I pushed open the door and Knox stood there in black robes. His hair was wet like he’d showered and even his horns gleamed.
“I was just coming to check on you,” he said, his brow pinched like he was in pain.
Was he figuring out how to tell me that what happened in the prison was a mistake? That he was back with his happily-ever-after wife now. How many times did I have to go through this before I realized getting involved with a married man never ended well from my perspective.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” I had to keep this professional, keep it together. “I’m ready to go now.”
“Isn’t it too soon?” He frowned. “It took four healers to fix you up. You need to save your strength, rest.”
“Well, I’m good as new now. No need for you to worry or anything.” I shrugged a shoulder. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back home.”
“So you got what you wanted? Freedom and—” He looked at me expectantly, something dark crossing across his silver eyes.
“Look. I don’t know what you expect from me. A reward? I’ll pay you after I deal with my ex-boss and the couple that sued me to put me in the prison in the first place. Maybe I can get a loan, I don’t know.”
“You’re going back to Earth?”
“Of course I am. I can’t stay here.” Yup, being here and seeing him happy and with his wife, every day would be a knife to my heart. “Where else could I go?”
“It’s too dangerous. Stay here.” He placed his hands on my shoulders. “You’re safe here. We’ve got a force field that keeps out the Roulex. If you go back before everything is resolved with your boss and the court, you’ll end up right back there in their clutches. I can’t let that happen.”
It took all of my will-power and then some not to lean into him. But I wouldn’t settle for being his or anyone’s mistress. I wanted the whole package. I wanted Knox to myself and not have to share him with anyone else. And I had no right to think like that.
“Thanks. But I can’t stay here, not after—not after Celia.”
He flinched like I’d struck him. What did he think, that I would ignore the fact he was married?
“I’ll find some other place to be.” I wiggled out of his grasp and went to the door. No idea where I was going to go. But he was right, I needed a good lawyer before I went back.