Page 20 of Love Galaxy

It’s strange seeing them talk. Mr. Smith can obviously speak English; he’d been speaking English back on Earth when I’d first met him, and I think he’s still speaking it, because the sounds I can hear match with how his mouth is moving. Sorin, Killan and Roan, on the other hand, mustn’t be speaking English, even though I can hear English. The movement of their mouths doesn’t match what I hear. It’s strange, let me tell you. Like trying to watch a film when the sound isn’t synced. I keep looking at Sorin’s mouth when he talks, trying to lip read, but it’s an impossible task.

Killan and Mr. Smith are still glaring at each other. If it were a no-blinking contest, I’d put my money on Sorin’s brother.

Mr. Smith must decide similarly because he suddenly looks away. “Are you willing to risk trying to break the lock? You could jam the door permanently closed. Then none of us will be getting off this planet.”

We’re arguing six against two, so why does it feel like my side’s losing?

“I’m confused about that,” Lydia says, brushing a strand of pink hair out of her face. “Do no other spaceships exist? I get that you three brothers are this planet’s only inhabitants, but surely you’ve got contact with other people on other planets.”

“We do,” Roan says, eagerly answering. “Freighters come often to collect our farm produce.”

I don’t need to be told he’s younger than Sorin. He’s got a boy band youthfulness about him. An innocence.

Killan is probably the eldest. Grumpy, brooding. Like he’s got something to prove.

Sorin is… Well, Sorin is a bit like that story with the three bears and the porridge. Goldilocks tastes the Big Bear’s porridge but it’s too hot for her. She tastes the Little Bear’s porridge and it’s too cold. But the Middle Bear’s porridge is just right.

“So why don’t we get one of those Freighter ships to give us a lift?” Lydia suggests.

“The next one is not due for another sixty days,” Killan says.

“Oh, shit.” She winces. “And we can’t get something earlier? Is there no Uber in space?”

The brothers all frown. I’m guessingUberdoesn’t translate.

“A taxi service?” I try to clarify. “Couldn’t we pay—” With what money? Fuck. We’d be asking the brothers to foot the bill for our return when they’re as innocent in this colossal mess as Harlee, Lydia and I are.

I don’t even know if they could afford it.

Lydia squeezes Harlee’s shoulder tighter, glancing at me. I mightn’t know her very well, but I can read the silent question in her expression.Now what?

I rise slowly to my feet to give myself more thinking time. Now what, indeed.

There’s a chance Mr. Smith is lying, and it is possible to steal his ship, but I don’t want to risk pushing this point.

If he gets too suspicious, he might increase his ship’s security, and that would get us no closer to finding a way home. Because he’s right about one thing: we need him more than he needs us. He’s the director of a reality TV show. The worst that can happen to him if we decide not to play nice is crappy footage and no new season to air. Maybe he’ll lose this job. Boo hoo. Been there, done that.

Whereas, the worst that can happen to Lydia, Harlee and me is that Mr. Smith will bail on us, leaving us stuck on this planet for the next sixty days.Sixty! Two months.

What we need is time to regroup. Harlee, Lydia and I need to plan our next steps together, so we’re all in agreement. Harlee still hasn’t said what she wants, and I don’t think she will until I can speak with her privately, away from Mr. Smith and Chloe.

And I want to speak with Sorin again. This is his world; maybe he can suggest something I haven’t thought of.

“If”—and I emphasize the word—“we three Humans decide to cooperate in LOVE GALAXY, do you promise you’ll take us home at the end of the twenty days?” Yes, I feel stupid making our kidnapper promise his cooperation, but I don’t see what else we can do right now.

“Yes,” Mr. Smith says simply. “I promise. Assuming, of course, that you still want to return.”

“LOVE GALAXY has a 95 percent success rate matching couples,” Chloe announces, making it crystal clear where her loyalties lie. And they’re not with her fellow Humans.

Chapter Eleven

Sorin

“Now we’ve got that sorted,” John Smith says, dusting off his hands, as if he’s dusting away the last of his problems. “This is how the filming is going to pan out for the next few days. Tonight, we’ll start the individual interviews about everyone’s first impressions of each other, with Chloe commentating. We won’t have time to get through everybody.” He glances at Briar and me, making it clear that is our fault. “We’ll start with… ” He looks around the room, as if trying to calculate which of us is likely to be the most amenable.

I cross all four of my arms.

“Harlee!” John Smith points at the Female with the dark hair and pale skin.

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