Page 68 of Badass Alien Boss

“Is that what you want? For me to forget you? Are you going to forget me?”

“I’ll never forget you. But you can be happy with someone else. You can marry a nice human man”—Ruyn hated him already—“and have the life you dream of.”

“The life I dream of is with you!”

“We can’t be intimate!”

“So, you only want me for sex.”

“No! I want you to be happy! It kills me to think of you moving on without me, but it’s best for you.”

“The best for me is to be with you.”

She didn’t understand the situation. They weren’t talking about a few weeks of abstinence but a lifetime. The doctor said he was cautiously hopeful they could cure him, but reading between the lines revealed the odds were very, very slim. “But for how long? Desire won’t go away. We’ll be living in a state of constant frustration and denial.”

“Intercourse isn’t the only way to have sex. And I’m willing to take the very small risk and use a condom.”

“I’m not. You almost died! You heard the doctor. One more exposure, and youwilldie.” Why couldn’t she understand! He wrenched his gaze away from her imploring expression and focused on the statue. He clenched his fists. The room needed a punching bag, not incense and a stone statue with a mocking grin.

“You’re giving up,” she accused.

“I’m being realistic.”Please don’t make this harder than it already is.

She shook her head. “Rather than wait and see what happens, you’re giving up. You’re accepting as inevitable something that may not happen because you’re afraid.”

“You’re phukking right I’m afraid! I’m afraid I could kill you!”

“You won’t kill me. I won’t let you.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He tried to remain unyielding, stiff, but he caved and hung on to her for dear life.

“Don’t give up on us, please. I’m not giving up. I need you. I love you. We can fight this together,” she said.

“It won’t end the way we want.”

“Maybe it won’t. But maybe it will. I’m willing to bet on a maybe.”

His whole adult life had been spent fighting. As a soldier, he’d fought his government’s battles. Home on leave, he'd taken a shortcut and had his entire military career destroyed. Critically injured, he’d had to fight for recovery, fight to even walk again.

Now, he had to fight to be with the woman he loved, and no matter how hard he fought, how much he persevered, he had no control over the outcome. Their future hinged on an alien researcher being interested enough to pursue a cure—andhopefullyfinding one.

If he stayed in the battle, andthenlost her, it would kill him.

That was what scared him. Losing her.

Someone cleared his throat. A familiar-looking man stood in the doorway. “Ruyn and Michaela Perine? I’m Agent Tervik with the Galactic Police Organization. I need to ask you a few questions.”

Not now.Ruyn scowled, but Michaela stepped out of his embrace and said, “Fine.”

Consumed by a deep sense of loss, he wanted to grab her, hold her, pretend their future hadn’t just been ripped away from them.

“Shall we sit?” The agent motioned.

They took one bench, their backs to the mocking statue, and the agent sat across from them.

“Do I know you?” Michaela cocked her head. “I passed you in the hall earlier, but besides that, I mean. Have we met before?”

She recognized him, too? Ruyn narrowed his eyes.Where have I seen him?

“Let’s get to my questions, shall we?”