Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
I don't want to make extreme plans at all. Thumbing a gesture at my comm panel, I say, "Should we check the news feed, then?"
Zhur's eyes widen and he looks alarmed. "Not from your residence, no. You might as well draw an arrow to my location."
"What, you don't think a human would look up news about another human marrying some high-ranking alien guy?"
"They would," he agrees. "But we are still under the assumption it is a human he is marrying. If it is not, it could have consequences for us. Better to not look at all unless we are in a secure location."
"Like...where?" I spread a hand.
"We can ask Kazex. They are considered off-worlders. It will seem less strange for them to look up such information, and the leader of his ship married a human, too."
"Sure is a lot of human-marrying going on for something that's supposed to be so awful," I point out.
He pauses, his gaze fixing on me. "Lord Straik's marriage was an extreme scandal. The sa'Rin branch of his family was ruined both economically and socially. He is an outcast amongst his people, and his scandal is even worse than the one where his mother was caught trafficking slaves."
"...oh." All right, that doesn't sound like the move to make if one wants to steal a throne. Maybe I need to stop being snippy about it. Maybe Zhur is right and we have to keep our marriage secret and I shouldn't have hurt feelings about it. "All right, well, should we go back into town and talk to Kazex?"
"Tomorrow," he says. "It will look suspicious for us to hurry back this day."
"Cool. Tell me your news, then." I clasp my hands on the table top. "I'm all ears."
"You are not. Your ears are very tiny and ridiculous," Zhur says absently. "And my news is not important. We must find out this other situation first."
I sputter. "You can't make me tell my news without telling yours! That's not fair!"
He reaches across the table and puts a hand over mine, his thumb stroking over my skin. "Shall I make it up to you?"
Oh, I know that look. I shiver, my girl parts clenching in anticipation. "I mean...I could go for some apology kissing."
He leans back in the chair and pats his lap, his sultry gaze locked on me. "I have a better idea."
God, I like his idea better, too.
CHAPTER
ONE HUNDRED FOUR
ZHUR
Having sex with Maeve is my favorite distraction. We fall into bed together (after spending some time in the kitchen, on the table, on the counter, and then the floor. The first few times we make love, it's frantic and needy, as if we're making up for lost time. Once we migrate to the bed, however, we take things slowly. I spend leisurely hours just stroking her strangely soft, naked skin and listening to her talk about everything and nothing at all.
I talk too, of course, but it's always less interesting than what Maeve has to say. I could listen to her for months on end and never grow bored. There's just something about her that I find effortlessly brave and admirable. She's lived through a lot, and yet it hasn't hardened her. She's grown stronger and more wary of certain things, but she still thinks of others. She has a generous heart and thinks nothing of flinging herself into trouble for a stranger.
It's wonderful.
It's terrifying. I know how to handle people that want things from me, personal favors and business contracts. But Maeve just wants...happiness. That's all she wants for both of us, and I don't know how to return that. I have no funds, no name, and just knowing me is a danger to her. It's best for both of us if I move forward with my initial plan.
Meet with my murderous brother somewhere public. Bargain with him for Maeve's protection. Offer to abdicate and support his claim in exchange for a life of peace and quiet. I don't know if Rem will be willing to agree with me, or if he'll just try to kill me outright.
But I have to try. I don't want to live a life on the run, constantly looking over my shoulder for all of my days and wondering where Rem's assassins might be. I don't want to be orange. I don't want to be a burden on Maeve. She deserves a life with a husband who can have cubs with her without fearing they'll be murdered if I'm discovered.
All of these things swirl through my head as I hold Maeve close. I nuzzle her soft hair and even softer neck as she sleeps in my arms, and wonder if she'll miss me when I'm in exile. Because right now, that's my best option—public exile.
Maeve wakes up sometime after dawn, but I haven't slept a wink all night. She rolls over and gives me a lazy smile, then wipes her hand over her chin. "You're looking at me funny. Was I drooling in my sleep?"