Chapter 43
Forty-Three
As Armienti raced through the vastness of space, stars and meteors glittered against the glass of the destroyer he’d stolen from the Zambarian royal vessel. His heart bled from the pain Autumn had caused him. The agony of being rejected again . He’d never be enough for anyone, no matter how hard he tried.
Nobody cared if he lived or died.
The constant transmissions humming through the ship indicated Dante had several destroyers out searching for him. The order was given as soon as he’d departed, and when Dante wanted something, he was relentless .
But what his brother didn’t count on was the invisible mode his ship traveled on. The destroyers sped by him in an obsidian streak giving him plenty of time to escape as he melded into the darkness of the stars.
For the first time, he’d outsmarted him. His pompous and self-centered older brother. His lips flickered with self-satisfaction. Perhaps Dante wasn’t as intelligent as he believed himself to be.
He had no one left in the universes to confide in except for Ronan. He was desperate to find him.
Once again, Autumn’s words haunted him, stripping him bare. A twinge of humiliation rattled through his bones, burning his core. If his brother was out of the picture, then maybe she would’ve chosen him. Maybe. Although maybe was a long shot, it was still a possibility.
Anything was possible. Wasn’t it?
He pulled a sleek black communicator out of his pocket. The same device he’d hidden from Autumn on planet First after discovering it on the body of one of Valdez’s dead Zexian soldiers in a failed attempt to get her to fall for him.
What an idiot he was.
She no longer wanted anything to do with him. Dammit.
His navy-blue-gloved fingers trembled as they slid over Ronan’s number. The frequency transmitted and after a few moments Ronan answered. Relief flooded through his limbs.
“Hello,” Armienti said, his voice tremulous. “Where are you?”
“It’s nice to hear from you again.” Ronan sounded happier than he had in a long while. Armienti rolled his eyes. It figured . Even his younger brother found love before he did. Life was so unfair. The speaker crackled and popped as Ronan breathed, then he continued. “We’re coming up through Universe 8.”
“I see,” Armienti placed the communicator on speaker, sitting the device in his lap. He re-fastened his long, gilded tresses into a low ponytail and inhaled a deep shuddering breath. “Any chance we could meet up?”
Ronan snorted. “I thought that was the plan all along. I can’t wait to introduce you to Sean.” Armienti heard laughter and merriment in the background. He experienced a twinge of jealousy. His chest ached, gut twisting. “Autumn’s father isn’t bad either, he’s just worried about Autumn. By the way, how is she?”
“She’s fine,” Armienti lied through his teeth. He couldn’t bear to talk about her, couldn’t bear to hear the sound of her name. “So where are we meeting?”
“I’m sorry I asked. Are you fighting with her or something?”
“Of course not,” he snapped. Ronan didn’t know the half of it. The situation was far worse than anything he could’ve ever possibly imagined.
“Is it Dante then? Is he being a pain in the ass? Shall I call and smooth him out? Ever since he was crowned emperor?—”
Armienti’s stomach flipped. “No, no, that isn’t necessary.”
“Very well then. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, yes, of course I am.”
Phew, that was close , he wiped the sweat beading on his brow. Armienti was so glad he’d spoken Ronan off a cliff. One wrong move and he could’ve been busted, or worse, executed for treason.
“Let’s meet in Universe 10, Sector 86,” Ronan suggested. “That way we can catch up before heading?—”
“Perfect, I’ll see you there.” Armienti clicked off his communicator. His entire body trembled right down to the tips of his toes. He had to be careful how he handled this next situation. His very life depended on his success.
Ronan shook his head as he flew the destroyer through the vastness of space. Stars zipped by the vessel in sparks and waves, their tails lighting the way. Armienti was acting weirder than usual. He hoped his older brother wasn’t in some kind of trouble, but knowing him, anything was possible. He’d pulled some stupid stunts over the years.
His attention drifted to Sean. His ears and neck warmed as he admired his boyfriend sketching everything he saw in his notepad. Stars, suns, planets, even his natural form which he’d slipped up and shown him right after they boarded the ship—with zero notice.
For a moment, he thought their relationship was over.
Lucky for him, Sean thought it was the coolest thing he’d ever seen in his life. As he sat beside him, copying his likeness, he’d managed to shade his skin the correct hue of blue and portray the vibrant green of his eyes. A perfect resemblance. His mouth curved. He couldn’t help but smile. His boyfriend was so talented.
Autumn’s father, not so much.
He sat in the corner all by himself sipping a hot beverage. His back pressed against the wall. Steam fogged his cracked spectacles as he watched them in silence, his eyes narrowed.
“Do your parents know you’re out here?” he asked between sips. Droplets of water settled in his facial hair. He wiped them with his hand.
“Yes,” Sean glanced up from a sketch. He pushed his ginger-blonde hair behind an ear. His deep brown eyes smiled, glowing against his golden complexion. “They know we’re going on a trip.”
“I see, but do they know about?—”
Sean shook his head. “No, not yet, but when the time is right, I’m sure we’ll have that conversation with them.” He reached over and squeezed Ronan’s black-gloved hand. He melted, cheeks turning pink.
“And you?” Mr. Ramon addressed Ronan. “I know we got off to kind of a rough start, but I can’t imagine your parents would be okay with you traveling so far away from home picking up humans all by yourself.”
“My parents are dead. They died a long time ago.” Ronan offered. Honestly, he couldn’t recall their faces. He was too young. The only parents he’d ever known were the former emperor and empress and his older brother and cousin who kept him in line.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Autumn’s father lowered his voice.
“It’s okay,” Ronan glanced out the window. “What does it matter now? ”
“I’m sure they loved you very much. I know what it’s like to lose a family member.”
Ronan nodded slowly, crossing his arms.
“My wife passed away a few years ago and I miss her more and more every day.”
Mr. Ramon came to a stand and walked over to them. He held his cup close to his chest. Horizontal lines swept across his brow. His mouth moved as he prepared to speak. “How is my daughter really? Is she okay? Is she hurt? Is she scared?”
Ronan sighed. This had to be the fifth time today he’d asked. The answer never changed.
“I assure you, she’s fine.” Although she was slightly different from how he remembered her back on Earth, it tempted him to add. He couldn’t deal with the backlash. Her father was too fragile.
His cup shook in his hand. Sean gasped. “When I get my hands on Dante, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind he’ll never forget. That punk, taking my only daughter, my little girl, from behind my back. Alien or not, he has to learn some respect.” He paused. “You know he’s wanted, don’t you?”
Ronan bit his cheeks concealing a smile. “Of course I do.” Her father didn’t know the half of Dante’s capabilities.
“Then you understand. I won’t put up with his shenanigans. I don’t care if he’s emperor—he’s going to answer to me. I plan to give him a wake-up call he’ll never forget. You never ever mess with someone else’s family and expect to get away with it.” His hands shook, and he smashed the cup against the wall.