Breaking Bonds: An Alien Romance Adventure

by E J Darling

  Explaining to Cookie what happened had been difficult. Calming her down after seeing her beloved Roth lying dead on the floor was worse. She felt for Cookie. Roth had fooled them all, but it was Zeke she didn’t know if she was ready to see.

  When the locking mechanisms reattached, Teak took the engines offline one at a time until Trident sat silent. She watched him tap at the controls, looking at them closely to figure out which icon did what, until she heard the airlock disengage and the cargo doors open. Her stomach sank.

  “Don’t hate him, Mahla.” Teak mumbled when he rose from his chair. He stood between her and the door to the bridge, his hands clutched behind his back as he waited.

  Feet pounded against the cushioned corridor floor in rapid succession. Maeve peered between Teak’s parted legs, and watched Zeke turn the corner in urgency. He panted and looked around before his frantic eyes found hers. He rushed to her, ignoring the bloody sight around them, and Teak moved out of the way before he fell to the floor and pulled her into his arms.

  “I thought I lost you, too. I thought you were gone to me forever.” He held her snug against his chest for too long. Never had he done such a thing. She didn’t know what to say, what would calm his nerves, so she wrapped her arms around him, too. It felt good, natural. He’d been a part of her entire life, and even though she didn’t understand the things he did, it was obvious she held some place in his heart.

  “I’m sorry about Roth.” Tears welled in her eyes and she wiped them away on his clothes. “I didn’t know he was–”

  “Hush now.” Zeke stroked her hair and rocked her slowly. “It’s over.”

  Thirty-Eight

  The moment her hand made contact with Zeke’s face felt both exhilarating and terrifying. Both were outweighed by the raw fury radiating from every nerve in her body. “What the fuck!”

  “I take it Teakin told you.” He didn’t clasp his face, which only enraged her more. She wanted the pain she felt in her palm to show on his features. It wouldn’t, and she knew that beforehand. His faintly armored skin protected him from her assault.

  “Oh yes. In full detail.” She was seething.

  “Maevelin–”

  “Don’t Maevelin me.” She took a step back and put space between them. “I can’t believe you. You made me work for you as a slave, made me think–”

  “Did I?” His face twisted, and he stepped toward her. In one long stride, he was to her, and wrapping her up in his arms. She fought him for a moment but gave up quickly when her anger turned to sadness. “Did I treat you poorly? Did I use you in some way that made you less than?” He held her out and forced her to look him in his bright yellow eyes.

  It was the first time she’d really gotten that close to them. They were incredible, showed so much emotion as the pupil opened and closed. There was something inside him that was warm and inviting, something he never allowed her to get close enough to see before.

  “Why?” Tears filled her eyes as she searched his for something. Love maybe? Affection she craved from him for so long? “Why did you choose me?” The tears were flowing, and she wasn’t able to control it anymore. There was too much information and too many questions. “Why did you take me away from that place? Why was I the lucky one? Why did you make me think–”

  “Shh.” He held her close again. It was just the two of them in his office, something that rarely happened, if at all, but she felt as though the world was watching. “I don’t know why. I was hurting. You were hurting. I lost a wife, a child, you had no one. It was almost like we were meant for each other. You needed someone to keep you safe, and you looked at me like I could when I felt weakest. Maybe it was luck. Maybe it was the universe putting us together.” He pet her head and soothed her. “I wanted to be something for you, but more than that, I wanted you to be something for yourself. I gave you everything I thought you needed to be successful on your own, and you surpassed my every expectation. I messed up in some areas of your life, I know that, but never tell me I treated you poorly. I love you like my own child, Maevelin. I always have. I hope that’s enough now.”

  Her shoulders shook with every word he spoke. The moment between them passed slowly as the world spun around them. She was free, she’d been free for years. There wasn’t a slave debt, there wasn’t anything holding her back anymore. She had everything she ever wanted and more, so much more. Yet she cried harder than she ever had before.

  Maevelin Roan was loved, cherished, and free.

  As fast as she’d ever run, she made her way down the hall and up the stairs. It’d been the most exhilarating two weeks of her life, and although she didn’t know what the future held, it looked brighter than it ever had.

  There were still problems, too many problems to count on one hand, but for the moment, her life finally made sense. There was joy in everything.

  She slid to a stop in front of her bedroom and threw them open. Säiph jumped up when she did and knocked her to her ass. She laughed and pushed him away. He was feeling much better after Zeke got him fixed up, and there really wasn’t anything wrong in the world in that moment. The thought of losing him was impossible to deal with, but there he was, happy as ever.

  Teak stood from the bed with a smile and stepped over, his hand out for her to take. “Well? How’d it go?”

  She winced and took his hand, standing to her feet. “I hit him.”

  “You what?” His eyes widened and a shocked looked took over his face. “You hit one of the most powerful men in the galaxy? And you’re smiling?”

  “Yes, though to be fair, I do believe I have an exemption from his wrath.”

  “Apparently. I saved your life and I don’t think I’ll ever have that exemption.” He grabbed her thigh and brought it over his waist. Maeve pulled herself into his arms where he kissed her wildly. “You surprise me every day. You know that? I forget you’re not just some damsel in distress. In fact, I think you may have bigger balls than me.”

  They both laughed until she found herself on her back, the soft bedding breaking her fall. “That’s hard to believe. Why don’t you show me?”

  “Again?” He cocked a brow and a smile played on his lips. “I’d thought I sated you twice already.”

  “How could I look at this,” she whispered, and ran her hand down the front of his pants, gripping the rock hard mass through the soft material, “and ever be sated?”

  Her dress was up over her face before she knew what was happening, by the time she got it flipped down, his pants were down and he thrust inside her, drawing moans of ecstasy from her lips, and kissing them away. “I hope you find a way before I keel over.” Teak would never be sated himself. He was a god among species, the very specimen all others would be compared to forever. None could ever rival the male between her thighs. None would ever rival the history of the Turnish people.

  She clawed his back and touched every bit of his flesh. “I want you to be free, Teakin. I want you to be free with me.”

  “We are free, mahla. Forever and for always. You will be mine and I yours.” He pumped his hips, causing waves of passion to crush her. She clung to his already clawed back and held him tight. His firm chest rubbed hard against her nipples, causing an overwhelming need to build up inside her. “My body is yours.” He kissed her neck, her jaw, then crashed into her lips as they both claimed their orgasms as one. “I love you, mahla.”

  “I love you, too.” Never had anything been truer in the world. Their love used to be the most beautiful story never told, and now it was. It would stand the test of time.

  Forever.

  Epilogue

  “You summoned me, sir?” Teak growled and didn’t hold it back. He didn’t want to be there. He wanted to be in bed with Maeve, but Zekekiel didn’t sleep apparently.

  The master sat behind his desk, eyeing the metal device once again. “I have a mission for you.”

  “I will not leave, Maeve.”

  “I didn’t ask you to.” Zeke slid the device across the desk
.

  He stepped closer, taking a lazy seat in the chair across from him, and studied the device he’d never seen unrestricted.

  “I know your past. I know you must have contact with others with… similar pasts.”

  Teak sat silent, not giving away anything just yet. Yes, he knew others like him with skills that went beyond what was asked of them. Few that were trustworthy, though.

  “I need to find who is attached to that tracking number. It’s still coded, and there isn’t anyone on this planet right now I trust with it.”

  Teak cocked a brow and looked to Vint with curious eyes. “You trust me?”

  He scoffed. “Hardly. But you have proven yourself in my eyes. That’s enough for now.”

  Silence stretched between them for a long while, each testing the other in some way. Would he ever earn the master’s trust? What would he have to do to get it? He pushed all his needs and desires out of his mind. Nothing would come of it. “I know someone who can help.”

  “Good. It must be top priority, and I don’t think I need to say a word about discretion.”

  Teak nodded, stood from the chair, and opened the door to leave. He’d do what his master asked of him.

  “Oh,” Zeke called before he’d stepped out. Teak spun on his heel, and caught the folder Zeke tossed over. “I don’t make it a habit of owning slaves. Not anymore.”

  Opening the folder, Teak read the bold line at the top. His slave papers. They’d been signed and all custody rewarded back to himself. He was free, truly and wholly. His body, mind, and soul were his once again.

  “I don’t know what to say.” He finally found the words and forced them out, his voice hitching despite how he wished to control it.

  “Take care of her. She is precious to me and I would not give her over so lightly to anyone else.”

  “I will. With my life.” He meant that with every fiber of his being. Maeve was the only thing in that world he truly cared for.

  Vint nodded, and something akin to gentleness played on his face. “I know.”

  Teak turned to leave before he made a fool of himself in front of Vint.

  “Oh, I almost forgot. Trident needs a new captain. Think you’re up for it?”

  Teak’s feet refused to move, and his body wanted to go into full shut down mode. Him, a captain of a ship again? Miracles didn’t happen like that, and the need to run grew, to leave before the dream ended and Vint recanted his offer. Vint smiled, and it confirmed what he heard.

  He was a captain again. Everything that had been stripped away came tumbling back on him. Nothing could rival that feeling. The feeling of autonomy, of making your own choices and answering to no one. “Thank you, sir.”

  Vint inclined his head and went right back to work, as if he hadn’t just handed Teak the world. He took off from the office and ran in a full sprint back to his bedroom, and back to his Mahla. So much had changed in such a short time. But finally, he earned his place back in that world with blood, sweat, and now tears.

  He was free.

  About the Author

  E.J. Darling loves writing strong alpha men and in any category she can sink her teeth into. Between hiding out away from society and tossing snacks at her children in hopes of writing one more paragraph, there just really isn’t time for anything else. She likes a good cold beer, ramen noodles, and for some reason, dipping pickles in mayonnaise seems like a logical snack. Seriously, you should try it. Welp, this was impossible to write so see y’all later… just between those pages!

  For more about E.J. Darling-I know, I know, how could there possibly be more- check out her (my?) website at:

  www.ejdarlingauthor.wordpress.com

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  Facebook.com/ejdarlingauthor