Page 74 of Badass Alien Boss

“I don’t hate you.”

“You should.”

“I don’t.” Ruyn touched Korsan’s knee. “You’re my brother. I love you. You tried to do the right thing, and you have to follow through and come clean with the authorities. You have to report what you know.”

He took a shuddering breath. “She’ll strike again.”

Michaela sat on Korsan’s other side. “Not if you act fast. Galpol is on to her. With your help, they can arrest her. She has to be stopped.” Korsan was the only one with direct evidence of Murta’s identity.

“Yeah.” He nodded, and Ruyn extended an arm across his shoulders in a loose hug.

“I’m going to contact Galpol right now, okay?”

He nodded again.

She took her tech tab into the kitchen. Tervik picked up right away. “Korsan is with us in our apartment. He has information for you.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“We live at—”

“I know where you live.”

They disconnected. She leaned against the counter to process the shocking information and give Ruyn time alone with his brother. Stunned herself, she could imagine what Ruyn felt. He had to be devastated—and this blow came on the heels of all the other bad news. But he’d handled it well.

Korsan had been not just naïve, but—she hated to think it—stupid. Shortsighted. How could he not have foreseen getting into bed with the Prellim Cartel would lead to disaster? While he hadn’t known Murta’s true identity at first—she believed that—if he hadn’t been willing to break the law in the first place, none of this would have happened.

Nobody would be safe until Murta was apprehended. Until then, they’d need to maintain heightened vigilance. She pushedoff from the counter and reentered the sitting room. The brothers sat side by side, speaking in low tones.

“The Galpol agent is on his way.” She’d no sooner spoken than the chime sounded, and the door cam revealed Tervik.

“That was fast!” she said as she let him in.

“I was on my way here when we spoke.” He stepped farther into the room. “You must be Korsan. I’m Agent Tervik of the Galactic Police Organization.”

At his direction, Korsan moved into the dining room where the two of them faced off across the table. She and Ruyn were asked to remain in the sitting area. They could listen, but Korsan couldn’t get any help from them.

To his credit, Korsan laid it all out. Tervik let him speak then asked a few questions and then, while still at the table, contacted someone on his tech tab.

“We got what we need. Arrest Murta, Chaumi, and the husband.” He paused. “And send a pickup to my location.” He put his tech tab away and looked at Korsan, his expression almost apologetic. “You realize I need to arrest you.”

“I know.”

Korsan stood up, and Ruyn hugged him. “Hang in there.”

“I will. If you can, if they allow it, let me know what happens…with your health situation, okay?”

“I will.”

She hugged him next.

“I’m so sorry I dragged you into this,” he said.

“I know you are.” Emotions were complicated. She couldn’t bring herself to utter words of forgiveness because she hadn’t forgiven him. His involvement in a crime had led to an attack that nearly killed Ruyn and then gotten him poisoned. He’d misled her and GAL Friday about the real threats. Serving as a bodyguard/investigator for a man attacked by a common street thug—as he’d presented it—was quite a bit different fromprotecting someone who’d beentargetedby a galactic criminal cartel.

If not for him, she wouldn’t have met Ruyn. However, due to Korsan, they might never enjoy the future they’d envisioned.

A new agent arrived, cuffed Korsan, and took him into custody.