Cam approached, lifting one of her eyelids and looking at her pupil as if he hadn’t heard Diesel’s command. “How else will we find out how she can remember stuff after being shot?”
“I don’t care why.” Diesel yanked her away from Cam, who’d already put a thumb on her chin, trying to look inside her mouth. “Maybe she’s special.”
Cam huffed, crossing his arms in annoyance when Diesel backed out of his reach. “You should care about the security of our species hiding on this planet, O Fearless Leader. Why are you being so difficult?”
Diesel stared down into Juliana’s passive sleeping expression. “I care about her.” He remembered last night. “I’m also involved with her. In fact, I’m falling in love with her.”
Cam’s frown deepened. “You can’t get involved with an earthling.”
“Too late.” Diesel kissed her temple. The sweet scent of her skin warmed him to his bones as he held her. She was the one. Theonlyone for him. He knew it as surely as he was standing here.
“But you have an arranged marriage to fulfill one of these days.”
“No. I don’t. It doesn’t have to be me. Why don’tyoufulfill it?”
“I don’t want a wife here on Earth.”
“Perfect. The wife from your arranged marriage can live on Alpha-Prime and you can stay on Earth and fulfill that edict easily, because it’s not going to be me.” He lifted Juliana higher in his arms and kissed her cheek, wondering how long she’d stay asleep this time.
Axel came into the room. “What are you two fighting about?” His eyes landed on Juliana. “Who’s that?”
“Juliana,” Diesel and Cam said. His Security Officer then added, “And the human our eldest brother is stupid over.”
Axel nodded. “Awesome. She’s pretty. Good for you. There is someone here who wants to talk to you.”
Diesel pushed out a long sound of displeasure, remembering the woman from the night before. “It’s not some truck stop customer gushing about the window washer water being perfect, is it?”
Axel squinted. “Uh, no. This is from downstairs.” He eyed Juliana. “Know what I mean?”
“Got it. I’m just a little busy right now.” Diesel tightened his grip on Juliana as if he needed to protect her. “I’m already refereeing a dispute between two graveyard shift employees, threatening to quit.”
Axel eyed Juliana again. “Bummer. And yet still, I need you to meet someone.”
“Who is it?”
“You know the representative from the Royal Caldera Cruise Line ship that came in last night?”
“No. You didn’t mention there was any representative aboard.”
“Oh. Sorry. There was a Royal Caldera Cruise Line representative aboard the most recent…arrival. He came in on last night’s transport. He just told me he needs to meet with you.”
“Now?”
Axel looked at Juliana and then at Cam—who still had his Defender in hand, ready to shoot it again—and finally seemed to figure out what was going on. “Did you shoot Diesel’s human girlfriend with a Defender?”
“He doesn’t need a human girlfriend,” Cam said after a few seconds’ pause.
Axel snapped his fingers. “Oh, right. I forgot you volunteered to be Diesel’s mother while Mom is away RVing with Dad.”
Cam frowned and Diesel figured there was a fight brewing. He said, “Enough. Settle down, the two of you. Axel, tell the representative I’m unable to meet with him right now or today at all. Ask if Monday morning at ten will work. Also, step into the conference room and tell the two employees there that I’ve been called away. I’ll talk to them on Monday.”
“Sure thing.” He shaped his fingers and thumbs like guns and pointed them at Cam, making a soft, “Pew, pew,” noise, blowing on the tips of his index fingers as if they were still smoking after he was done.
Cam did not look amused as Axel left the office.
“How long was the Defender set for, Cam? And keep in mind that if you’re about to tell me the maximum of thirty minutes, I don’t know that I’ll be able to keep from grabbing it out of your hand and beating you with it.”
Cam looked down at the dial. “It wasn’t the maximum. It was only set for ten minutes. Are you happy?”
