Big Bad Claws - Michele Mills Page 0,13

all been snatched by the Hurlians. Dad’s way of getting back at the assholes who’d killed most of his family was to become a crazy-rich success. He’d felt this was the best way to gain some kind of leverage so he could keep his family safe.

The male let out a huge snort. His eyes flicked open and she was pinned by an intense hazel gaze. Oh no. She tried to turn away, but the Xylan placed his huge gloved hand on her hip. He smiled, exposing those super-sharp fangs. His entire face lit up and revealed just how blindingly handsome he really was. Then he opened his mouth to speak and she leaned forward, eager to hear what he had to say…and grunts and growls emitted from his perfect lips.

Oh no.

She stared at him, no longer concerned with trying to leave, or the fact that were both naked under the covers. She couldn’t understand a word he was saying. Not a single word. Dammit. It sounded like a series of snarls she couldn’t possibly emulate or decipher.

She’d arrived on this planet illegally, therefore skipping the all-important first steps of having the appropriate language translation chip installed in her brain. This was terrible. She could be learning everything she needed right now, except she didn’t understand a thing he said, and he wouldn’t be able to understand her either.

The male paused expectantly, like he was waiting for her answer.

She sat up, making sure the covers were tucked tightly around her torso, covering her boobs. “Um, I don’t speak Xylan,” she admitted.

His ridges deepened.

Maybe he didn’t realize she was here illegally? Oops. Now he’d know. It was the only reason she wouldn’t have the chip. “I don’t have the translator for your language.” She tapped against her lips and shook her head. “I only speak English.”

The Xylan cursed under his breath, or at least she assumed it was a curse, the way he snarled that one word. He sat up too, the covers pooling around his lap. She swallowed hard at the sight of so much spectacular male chest, so close. He was enormous. She lifted her chin to look up at him. Her entire body heated up and she shifted her hips, seeking relief from the heat between her thighs.

She was so, so attracted to this guy she was sitting naked with in bed. He smelled terrific and he looked even better.

How embarrassing. He was an unmated Xylan who could never return her feelings. Xylan didn’t pleasure mate. They waited for their Bride—who would be another Xylan female. She was just a random human he’d found in his bed that he was probably trying to get rid of. He was naked because that’s just how ambivalent he was about pleasure mating. She wasn’t his mate, therefore she was immediately in the friend zone.

He seemed deep thought and then his face lit up. He put his claw over his chest. “Zaay-zzzzawn.”

Oh, he was trying to tell her his name? Perfect. She did her best to imitate what he’d said. “Zayzon?” she tried.

He smiled and nodded.

Good. Zayzon. Hmm. It was a nice name and seemed to fit him. She put her hand over her own chest and paused. Should she give him her real name? She was trying to hide from her enemies. But, on the other hand, her first name was very common back home… Oh hell. She stared into his liquid hazel eyes, got lost for a moment and blurted, “Lila.”

“Lll-eye-luh?”

She nodded. It was good enough.

He kept murmuring her name and staring down at her in wonder, which was really cute.

Cute? He was achingly handsome. His sparkling eyes and ridiculously long lashes were pulling her in like a tractor beam, but she needed to remain on the move if she was going to avoid Daniela’s machinations. The employees back home depended on her. Cousin Gerard depended on her to remain on his side. She had to stay alive and out of Daniela’s reach until she turned twenty-one, which was exactly one moon cycle from now.

Zayzon was being super sweet and the last thing this poor guy needed was for her to bring her crazy-evil stepmother and a pack of assassins down on him. It was probably bugging him that she was there. She had to get dressed and come up with a new plan that didn’t include putting him in danger too. “Close your eyes,” she told him.

He looked confused. Lila mimicked placing her hands over her own eyes and then