suite for one month while you find a job and start making arrangements for your new life. Once the money is gone and the time has run out, you’d better be able to stand on your own, or you will find yourself without money or lodgings. I’m only offering this as my mate cares for you a great deal and I don’t want her to worry about you.” Siril stared down at her. “Do I make myself clear?”
“Three thousand really isn’t all that much,” Lila said.
Jennifer snorted. “It’s more than I brought home in two months. If you can’t live off that, especially if you don’t have to pay rent the first month, then there’s no hope for you. I suggest you learn to live within your means.”
“I will never forgive you for this,” Lila said.
“Then I’ll have to live with the knowledge that my daughter hates me,” Jennifer said. “But I think you’ve been coddled too much. I’m granting your wish, Lila. You get to live a life without me.”
Lila turned on her heel and stormed off.
The crowd continued to watch, and one by one, they came forward. The females offered his mate hugs and assured her that everything would work out. The males seemed impressed with her strength and resolve, and Siril couldn’t be prouder of her. He’d worried that she’d cave and give Lila whatever she wanted, but she was a good mother, not giving her daughter what she wanted, but what she needed.
He’d find out where Lila was delivered once she left their world, and he would ask someone to keep an eye on her. The least he could do was give his mate peace of mind. And if Lila truly did flounder, if she failed miserably, then perhaps they could find a way to help her. Maybe not through money, but he’d think of something. There were life lessons she needed to learn, but it didn’t mean she had to do it alone. Once her anger had cooled, once she realized just how hard it would be to live on her own, perhaps then she would be ready to accept a little help, and be gracious about it.
“Come, my mate. It’s time to show you your new home,” Siril said. “And I think you could use a little time to rest.”
Jennifer nodded, seeming as if life had just drained from her. He worried that the altercation with Lila would weigh heavy on her and he was determined to keep her occupied so she wouldn’t have time to fret. He’d introduce her to his friends, help her make some of her own, and show her the pleasures of living on his world, a place of no crime and no hatred. They were a peaceful people and he knew that once she settled in, she would love living here.
The crowd parted and let them pass. Jennifer walked almost in a daze the rest of the way to the house, but she perked up a little when she saw it, a smile playing around her lips.
“When you said you were taking me home, you neglected to say you slept in a palace. This place is huge.” Jennifer nudged him. “Did you forget to tell me you’re royalty or something?”
Siril laughed. “No, I’m not royalty, but I’ve been treated very well by my council and my people. If there’s anything you wish to change, do it. I want this to feel like yours and not just mine. It’s always just been a place for me to sleep when I’m on my world, but now I want it to feel like a home.”
Jennifer kissed his cheek. “Then we’ll make it into a home. I guess I don’t have to ask if you have room for a nursery.”
“We have five bedrooms.”
She gave him a mock glare. “I am not having three more children.”
The smile slipped from his face. “I don’t care if this baby is the only one we have. I will leave that decision to you. If the pregnancy or delivery are hard on you, I will offer to get sterilized.”
Jennifer kissed him on the mouth, hard and fast. “Better be careful, Siril. You’ll make me fall in love with you. Then you’ll never be rid of me.”
His heart kicked in his chest. He couldn’t think of anything he’d love more. Having Jennifer’s love would complete him. Yes, he was excited about becoming a father, but none of it mattered. Not if he didn’t have Jennifer. He was quickly coming to realize that she meant more to him than anything else in his life. More than his crew, his ship… more than his very life. He’d always been willing to die for his people, to keep them safe, but it was nothing compared to how he felt about Jennifer.
“I’ve already fallen for you,” he said softly. “You don’t have to say it back. I don’t want you to feel pressured. But my life… it’s not an easy one. I could get called away on a mission tomorrow and not come back, and I don’t want to leave this world without you knowing that you’re loved.”
She kissed him again, softer this time. “I’ll always want you to come back to me.”
“Even if I lost my other leg?” he said with a smile.
“You lose your other leg and both arms, and I’d still want you to return to me. You make me happier than I’ve ever been before.” Her hand caressed his cheek. “Now, show me my new home.”
Siril escorted her inside and took her room by room, showing her how to work everything, including the Vid-comm. If he should get called away, the last thing he wanted was for his mate to be cut off from communicating with the council. They would be her only guarantee of keeping track of him. There was a Vid-comm on board his ship, but if he were in the middle of a battle, he wouldn’t be able to answer her call, and he wouldn’t want her to worry.
It was almost as if his council could read his thoughts. The Vid-comm lit up with a call from Borgoz.
“Please tell me you’re only calling to check on my mate,” Siril said.
“No. I’m afraid not. We’ve just received word a Destrentes ship was spotted a few clicks away and coming in fast. I need you to get to your ship and chase them into the next galaxy.”
Siril knew from experience there would be no chasing. The Destrentes were a fighting race and if he went after them, there would be a battle. One he might not come home from, and the thought pained him. He’d just found his mate, he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her just yet. He’d never even had the opportunity to make love with her in his own bed.
“I’m on my way,” Siril said.
The call ended and he reached for Jennifer, pulling her into his arms. “I would stay if I could, but if the Destrentes reach Zelthrane-3, there could be a lot of casualties. I will do anything to protect you and our child. If you leave the house, the Chief Councilor lives in the big house on the hill. Go there. His mate will welcome you.”
Jennifer blinked against the moisture gathering in her eyes and he smoothed a thumb across her cheek.
“I’ll return as soon as I can.” Siril kissed her tenderly, holding her a little longer than he should have, before retrieving his weapons and racing toward his ship. He knew his crew would have already been contacted and would be waiting for him. Whether he was ready or not, they had a job to do.
Chapter Eight
Jennifer explored her new home for what felt like hours, but her thoughts kept turning to Siril. She hadn’t thought she’d spend her first night on this world alone, or that she’d be worrying about never seeing her mate again. She might have raised one fatherless baby, but she hoped to God she didn’t have to do it again. At least before, she’d
been able to tell herself they were better off without Lila’s dad. But with Siril, she knew that wasn’t the case. He would be a wonderful father, and was already an attentive mate. She would miss him horribly if something happened to him.
She gazed out the back window and saw the massive home on the hill. He’d said it belonged to the Chief Councilor. The man intimidated her a bit, but Siril had mentioned a mate. Having another woman to confide in might be nice right about now, and she could certainly use a friend. Jennifer couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a true friend and she hoped she’d find one on this new world. Being a single mom had been a hard and lonely life, not that she’d ever regretted it.
Coming to a decision, she left her new home and made the long walk up the hill toward the larger house. If she’d thought Siril’s was big, this one dwarfed it. She wondered how large the Chief Councilor’s family was to have such a massive home. She was a little winded by the time she reached their front door and she searched for a bell. After pressing it twice, she waited patiently for someone to answer.
A woman close to her height answered, a hesitant smile on her face.
“May I help you?” she asked, her voice a soft sing-song.
Jennifer had heard that tone before and knew the woman was deaf. It had been a long time since she’d had to sign anything, having learned in elementary school when the new girl couldn’t talk to anyone. She slowly signed a message to introduce herself.
“I’m Charlotte,” the woman said. “And you don’t have to sign. I can hear a little and I read lips.”
“Siril said I could come here while he’s gone. I didn’t know where else to go.”
Charlotte stepped back and motioned for her to enter. “Have you eaten anything today? I think if my mate had been called off to battle right after I arrived, I’d have been too nervous to eat.”
“No, I haven’t eaten. Not since we left Earth. It seems like forever ago.”
“We were just sitting down to dinner. My daughter, Arabella, is completely deaf. You’ll need to sign for her to understand you.”
Jennifer and the Alien Badass Page 8
