Page 37 of Errik

“Then perhaps you should ask yourself why I’ve found more happiness and stability with him during the past two weeks than I’ve had with anyone else in… ever.”

Arnold shook his head. “You’re just infatuated. That’s all. It will pass, and eventually, you’ll realize what a monster he is. I’m your brother, and I want to bring you home. There’s a compound in Montana that’s safe, and my job will be based out of there for the next year or so. I want to take you back to Earth with me.”

“Home? Earth isn’t my home anymore. There’s no one left there that I care about. Mom and Dad are gone. The United States was falling apart the last time I heard from you, and I spent years traveling through a country where I didn’t know if the next town was safe or whether I would run into rebels or other danger. I was alone. I had no idea if you were alive or dead, and I had no one to turn to.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t! You have no idea what it was like. And then to find out I had a heart defect and needed life-saving surgery… don’t sit there and tell me you know what it was like for me. You have no idea.”

He sighed. “I should’ve been there. I’m sorry. But during my mission, I was under a communication blackout. I couldn’t receive any information about Earth or my family. I only learned about Mom and Dad yesterday.” He sat back in his seat and ran a hand through his hair. Then he leaned forward and peered straight at her through the screen. “Are you cured? Your heart? Did Errik at least give you a dose of healing nanobots?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m cured. Errik found me passed out in my RV and immediately injected me with the nanobots. He saved my life. He’s a good man.”

“I’m glad you’re all right now, Holly. Truly, I am.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I’m glad Errik hasn’t hurt you yet, but he can’t be trusted. My contact sent me a few videos of him cage fighting. I saw what he was capable of.”

“He would never hurt me.” She lifted her chin. “And I won’t leave him. We’re in love,” she said, even though neither of them had actually said those three little words to one another. But she was confident that Errik at least cared for her deeply.

“You’re going to listen to me, Holly. I didn’t survive the last two years only to discover my sister is living with a violent alien. I won’t stand for it.”

Her blood ran cold. “What does that mean?”

“It means I’ve already made arrangements to get you out.”

She stared at him. “What arrangements?”

“I’ve hired Rumhuxxian mercenaries. They’re experienced warriors, and they have the technology needed to get past New Vaxx’s defenses. Quietly, I might add, since they possess cloaking technology as well. They’re on their way to retrieve you. If you refuse to come willingly, they’ll take you by force.”

For several seconds, Holly struggled to process what he’d just said.

“You did what?”

“I’m bringing you home,” he said.

“You hired mercenaries to take me away from this planet?”

“To save you from your own foolishness, yes.”

Horror swept through her. “Arnold, are you insane?” She shot to her feet, knocking the chair backward. “You can’t just send mercenaries to retrieve me because you don’t like the male I’ve chosen to be with!”

“I’m not going to let you throw your life away for a murderer.”

“I’m not throwing my life away. I’m happy here. I don’t want to leave. This is my new home, and Errik is the love of my life.”

“I’ve already paid them, Holly. The operation is underway.”

She shook her head in disbelief, struggling to understand how the brother she’d loved and missed for two years could do something so reckless.

Before she could plead for him to reconsider, she heard hurried footsteps in the corridor. She turned just as Errik appeared in the doorway.

He looked tense, his glowing green eyes fixed on the wrist comm strapped to his arm. When he lifted his gaze to her, she saw a grimness in his expression that made her stomach drop.

“Holly, there’s been a security threat. An unidentified vessel is approaching New Vaxx. It’s cloaked and trying to remain hidden, however, our newly enhanced radar system has picked it up. It hasn’t responded to our hails yet, and my unit has been ordered to investigate.”

Her mouth went dry.

An unidentified vessel.

The mercenaries.