Resistance (Earth Evolution Series Book 2) (3 page)

Chapter 4

“That’s not funny.” He frowned at her. He glanced over to question her mother, but she was busy helping to unload boxes from the van.

“I’m not laughing. I came here with my mom and the others who are volunteering for the next two weeks.” Rachel tried to step around him, but he blocked her.

“You can’t be here, Rachel — this is not a place to hang out and have fun. It’s not safe. I was not even informed that you would be coming.”

She glared at him. “Excuse me, I don’t answer to you. You have no say over me, what I do or where I go.”

“Did your father approve of this?”

“Yes he did, so just back the hell off.” She shoved at his chest but it didn’t make him budge at all. He was really tall and well-built. He wasn’t as tall as his older brothers, but he definitely towered over her much smaller frame. She hated feeling so short. “Move!”

“Is there a problem, Lieutenant Estro?” Rachel’s mother asked, approaching them.

Kyle stepped back and turned toward her. “I was concerned about Miss James’s presence here. I wasn’t informed ahead of time that she would be accompanying you.”

“It was a last-minute decision. Rachel offered to help and her father and I agreed that she could come along as long as she followed the security detail’s directions.”

Kyle nodded his head but he still didn’t look happy about it. “Very well, both of you need to stay with your group at all times. I will make sure that once you are set up with a place to sleep that you will have a security guard at all times.”

Her mother frowned. “Is that necessary? Are the others having such personal care?”

Kyle smiled. “I promised Maggie I would look out for you myself, Mrs. James. She would definitely want me to make sure both of you were taken care of properly.”

“I just don’t want to take up too much of your time.”

He smiled at her warmly and even winked. “Watching out for two beautiful women is no hardship at all.”

Rachel watched in horror as Kyle seemed to charm her own mother. What was it with this cocky asshole? He seemed to think every woman in the universe was here for him. His overconfidence and suave attitude was one of the things that put her off. Her first glimpse of him months ago had her drooling and blushing like a young teen who had never seen a boy before. He was by far the hottest guy she had ever seen, even more attractive than his two brothers. That was, until he opened his mouth and proved just how much of a jerk he really could be.

“We appreciate that, Kyle. How’s my Maggie doing?”

Kyle laughed as he extended his arm to her mother and started to walk her toward the entrance of the subway station. “She is royally pissed that she couldn’t come down and help with this team. She has my brother Liam jumping back and forth trying to calm her and please her. She cries at the most unexpected times and her appetite has seemed to triple.”

Rachel followed behind, feeling, all of a sudden, like she was completely forgotten. She knew she was pouting but couldn’t seem to help it. Kyle seemed different with other women than he did with her. With her mother he was relaxed, intelligent, funny, and charming. But whenever he interacted with Rachel, he was flirtatious in an over-the-top manner. He would say insulting things, and his macho act drove her beyond crazy at times. No man should ever be that self-assured. It was just plain obnoxious. Why couldn’t he be more sweet and charming with
her
? She hated feeling the tiniest bit jealous, even of her own mother.

She shouldn’t care at all, especially after overhearing him talking about how selfish and useless he thought Rachel was. She knew that she had to prove to herself she had something more substantial to give and she really wanted to prove to Kyle that he was wrong about her.

She followed them down the dusty staircase and over to the subway tracks. The Drastans brought down their own small transports that looked similar to golf carts but hovered over the ground. Although the subway system had power, the sub cars were used mostly as living spaces instead of means of transportation. The tribes traveled through the tunnels by foot. She was grateful for the transport that the Drastans brought because she wasn’t sure she had it in her to walk the distance to the tribe community.

Kyle helped her mother get on the transport on the middle bench seating. Rachel didn’t wait for him to help her and she hopped up next to her mother. She stuck her chin up at Kyle when he frowned at her.

“Can I sit up front with you?” a female voice asked from behind Kyle.

Rachel couldn’t see who it was that spoke until Kyle turned. It was Maisy Cole. She was a few years older than Rachel and often competed with Rachel for attention. She waited for Kyle to refuse her, but he didn’t.

“Of course, Miss…?”

“Maisy Cole. This is the first time I’ve gotten to meet you Drastans. When you came to my dome I was sick. But I am better now and ready to help out. This is all very exciting.” Maisy reached out and touched Kyle on his arm. He smiled down at her and helped her into the front passenger’s seat.

Rachel fought a growl that wanted to launch from her throat. Come on — was he really falling for all that eye fluttering and groping? Kyle should have better taste than to let Maisy Cole weasel her way into his life.

“Are you all right, dear?” Rachel’s mother asked with concern.

Rachel shook her head and turned to her mother. “I’m fine, just feeling a little bit anxious.”

“That’s understandable. We were here last time for just a few hours, but this time we will be here a couple of weeks. It’s the longest I’ve been away from your father since he became a lieutenant colonel. I guess I’ve gotten used to him always being there for me.”

Rachel thought about how often her mother had to be both a mother and father to her and to Maggie while they were growing up and their father served in the military. It must have been not only hard on her but also lonely.

“I don’t know how you did it for so long, raising us basically all on your own. I don’t know if I could ever do it.”

Her mother wrapped her arm around Rachel’s shoulder and gave her a hug. “I won’t lie, there were times that I found it beyond hard. But I had your grandparents and my friends on the military base helping me whenever they could. You girls were worth it and to be honest, having the two of you to take care of helped take my mind off of the dangers that your father faced. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I love you two so very much and I am proud of both of you.”

“Thanks Mom. I’m proud of you too.” She leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. When she turned back to sit forward, she caught Kyle’s eyes watching her. She felt her cheeks warm up and she had to turn her head to look in a different direction. This was going to be a long ride.

It took about an hour before they reached the tribe community. Some of the children rushed out to greet them as they pulled up. Rachel looked at the thinning material that many of them wore and she felt guilty for her closet full of clothes. She would make sure to clean out what she didn’t use and bring it down here. She would also take up a collection of children’s clothes and food.

The dome had been stocked with plenty of food, clothing, and medicine, so she never realized how much she had taken for granted until she came down to the subway tunnels. No wonder so many thought she was spoiled and useless. She had to change that about herself.

Rachel had tried to get off the transport before Kyle offered to help, but he moved fast, appearing at her side and taking her hand to help her out before she could avoid him.

The moment their skin touched, Rachel could have sworn she felt electricity race up her arm, through her entire body, then focus on her pussy.
Fuck
, if the guy could make her body react like this by simply touching her hand, what would happen if he decided to kiss her?

At that thought her eyes immediately sought out his lips. They were simply perfect, with the bottom lip slightly bigger than the top. She licked her lips and noticed how his eyes were drawn to that motion. Was he just as affected as she was?

“Mrs. James, Rachel, it is good to see the two of you again.” A tall woman with long black hair spoke as she approached them with her young son in tow.

“Hi, Lily, dear, it’s so good to see you again,” her mom commented.

Rachel smiled warmly at the other woman. Lily Tyner was an exceptionally good-looking woman. She had long dark hair and green eyes. Her son was just as adorable. “Hi, Lily. Hi, Thomas.”

“Hi.” Little Thomas ducked behind his mom’s legs.

Rachel smiled as her mother knelt down and held out a wrapped package. “I brought this just for you, Thomas. Maggie said it was your birthday and she wished she could have come to help celebrate, but she isn’t up to traveling. So instead, she asked me to bring you a present. She hopes you’ll like it.”

Thomas looked up at his mom first before he stepped forward to take the package. “What is it?’

“You’ll have to open it and see.” Rachel told him as she squatted down beside her mother in order to be at eye level with Thomas.

Thomas carefully unwrapped his package and then his eyes lit up. “It’s a spaceship!”

“Yes, Maggie got someone to make a replica of the Drastan command ship for you. And Mom and I were able to find you these.” Rachel handed him a different package from her own travel bag.

Thomas tore into the second package much faster. Inside were two army figurines.

“We thought you would need to have a commander and a lieutenant for your new spaceship,” Rachel said.

“I love them!” Thomas threw his arms around Rachel’s neck and then around her mother’s neck. “Thank you! Mom, can I go show my friends what I got?”

Lily looked down at her son and nodded her head. “Don’t wander off into the tunnels. Be within eyesight of adults at all times. And make sure that you share your toys.”

“Yes, Momma!” Thomas ran off, calling out his friends’ names.

Lily turned to Rachel and Melissa. “Thank you so much for doing that.”

“We’re happy to be able to make him happy. Every child should have a present on his birthday.” Melissa said, her voice choking up.

Rachel hugged her mom. She knew what her mom was thinking because she was thinking the same thing. All the missed birthdays with Maggie. All the presents Maggie never got to receive. Rachel took for granted the cakes and presents she had gotten while Maggie was struggling in the subway tunnels just to survive.

“We always try to make the birthdays around here special in some small way. Since we have so little to give, we put the emphasis on being together. We are each other’s family. Thomas and I really miss Maggie.”

The three women walked together toward the line of subway cars. Rachel looked to the side and noticed that Kyle had moved away directing people where to unload. He glanced her way, and she spun away quickly, embarrassed that he caught her watching him.

“Is that okay with you, Rachel?” Lily asked.

Crap
! She hadn’t been paying attention to what was being said. “I’m sorry ― what did you say?”

“I said that your mother could stay with Corey Nash’s mother, Irene, and you could stay with me and Thomas. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that sounds fine.” Rachel nodded her head. She refused to look back again at Kyle. The man was far too distracting.

“Come, let me introduce you to Irene. Melissa, I think you and Irene will have a lot in common to talk about.” Lily led them through the small crowd that was growing and watching as more supplies were brought in. Rachel hoped the next two weeks would be a real eye-opener for her. She needed a change in her life.

*****

Kyle couldn’t believe that the lieutenant colonel would allow his wife and youngest daughter to come down here for two weeks. He had a job to do and didn’t need the distraction. It was going to be pure hell if he had to follow her around like a watchdog. He already had a hard enough time keeping his eyes off of her.

He sighed as he glanced over to where Rachel had disappeared into one of the subway cars. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her blonde hair was curled in waves that cascaded down her back, and her blue eyes sparkled when she was angry. He found himself wanting to antagonize her so that she would be angry and her eyes would shine at him. His body responded and his cock was growing thick and hard. He had to adjust himself to be more comfortable. She was going to be trouble — no doubt about it.

He turned away and walked further down the tunnel. He wanted to circle the perimeter and check in with his team and the human security team. Then he would work on setting up his traveling tent. He was offered to share a subway car with two others, but he preferred to have his own space. Now it looked like he was going to be moving his tent closer in than he had anticipated.

“Hey Kyle, Miss James dropped this. Should I go and return it to her?” asked his cousin, Lieutenant Quinn Estro, holding out a small book in his hand.

Kyle took the book from his cousin. He didn’t want Quinn anywhere near Rachel. He had noticed all the flirting his cousin did with the women at Liam and Maggie’s reception, but he also noticed Quinn had paid the most attention to Rachel, and she had returned the flirtation. He would have to keep Quinn away from Rachel for the next two weeks. That added another task he was burdened with.