Georgia’s soft and silent tears shook her body and moved the bed. That’s how I knew she was crying, even if she thought it was subtle.

Her sorrow broke my heart because I felt helpless. I didn’t know how to make her feel better, but I knew time was running out to locate and punish her brother.

We had been having fun lately, but I knew the stress was weighing heavy on her shoulders. No matter how excessively I tried to distract her, it seemed like a lost cause. She wouldn’t rest until he was found.

I couldn’t help overhearing her sobs because I was lying right next to her. I needed to comfort her, but at the same time, I didn’t want to startle or frighten her. I knew she was trying to be quiet so I wouldn’t hear her, but my senses were already prickling.

If I gave her the space to regroup and process her feelings over the past week, maybe she would come to me on her own. I didn’t want to make her feel suffocated.

No, that wouldn’t work. She needed consoling, now, in the moment.

“Georgia.” I dared to whisper her name through the night air. My whisper clung to the sheets like a sigh.

She immediately halted her sobs, just as I knew she would when she became aware that I was listening. She sniffed and cleared her throat.

“It’s okay.” I pressed a palm lightly to her dainty, feminine shoulder. I wanted her to know I wouldn’t hurt or humiliate her.

“Everything is falling apart.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her hand, but she didn’t turn around to look at me. At least she was talking to me, so I took that to be a good sign.

“Karma always finds a way to come back around,” I reminded her. That much was true and universal to all the planets with living beings on them. I didn’t know if anything I said comforted her, but I still had to try.

“I thought you were sleeping?” Georgia cleared her throat again. She didn’t sound upset with me, which was a relief.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.” I propped myself up on my shoulder. I wanted to rub my hands all over her body, but I had to restrain myself.

Georgia rolled over to finally make eye contact with me. The tears on her cheeks glistened under the moonlight, and I gently wiped them away with my thumb.

“It’s okay,” Georgia whispered and attempted to flash me a feeble smile. “I’m not mad or anything.”

“What can I do to take your pain away?” I asked gently.

“I just wish my brother wasn’t such a big jerk.” She sighed and rolled over on her back, staring up at the ceiling with a pouting expression.

I could hear the wheels turning in her mind. “I did everything for him after our parents died. This is the way he repays me? Why would he want to hurt someone who loved him so deeply?” Her voice caught in her throat and she whimpered.

I wasn’t the best consoler of women who were suffering, but I would try my best. Her voice cracked again, and she began to cry faintly.

“It’s okay, Georgia,” I whispered in a soothing tone and rubbed her soft, delicate arm.

“Thank you for all your support.” She sniffed. “I couldn’t get through this without you.” Her shoulders shook and trembled with her sobs.

“Luckily, you will never have to. I’ll always protect you the best I can, Georgia.” I said it with genuine inflection. We had met under false pretenses, but I was a firm believer that fate and destiny had brought us together.

“My brother is such a fucking idiot.” She chuckled bitterly at the irony. “I don’t know how we can even be related. It’s an embarrassment, honestly.”

“I know you are hurting and struggling to understand why he did this to you,” I told her. “Maybe we will come to terms with it sooner than you think.” I hoped we could move beyond this sooner rather than later.

“I hope you are right.” Georgia took her hand and squeezed mine. As long as she was willing to have faith in me, that was all that mattered.

My cock hardened under the sheets, and I wanted desperately to make love to her. The idea of being able to push my pulsing cock into her wet, throbbing pussy made my imagination run wild.

She smelled delicious, feminine, and pure. She was so gorgeous and sensual. It didn’t help my sexual needs that she was lying beside me so sexily.

“What if we never find him?” She looked at me and her expression was one of sheer dread. She was looking to me for safety and answers that I couldn’t predict.

“You can’t think that way.” I shook my head and smiled at her while I brushed the hair off her cheek. It was my job to convince her to let go of her doubts and fears.

“You don’t know him like I do.” She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She exhaled dramatically and squeezed her eyes shut.

“I know that he’s foolish.” I shrugged with a lighthearted chuckle.

Georgia looked at me and paused to study my features. “You are right about that.” She finally laughed.

“Trust me, his judgment day will come.” I leaned over to give her a hug, but mainly, my intention was to feel her soft, warm body pressed against me and to breathe in the divine scent of her hair.

“The prank cuts deep,” she said. Her voice was laced with fury that I understood. Her anger was raw and lashed out at the world around us.

“He won’t be able to get away with making a mockery of my kingdom.” My voice was powerfully assertive even in the quiet darkness.

“He always gets away with it,” Georgia argued with bitter contempt.

“His streak is coming to an end. He is a spineless little rat with total disregard for other people’s feelings.” I knew karma would come back around to sting him. It was only a matter of time now.

I hated to speak so ill of Georgia’s brother, but I knew by now that we were on the same page with that. He was her flesh and blood. I knew it must be hard for her to have such animosity geared toward him.

“So, Katie had no opinions to divulge about his whereabouts?” Georgia gave me a frustrated, yet hopeful glance as she brought up the mention of the pixie girl again.

I shook my head. “I haven’t gotten anywhere with her. I know she wants to be released from the dungeon, so she’s willing to help. I’m just afraid she’s as clueless as we are.” I hated to be the bearer of bad news. Meanwhile, Katie was rotting and taking up space in my dungeons.

“Chad had a way of manipulating her into thinking she was part of the plan and the journey, even though in reality, he was just using her,” Georgia confessed. It seemed as if she had a twinge of compassion for Katie.

“I have a feeling that she’s using her time in that dark, damp place to finally process the fact that she probably wasn’t really loved by Chad,” I offered as a way to make her feel better.

“Well I’m not innocent in falling for his trap either,” Georgia reminded me. ‘I’m just as guilty for being dense and gullible.” Her expression was stoic.

“Hey, it’s not your fault.” I stroked her cheek. “Stop beating yourself up over it,” I whispered into her ear and relished in the prickle of chill bumps I felt against the surface of her skin.

“You don’t understand,” she wailed and threw her hands up in the air. So much for that attempt at seducing her.

“What is it?” I begged, wanting desperately to get inside her mind to analyze a way to make her feel better. I wanted to fuck her, but she wasn’t on the same wavelength.

“It’s like . . .” She trailed off and then began again. “It’s like being stabbed in the back. Betrayed by someone you worked so hard to love and take care of.” I could hear the immeasurable hurt in her voice.

Georgia’s voice was a faint whisper by now of heartbreak and shattering defeat. I had to do something to get her out of this funk.

I sat up. “If I have anything to do with this, we will get justice.” My voice was firm, and something changed in Georgia’s eyes.

It was almost as if a spark had ignited and she was finally gaining understanding of my potential to be a desirable mate for her. I had to step up to the plate and become the hero. It was now or never. Her respect was important to me.

“We can do this together,” she attested with more confidence and edge in her voice. She wanted to be a team.

“Yes, we can.” I gave her a giddy smile. I wanted to kiss her decadent, full lips and run my hands through her silky red hair. I wanted to touch her all over and rub her pussy between her legs.

“Do you think that I will be chastised as a human on this planet?” Georgia gave me a fearful glance.

“Why would you think that?” I asked with perplexity. I remembered that she had asked me this very same question a few days ago.

Georgia shrugged. “You know, the Mixis people are already natured with quick and brash tempers if they feel like they’ve been treated with misfortune. I’m an American Earth woman coming onto their planet, wreaking havoc.”

“You are not doing anything of the sort,” I assured her. “It’s Chad who is unwelcome. He has disobeyed the laws.” I mentally wondered how he was getting food to stay alive, that is if he was alive.

“You are the beloved crown prince though,” she argued.

“Yes, but the difference between you and Chad is that I’m attesting to your goodness. I will make it known to the world that you had nothing to do with this revolting prank.”

“Chad has offended your people, and you,” she whispered humbly, as if she took the blame for his wrongdoings.

“You do not need to worry your pretty little head about that,” I consoled her. “Chad’s accountability falls on him and only him.”

“What about Katie?” Georgia reminded me.

“She is getting her fill of punishment,” I agreed. “I’m sure it’s cold and dark down there.”

“I can’t imagine.” Georgia shivered at the thought. “I’m relieved to be up here with you, warm and cozy and tucked under the sheets. I hope she gets the message while sleeping on a hard, wet floor.”

Her voice was soft, slow, and drippy like honey, even though she was talking with bitterness. She was perfect.

Was she coming on to me? Her voice had an underlay of flirtatiousness to it, that much was obvious to me. I was probably just imagining things because I craved her so fervently.

I wanted desperately to hold her to me and draw her in for a kiss, but at the same time, I didn’t want to behave in a presumptuous manner. Scaring her off was the last thing I wanted. I never wanted to take a step backward with her.

If I went bold, she might think of my behavior as inappropriate, but if I didn’t go for it with her, I might regret it later.

As if reading my mind, Georgia spoke again with a question that gave me new hope.

“You don’t think that because of Chad’s meddling, it might get in the way of our relationship?”

I stared at her for a moment before answering, because I wanted to determine exactly what she was asking me.

“Do you think we have real potential?” I asked like a hopeful child. I hated the way my voice sounded frantic and eager, but maybe that was exactly the fuel Georgia needed in order to be reassured that I would take care of her.

“I think I can trust you . . . right?” Georgia clung to the question as if even she hoped for a favorable result.

“Absolutely.” I nodded with vigor. “The only way I can prove it to you is through time passing, and earning it.”

That must have been the right answer because there was no stalling left. This was happening, and I was right in the thick of it. The heat between us was sensual and sexy. My cock throbbed beneath the sheets and I wondered if she could feel it too.

Georgia leaned in to kiss me. She made the first move and I was thrilled. Now I knew she wanted me too. The magic in my soul sparkled. The fireworks in my vision popped, hissed, and boomed as the sexual chemistry swirled around us.

Her hands were on me, touching and exploring as burning heat flamed across my skin from her seductive grasp. I was trembling with desire.

I kissed her back with electric passion, and from that point forward, I forgot all of my cares and problems. Nothing else existed besides the two of us.

The only thing that mattered to me now was Georgia’s hungry lips, kissing me with desire that neither one of us wanted to hide or run from any longer.

We had crossed the line from being friends to lovers. I couldn’t wait to taste the sweetness between her legs. She moaned softly, driving me wild. I wanted to stretch this moment out to last an eternity.