Chapter 28

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Allie

M y heart raced as I stood in the bridal salon, trying to process everything that was happening. The Drexian in front of me, Varek, seemed nice enough. He had a kind smile and gentle eyes. But he was a stranger. There was no connection, no shared history. We hadn't survived an alien invasion together or shared intimate secrets in the dark of night.

Most importantly, he wasn't Maxxon.

A commotion from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I peered towards the glass front of the salon, but all I could see was the back of a Drexian vanishing into a crowd of women. Something gnawed at the back of my brain, an uneasy feeling I couldn't shake.

Reina's voice filtered through my thoughts, her words a blur of wedding plans and assurance that Serge would be thrilled with the gown. I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting.

"Allie?" Varek's deep voice snapped me back to reality. "Did you hear me?"

I blinked, realizing he must have asked me something. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

His smile was patient. "I asked if you like the dress. Is this what you want to wear for our wedding?"

I opened my mouth to say yes, but then changed my mind. I needed to stall, to buy myself some time. Maxxon might be gone, but there was no way I was ready to marry a stranger, agreement or not.

"I need to think about it," I forced out a cheery laugh, or the closest I could come to one. "You know what they say, a girl never gets the first dress she tries on."

Reina immediately began fluttering around me. "Oh, of course! We have so many more dresses for you to try. Randi! Monti!"

The two alien stylists appeared as if by magic, arms already full of white fabric. But the thought of trying on more dresses made me feel like I was caught in a swirling eddy and being pulled under fast.

"Actually," I said quickly, "I'm feeling pretty tired from the trip. The jumps were harder on my body than I'd expected. Maybe we could do this another time?"

Varek took my hand and pressed a gentle kiss to my knuckles. "Of course. You should be well-rested for our wedding and honeymoon."

Shit shit shit. Honeymoon? The look on his face told me exactly what he was thinking about doing on our honeymoon. I snatched back my hands and backed off the platform. This was moving way too fast. I mumbled something about needing to change and practically fled to the dressing room.

As I quickly changed back into my own clothes, I found myself wishing the dressing room had a window I could use to escape. I was no stranger to dodging unwanted attention, having snuck out of my fair share of back doors and windows in the past. But there was no escape route here.

"Allie?" Reina's breathy voice came through the door. "Varek has left. You can come out now."

I emerged from the dressing room, apologies already on my lips. But Reina waved them away.

"It's alright, hon. I pushed you too fast. Usually, we don't do the dress until later. With so many new brides, everything on the Boat is fast-tracked these days."

The last thing I wanted was to be fast-tracked into a marriage with a stranger. "No worries. I think I can find my way back to my suite. I'll see you later, okay?"

Before she could protest or follow me, I was out the door and speed-walking down the Promenade. I hopped into an inclinator with a group of other tributes, grateful when one of them got off at my floor. I followed her out, quickly locating my suite and pressing my hand to the side panel.

As soon as the door slid shut behind me, I let out a long breath. The quiet solitude of the suite was a balm to my frayed nerves. I breathed in the salty sea air, knowing it was a holographic creation but appreciating it nonetheless. Closing my eyes, I listened to the gentle lapping of water against the terrace stairs leading into the water.

I made my way outside and collapsed onto one of the loungers overlooking the sea. To one side was a rectangular, plunge pool that looked inviting, but I didn't have the energy to find a bathing suit. And I didn't have the moxie to skinny dip.

As I lay there, trying to relax and forget my predicament, I couldn't help but think about Maxxon. When he'd told me about these fantasy suites, I'd imagined sharing one with him. The thought of Varek moving in, which I knew was part of the tribute bride matching process, was not what I'd signed up for.

Well, technically it was exactly what I'd signed up for. But it wasn't what I'd meant to happen, regardless of what I'd agreed to on paper.

"Typical, Allie." I shook my head at, once again, barreling headlong into something and considering the consequences when it was too late. "But this time, you're stuck on an alien space station with no way out. You can't exactly sneak out in the middle of the night here."

After a few more minutes of feeling sorry for myself, I sat up. Maxxon was gone. I needed to figure a way out of this situation that didn't rely on him swooping in to save me. No, I was going to have to figure this one out on my own.

Maybe I could sneak off in the middle of the night, after all. Could I stow away on a transport back to Earth? But what would happen when they discovered me missing? What happened to women who broke their tribute bride contracts? Would they come after me? Would Varek track me down?

You really should have asked more questions before signing on the dotted line.

The endless questions swirled in my mind, making relaxation impossible. I tried to focus on the sound of the waves, the warmth of the sun on my skin. Anything to distract me from the mess I'd gotten myself into.

That's when I heard it. Moans were echoing across the water. At first, I thought I was imagining things. But no, there it was again. Louder this time.

I sat up, peering at the seemingly endless expanse of ocean. The moans grew more distinct, punctuated by giggles and what sounded suspiciously like grunts?

Oh. Oh, no.

So much for forgetting what I'd signed up for. Apparently, some of my fellow tribute brides were thoroughly enjoying their fantasy suites—and their new mates. Obviously, not everyone found the idea of banging a stranger problematic.

I clapped my hands over my ears and hurried back inside, sliding the glass door shut behind me. The sounds were muffled now, but still audible. With a groan, I flopped face-first onto the plush bed.

Paradise, it seemed, wasn't always what it was cracked up to be. Especially when you were surrounded by happily matched couples while your own heart ached for someone who might not be in the same galaxy.

As I lay there, trying to block out the sounds of alien passion, I couldn't help but wonder: What would Maxxon think if he could see me now? Would he laugh at the absurdity of it all? Or would he be hurt, thinking I'd chosen this life over him?

I pushed the thought away. It didn't matter what Maxxon would think. He wasn't here. He'd made his choice, and I'd made mine. Now I had to live with the consequences.

Somehow, I had to find a way out of this mess. I just hoped I could figure it out before I ended up in bed with a stranger.