Free Alien Protector: Sci-Fi Alien Invasion Paranormal Romance by Ashley West Page B

serious because I’m not even from here’ one, which, when she thought about it, would be the lesser of two evils that she didn’t want to deal with at all.
    But putting it off wouldn’t make it any less crappy to hear, so she squared her shoulders and nodded. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”
    “I…” Draco faltered, finally looking up at her with a helpless expression on her face. “I’m not sure where to start, actually. Some things have...changed. And not for the better.”
    “And so you don’t want to see me anymore?” she asked, trying to spare him having to drag this out.
    He blinked and shook his head. “No, that’s… No. That’s not what I’m trying to say.”
    Oh. Well, then. Stephanie brightened and leaned on the counter in front of her. “Then what is it? You’re not going to tell me you’re actually an illegal alien and you need to marry me to stay in the country, are you?”
    Draco frowned, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. “Well. I don’t know about the illegal part or the-”
    Steph’s eyes widened and she pushed off from the counter, appalled. “You have got to be kidding!” she said, louder than she’d meant to, cutting him off. “That’s what this whole thing has been about? Not because you liked me but because you’re from another country and need someone stupid enough to get involved in this with you? And you thought, what? You buy me one dinner and that’s enough for me to just say sure, yeah! Let’s get married!”
    “Stephanie, I don’t-”
    “You don’t what ?” she snapped. “God, you know, I know this stuff happens on TV all the time, and in movies, but I didn’t think it was something people actually tried in real life. Unless they were really, really desperate.”
    “I am desperate,” Draco said, standing and moving closer. “But I’m not from another country, and I’m certainly not trying to marry you.”
    “Oh, what? I’m not good enough?”
    He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Will you please just listen to me? I do need your help, but it’s… I need to explain first.”
    Stephanie folded her arms over her chest while the coffee maker bubbled and brewed behind her. “Fine,” she said. “Explain.”
    Draco looked almost taken aback to be allowed the opportunity, and he nodded, faltering again when he tried to speak. I guess there’s nothing to do but come out and say it,” he said. “Do you remember how you told me one of your colleagues made a joke about the blade being from another planet?”
    She nodded, unsure of what that had to do with anything. “Yeah, I do.”
    “Well, if the blade came from another planet, then it would stand to reason that there are people out there on other planets making things like that, right?”
    “I...guess so, yeah. But I never said that I believed the blade came from somewhere else.”
    “No, you didn’t,” Draco agreed. “But it does make sense, and I think you know that. And it’s true. The blade comes from a planet called Aldara. And so do I.”
    The room was plunged into silence after his pronouncement, and Stephanie gaped at him for long moments. There was no hint of mirth in his eyes or amusement on his face, so either he believed his was telling the truth or...or he was.
    She laughed shakily. “Yeah, okay,” she said. “You’re an actual alien as in an extraterrestrial. Right. Of course. And you’re here to do what? Collect information and take it back to the mother ship?”
    “It’s not a joke,” Draco snapped, sounding agitated. “I can prove it.”
    “How? Are you going to take me back with you to your other planet?” She wiggled her fingers as she spoke, trying to make light of the fact that she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do now.
    “Come here,” he said, and his voice was as commanding as she had ever heard it before. “I want to show you something.”
    In his hand was a device, about the size of one of the latest smartphones. Without even