More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Her “bad attitude” and “poor people skills” were a few of the many reasons she couldn’t hold down a job for long. But why was it her fault that people asked dumb questions?
Vanessa’s insides heated, and she couldn’t decide if it was from anger or something else. A flush broke out all over her skin and heat rose on her cheeks. Blushing? Was she fucking blushing?
Breathtaking Vanessa, From the research I’ve done, I expect this model will suit you much better. Think of me when you use it. Your arrogant admirer
After a few terrifying runs-ins with her bathroom mirror, she’d stopped looking at her reflection altogether.
He took a step forward and stopped, sniffing the air between them. Shiiiiit. No. He couldn’t be that good at smelling, could he? And he wouldn’t remember what she smelled like. That was impossible. His chin tipped down ever so slightly, and a devilish grin split his face. If his smile before had been open and charming, this one was all confidence and hunger. He couldn’t possibly know— “Vanessa,” he purred, voice gone low.
He could finally have someone. A companion. Someone who didn’t look at him and only see what they could get.
“Hello, Fejo. I’m here to inform you that Vanessa has selected you for—” Fejo couldn’t contain the bellow that broke from his chest.
It was a quality he found he didn’t appreciate. He couldn’t pleasure her. He couldn’t comfort her. He couldn’t seem to find a compliment she enjoyed. What the hell was he good for? She’d even tried to give back his gift, for Goddess’ sake!
Had the rumors about his work been a source of intrigue for her? Or was she upset that she’d married a male who potentially broke the law? It would make him feel better to know which way she was leaning. For one thing, he’d play up his criminal act a bit more if she was attracted to that.
Hot guy with a pleasure kink—check. A bit of a bad boy streak—check. Had his own fucking amazing space pirate ship—check, check, check. Damn, he was getting more extraordinary by the minute.
“That was very good. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything like it before.” He’d bring her mountains of them at every opportunity.
An errant pain sliced through her chest, knowing no woman had ever chosen to be married and live here. If she were actually in the market for a real husband, she wouldn’t mind living in the ship Fejo had so lovingly built.
“You are important. You’re smart. And you’re honest. You’re important to me.”
“If you ever touch her like that again or ever show me that level of disrespect, I’ll chop off your hand altogether.”
Fejo was tired of feeling like this. Like all he was good for was as an experiment or messenger or hired hand. All he’d wanted to do was make her happy and finally claim a bit of happiness for himself.
Vanessa bolted. Maybe if she got into the bakery and spoke to Sulo, she could hide. Maybe the woman would help her. Alien women supporting alien women and all that.
“I didn’t mean it,” she breathed between sobs. “I didn’t mean it. I would’ve gone back the next day and apologized. I would’ve taken Mia. I would have. I was just so scared of losing Julie. I was so mad at the universe for doing this again. I was so mad that out of the two of us, she got the tumor. It should’ve been me.”
What he wouldn’t give for somebody to be that devoted to him. To cry and beg and steal and cheat just so they could get back to him.
It was clearly what she wanted, and her admissions the night before weighed on him. He had a particular soft spot for the child named Mia.
Uja knew what it was like to want a female you couldn’t have. He’d been carrying on a secret tryst with a Clecanian female from Mithrandir for years now. The relationship had been doomed from the start. Uja, as a criminal, was not eligible for marriage. And his female, Ziritha, was slated to become the next queen of Mithrandir.
“Were you trying to save me?” he asked, taking a step toward her. She coughed again, feeling stupid. He was obviously alright, though she still could not for the life of her figure out how. “That was the plan! But apparently you just like to hang out at the bottom of pools and scare people to death.”
Fejo bolted upright, unable to tear his gaze away from the mating marks now covering his hands.
“I can’t let you go, Vanessa,” he growled into her skin. “I know you don’t feel it, but you’re mine now. I’m yours. I can’t… I won’t…”
“You’re a part of me too. I just meant things are more complicated now. We”—she emphasized the word, and his skin buzzed, his mind unable to comprehend what she was saying—“need to figure out how to make this work. Either I need to go to Earth alone and somehow find my way back, or you need to go there with me. I’m not leaving them.” She placed her other hand on his cheek, leaning into him with a soft smile. “But I’m not leaving you either.”
“Also…I like the idea that you’re a little obsessed with me now.” A deep purr reverberated in Fejo’s chest. He had his mate in his arms, and she wanted to be there. The most captivating female he’d ever met was certain she wanted him. He could see it in her eyes and in the way she’d talked about their future. As if him being a part of her life was now indisputable. He lifted her against his chest again. “‘Obsessed’ is an understatement.”
“I don’t want to hear it, but I also do. Like you said, you’re my mate now. I want to know everything about you. I also want to know who I need to add to my mental kill list.” A grin spread over Fejo’s face. “Are you going to kill them for me, little mate?” Her chin dropped onto his chest and she pursed her lips. “I will eviscerate them in my imagination.”
I realized later that when he’d found me, he’d only seen potential uses. His kindness stopped the day I refused to do what he wanted.” “What happened to him?” In her mind, she was slicing off a faceless man’s wings at that moment. Fejo gulped. “I killed him.” “Good.” He lifted a brow at her. She rolled her eyes and in an admonishing voice said, “Oh no. That’s terrible. Killing is bad. Et cetera, et cetera.”
He rolled to his side and propped his head on his hand. “Mentally eviscerating her for me, lovely?” She pursed her lips and sat up, crossing her arms. “Is she still threatening you? Because you give me five minutes alone—”
Well, fuck that. Even if she didn’t have a grudge against the man, she wasn’t about to talk to a stranger about how she and Fejo had just finished sixty-nining in a linen closet when his marks had suddenly appeared.
Scrambling off her back, Vanessa climbed onto Klinara’s wings, ripping her head up by the hair at her scalp and holding the knife to her throat.
He chuckled again, his dimple popping with his wide grin. “I love you so much, Vanessa.” Vanessa smiled and twined her arms around his neck. “And I love you, my devastating, brave, perfect Fejo.” She pulled him down, and he took her mouth in a deep, breath-stealing kiss.
Fejo eyed the little girl warily as if he’d never seen one before and thought she might wake up shrieking. Then, as he set down Mia’s backpack, he stared, his mouth curling in amusement. Vanessa glanced at the sparkly bag and chuckled. Bright purple with a lime-green alien in a sparkly UFO on the front. “Yeah. I forgot to mention Mia’s been obsessed with aliens since she was five.” Fejo’s grin widened.
