Page 82 of Alien Wants A Wife
If I’m being truthful with myself, I might be forced to admit that we had no way of making Smith take me home. We could’ve demanded he do as we say until our faces turned blue; that didn’t mean he’d listen. Or even tell the truth. We had little-to-no leverage over him, beyond locks, and he’d easily unpicked those.
The instant he and Chloe had tried to abduct Briar for that second time had been the instant my chance of returning had vanished. I’d just been too stubborn to admit it before.
“The cameras—” Harlee begins.
“Are still off.” That’s Roan’s voice.
“Frickin’ hell.” She reaches forward, cupping my face in one hand. “Lydia. We’ll get you back to Earth. Mr. Smith isn’t the only person in the galaxy who owns a ship.”
“But he’s probably the only one who knows Earth’s coordinates,” I say, speaking with cracked lips.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Harlee proffers.
I look up, past her and Roan, to Killan. He’s the only one who hasn’t tried reassuring me. He’s silent still, his lips pursed, his upper arms crossed over his chest. He stares back at me, looking as grumpy as usual, but there’s something else in his expression—something I’m having trouble identifying but which my gut tells me is misery.
He knows as well as I do that the probability of us discovering Earth’s location without Mr. Smith is non-existent. The universe is infinitely big. There are more galaxies than we can comprehend, let alone record. Earth is lost to me.
Iam lost to Earth.
Overwhelmed, I want to crawl back into bed and hide under the blankets. But it’s not even my bed; it’s Killan’s.
I tug my hands free of Harlee and Roan.
They exchange a look. I can’t read what it says. It’s one of those looks that couples share when they’re so in love they can practically read each other's thoughts.
I’m happy for Harlee, deep down, underneath all my selfishness. Under all my heartbreak. I had so many amazing plans to open a bakery. To finally fulfill my lifelong dream of financial independence. Of being healthy.
I’m back to square one—without a cent to my name.
“It’ll be okay,” Harlee says, again trying to reassure me, but I barely hear her.
At this moment, I think Killan’s the only one who understands what I’m going through. Killan, the guy who hates my guts.
Epilogue
LOVE GALAXY: CANCELLED!
The once-popular reality dating broadcast has been sucked into a metaphorical black hole.
Reality Investments canceled the broadcast mid-production. Ultimately, it became clear that LOVE GALAXY had been rejected by fans and that it was going to take a big marketing push to bring them back. ‘Humans’ were introduced in the trailer for season seventy-six, but even this previously-unknown species could not revive a dying star.
Anonymous replied:
I am not surprised.
nofan replied:
Humans, who cares?!
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Harlee
I’m surrounded by trees. They tower over me, their branches and leaves covering the sky. Distantly, the wind whistles overhead, but it’s muted, barely noticeable.
Excitement races through my veins, electricity preparing to strike a storm, as I turn a circle, taking in more of my surroundings, searching for clues.
There are tracks in the soil, a broken twig, and deeper in the forest, rustling leaves.
“Ready or not,” I yell, breaking into a sprint. “Here I come!” And my voice bounces off the stone walls, reverberating through the cavern, magnified louder than it’s ever been.
“Oh, my Mate,” Roan replies from his hiding place among the trees. “I am ready.”