by Rena Marks
As he gathered the main trash by the front door, he noticed Leah’s crumpled envelope with her paystub.
Unopened.
Leah:
Brock was out of town for a week. She planned to use her first day off to find a cheap motel to stash clothes in. The selection of seedy motels in Earth-Ground was surprisingly…large. She’d have to do a bit more research to narrow the field down. Which place would be easier to lose track of someone in? What was the cost for a ride from the motel to Xenia’s gates?
And then another, more brilliant idea hit. Trance had invited her to the city tomorrow. She’d squeeze together three bags and stash them into her locker at Xenia. Even if she had to escape at a moment’s notice—she’d have clothes safe somewhere. Once Brock returned home, he’d make sure to escort her to and from Xenia again, so there was no way she could ever sneak a duffel bag of clothing out in his presence.
For a moment, Leah had been tempted to confide in Trance. Her personality clicked with his and friendship came easily. In his presence, she felt like the old Leah from a few years ago. For the first time ever, she’d forgotten what her life was like. She’d forgotten the aches of her bruises, the twinge of her recently healed bones. She’d never before had a few minutes of daily life where she’d forgotten the hell she’d slipped into. Not until she was alone with Trance.
Something about him was just magical. She felt like she could trust him—but she’d have to be careful not to give him the wrong idea. Even if she was successful with leaving Brock, she’d never go into another relationship.
Chapter Four
TRANCE WAS NERVOUS WHEN Troy called him from the gates and told him his visitor had arrived. He paced frantically around the apartment the entire time he imagined her shuttling from the gate to the residential units.
When the computer finally announced her arrival, he practically broke the door getting to her.
“Hi.” His voice was a little too loud.
“Hi, again,” she said, her eyes wide. Over one shoulder she carried a duffel bag as if she planned to stay a while. “You okay?”
He felt his cheeks heat as he stepped out of the doorway, where he’d been blocking the way. “Just excited. Do you think we could also make dessert? Lily told me about a peach cobbler thing and brought me over the same ingredients you’d provided for her.”
“Sure thing,” she said, stepping over his threshold. “Is that new?” She dropped her duffel bag in the entry way, saying nothing about it, instead pointing to a piece he’d just hung.
The ornate wrought metal chandelier was somehow delicate with black roses and thorns. It totally fit in with the décor of his apartment. “Yes.” He felt his cheeks heat.
By the way her eyes widened, he knew he blushed bright purple. He had human features and human skin. Why he had to have his alien DNA take over when he was embarrassed was beyond him.
“That’s cute,” she said, referring to his blush. “I take it the chandelier is your handiwork.”
“Yeah.” His voice was gruff. It was so unmanly to blush.
“It’s the most beautiful piece I’ve ever seen. You’re so talented.”
Damn if he didn’t blush harder.
“You don’t need to be embarrassed around me, Trance. We’re friends, right?”
“Yeah, we’re friends,” he said. “But sometimes I’m too intense for people. They prefer to withhold friendship. I’m always wary about that and maybe I’m trying too hard.”
“I won’t stop being your friend. Besides, I’m probably intense, too.” She walked into his kitchen, opening his fridge to poke around.
He cleared his throat, summoning his courage. “I thought if you wanted to, we could maybe take a walk later. There’s a new piece of art Jett and Brax are working on that I’d like to check out.”
“Yup, we can do that.” Her voice came from inside his fridge as she pulled out items. “On the way back from the walk, we can swing by the commissary to pick up popcorn kernels. I make killer popcorn. We can watch a movie and have a snack later. Unless you have other plans? I can leave whenever.”
Her unreserved friendship made him lose his learned reservation. “Hell, you can spend the night if you wish.”
She laughed, but it was subdued, as usual. As if laughter wasn’t accepted in her world. “Intensity, friend,” she teased and he pretended to wince. “Thanks, but I have to get home eventually.” She arranged the ingredients on the counter, looked thoughtful, and then said, “Maybe…if you wouldn’t mind too much, I can keep a bag in your closet? So if I ever spill anything while I’m in the city, I’ll have a backup set of clothing?”
“Of course,” he said. What he didn’t mention was the fact that he saw the employee lockers in the main hub. Why wouldn’t she store her bag there? She must be interested in him and was using it as an excuse to see him. His heart lifted higher into his chest.
She seemed pleased with his answer. “Are you ready to cook then? Let’s wash up.”
The entire time they cooked, she was patient with him. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t chop vegetables at her speed. She offered tips and suggestions, even showing him how to hold the knife. He wondered if she felt the same zing he did when her fingers touched his skin.
Surely she did. It was why she suggested leaving clothes at his place. He didn’t even mention the bag was big enough to house more than once change of clothes. It looked like it was stuffed to the brim.
Leah:
She rapped on the door just as Robyn stood.
“Leah. Good morning. Is there something wrong?”
“No, I’m on my way to Heather’s house. Her husbands”—she had the hardest time referring to the two Xeno Sapien men as Heather’s mates, the term used here—“have the twins today. So Heather wanted to squeeze in a lesson.”
“I see. And you’d like this on your normal paycheck? Or in your savings account?”
“The savings will be fine. But there’s something else I wanted to ask you about. Something…personal.”
Robyn nodded. “I’m due out in the southeast corner of the city in ten minutes. Walk with me.”
The southwest corner was where the den of Heather and her two mates was located anyway. Leah didn’t even have to pick up a box of ingredients because Brax—the lesser shy of the mates—had swung by earlier to pick it up so she wouldn’t have to carry it. It made her worry that she was putting others out by her refusal to grab a hovercart. But she just couldn’t force herself to borrow something when someone else—someone who deserved it—might need one. She walked alongside Robyn, waiting to have their conversation until they cleared the more populated areas. When they were finally alone, Robyn asked, “Okay, what’s up?”
“I’d like to know if there is an attorney in the city I can use.”
“What type of lawyer do you need?”
“Divorce.”
“You’re married?” The surprise in Robyn’s voice was evident. “How did I not know this?”
“I’m not sure? It wasn’t publicized. I married my manager two years ago. Because my career was established, I kept my own name.”
“And you would like the divorce? Will he be expecting it? Irreconcilable differences?”
“Yes. No. Yes.” Her voice was soft as she tried to keep emotionless.
“You’d like him served?”
“In the most professional, amicable, and routine way.” She could hardly say she didn’t want to piss him off. But she wanted it as legal as possible.
“I can proceed with the filing and submit the files to the city attorneys.”
“You can?”
Robyn nodded. “It’ll be easy enough. I’ll file the paperwork and have him served. What marital property will you be splitting?”
“Nothing. I just want out. He can keep it all.”
“Debts?”
“If he chooses to provide me a list of half, I’ll accept it.”
“No kidding this will be amicable. You may not even nee
d to pay an attorney, Leah. Just the court fees. Are you still on the waiting list for residency on Xenia?”
“I am.”
“How far along are you?”
“I have a six-month period. My time restarted with my leave of absence.”
“Would you like me to set it up to receive your mail here?”
“I’d love that.” One worry out of the way. Her mail would at least be secure and she could retrieve it at her convenience.
Up ahead, a group of Xeno Sapiens, including Robyn’s husband, Steele, worked on building cabins. Like the others, he had a tool belt around his waist. “Take five,” he called out, walking toward them to approach his wife. The silvery-gray Xeno Sapien was shirtless, obviously working as hard as the rest. The gleam of sweat across his chest and shoulders didn’t deter Robyn as she pulled Steele to her for a kiss.
“How’s Kaden?” he whispered to his wife.
“He’s fine. Nanna Elsie is bringing him to the mess hall for lunch so I’ll see him then.”
“Hmm. Maybe I’ll meet you both there, my love.”
Leah felt like an awkward intruder. She always thought marriage should be like this. Two friends coming together to create a family bond. It was what she thought she had with Brock in the beginning. But she had missed it by a mile. Her marriage was fear and power and control.
She had zoned out while staring at them.
She started when Steele spoke. “Leah. How are you?”
She blinked slightly, as if to clear her head. “I’m fine. You all look like you’re working hard.”
“These are the latest prototypes of cabins to replace the outer tents. They’re simple but solar powered. Basically a sleeping place to protect from the upcoming weather.”
“The latest prototypes?”
He nodded. “The first batch sucked up too much daytime heat and it wasn’t dissipated by nightfall. It was like an oven all night. It was pretty extreme and since a lot of humans don’t care for cooked people…”
His sudden grin caught her breath and she stared at him in shock, not expecting humor from the stern Xeno Sapien. For a moment she wondered if cooked people might be normal for him…
“Quit teasing her. We’ll need a tester for this line,” Robyn said softly. “Leah is on a waiting list for the camps. That would make her eligible to test a cabin.” She turned to Leah. “If you’re interested. I swear it won’t cook people.”
“I’d love to.”
Steele nodded. “We have some volunteers for the family units, but no one for the single units. An employee of the city would be perfect. We could get invaluable feedback. That’s Pax’s specialty.”
Someone else approached from behind her. “Let’s get her signature for the locking mechanism then.”
“Leah, meet Pax,” Steele said.
“I know Pax,” she said, nodding at him. “I give lessons to his brothers. Envy and Impatience? The triplets.”
“The triplets. Right,” Steele said, his voice as dry as when he teased her about frying people.
“Come along, Leah,” Pax said, narrowing his eyes at Steele and leading her to one of the units. “The rest of these units will be housed on this side of the fence to be tested by residents here. If they’re deemed liveable by the end of the season, they’ll be sent to the camps. Your unit, of course, will be out there already. Hold your hand up to the scanner, please.”
She held her hand up for the DNA sample and the door clicked open.
“I know it’s tight,” he said, motioning for her to go in. “But we ran into problems with the floors cracking when we tried to go larger. Cracked floors disturb the heat balance by letting cold air inside. Basically, the larger family units are two single units stitched together. A room for the kids and a room for the adults. Much like living in a tent, but with sturdier walls. With those ones, we can ship two of the single units to the outside and cut a door between them.”
“It’s definitely a step up from a tent,” she said.
He stepped in behind her. “There are closets within the walls. The little problem we had with the last units overheating? The closets help distribute the heat better. Now you at least will have toasty clothes in the morning.” He touched a wall, showing her how they opened. “Under the bed is a cooler section for storage. No solar panels, so it would work more as a refrigeration unit. Snacks and leftovers can be stored there.”
“Oh, yeah. Much better than a tent.”
“There’s one small food warmer over the door. We set it high to be out of reach in case there were children in the unit. Remember the units have to be universal so we can put two together for a family unit? However,” he eyed her. “I guess it’s good that we’re having a female tester. I imagine one of the feedback concerns you’ll provide is that you can’t reach the warmer?”
She snickered. “Not unless there’s a stepstool hidden anywhere?”
“I’ll nail one onto the back of the door for you,” he offered.
“That would be helpful.”
He took her elbow as he helped her down the step out of the cabin. She fought against wincing. She hated when a man who was larger than her stood slightly behind her and gripped her elbow. She’d been flung backward that way too many times.
If he noticed her stiffness he didn’t say anything, but she did notice that when they approached Robyn and Steele, he caught Robyn’s eye and looked away quickly.
“So, Leah, when do you think you can move in?” Robyn asked suddenly.
It was important not to seem excited, so she shrugged casually. “As soon as you can move the unit out,” she said.
“That’s easy enough. We can ship it there tomorrow,” Steele said.
“Tomorrow?” she breathed. Holy shit. That made it so real. This was happening, finally. It was actually here. Even though she had planned for this, it always seemed like a plan. Now it was reality.
She could leave.
“It’s all one piece, remember?” Pax murmured. “We just pick it up and set it down.”
“Too soon?” Steele asked, his head cocked.
“No.” Her voice was a little too sharp. She softened it. “No, it’s perfect.”
Oh, God. Would the last beating she’d endured truly be her last? She had a bag of clothing stored at Trance’s place. Two squished so tightly into her locker at work that she could barely open the door, much less get it closed again. She’d gotten a break and grabbed one more bag—but couldn’t squeeze it in the day she’d gone to Trance’s and was about to take it back home before Brock returned. Instead, Trance agreed to let her shove it into his hall closet. Now when she left for good, she could grab the few personal items like childhood pictures and keepsakes from her parents and stuff them into a couple other bags. She couldn’t take those before now because Brock might notice them missing, whereas she had so much clothing, he’d never know how much of that was gone. Especially since she didn’t need any of the fancier stuff.
“We’ll get it delivered tomorrow afternoon. You can move in whenever. Your DNA is imprinted onto the lock so you just let yourself in.”
“Where will it be set up?”
“Sector Eight,” Steele said. “There are signs that lead the way to each sector.”
“I’ll find it.” For the first time in a long time, a genuine smile broke over her face.
Pax, Steele, and Robyn stared.
Slowly her smile dropped. Had it really been that long since she’d smiled? So long that people were shocked?
Trance made sure he was on duty at the gate when the shuttle brought the workers to the front gate. One by one, they entered the scanning device of the back door and waved at him as they left out the front door. Guards were posted outside to make sure the shift changes ran smoothly.
This one time, Leah didn’t scramble to hurry off the shuttle. She was the last one off and literally strolled into the office after the others.
She seemed somewhat in a daze.
“Everything okay?” h
e asked her.
“Perfect. Just peachy keen.” Her smile at him was beatific. Perhaps now she was ready for him to ask her out. Ask her on a real date. He wouldn’t ask her here in the noisy office, though. But first thing tomorrow.
“Are you working tomorrow?” He knew the answer, of course. He checked her schedule all the time. He even volunteered to be on duty in the gates when he knew she’d arrive. His supervisor, Shawn, was pleased with his acceptance of the boring job.
“Tomorrow? Yes. I will be here.” Her smile was genuine and lit her entire face. She was breathtaking.
His cock hardened. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would ask her on a real date.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Leah,” he said, eyes glued to her beauty.
“Bye, Trance. See you.”
She slipped out the front door, the last to leave. He went over to the window to watch her departure.
A car’s lights flashed at her.
As she approached the same hovercar she always left in, the door slid open and a man stepped out. First time ever. He smiled at Leah, taking her arm possessively as he pulled her to him. He kissed her and she pulled away, laughing. Then he took her by the upper arm, helping her step into the hovercar.
His fingers dug into her arm, just enough to show the glint of a hologram ring on his finger.
They were married.
Trance’s heart clenched in his chest as the betrayal sunk in.
Why didn’t Leah wear a ring?
Chapter Five
Two months later:
SHE LOVED WORKING at Xenia. The only mar in her new world was a slight setback in her relationship with Trance. She missed the early friendship with him. They were two lonely, loyal souls who had clicked with easy camaraderie, but something had happened. They were cordial to each other but something that she’d done had really irritated him, though he never mentioned what it was. All that talk of not freezing each other out hadn’t worked in the opposite direction. He’d done it to her and she had yet to figure out why. Maybe it was her stashing a duffel bag of clothing at his house. She’d offer to pick it up, but she’d only seen him three times since she’d joined the camps. Once, during a day off, she’d been sitting in the camp with another woman, Amy, when he walked by on patrol.