Page 32 of Princess for the Space Cowboy

“What do you mean?”

“We will have a trial. It will be public.”

“Will they die?” My eyes go wide.

Earth has death sentences. “We don’t do that here. We are civilized, fair, and just.” Asher pauses, his eyes narrowing. “I fear those who carried out the kidnapping aren’t the ones behind the planning.”

I blink up at him. “I know. What happens now?”

“Tonight, you and I are going home. We’ve already repaired the breach in the city shields and above our house. My father has called up our reinforcements for patrol. For now, we must go.”

Once again, things happen swiftly as we rush to get to the ship. Another ship lands just as we’re leaving. Asher’s mother orders the arriving crew to take the prisoners back.

I can’t stop touching Asher. I need to be physically linked with him at all times. I was never afraid for my life, except at the very beginning. Yet I was so afraid I would somehow not get back to him. I feared for our baby. While I still don’t know with certainty that I’m pregnant, I feel like I am. I won’t know until I miss my cycle. I fear that they timed my kidnapping to claim Asher’s heir.

My emotional tumult is soothed when he holds my hand. I know he won’t let it go. The ship is moving rapidly. He and Kayden are talking in low tones. His mother is with us, along with some of her team of female warriors. I’m overwhelmed with relief and gratitude.

On Earth, if a woman had been kidnapped, no one would’ve saved her.

After we land in our city, Asher confers briefly with Kayden and his mother. He is still holding my hand, his touch warm and sure.

Moments later, we are walking quickly to our home with a team of guards flanking us again. When we get back to the house, I look up at the skylight where they crashed through. For now, it is closed with a thick, shimmering surface. I can still see the stars and the moon in the distance.

“How did they get here?” I ask as I turn to look at Asher.

“I should’ve known better,” he says. “I’m sorry I didn’t. I didn’t think they would dare do anything like this. It’s been decades since we’ve had this kind of breach. We had a sort of peace for over a century since the last war between our two sides. They call themselves purists. It doesn’t even make sense because they’re not pure. They are only alive because of the cowboys that traveled here from Earth centuries ago. They argue that since then, we must remain pure.” He shakes his head. “It’s ridiculous. This new leadership that has risen recently in their city is trying to return to the old ways. They don’t recognize that it hurts all of us and weakens our people, preventing them from having enough mates. They took advantage of us, not recognizing the danger and thinking they wouldn’t dare. We will once again put up the stronger shields and reinforce them with our new technology. We will bring this to a real fight if we must.”

I’m still absorbing the reality that we’re home and I’m safe. I take in what he says. “Okay,” I finally say, which feels inadequate to capture the last few hours of my life.

Asher reaches for both of my hands, lifting one and turning it over before he drops a kiss in the center of my palm. His lips are warm, and his kiss like a pebble dropped into the center of a pond. Ripples of heat radiate through my body. He releases one of my hands, lifting his to smooth my hair away from my face before palming my cheek.

I stare into his eyes as a sense of peace slips through me. We’re back together, and that’s all that matters.

“Now that we know what they may try, you needn’t worry. I’ll keep you safe,” he promises.

A second later, he’s kissing me. I forget everything else as we tumble into the fire that snaps and crackles between us. His touch is air into the very heartbeat of our desire.

Chapter Twenty-Three

ASHER

I eye Kayden for a moment. “Jane says she thinks you met your mate when we traveled to Earth.”

Kayden stands, crossing his arms. He’s an imposing man, tall and broad-shouldered. A deep vein of stubbornness runs through him. He swallows as he holds my gaze. “Perhaps.”

I look at my old friend and chuckle. “I mentioned to Jane this morning that you have always scoffed at the idea of the infinity pulse.”

“I have,” he says, his tone dry as the grasses on Earth.

“Jane said she was surprised because you seemed…” I drum my fingertips on the table before offering, “Like you had a crush.”

“What the hell is a crush?” Kayden’s eyes narrow with annoyance.

“That’s what I asked her,” I say, my lips tugging into a grin. “She said it’s like when you’re really into someone and really want them.”

Kayden rolls his eyes. “Nadine is lovely,” he declares.

“You said you never intended to mate, which, of course, devastated your father.”

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