Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“See you tomorrow or are you off a few days?”
“Likely the day after tomorrow. We’ll see. After the other day when my security system was breached, I’m considering rebuilding my home lab and working mostly from there, at least for now.”
Pace shrugged. “Makes sense. If I had her at home, I wouldn’t want to be away much either.”
Zane gritted his teeth at the way Pace’s eyes roved over Tanya.
***
When he dropped Tanya and Ollie off at home, his father was there to greet them on the transportation level. Zane’s son threw himself into Zane’s arms with a farewell and told him to hurry home. Zane grabbed Tanya’s hand and tugged her toward him as she tried to exit the vehicle saying, “Umm, bye for now?” looking gorgeous and yet also looking a little stressed. Was she nervous about spending time with Zane’s father?
“Hey, I’ll be back soon. Kiss me,” he ordered. “I need a little taste to tide me over until I get back.”
She smiled and shyly bit her lip. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck to bring her close so he could lay a kiss on those gorgeous pink lips.
“More lipstick on you,” she whispered.
He sucked his lower lip. “I don’t mind. Switch to the cosmetics I purchased for you and it won’t do that. Though, I really like this color. You should order this precise color. I’ll scan it in for you and it’ll be formulated.”
“I saw some stuff on the screen in the bathroom. Is all that for me?”
“Who else would it be for?” he returned playfully.
“Thank you. It’s all very nice.”
“You’re welcome. Use it. I arranged weeks ago to have things made for your size. Though I’ve enjoyed seeing you in your own things, too. I’ll show you the new gadget I crafted to make other clothing for you, too. If you see something you want, it’ll make it.”
“See you soon?” She asked, chewing her lip.
“As soon as possible,” he assured, caressing her cheek with his fingertips. “The sooner I go, the sooner I’m back.”
She leaned in and stared into his eyes. “I look forward to it. Hurry back. Be safe.” She touched his lips with hers sweetly and then waved and then hurried to the door, which Ollie was standing at, holding it open, smiling wide.
Zane waved and the door to his vehicle closed. He left Tanya in the hands of his father as he headed to the police headquarters to answer questions and speak with the idiot that’d been on his roof.
And now he was home, landing on the roof and trying to figure out how to approach the subject of what had happened at the police station with his father.
Further evidence that Joran may indeed be alive.
At first, the excitement, the relief – undeniable, and Zane hesitated to hope, not wanting to be let down. But also, if it were true, if Joran Zenith was alive and well, what did that say about how Joran felt about his family that he’d stay away all this time. And what did it say about what kind of a man he’d chosen to be that he was involved with the rebel movement and had been a commander of a troop attempting to steal Tanya from Zane?
He didn’t know what to make of it all. That idiot on the rooftop had evidently thought Zane was his commander, “JZ” due to his appearance and it helped that they evidently drove the same car. Being twins, there were many times over the years where they’d made the same choices apart, so it wasn’t outlandish that they’d have the same vehicle.
If this mystery man were Joran, he was in possession of the two missing Earth women. If this were true, a rebel known as “JZ” to authorities and on a wanted man list was his brother.
Though Nova and his team were having difficulty getting answers from the idiot called Marin, as soon as they brought Zane in to question him after hearing Zane’s recount of all the things that Marin had said on the roof the idiot sang like an island songbird, telling his life story.
He didn’t speak of Joran Zenith, but spoke of JZ. JZ who looked ‘just like’ Zane, according to the man. JZ, who had supplied that man with orders and tactical gear (including the weapon that had Joran’s maker’s mark on it, which he claimed that Zane had taken).
Tithe knew that Zane had used that weapon to end the other men and asked for it.
“I still have it,” Zane replied.
“We’ll need it as evidence,” Nova told him.
“Fine. I’ll drop it off.”
The idiot was drugged, for certain, though coming out of it and strangely willing to attempt to answer Zane’s questions as if Zane were his superior commander, though in pain due to withdrawals and very confused.