Page 49 of Love Galaxy

“You are too good for me,” he says, tucking a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. This little thoughtful gesture has tingles racing along my skin.

“Me?” I snort. “God, no. I’ve barely done an unselfish thing in my entire life.” I trace the pattern of his scales across his upper shoulder, where they’re larger, more pronounced, almost like decoration—or tattoos.

“You have been worrying about the other Females.” He takes both of my hands in all four of his, caressing his thumbs over the backs of my palms. “I should have thought earlier to show you how to communicate with them.”

“It was nice seeing Lydia again.” And I tell him everything she told me about the shell company and not being able to discover any information on Mr. Smith. I also tell him about Chloe and the compatible sperm.

“There’s always the chance she was lying,” is how I finish, although I’m not sure for whose benefit I said that. Mine, maybe, as I try to convince myself our compatibility isn’t a big deal.

Back on Earth, I never worried about getting pregnant, other than to buy a packet of condoms and ensure I was practicing safe sex. Now, guilt churns inside me, making me feel physically ill. If I leave, I’ll not only be taking myself away; I’ll be taking away Sorin’s chance of having children. He’d be such a good dad, too, way better than mine ever was.

Why would you leave?demands the annoying voice in my head, the one that sounds like Chloe. When I close my eyes, I can imagine what she looks like—hands on hips, rolling her eyes.Your life back on Earth had fallen apart. This is the perfect opportunity for you to start fresh. You should be thanking me,she says.I’m helping you.

Yeah, Earth sucked. But deciding if I’m going to spend the rest of my life on Ril II is a big decision. The biggest decision I’ll ever make, and I’m fucking terrified I’ll make the wrong one and spend the next fifty years regretting everything.

Twenty days to decide how I’ll spend fifty years is hardly fair.

I open my eyes. Sorin still hasn’t spoken. His mouth is pressed tightly closed, and I swear I can see a muscle ticking in his cheek. He’s furious.

“You okay?”

I hate Mr. Smith for putting us all in this position.

I hate that he’s got power over the decisions we make.

I hate that he might be my only way back to Earth.

And I’m terrified I’m going to demand he take me back to Earth at the end of LOVE GALAXY just so I can give him thefinger. Because isn't admitting that I’m falling in love with Sorin the same thing as admitting Mr. Smith was right to abduct me? And I never, ever want Mr. Smith to think he was right. I never, ever want Mr. Smith using me as his excuse to abduct more women for future LOVE GALAXY seasons.

“I will kill him,” Sorin eventually says, speaking between clenched teeth.

I raise my eyebrows, surprised. “Have you killed someone before?”

“No, but that will not stop me.”

“I suppose there’s a first time for everything,” I joke, shuffling closer, eliminating the space between us. I can hear how unsteady Sorin is breathing. “Lydia might be a bit pissed if you kill her ride back to Earth.”

If Mr. Smith is watching us now, he’s strategically keeping quiet.

We lie like that for a while. Surrounded by silence. Both lost in thoughts. I try returning to the daydream we’d invented together, the one where Sorin and I pretended we’d met in a café, on a blind date. I try putting us both back into their, trying to imagine our first conversation, trying to imagine our first kiss. But I’m struggling to ignore the red lights of the cameras, spying on us.

“I wanted to ask.” Breaking the silence, Sorin raises one of my arms so he can more clearly see my tattoo.

“Why do I have the moon and stars?”

“These are stars?”

“Yeah.” I scrutinize the familiar markings. “At least, they’re symbolic of stars. I wish I could say I got it for some deep and meaningful reason, but really I got it as a rebellion.” It sits below my elbow, nestled snugly in the center of my arm. I’d picked the brightest, most obnoxious blue ink available, wanting it to be as visible as possible. “My parents were always going on abouthow I couldn’t get any piercings or tattoos because my body was sacred, blah blah blah.” It still makes me angry. “As soon as they disowned me, I got this tattoo.” I sigh. “Maybe I picked the moon and the stars because to me they felt like freedom.”

“Mayhaps you were always meant to come here.” Lowering my hand to his mouth, he kisses each of my knuckles. “To travel among the stars.”

I don’t believe in destiny, but there was so much hesitancy in his voice, as if he was only just brave enough to say the words aloud, that I kiss the closest part of him I can reach, which happens to be his chest.

“Hey, did you know Harlee has a crush on Roan?” I grin like we’re sharing gossip in high school.

Sorin sits up. “How has she crushed Roan?”

“No.” I laugh. “My bad. I mean, apparently Harlee likelikesRoan.” I should have asked if the youngest brother returned her feelings, and then I remember how eager he was to talk with us Humans. He’d been so bright eyed. So young and excited. Of course he’ll be falling in love with Harlee. From what I saw of her, she’s sweet and cute. They’d probably make a perfect pair.

---