Caught Between Two Blue Aliens - Celia Kyle Page 0,28
lost one of my main jobs, as well as my side hustle, meaning the other one is a lot more important. I don’t want to give my employer any excuse to fire me, so I need to be the first one there and the last one to leave today. If I don’t keep my job and keep the currency flowing in steadily, I’ll lose everything—my apartment and my kids…”
Sevith and his Bahn both stopped and stared at their Oso. Jenna slowed down and looked back at them.
The horrifying mental image of Jenna pregnant with another male’s offspring burned brightly in Sevith’s mind. “What!” he roared, storming up to Jenna so fast she yelped and dropped her coffee, but Hiren caught it, handing it back to her slowly without breaking eye contact. “Offspring? You have offspring from other males? Who are they? The secretary?”
“What? Ew, no!” Jenna spluttered, eyes wide. “Sevith, why are you so upset?”
“You belong to us,” Sevith snarled from a base, primal instinct he rarely lost control of. “Name the male who dared lay a finger on our mate, and I will end him, Jenna. I do not care if he is an admiral or a servant.”
“Oh gosh, you two. They aren’t my kids in that way,” Jenna said with exasperation as she jerked out of his grasp. “They’re my younger siblings. My brother and sister. Our parents died during the invasion and I take care of them like they’re my own.”
Sevith felt his heart sinking as he felt the fire in his blood calming down, but Jenna was already shaking her head and giving a mirthless smile.
“Do you see why I can’t leave the planet? Why I can’t be your… Oso? I have to focus on taking care of my brother and sister. It’s not about just me. I have responsibilities.” She gave them a pleading look. “I appreciate being taken seriously by you two last night, and all of this attention is… sweet. I guess it’s true that I really like you, too, but I can’t do this. I can’t. I’m certain you’ll find your real Oso someday, on your own planet. You’ll both be fine.”
“Jenna,” Hiren said, rubbing his temples. “Listen—”
“Hold on,” she said, putting a hand out firmly. “Just… stop there, take a breather, and think about the truth of what I said. If you want me, you’re not just getting me. You’re also taking on two kids. I can see that you don’t want that. Think about what’s right for you, too. I think you’ll understand someone else will make you happier.” She glanced down the street. “The restaurant is open now and I’m going to work,” she said, turning her back on them both. “Goodbye,” she threw over her shoulder as she tossed her coffee in the trash and shoved her hands in her pockets.
And they both watched as their Oso walked away from them… again.
“How are we going to fix this?” Sevith asked.
Hiren shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Eight
Early the next morning, Jenna stood outside Noah’s bedroom door, lips barely an inch from the hollow-core wood panel. “Come on, Noah, it’s time to get up, bud. You’ve got to get ready for school.”
She listened for any signs of life, smiling to herself when she heard a sleepy grunt followed by the rustling of bed sheets. She knocked softly once more, hoping to drum up some kind of vocal response. Jenna liked to be sure he heard her, as her ten-year-old brother had a tendency to oversleep if left to his own devices.
“I heard you, I heard you. I’m coming,” he grumbled and groaned.
The door tugged open, and Noah stared at her blearily in the bright light of the hallway, his blue eyes squinting half-shut and mouth turned down. Jenna’s heart swelled with adoration for the little guy. It was rare she was home for the morning routine. Normally Bea prodded Noah through the usual steps of preparing for school and grabbing some sad semblance of breakfast. Jenna did her best, and the reason she was normally absent in the mornings was because she was usually at work already. This was also why Bea tended to seem so mature and wise beyond her years. She had plenty of practice taking on responsibilities.
That struck Jenna with another pang of guilt straight to her very core. She wanted to be there for them, to guide and look after them in the mornings so they had the best possible start to their days, but usually