Caught Between Two Blue Aliens - Celia Kyle Page 0,67

Hiren’s concern wrapping around her like a warm blanket. He and Sevith truly wanted nothing more than to help and make sure she was safe.

Could she tell her boyfriends—her two fiancés—about the blackmailing? She’d assumed she couldn’t because it was too risky. Espinosa had said if she tried to tell anyone about this, they’d find out and take the kids instantly away. She was so used to protecting Noah and Bea on her own. She’d been doing that for the last two years, and it was the entire focus of her life. Could she bring these Drokten into her circle of trust? Could these two put her siblings first, just like she did?

Bea had trusted them so much she’d run straight to them for help. Her sister’s first thought when danger struck was to go to Hiren.

“It’s about Secretary Wells,” Jenna whispered to Hiren. “I’ll tell you more in a little bit. Let’s wait for Sevith to return and then—”

“We’re sorry!” Noah suddenly cried.

Jenna looked down at him. “Oh, honey, I know you’re sorry, but… but sometimes that’s not enough.”

“We were just scared,” Bea mumbled, staring at the floor.

Jenna softened a little and tugged her siblings, hugging them close. They rested their heads against her stomach and chest as she embraced them, kissing the tops of their heads. She pushed back and peered into their sweet, pale little faces. A rush of pure love and maternal worry washed over her again, but at least they were home. She could speak to them, touch them, and know they were safe in her custody. She reminded herself to take note of the little things, even under such extreme stress. It could have been so much worse.

The elevator opened and they all walked back to the apartment, which was quiet now, considering all the police had left.

“Jenna, let me explain. I-I-wanted to…”

“Now isn’t the time to talk about this,” Jenna said, cutting off her sister. “I’m going to talk to Sevith and Hiren…about everything. In private. Just the three of us.”

Bea smiled. “Okay.”

“Hey, don’t think for a second that you’re off the hook. I know you had the best of intentions, but you still gave me a heart attack. The school was inconvenienced, and the police had to come out here. Sevith even came down from orbit in the Avash to try and find you two.”

Which, come to think of it, was super sweet of him. She’d called, completely freaking out, and he’d dropped everything to be there. And so had Hiren.

Jenna stood her ground, attempting to be a stern parent. “As matter of fact, you’re both grounded. Go to your rooms and think about what you did.”

“But…”

“And no screens either.”

They both gasped. She supposed that was harsh, but Noah and Bea needed to learn a lesson.

She put her hand out. “Give them to me.” Her brother and sister both hung their heads and went to their rooms, collected the tablets the school had provided for them and gave them to her.

“How long are we grounded for?” Bea asked.

“Until dinner, and then we’ll renegotiate. It all depends on how you behave in there. And how good your apologies are later to the people you scared and inconvenienced.”

They both groaned and went to their respective bedrooms and quietly shut their doors.

Hiren met her gaze and gave her a sexy wink. “You’re hot when you’re in charge.”

She barked out a laugh.

All the fear and stress of her day melted away like snow on a warm palm.

Then Sevith returned. Tall, imposing and in charge. The three of them stood in the kitchen, silently staring at each other. And that bit of light-heartedness—that ray of sunshine that had entered her mind a moment ago—flew away to be replaced with the dark knowledge that she needed to tell these men the truth about why Bea had run away, but she didn’t know how.

What if after they found out the truth, they hated her and her entire species?

Was she going to lose them?

And suddenly the thought of losing these two sounded like the worst damnation ever. She needed them. Needed both of them.

The stress and uncertainty hit her hard and Jenna couldn’t control the ugly cry that escaped her lips. She buried her face in her hands, trying to cover her loud sobs.

Nineteen

Sevith scooped his weeping Oso into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Hiren followed, kicked the door closed behind them, and locked it.

Jenna’s tiny personal quarters housed a neatly made bed pushed into a corner