Saven Disclosure (The Saven Series Book 2) (9 page)

His thumb circles the back of my hand, shooting tingles up and down my arm. I squirm in my seat. “
Girlfriend
.” He enunciates the word. “I don’t like that term. It doesn’t even begin to convey how important you are to me. How much I love you.”

I reach out and clasp his other hand in mine. He promptly laces our fingers together. The dark-haired guard—the one who looked at me warily earlier—pierces me with a sly, menacing look over his shoulder that screams his intent. He doesn’t like me or trust me, and he sure as hell doesn’t like listening to Logan professing how much he cares. I shudder involuntarily.

“Do they have to follow you everywhere?
” I silently ask.

“Pretty much. Once we’re Eterno connected, you’ll be assigned your own bodyguard twenty-four-seven.”

I sit ramrod straight.
“You’re not serious?”

A concentrated groove indents his forehead.
“Deadly. You’ll be a Saven princess, Sadie, and that comes with all the regular protections and perks.”

A sick feeling swarms my stomach.
“Like what?”

“In addition to a bodyguard, you’ll be appointed a personal maid, your own chef, stylist, dressmaker, physician, and—”

I cut him off dead, aghast at the thoughts of my own entourage.
“I get the picture.”
I look sideways, hoping to deflect the rising panic from reaching my face.
“I’ll be expected to live full time on Saven?”

“Yes, though you’ll accompany me on certain political trips and events, and we will, of course, come back to Earth so you can meet up with your friends.”

His fingers brush my chin as he tilts my head so we’re eye to eye.
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but it won’t happen for some time. Remember, we have to identify a way of safely bonding without risk to you. When that happens, all that matters is that we’ll be together, forever.”

“Of course, I want that with you. But everything else?”
I drag my lip in between my teeth.
“It sounds like I’ll be trading one cage for another.”

Logan sucks in a sharp gasp. Not attempting to hide his hurt expression, he peers at me with blatant concern. I don’t offer any words of comfort for there are none. I don’t know if I can do this. If I want to do this. I want to be with him, so, so much, but all that other stuff?

I don’t want that.

I never imagined that love could be so complicated and come with so many conditions.

The rest of lunch passes by in strained conversation. Logan’s wounded look does nothing to diminish my guilty conscience, but I’m not sorry I was honest. It seems I have a lot more to think about.

Before I know it, we are back at Government Buildings, imminent separation on the horizon. Logan sticks his head into the VP’s office, but he’s on a call. He motions for him to wait outside. Sitting down on the couch, Logan lures me into his lap, and I readily yield. I cling to him and these last precious moments. “I have something for you.” He wrests a square black velvet-covered box from his pocket and places it in my palm. “Open it.”

I pop the lid and gasp. Gently grasping the double heart pendant, I lift it out of the box and examine it more closely. Two interconnecting diamond-studded hearts rest at the bottom of a delicate silver chain. Turning it over, I notice our initials engraved on the back, and my heart surges with happiness. It’s the most exquisite thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I can’t believe he bought it for me. “You don’t like it?” Worry lines dot his brow.

“No,” I admit, watching as the curves in his forehead hollow out. “I
love
it. It’s perfect. Thank you so much.” I enfold myself around him like an octopus. Emotion brims in my chest, threatening to overflow.
Say it. Tell him you love him
. But the words stubbornly refuse to come out.

“Consider it an early birthday present,” he says, as his fingers explore my hair.

I ease back a little, a puzzled expression on my face. “My birthday is like five weeks away.”

His expression is pained once more. “I’m aware of that fact, but I don’t know if I’ll be around to see you on the day.”

“Oh. I see.” Some of the euphoria dissipates. “Well, thank you for being so thoughtful to think ahead. I truly love it.” I unlock the clasp.

“Let me.” He takes it from me, and I scrunch my hair up while he fastens it around my neck. “It also serves a dual purpose.”

“Oh?” I intone, completely flustered, as his fingers skim the surface of my skin, eliciting a flurry of delicious tingles.

“There’s a microchip embedded in the casing that triggers a bomb mechanism once activated.”

I jerk around.
“Why would you give me something like that?”

“Why do you think?”
He pins me with one of his trademark special looks.
“It’s for your protection.”

I snort.
“I hardly think it’s safe to be walking around with a bomb strapped around my neck. What if I accidentally set it off?”

He sniggers as his fingers brush the pendant where it rests in the hollow above my clavicle. I suck in a husky moan.
“You can’t. You have to moisten it with your saliva to activate it. It’s programmed to your DNA so no one else can use it against you. Once it’s activated, you need to secure it to something solid, and then you’ll have thirty seconds to get out of there before she blows.”

“Trust you to give me a romantic gift that doubles as protection. Obsessive much?”
His possessiveness is borderline creepy but weirdly heartwarming too. I’ve never had anyone care this much about me before.

“When it comes to you, one hundred percent. And don’t expect an apology. Your safety will always come first.”
He moves my hair to the side and sweeps his lips against my neck. I moan vociferously. Spinning me around with Olympic-worthy speed, he crashes his mouth to mine, and we lose ourselves in the most absorbing kiss. Our tongues meet, probing, exploring, welcoming, and everything else fades into the background. All the secrets and lies. All my worries and concerns. When we’re together like this, I have all the proof I need to know this is what’s right for me.
He’s
right for me. Somehow, we will sort through all the crap.

His hand tangles in my hair as he lures me closer. My hands explore his broad shoulders and back. If I could crawl inside him I would, such is the strength of my need to be as one with him. Every stroke of his tongue, every glide of his lips, tells me how much he loves me, and I wish I could stay sheltered in his embrace for eternity. He is all I’ll ever need. All I want.

“Ahem.”

We jump apart, both startled at the intrusion.

The VP looms over us, a cheesy smirk on his face. “You wish to speak with me, Crown Prince?”

Logan fixes his hair and carefully lifts me off his lap. He stands up. “If you can spare a few moments.”

“Of course. This way.” The VP gestures with his hand, and Logan steps into his office, turning at the last minute to slyly wink at me. The VP closes the door behind them, and I return to my desk at the far side of the room, grinning like a spaced-out idiot.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opens wide and Logan reappears. “I have to go, but you don’t need to worry. The VP will locate your brother and sister and ensure they’re released. He has promised to keep me updated.”

Rising, I move around the desk and cuddle him. “Thank you so much.” Little pockets of stress flit away. I peek up at him, smiling my gratitude.

He lowers his lips to mine and kisses me tenderly, pinning me with a loving gaze. “I know you have concerns about the future, Sadie.” He tucks my hair behind my ears, and my skin sizzles where his fingertips make contact. “And I totally understand why. But once we are Eterno connected, none of the other stuff will matter. Trust me on that, and know that I’ll do everything in my power to smooth the transition for you. The last thing I want is for you to worry about anything. I want you to be happy. Carefree.”

I don’t bother telling him that’s an impossibility.

He cups my face in his hands and kisses me one last time. “Don’t forget how much I love you. Stay safe, Angel. I’ll call you later.”

I watch his retreating back, already feeling bereft.

The VP calls me into his office a few minutes later. “Take a seat, Sadie.” I sag into the chair and straighten my spine. “Logan has asked for my assistance in locating your brother and sister. He tells me they have been sent to Sector Twenty to help us with our inquiries.”

My fingers trace the edge of the seat. Logan obviously hasn’t divulged the fact that I know exactly what’s going on in that facility, so I play along. “I believe so. At least, that’s what my mother has stated.”

“Ah, yes, your mother,” he says, inspecting his fingernails. “From what I’ve seen in your file, I don’t believe she has earned the right to that title. Am I wrong?”

Discerning eyes latch on mine as an intense tremor rocks my body.
He’s seen my file?
I suppose it’s not that unusual when he’s recruiting new members to his team. I try to quiet the alarm bells ringing in my head.

“No.” I’m determined to say as little as possible in case I slip up.

He taps a finger against his lips. “I’ll ask around about your siblings, but I can make no promises, you understand.”

Skin prickles on the back of my neck. I’m fairly certain that wasn’t the agreement he made with Logan, but I’ll have to wait until later to ask him. For now, I’ll continue to perform the part. “I appreciate your efforts, sir.” I move to rise but he motions me to remain seated. A new layer of stress replaces the previous one.

“The crown prince is very taken with you. He has informed me that he intends to make you his bride. I assume you are aware of this.” He cocks his head to the side.

A thrill whips through me at his spoken confirmation. While I know that’s what Logan means when he talks about us Eterno bonding, there’s no substitute for hearing the sentiment repeated by an outsider. It makes the commitment more real, in one sense. “Yes, sir.”

“That’s superb news. If we are to prolong our working relationship with the Saven into the future, fostering strong alien-human relations will be critical to our mutual success. Having a human crowned Saven princess will be a phenomenal step forward. Well done, Sadie.”

“Um, thanks.” I squirm in my seat, hugely uncomfortable with the direction this conversation is taking.

“My government will support you in any way we can. Starting right now.”
My
government? Last time I checked, he was only the
vice
president. “I’ve arranged to have your official social status altered. We can’t have someone of your caliber remain a member of the lower class. If you’ll attend the doctor’s station on the eighteenth floor, they will remove your star tattoo and replace it with your new bullion tattoo. The paperwork will be finalized shortly. Congratulations, Sadie. You are now an official member of the upper class.”

I blink several times, completely dazed. I don’t know how to respond.

“You’re welcome.” The VP titters at my disorientated state.

My brain empties, grappling to adjust to this latest development. “I, um, thank you, sir.”

I stumble out of his office into the corridor and take the elevator to the eighteenth floor as if on autopilot. The receptionist is waiting for me, and she asks me to take a seat while the doctor makes the final preparations. This seems so surreal, and it’s happening so fast that my brain can’t even comprehend how I feel about it. It’s only when I’m lying on the bed in the doctor’s room that my brain reengages. This isn’t right. I hop up, surprising the woman. “I’ve changed my mind,” I tell her as her eyes stretch wide. She opens her mouth to speak, but I’m already halfway out of the room.

I return to the VP’s office and knock on the door. He calls me in, unhooking his comm-clip as I take a seat. “That was the doctor. What’s going on, Sadie.”

“Thank you very much for your kind gesture, sir, but I can’t accept.” I clench my hands in my lap.

“Why on earth not?” He eyeballs me suspiciously.

“I can only accept my freedom when all stars are offered the same option.”

His eyes narrow to slits as he splays his hands on the desk. “I didn’t take you for a zealot.”

“I’m not,” I protest. “But it hardly seems fair that I’ve been offered this opportunity when my friends, family, and co-workers are all trapped in the same life. I’m very grateful for the offer, and for what you are doing for my sister and brother, but I have to do what feels right.”

“Hmm.” He raps his fingers lightly off the desk. “This displeases me greatly.”

Nausea builds at the back of my throat, and a deep-seated unease rattles my conviction. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, sir,” I admit, but I don’t back down.

“You do understand that it may take weeks, if not longer, to identify your siblings, and I don’t know how far we’ll have advanced their
inquiries
at that stage.” There’s no mistaking the silent threat, or the fact that he assumes I know exactly what’s going on in Sector Twenty, and that he doesn’t like to be refused.

It marks a defining moment in our working relationship.

Though I’m terrified, I refuse to bow down to him. I won’t be blackmailed.

Logan won’t be pleased to learn how the VP is already apparently reneging on his word and attempting to manipulate me. Besides, he isn’t my only option. Now that I’ve drawn attention to my siblings, it’s imperative that Jarod and I pursue our plans. There’s no time to delay.