Page 58 of The Marriage Bargain

“Here it is.

“You surrender the woman. If you have fathered any children by her, they will be given to her sister and her sister’s husband to raise. I will ensure they are cared for, since they are my offspring.” The disgust in his tone was palpable. “She becomes the Flight Commander’s female and bears his children, but is also afforded the chance to become the architect she dreams of being.

“You, meanwhile, return to Asterion. You accept my training, you accept your role in life as my son, and you prepare to one day assume my role as Elder in Asterion, as well as my role as Lead Advisor in the Interstellar Coalition—to which I’ve been newly appointed, due to my help in the matter of the Corinthen Asteroid War.”

The air around us went still. I felt my jaw drop. Had his father just said what I thought he had?

CHAPTER 32

CAIDE

I could hardly conceal my surprise. My father had been appointed to a seat on the Interstellar Coalition? Not merely that, but a Lead Advisor?

This was no small thing.

This was a gigantic thing.

For an instant, my mind whirled. A seat on the Interstellar Coalition, especially as an Advisor, meant the opportunity to shape protocol and policies not merely on my home planet of Asterion, but across galaxies. It could mean potentially ending such barbaric practices as the breeding program here on Earth. It could mean helping to protect women like Delle from having to form outrageous marriage bargains with their Overlords in order to protect their freedoms. It could mean helping end slavery on some planets, or prevent the genocide of certain races that the Coalition had deemed so unruly they were not fit to live.

It could mean much to many.

But it would also mean leaving Delle. Not only leaving her, but giving her to the Flight Commander, who was proving himself utterly ruthless in his pursuit of her.

However, she would be given the chance to follow her dreams. I knew there would be no children from our union. Not when we hadn’t coupled. That was not a consideration. But her dreams—that was no small thing. She’d had them before she met me. What if belonging to the Flight Commander in exchange for pursuing her career, her dreams, was worth it to her? What if she desired this? Could I stand in her way? Could I hold her back?

Damn you, Father.

Before this offer, I could not have imagined surrendering Delle for anything. But what if I were being selfish? I could not stifle her.

I caught the Flight Commander smiling at me, his arms folded over his chest. Not smiling. Smirking. Leering. As if he fully understood the trap ensnaring me. He was relishing my torment, enjoying having the upper hand. I didn’t think for one moment this was truly about him having Delle because he wanted Delle, herself. No, he wanted her because she had rejected him. He wanted her because she and I had both challenged him. He was unaccustomed to having his authority challenged. He was not used to being denied by females of any race on any planet. His fame was far-flung in the forces of the Interstellar Coalition. Prior to this, he’d probably bedded any female he wanted. Delle was the abnormality, and he was going to remedy that, even if it meant striking this underhanded bargain with my father. He wanted her and he wanted to crush me for being the male who stood in his way.

The challenged, primal beast inside me, the male that disliked threats to its mate or its authority, roared. On the outside, I kept silent. I would have gladly taken the Commander on, but Delle stood there, looking lost and uncertain. Pain was on her face, though I wasn’t sure why.

“Caide?” she whispered. “Is this what you want? Do you want to be your father’s heir? An opportunity like this…think of all the influence you could have. Think of all the good you could do.”

I wanted desperately to seize her hand and draw her away, discuss the matter with her. Ask her what she wanted. I could have requested privacy from my father. However, I was in no mood to request anything from him or the Flight Commander. No, whatever we had to say must be said now.

“It matters not what I want, my love,” I countered, lifting her chin with my hand, forcing her eyes to meet mine so I could attempt to read her true feelings. “What matters is what you want. Do wish to be an architect? That was your dream. I’ll not stand in your way.”

Disappointment creased her features. Her gaze fell from mine. What had I said amiss?

“If you wanted to be your father’s heir, you could’ve just been honest,” she said, her tones having changed to disappointment. Coldness. “You don’t have to try and pin this on me.”

Pin this…what? What had I done wrong? What had I said?

“I don’t understand,” I ventured cautiously, mindful of the two other males who stood there watching. “Yes, I could do much good as my father’s heir. Yes, it is a thing to be strongly considered, except that you are my mate. No consideration matters, save that. If you want to stay with me, I will forgo everything my father has offered with no regrets. However, if pursuing your dreams is what you want, if that is where your heart leads and you’re able to put up with the Flight Commander to obtain them, well, then…I will not stand in your way.”

Those were some of the most difficult words I had ever uttered. How could I tell my mate that she could go? Every instinct revolted. But that was love. Love meant doing what was best for her, what made her happy. If she left me, my mate would be gone. I would never find another. I would live the rest of my life alone and loveless. But what was that in comparison to Delle’s happiness?

She studied my face, squinting a little, as if trying to pierce the façade of my skin and skull and see into my mind itself. In response, I willed my heart to show in my eyes, begging her to see that I meant this. I meant all of it. In the end, my deepest joy was making her happy, no matter the cost.

“Do you really mean that?” she whispered.

I nodded. “Every word of it.”

She blinked two or three times, and I could see she was blinking away moisture.

“All my life,” she said softly, so softly nobody except me could hear, “nobody ever asked me what I wanted. I gave of myself to help my sister. I gave of myself to raise my nieces. I even married you to escape being put on the breeder’s list. It’s not that I regret my life’s choices, but none of them were ever about me. It was about doing good for everyone else. There’s this part of me that thinks I’m being selfish to keep you from this path. Who am I that I should have you choose me instead of potentially being able to influence entire worlds? I’m nobody. I’m nothing. I’m—”

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