Ivy staggered back as if she’d been punched in the stomach. She couldn’t believe Marcus was in her quarters, grinning at her as if they were still a loved-up couple and he’d dropped by to surprise her.

“Are you happy to see me?” Marcus placed the champagne and chips on her table.

“I wouldn’t use the word happy. What in the hell are you doing on the space station?”

“Why do you think I’m here? To see you. I missed you.” He stepped toward her, his arms open.

Ivy backed away. “Not a chance. You caught me off-guard with that first hug. It won’t happen again.”

Marcus dropped his arms to his side. “Admit it. You’ve missed me.”

“Not for a second.” She glared at him. Damn it, if Marcus wasn’t still as rock star good looking as ever. “I don’t get it. You can’t be here for me. We’re so over.”

“It was a temporary thing. I knew you needed time on your own to find yourself or whatever it is chicks do when they feel let down.”

“I’ve been on my own for over a year. Why now?”

“It felt right. I’ve changed. I’m ready to commit. I choose you.”

Ivy glowered at him. “You mean your latest girl ditched you and you’re all out of options?”

“It’s not like that. Ivy, I did miss you. It felt like I’d lost a part of me when you left Earth.”

“Your brain?”

Marcus laughed. “You always were the clever one in the relationship.”

“You missed this part of you for over a year and then decided to find it all of a sudden?”

Marcus strolled around the living room, inspecting the art and furnishings. “It took me time to save up the funds to make the trip.”

“It’s cheap to come into space. The government is desperate to get people off Earth and colonize the galaxy. I bet they gave you a grant to come here.”

Marcus shrugged but didn’t meet her gaze. “Well, whatever. It took me awhile to get things sorted. I couldn’t abandon everything I had on Earth.”

“Like what?”

“You know, my businesses.”

“What shady deals are you involved in?”

Marcus chuckled. “It’s not like that. I’m a new man. A better man. That’s when I realized I needed a great woman by my side. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather have than you.”

Ivy squinted at him. “What’s wrong with your nose?” His long, straight nose looked unusually puffy and red. “It looks like you’ve been punched in the face.”

Marcus gently touched his nose and grimaced. “It’s nothing.”

“You’re already making enemies. How long have you been here?”

“A couple of days.”

“This is the first time you’ve decided to come see me?”

“I got a little side-tracked. It wasn’t my fault. How was I supposed to know you couldn’t bring weed into space?”

“You’re already in trouble?”

“No, I’m fine. No trouble. You know what it’s like when you first move to a new place. You need to sort out somewhere to live and find your way around. It took me a while to work out where you lived. This place is a maze.”

“How exactly did you find me?”

“I asked around. You’ve got yourself quite a reputation up here.” Marcus grinned at her. “Same old Ivy.”

“Not same old Ivy. I’ve got a great life here. I love my work. I don’t need you messing it up for me.”

Marcus turned toward her. Even with his swollen nose, he had those frustratingly gorgeous cheekbones and full lips. He’d sweet-talked her so many times with that lying mouth.

“You’ve changed since coming here,” Marcus said. “What’s to say I haven’t? Everybody deserves a second chance. I’ve done all that growing up you keep telling me I need to do.”

“I gave you loads of chances when we were on Earth. You were probably on your twentieth chance when I wised up and realized you’d never change. You’ll always be on the make and looking out for the best deal for you. Screw anyone else.”

Marcus held his hands up. “I realized you were my best deal. I wouldn’t have set foot on that scary looking spaceship that brought me here, otherwise.”

Ivy refused to smile. It was like falling back into an old pattern. She understood Marcus and knew what she let herself in for when around him.

In a twisted sort of way, it felt good. Ivy knew how to play this game. Marcus would act like a good guy for a couple of weeks, then the cracks would show. He’d forget to pay a bill or disappear for a couple of days. Rinse and repeat as she grew increasingly paranoid. Then he’d make a grand gesture and sweep her off her feet. Everything would be amazing before it all started again.

She couldn’t trust him but had gotten so used to it when they were together that it had felt stable. Right now, Ivy needed that in her life. With her job on the line and Karn messing with her thoughts, planting the stupid notion she might be pregnant, it felt good to know what she got with Marcus.

“You’ve done well for yourself.” Marcus lifted her designer purse from the table. “I’m guessing My Single Alien pays well.”

“I do okay.” She walked over and snatched the purse from him.

Marcus laughed and grabbed her around the waist.

Ivy squirmed in his grip. “I told you to keep your distance.” He still wore the same cologne. She’d missed that grassy-spicy smell.

“I’ll be upfront with you.” His grip on her waist tightened.

“That will be a first.”

Marcus glanced down. “Have you put on weight?”

Ivy smacked his chest with the flat of her hand. “No! I’m in excellent shape.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t. It suits you. Gives you a sexy vibe.”

Ivy kicked his shin, and he let go. “Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.” She self-consciously pinched her waist. Was she getting fat?

Marcus’s smile died. “I have changed. I’ve grown up. I hate life without you. There are no adventures to be had when you’re not around. I don’t want to do anything. It’s like I’ve lost my passion.”

“You think you’ll get it back with me in your life?”

“I know I will. Every day when I woke and found you by my side, it made me smile. It gave me a purpose and something to look forward to.”

“Until you messed it up by cheating on me with my best friend.”

Marcus groaned. “I’ve told you so many times she led me on. I was so wasted I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“You weren’t so drunk you couldn’t take her clothes off and screw her.”

“I acted on autopilot. I didn’t know what my own body was doing. I knew it was a mistake the second it had happened.”

“You only knew it was a mistake because I caught you with your dick still inside her. You’d never have told me.”

Marcus dropped his head into his hands. “I’m an idiot.”

“That’s something we agree on.”

He raised his head. “I want a future with you. Let’s forget about the past. We can start again and try somewhere new, a fresh start on a new planet. How exciting would that be?”

Ivy sighed. Given her increasingly limited options when it came to life on the space station, it didn’t sound dreadful. Things had gone to shit overnight, and she was likely to lose her job. If that happened, what else was there? The lying words of Karn? No, thanks.

“You’re tempted. You always bite the inside of your mouth when you’re thinking things through.”

Ivy stepped back. She hated that Marcus knew her so well. “Where do you have in mind?”

Marcus’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean?”

“You must have done your research if you’re serious about this. Where in space do you want to live? Another space station? On an alien planet?”

“I haven’t figured out the details. We can do that together. I want us to be true partners in this relationship.”

Ivy smirked. “Or maybe you’re making this up. You haven’t given it any thought. You don’t know where you’re going. How are you even going to fund this new life of yours? Some aliens won’t let you move to their planet unless you have savings.”

“You know me. I always make money when I need to. The newscasts on Earth are always going on about job opportunities in space. We’ll land on our feet wherever we go.”

“You expect me to give up my job here?” Not that she’d have much say in the matter when Diadora fired her.

“You’re the best in the business. People will clamber over themselves to hire you. Besides, aren’t you bored? You’re always looking for something new as soon as you start a job.”

Ivy inspected her nails. “That’s not true. I like a challenge. I get bored easily.”

“There you go. Now is the perfect time for you to make a change. You’ve been up here on your own for over a year. That’s got to get stale. The novelty of being independent must have worn off by now.”

Ivy hesitated. It hadn’t. Sure, the people she worked with bugged the hell out of her. Sometimes, she wanted to scream at the aliens when they wouldn’t do what she needed when she ran a photo shoot or interviewed them, but it was always different. Every day, she never knew who would come aboard the station or which matches would be made. Ivy always got messages and comms about new alien babies. Clients were so grateful to My Single Alien. Was she ready to leave that and head off with Marcus?

“Maybe you’ve got somebody here you don’t want to leave behind.” Marcus scuffed his feet on the floor. “I suppose some gorgeous alien has swept you off your feet.”

“Hardly. You don’t see a ring on my finger.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re not involved with somebody. What about the Forka? What do you think of them?”

Ivy’s head shot up. “What do you know about Forka?”

Marcus shrugged. “I might have met one earlier.”

“Where?”

“I forget.”

“Hold on. You’ve been in the holding cells. I bet station security chucked you in there because of your drug blunder. You’ve met Karn.”

Marcus shook his head. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Yes, you do.” Ivy jabbed Marcus in the chest with a finger. “That’s why you’ve only just come to see me. You’ve been locked away. So much for you having changed.”

“I’m out and got let off with a warning.”

Ivy glared at him. “What do you know about Karn? Why ask me about him?”

“He rubbed me up the wrong way. He said some things about you I didn’t like. I protected your honor.”

“What things?”

“He made out the two of you were together. He pretended he knew you and that you liked champagne and to dominate him in the bedroom.”

Ivy’s laugh sounded strained to her ears. “How does he know that?”

“Good question. I figured the two of you had an encounter.”

“Karn’s worse than you. I caught him breaking into the office. That was why he was in the holding cell. I had him arrested.”

Marcus laughed. “I knew he was lying. He reckoned you were into each other, and he knew you better than me. That’s not possible. I’ve known you for years.”

“Karn said those things to wind you up. From the state of your nose, it looks like it worked.” Although Ivy dismissed Marcus’s comments about Karn’s interest in her, she was intrigued. Why would Karn say all of that if it wasn’t true?

“It was weird. He did seem to know you. He was protective. He hated the idea I’d come here to be with you. He acted jealous.”

“I hope you set him straight. There’s no way we’re getting back together.”

“We’ll find a way to work around our problems.” Marcus gestured to the champagne. “Why don’t we have a toast?”

“I’m not interested.”

“I got your favorite champagne. Surely, you can give me the time to have a little drink.”

“I’m not feeling great.”

“The bubbles will settle your stomach.” Marcus opened the champagne. “Even if you’re rejecting me, we can toast our old friendship and the good times we had together.”

“Before you went and messed everything up.”

Marcus turned away. “I’m the idiot. You can blame it all on me.”

“Fine. One drink, then you leave.” Ivy grabbed two glasses from the kitchen and returned to the living room. “I do blame you for spoiling things. There’s no excuse for cheating with my best friend.”

“Do you two stay in touch?” Marcus poured the champagne.

“As if I’d waste time talking to that snake.” Bethany had been Ivy’s best friend since school. They’d done everything together, from shaving their legs for the first time to dying their hair. They’d even lost their virginity in the same week to different guys. They’d been closer than sisters. Well, Ivy had thought they’d been.

“I hear she’s married.” Marcus handed Ivy a glass. “She’s got a kid on the way.”

“I pity the guy who got lumbered with her.”

“I saw her not so long ago. She’s different. She got fat.”

“She is pregnant, idiot.”

“No, not just baby fat. She’s blown up like a hippo. She said she was eating for two, but it looked more like a dozen to me.”

Ivy didn’t hate that thought. Bethany had always been the skinnier of the two. The thought of her waddling around with swollen ankles as she stuffed down packets of cookies gave Ivy a tiny thrill of delight.

“I’d like to make a toast,” Marcus said. “To new beginnings.”

“New beginnings,” Ivy said. “My new beginning won’t be with you.”

Marcus frowned. “Don’t say that. We’d have so much fun together. Give me one more chance. I won’t let you down.”

She shook her head. “You’ve had your chances. I’ve moved on. I’m happy here.”

Marcus looked around the living room. “Are you? Does all this stuff make you happy? Don’t you ever get lonely?”

“What makes you think I’m lonely?”

“This is what you used to do. When we’d had an argument, or you thought I’d done something wrong, you’d storm out and buy yourself something. From the look of this place, you’ve been buying a lot of stuff and blowing through your income. Face it. You’re not happy. You’ve been missing me.”

Ivy sipped the champagne. “I might have missed you when I first arrived. I missed a lot of things. Visiting the neighborhood I grew up in, a dozen different flavors of ice cream to choose from, seeing the old family house. It doesn’t mean I want those things back. It’s in my past. I’ve left that behind. That includes you.”

“You’re going to stay here all alone? I almost feel sorry for you.”

Ivy gulped back the rest of her champagne. “Don’t be. I’ve got everything I need right here.”

“Are you sure about that? There’s nothing I can do to change your mind?”

She shook her head. Despite the mess at My Single Alien, she needed to sort things out. Ivy had to speak with Karn again. She didn’t know what was going on between them, but she had to find out. If he was her perfect match, maybe there was a way they could work together and figure out if there was a future for them.

Ivy stared at Marcus. She didn’t want to go back, not to him or the guarded life she’d created on Prodigy, one that meant she did almost everything on her own.

Marcus was right. She’d filled her life with too many things, substituting for the fact that she’d slept alone for too long.

“More champagne?” Marcus went to refill her glass.

She pushed his hand away, feeling lightheaded. Those bubbles had been a terrible idea. “No more. It’s time you left.”

“We haven’t sorted things out,” Marcus said. “I’ll get you to see sense.”

Ivy grabbed the back of a chair as her dizziness increased. “Nothing you do will change my mind.” She staggered forward and landed on her knees.

“Easy now. There’s no need to hurt yourself.” Marcus knelt by her side.

Ivy’s mouth felt furry, and her ears rang. “What have you done?”

“Helped you.” Marcus’s voice sounded faint. “You always have to do things the hard way. I’m making sure you don’t make a mistake this time.”

Had this lying, cheating scum drugged her? Ivy crawled on her hands and knees toward the door as black spots appeared in her eyes. He’d put something in her champagne. She had to get out. She needed to get to the door and into the corridor. Somebody would help.

She felt Marcus’s hand on her shoulder. Ivy kicked back but couldn’t get her knee off the ground. As her head sank to the floor, she realized she’d been duped again.