She’s shaking as she continues to stare at the phone. Finally she hits send and holds the phone out for Zack.
Zack quietly takes it from her and turns toward the door behind him. He leaves us alone without a word.
Chapter Three
Zingar
“This can’t be happening,” Bailey murmurs.
I turn her in my arms, keeping her as close as possible. Her face is nearly level with mine since I’m sitting on this low couch and she’s standing. “I know you’re shocked, Little one, but you feel the connection.”
She swallows hard, her eyes brimming with tears.
Sliding my hands up into her soft curls at the back of her head, I kiss her nose. I can’t resist. I need more of her. “I meant what I said, Little one. You will be protected and loved by me for centuries.”
“When I don’t answer my father’s text in the morning, he’s going to lose his mind.”
“Zack will handle your father,” I inform her.
She shakes her head. “He’ll probably come here with police.”
“Zack is prepared for that eventuality. It happens sometimes. We’ll be long gone by then. Are you close to your father, Little one?” There’s something odd about how she speaks of the man whom I assume raised her. Something is off. She’sonly mentioned how herfatheris going to feel. Not once has she insinuated that she herself was upset about not seeing him again.
“Yes, but…”
“But…?” I lift a brow.
“He’s…overprotective. Controlling. I’m not permitted to go to clubs. When he finds out I tricked him and lied to come here, he’s…” Her voice trails off.
The keywords in her comment catch my attention. She hasn’t seen overprotective and controlling yet. I don’t care what her father did up until tonight to keep her under his thumb. What she will have with me won’t even come close to resembling that relationship, but overprotective and controlling are my middle names.
It’s time to ease my mate’s nerves, so I slide one hand down to hers, lift her fingers to my lips, and hold her gaze as I kiss the tip of her pointer before piercing it with my quill.
“Ouch.” She tries to pull her hand out of my grasp, but I hold tight and prick the next two fingers in quick succession.
“What are you doing?”
“There’s a tiny quill behind my front teeth. I can use it to inject you with my serum. It will calm you.”
Her breathing relaxes as I speak. That’s how fast my essence works on her. She frowns. “I don’t like it. Don’t do it again.”
I smile. “That’s not for you to decide, Little one. Papi will prick your soft skin anytime I think it’s necessary.”
“Papi? You told my friends your name was Zingerrr.”
“Zingar,” I say, correcting her pronunciation a bit. “That is my name, but you will call me Papi, Little one. It’s customary among my people for our mates to call us Papi.”
She clears her throat. “Are you really going to take me to your planet?”
“Yes, Little one. We’re going upstairs to my apartment now. We’ll spend some time together before a pod comes to take us to the mothership. Once we’re there, the ship doctor will examine you to clear you for the trip. We’ll most likely be on a transport vessel headed for Eleadia before your father wakes up in the morning.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know you are. That’s normal. I’d be concerned if you weren’t. Shall we go upstairs now?” She doesn’t really have a choice, but I don’t want to make her feel even more trapped than she already does.
She glances over her shoulder toward the door. “Mary is probably freaking out.”
“Zack will make sure she gets home safely.”
