Free Alien Lover (Zerconian Warriors Book 2) by Sadie Carter

lost his parents at a young age, he had been taken in by his uncle, Dante’s father. He had been given the best of everything. He could have done great things. Been a great man. Instead, he’d chosen to cheat, swindle, and lie his way through life. It had gained him a planet, wealth, people to run round after him.
    But was he happy?
    Dex wouldn’t be. Not without friends and family. Zoey. Shit. Zoey. He had to get out of here. No doubt she was growing concerned. Even though he’d told her countless times that her worry over him was misplaced. It was an insult. As though she doubted his ability to protect himself and his warriors.
    Zoey only worries because she cares.
    “Your warriors are safe. They are recovering in another room. As a goodwill gesture, I am even willing to reunite you with them. But first, you need to listen to what I require.”
    What happened? How had Targos gotten the best of him?
    Edreinia was a large planet, but eighty percent of the surface was water. Large areas of the planet weren’t monitored for incoming spaceships since ships couldn’t land on water. So they had deliberately crashed into the water to avoid detection with the intention of stealing a shuttle to make their way back to their ship.
    They had arranged to be collected by boat by a male who remained loyal to Dante. Zacharian had paddled out and rescued them up under the cloak of darkness then taken them back to his home.
    He had insisted on giving them a hot drink before they headed out.
    Then nothing.
    “Zacharian betrayed us?”
    Targos nodded, smirking. “You did not seriously think you could use my own people to betray me?”
    “They are not your people.”
    The other male’s face darkened. He drew his leg back and kicked Dex in the ribs. Air rushed from his lungs as agony engulfed his chest. As he worked his way through the pain, he plastered a smile on his face.
    “Is that the best you can do?”
    Provoking him probably wasn’t wise. Blow after blow landed on his torso, his ribs, even his head, and Dex lay there, weak as a babe, unable to defend himself.
    Taking a wheezing breath, Dex stared up at Targos. “Feel better?”
    Targos straightened his suit, brushing out the creases. “Actually, I do. Zacharian was only too happy to drug you then contact me to retrieve you and your men. Really, Dex, it was a foolish endeavor to attempt to go against me.”
    “What do you want? Why did you purchase some of my warriors in a slave auction?”
    “Come now, surely you have worked it out. What could you possibly have that I might want? Think, Dex.”
    “You want Dante.”
    Of course. But Dante was an old friend and ally.
    Dex wouldn’t betray him now.
    “You cannot have everything you want.”
    Targos scowled at him. Then like a switch going on, he suddenly smiled. His mood swings were even worse than Dex had remembered. “I think I can. But I do not wish to disagree with such an esteemed guest. I can be reasonable even if you cannot. Guards!”
    Three armed males stormed in. They looked cold, hard. As though life hadn’t been kind, and it had molded them into some nasty characters.
    Where had Targos found these people? They weren’t native to Edreinia. Edreinians rarely grew over five-foot-five and had a timid nature. That’s why he couldn’t believe that Zacharian had betrayed them.
    “Take my friend here and put him in with the others.”
    With rough hands and no care for his injuries, one of them grabbed his hands while another took hold of his ankles. Swinging him between them, they carried him out of the cell, carelessly smashing his side into the doorframe.
    They made their way down a dark passage, then the men paused. He heard a door creak open. They carried him into a dark room and threw him into the corner where he landed with a loud thump, his breath swooshing out of him as agony thrummed through his body.
    The door slammed shut, causing the throbbing in his head to increase threefold.
    “Dex? Is that you?