Page 47
“Yes, it’s lovely. It’s—”
“There you go. If things go wrong, you’re entitled to half of his ship.”
“Oh, no. I’d never do that. That’s his ship. It has nothing to do with me.”
“You have to take the sentimentality out of it. When you’re in a partnership, you own half of your partner’s assets. My advice is to try this guy out, and if it fails, get everything you can and run.”
Sinead sucked in a breath. She trusted her mom, but that didn’t sound like great advice. “There’s a small problem. This guy isn’t human.”
“Oh, my sweet girl. Don’t tell me you’re into those freaky aliens?”
“Mom! Aliens aren’t freaky.”
“Some have tentacles.”
“Okay, they’re a little niche.”
“And horns, claws, and fur. Baby girl, don’t go there.”
Sinead shrugged. “It’s a bit late for that advice. I might have signed a contract that joined us for life.”
Her mom slowly lowered her sunglasses again. “Have you taken leave of your senses?”
“No, it was a big misunderstanding.”
“Is he the ruler of some wealthy gold mining planet?”
“No.”
“Is he a king of a wealthy realm?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s not.”
“Well, unless he’s either of those things, you don’t give yourself to him. You don’t sign your life away to remain with one person unless they’ll treat you like a queen. Is that what he’s promised you?”
“Definitely not. It’s a standard agreement, and he’s not demanding much, but the agreement is for life.”
“Screw this contract. What’s this guy going to do if you don’t fulfill your end? Chase you across the galaxy in a shiny ship and blast you with a laser gun?”
“No! This isn’t like the movies. There won’t be any laser blasts flying at me.”
“You’d better hope there isn’t. This alien doesn’t sound stable.”
Sinead tipped her head back and stared at the ceiling. Her mom’s suggestion of running from the problem was one option, but it would mean starting again. She loved her work and was beginning to think of Prodigy as her home. If she left, she’d have to find a new job and new friends. It would also mean a life without Talyn. She couldn’t imagine that. He’d gotten under her skin, even if she wasn’t sure what was going on between them.
“Darling, it’s your only option. No man should claim you by forcing you to sign something you don’t understand. You’re beautiful but not smart. Now, look at the mess you’re in.”
“I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong,” Sinead said.
“This guy tricked you, so it’s only right you do the same to him. He’s forced you to be his mate, so you force him to give you everything you’re entitled to. Then you leave.”
“I don’t know.” Sinead couldn’t imagine taking anything from Talyn. “I could go quietly. I wouldn’t need to say anything. I don’t want to deprive him of anything.”
“Which means you deprive yourself. When you leave, you’ll be the one who’s made the sacrifices. What has this alien done? Conned you. He’ll get away scot free, and you’ll be starting again. That’s not acceptable.”
“I could speak to a legal professional and see if they can help. I’m no good at this kind of thing.”
Her mom lurched closer to the screen. “No, absolutely not. Once you get those parasites involved, they’ll take everything you win in fees. Do this discreetly. Be firm with him and make sure he knows you’re not taking no for an answer. Threaten to expose his underhanded behavior if he gets nasty.”
