“You can still achieve those goals,” she shot back, insulted by the implication that this was all her fault. Did he not think he had affected her life? Disrupted her goals?
Except her goals were not really her own. They were goals that had been thrust upon her at birth. That she would become a strong protector, a prolific hunter and provider, and that one day she would lead their people.
Those expectations, she now realized, had weighed her down since birth. Before, it had not really worried her, well, not much. Before Rich. Now, she found what she really wanted was happiness. To be loved. Accepted for who she was.
To not be molded into who someone else thought she should be.
“Yes, I can. But I don’t want to.” He glared at her in frustration. “Without you.”
She frowned, confused. What was he trying to say?
“I want you to come with me. Will you?”
Come with him?
“Why?”
“Why what?” he snapped.
“Why do you want me to come with you? You said yourself that you have goals to achieve, you will have no time for anything else.”
Or anyone. He hadn’t said the words but despite the confusing way he sometimes spoke, she had understood.
“Look, if you’re wanting words of love you’ve come to the wrong man. I don’t know how to speak of love or romance or any of that crap. That’s not me.”
“I do not expect that of you.” In truth, she did not fully understand love or romance. They were not something her people had experience of. But she did know that she wanted him. “And I cannot give you the same.”
“Good.” He placed his hands behind his back. “Then we’re in agreement.”
They were? Over what?
“What do we agree?”
“Never to speak any of that soppy shit about love. I’ll warn you now, I’ll likely forget any special dates or anniversaries, I’ll probably work late every night, I’m terrible at birthdays or any romantic stuff. I’m rich. I’m going to be powerful. I can look after you. But I’ll probably never tell you I love you.”
She wished he would just get to the point.
“Rich, what are you trying to say?” she asked with frustration, placing her hands on her hips. “You were easier to understand when we could not speak to each other.”
“Come with me. I want you to come with me.”
“To Earth?” Could she do that? Leave everything for him?
“I know I’m asking a lot for you to leave your home. I know I am being selfish. I want it all. You. And to achieve my goals. But I do know this. I’ve never really been happy before, not until I met you. And I will do whatever I can to make you happy. But I cannot do that if we live on separate planets. So come with me.”
“Yes.”
“I know I ask too much. A new culture, a—”
“Yes.”
“And I’m bound to fuck up more than the average man. I—”
“Rich! Rich!” she half-yelled.
He stopped pacing and turned to her. “Yes?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” he asked, looking confused.
She rolled her eyes. “I said yes. I will come with you.”
“You will. Why?”
“For all the reasons you stated. I do not want to live without you.”
“But you will be giving up everything.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to talk me out of it?”
“No. Fuck, no.” He moved forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. “You mean it? Because once you come with me I’m not ever letting you go. Not ever. What is mine stays mine.”
His possessiveness didn’t scare her. On the contrary it was something she understood only too well. “And you will be mine. Forever. I, too, do not let go.”
“Fuck, yes.” He pulled her close but she shook her head and stepped back. “First, there are conditions.”
His scowl was fierce. “You said yes.”
Her Rich was strong and used to getting his way, but she was not intimidated. She was also used to getting what she wanted.
“There are conditions.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, looking suspicious. “Give me these conditions.”
“I will not sit in your home while you go and do your important things. I wish to fully be a part of your life. I may not know your culture or rules, but I am strong, smart, a good fighter and hunter, and I know how to intimidate when needed. I can be an asset to you.”
She had to feel useful, like she had a purpose or this would not work.
A slow grin crossed Rich’s face. “I’m going to need a bodyguard. Want to guard my body, baby?”
She was not sure why he called her a young child, but it was said with affection and no small amount of heat. She nodded. “I can guard your body. I do not know why you would need to remember dates and I do not know what an anniversary is. I will support you in what you need to do, but if I need to do something of importance you will give me your support.”
“Always, baby. Always.”
“And I wish us to have turns being the dominant one during joining.” She raised her chin, giving him a fierce look to know she was serious.
He did not react as she thought he would. Instead of looking angry or fighting her, he burst into laughter and pulled her close.
“All right. I think I can handle those conditions. Now on Earth, we have this saying, ‘let’s seal it with a kiss’.”
She frowned. “You do this with everyone?” She did not like the idea of him kissing other people. Especially other women.
“No, baby. Just with you. Always with you.”
Epilogue
“Hello, Duncan.” Rich stepped into High-Councillor Duncan’s study.
Duncan raised his head, looking startled. “How did you get in here? This is private property and you’re trespassing.”
“What? No, how are you, Rich? No, how have you been?”
The other man had aged terribly. He looked ragged, defeated. His shoulders were slumped, his body stooped. This was the strong opponent he had fought all these years? Of course, his own grandson’s betrayal and death must have had an impact on him. Rich’s sister, Annabel had told him how Maxwell had come after Sophie. He’d managed to kidnap her, but before he could get her to his ship, she shot and killed him. But Maxwell had revealed to Sophie how he had he had been plotting against his grandfather so that he could take over his position as Head-Councillor.
“I suppose you have come to gloat over the fact that my own grandson plotted to overthrow me?”
“No.”
The older man looked surprised.
“I’ve come to gloat over all the evidence I have gathered against you. Evidence that is being sent to the other councillors as we speak. Evidence that you have been siphoning funds from council coffers. Evidence that my father gathered but that conveniently went missing when he died in an accident. Or was it an accident?”
This was the reason he was here. Not to gloat, although he admitted to taking some enjoyment in defeating Duncan, but because he wanted the truth. Duncan was going down no matter what. Rich had so much evidence against him that he couldn’t fight it. But he wanted to know the truth of his father’s death.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” But the other man looked guilty. And Rich watched as the other man reached under his desk.
“I would put that down if I was you.” The voice was dark, deadly, and beautiful.
Rich grinned at the look of shock on Duncan’s face as Laylla stepped out of the shadows of the room. Her sword was drawn, her hair whipping around her furiously. A coil of hair sprang out and wrapped itself around the blaster Duncan had been reaching for. She drew it back and tucked it into her jeans, in the small of her back. As soon as he’d introduced her to jeans, she’d refused to wear anything else. Not that he was complaining. The jeans were tight and molded to her perfect ass.
Duncan gaped at her, his mouth opening then closing. He looked like a fat-faced goldfish.
“Who are you?”
“She’s mine,” Rich told him.
“Yours? Where did you get her from?”
“That’s none of your concern. You’re done, Duncan. Defeated. And I’m going to take everything you had. I have it all. Power, wealth, and her.” He nodded over at Laylla. “Tell me the truth, did you kill my father?”
“Why would I admit that to you if I had? As you said, you have everything now.” The older man clapped slowly. “Well, done.”