After she leaves, I beckon him to me. He stands in front of the table. I should mention I’m naked under my gown, and it’s rumpled around my waist. When he steps between my knees, I realize he’s aroused.
My own arousal gushes onto the paper under my thighs. I mean to tell him something practical, like to relax or something like that. Instead, I say, “I need you.”
The woman on Earth who never even wanted to have sex is now begging her husband. I crave the feel of his thick shaft filling me in the doctor’s office.
Thorne doesn’t hesitate. He swiftly frees his shaft, and I bite my lip to keep from moaning at the sight of his seed glistening as it rolls down his length.
Since I’m already naked under the gown, he spreads my knees, murmuring, “My good girl,” before he fills me.
It’s quick and dirty, and my cries are muffled in our kiss when I feel the heat of his release pumping into me as my own climax shatters through me. Afterward, he cleans me up and helps me dress. His touch is careful and reverent, and I feel like a fragile gift he’s protecting. The emotion that rises inside is so powerful I almost don’t know how my heart can hold it.
Chapter Thirteen
THORNE
Cupping Romi’s cheeks, I look deep into her eyes. “I love you,” I murmur against her lips, my words, a promise, a tattoo on her heart.
“And I, you,” she whispers.
I take the shape of those words and carve them into my soul. After giving her a lingering kiss, I straighten and force myself to step back. Curling my palm into a fist, I thump it lightly over my heart. “I will always carry you here while I travel,” I tell her.
She presses two fingers to her lips and blows me a kiss. A moment later, I sit astride Silver. On a gust of air, I press my heels against his flanks. Silver breaks into a trot before lifting to fly low over the ground.
The others on the team traveling with me rendezvous in the air over the next few minutes. We travel for a full day to reach the far side of the planet. We are following the leads from the intelligence Hunter and I received about the use of this isolated area as a hidden place to plan. What the rebels don’t know is that one of our university teams set up cameras here several years prior to monitor wildlife. When we got a report from a student about the activity here, we activated them for us to monitor.
As history spells out time and again, from galaxy to galaxy and planet to planet, events that lead to crises, such as the space storm that struck here a few years ago, can also lead to unrest. Once we got wind that this tiny but loud rebel faction wanted to essentially eliminate our peaceful democracy, we knew we had to pay closer attention. They claim they don’t want to destroy our democracy. They claim they simply want the opportunity to change the royal succession. However, they are vocal about disagreeing with our people’s reverence for women. They want to destroy our planet’s strength that has come as a result of our peaceful, benevolent system that cares for everyone.
Over the ensuing time since we discovered their planning and since Princess Jane’s kidnapping, we’ve taken steps to increase our monitoring. We don’t want to interfere much at this point, other than to ensure safety if needed. We’d like to see how far they plan to go.
Hunter and I are the lead spies for the security team. During times of peace, not much is needed from us. But, of late, we’ve led the secret group on mission after mission to better understand how sophisticated the planning is within the rebel group. The kidnapping of our princess has shaken the leadership for our planet.
We land that evening on the outskirts, miles from the outpost and in the thick of a silver forest. We don’t want to arrive by air because we don’t want to be visible from a distance. Our horses lead us through the forest. This side of the planet is similar to parts of Earth, where the days are incredibly long during the warm season and much shorter and darker during the cold season.
Hunter and I have already set up a camp. Camp for us is fairly sophisticated in the sense that we have the equipment needed for shelters and all basic amenities. Once our team is secure in camp, we activate a security dome over the entireforest area, including where our mounts will roam while they are resting. Similar to horses on Earth, they need space to graze.
I glance over at Hunter at the small table where we sit. “Well? Any updates?” he asks.
I take a long swallow from my water and shake my head. “Raven communicated that he wanted to talk, so let’s see if we can reach him now,” I reply, referring to another team member who works remotely and often scouts ahead for us. I tap my communicator. “Raven?”
“Right here.” His voice crackles a little. Our shield can sometimes affect the communicators.
“What’s the update?” I ask.
“We monitored the cameras today, as usual. We did see alerts for activity from the rebels there. As predicted, based on our earlier recordings, your timing is perfect. They’re there. However, there are more than we expected. What concerns me the most is they have some of the visitors from Earth with them,” Raven explains.
Hunter and I both straighten in our chairs. “What?” I ask sharply.
Hunter’s brows hitch up as his gaze meets mine from across the table.
“We’re surprised and concerned too. We suspect that the men from Earth have somehow communicated with the rebels here,” Raven replies.
“Well, we have info they’ve been present at one of the bars in the rebel’s town,” Hunter comments.
“Whether or not the men from Earth knew about the uprising here, they do now,” Raven points out.
“The last thing we need is to stir this issue up further.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “The men from Earth are violating their agreement. No one can travel here and consort to act against our people,” I say.
“Exactly,” Raven replies. “You’ll have to take them into custody and bring them back to the capital. We’ve already spoken with the queen and the king about it. They’re all in agreement. Those men cannot remain here. Beyond arresting them and forcing them to leave the planet, we will consider reducing the supplies we send Earth and ask our other allies to do the same.”
