Water World Warrior: A SciFi Alien Mail Order Bride Romance (TerraMates Book 1) Read Free Page A

when I went on the school trip to Africa and got malaria? They won't take me. But they'll take you."
    "Stop it, Samantha Morrows. You're talking nonsense."
    She sighed.
    "Okay. But I think you're missing out on a great opportunity!" she said.
    "Yeah, right," I said, turning in at one of the plain houses that lined our street. The grass was overgrown. I would have to ask one of the boys to cut it. "Well, here I am."
    "Ash," Samantha said, turning to me. "You work too hard, and you never have any fun. Come out with me tonight. Please?"
    I shook my head, and she rolled her eyes.
    "I can't. The environmental scientist dream might be out of reach, but you know that I'm working on my courses so that when I go back to university, I'll have a few of them under my belt. I have to study. I don't have time to go out clubbing."
    "Fine, Ash. But all work and no play makes Ashlyn a dull girl."
    "I'm not dull, Sam. I'm sensible. I'm responsible. I'm taking care of my family. And if I can somehow find a way to have my dream, too, well then, I'm going to go for it. But it takes work and dedication. And clubbing isn't part of my plan. I'm sorry."
    "Right. Well, if you change your mind, just let me know, okay?"
    "Okay, Sam. See you tomorrow? I'll walk you to work?"
    "You bet. Don't we always walk to work together?"
    I smiled at her.
    "All right. I'll see you then."
    She walked away down the street, and I let myself into our house. It was small and clean. Everything was nice because I kept it that way. I probably ought to make the boys do more, but I didn't. I felt so badly after Mom died that I didn't want to make them help out. I know they're spoiled.
    "Hello?" I called, putting my things down on the couch. "Anyone home?"
    There was a funny sound from the kitchen and I wandered in, wondering who was in there. When I walked through the door, I froze.
    My brother, Marlin, was sitting on a chair in the kitchen. He was crying. And he was so beaten up that I hardly recognized him.

Chapter 3
    ASHLYN
    I ran to my brother.
    "Jesus, Marlin. What the hell happened to you?" I said. "Come with me to the bathroom, and I'll get you cleaned up."
    I swallowed my nausea. I've never been very good with blood — a definite liability with three rambunctious boys in the house. Even though he's twenty-three, the man I thought of as my little brother had bruises on his face. There was dried blood in several spots, and his lip was bleeding.
    I felt like crying myself, but he needed me, and I wasn't going to fall to pieces on him, no matter how much I wanted to.
    He could hardly walk, so I brought a bowl of warm water, a cloth, disinfectant and bandages to the table where he sat. I sucked it up and started to clean him up. I checked his torso; it was black and blue. Someone had bruised his legs, too, but it didn't seem like anything was broken.
    Then I helped him to bed.
    "Marlin," I said, still standing beside him. He was lying there, eyes closed, looking like he would fall asleep. "You have to tell me what happened."
    "I got beat up," he said after a long minute of silence.
    "That's obvious, love, but why?"
    "I don't want to tell you."
    I frowned.
    "That doesn't sound good."
    "You'll be disappointed in me."
    "Mar, you know I'll always love you. Whatever you've done, I'll forgive you."
    He sniffed.
    "You've always been so good to me and Jeremy and Tim, though. And all I've ever done was let you down, Ash. And now I've done it again. I hate myself."
    "Marlin, don't say such things. Just tell me. We'll fix it. We can get through anything if we stick together. Isn't that what Mom always said?"
    "Oh," he almost wailed. "Don't bring Mom into this. She would be even more disappointed than you."
    "Hey," I said, gently. "Just try me."
    He drew in a shaky breath.
    "I've been gambling."
    I nodded.
    "Okay. We can work through this."
    "I've been gambling a lot. I kept thinking if I could win enough, I could pay off the mortgage. I know it's hard for you, Ash. I'm always close