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“Is that a promise?”

Her eyes sparkled. “It’s a guarantee.”

The next few hours were a blur of activity as they worked with the sanctuary crew to get the animals out of the ship and checked over.

Jendar strode over to Blaze. Exhaustion radiated off her, but there was a smile on her face.

She clapped him on the back. “We owe you and Eden a huge thanks. We’d have lost all these animals if it weren’t for you.”

“Always happy to help,” he said. “Where do you need me next?”

Jendar’s smile broadened. “You’re taking a couple of hours off. You’ve earned it and a lot more.”

“There’s still cleaning up to do.”

“It’s all in hand. Reinforcements have just arrived. The injured have received medical treatment, and the animals are where they need to be.”

His gaze cut over Jendar’s shoulder and settled on Eden. She was crouched down, studying her two-headed rainbow snake. Everything faded away as he took her in. She was damn perfection.

Jendar patted his arm. “Enjoy your downtime.” She turned and walked away.

“Thanks,” he said, his gaze still on Eden. She’d changed into clean clothing, her hair was shining, and the smile she shot him made his cock twitch.

“You’ve got five minutes,” Eden said as she walked over.

“For what?”

“To clean yourself up. I’m not taking you on a date to the waterfall when you smell of at least a dozen different types of animal excretions.”

Blaze shot her a smile. “What are you talking about? I’m just a hard-working guy, taking care of business.” He looked down at his filthy clothing and grinned.

“I know exactly who you are. Hit the shower, grab a change of clothes, and then meet me back here.”

He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”

She laughed and tapped him on the ass.

The smile didn’t leave his face as he raced to his room, ripped off his clothing, and hopped into the shower. He soaped his hair and body, ducked under the water, and took a few seconds just to breathe.

Eden was a whirlwind. She’d torn into his life and had never stopped spinning. He’d never been able to catch hold of her until now.

He stepped out of the shower and swiftly dried before sliding into clean clothing.

As he shrugged on his pants, his smile slipped. He was captivated by Eden, but what about his family?

He had a responsibility to them, and that slammed against his love for Eden. She wasn’t what they’d expect. She wasn’t highborn and didn’t come from an influential family who could give them anything. He cared nothing about that, but it would matter to his family.

Blaze frowned and scrubbed a hand down his face. He had to choose one or the other.

But he couldn’t let Eden go, not now she’d let him in.

It was a choice of letting his family down or turning his back on love and breaking his own heart and possibly Eden’s.

He couldn’t do that. It would destroy him.

Blaze scowled at his reflection in the mirror. His focus was on Eden. The bond he’d forged with her was unbreakable. But if he didn’t break it, he could lose his family.