“What do you mean she’s gone?” Crank frowned at Zane. He’d sent the ensign to fetch Ghwenn from their room.

The ship had just docked, and the captain left to meet with their next client.

After much haggling, they’d just released the elves, with them promising to leave Ghwenn and the Moth alone. In return, the captain of the emerald ship parted with some of their precious maple syrup. An Earth commodity known as liquid gold. Bribery was alive and well in the galaxy.

But that didn’t mean his pixie was safe.

“Sorry, Chief, er, sir, er…”

“Where the fuck is Ghwenn?” Crank barked. He tapped at his wrist, opening a communication channel. “Solanz, I need a location on my wife.”

“Sorry, but her signal is not available at this time, Chief.”

The words sent a cold spell through him. “Zane, where are the Driadalys ships?”

“They left, sir.”

“When?” And when had Ghwenn last been seen?

No one could say for sure. The cameras last recorded her in his room. Sitting on the bed. Prim and perfectly attired. So unlike how she looked when in his arms with her lips passion swollen and her hair tousled.

There one moment, gone the next.

Impossible. Yet no matter how many times he re-ran the videos, the same thing appeared, which was to say nothing.

A sane man would have said good riddance. After all, he’d never wanted another wife. Never wanted to have the shell he’d built cracked. Never wanted to feel love again.

In the midst of pacing, he froze.

But the word still vibrated within.

Love.

Oh, fucking hell. I fell in love with her.

How had that happened? How could it happen?

Because…Ghwenn was amazing. Strong. Snooty. Vulnerable. Combative. Funny. Sexy.

And he’d been an asshole to her.

Because I love her. And it made him feel guilty. So he hurt her. Hurt the woman he loved, which was wrong.

Fuck. He was such a moron because it hit him then. Loving Ghwenn didn’t mean he stopped loving Sky. He’d always love her. But the living couldn’t be with the dead.

The realization shouldn’t have been so shocking. But it was. Because Ghwenn was alive and gone and he needed her. Needed her back right now.

“Solanz, I need you to scan every single camera in that port. We have to find my wife.” Who could be on an elf ship heading for home, and yet… This was just the kind of stunt he could see her pulling to force an epiphany.

Damn her. He’d shake her when he found her. Then kiss her. Then maybe shake her some more.

But how to find her?

There seemed to be no visual trail to follow. Not a hint.

He exited the ship and stood by the large bay doors as cargo was shuttled in for the wedding party. Big-ass fucking crates.

Had she hidden inside?

He pivoted to look, and yet something tugged him another way. Back toward the hangar. He passed by the ground crew busy schlepping around merchandise. He stalked through into the next warehouse. A quieter one, and yet this was where he needed to be. He could feel it.

He treaded lightly and found her. Sitting on a box. Legs tucked and hands clasped together.

“You ran away,” he announced as he neared. Since the revelation of her lineage, she’d gone back to her natural colors. The dye in her hair was completely gone, the chopped ends curling a bit. The bright green strands framed her face as she tilted it.

Her green gaze met his. “I was giving you a choice.”

“A choice to what?” he asked.

“Be with your ghost.”

“A ghost doesn’t keep my dick warm at night.”

“There are appliances you can buy to rectify that.”

“Don’t need to buy shit. I’ve got a wife.”

“That you never wanted.”

“Maybe I changed my mind. Come home with me, pixie.”

“I think I’m going to lose the contents of my stomach.” The harshly spoken words emerged from behind him, and before Crank could whirl, they hit with force. Don’t move, machine man.

His muscles froze.

“Father.” Ghwenn’s voice held aloof disdain. “What an unpleasant surprise. I thought you’d be planning your next wedding.”

“Already in process.”

“And yet you still found time to come after me?”

“It’s not too late. Your trespasses will be forgiven if you return at once.”

“Kind of you to offer, but unnecessary. I have a husband.”

Crank’s frozen mouth couldn’t even form the words, fucking right she does. How emasculating.

“Husband?” There was clear sneering in the words. “Worse than a human, you chose a cyborg to sully your body.”

“He’s a good man.”

“He’s a biological host for a parasite. Hardly fit for a princess. Which is why I’ll be doing you a favor when I kill him.”

“No need. I’ll come peacefully.” She stood. “He doesn’t want me.”

Say what? Crank could only ogle as his pixie moved to leave with her father.

What was she thinking?

You’ll soon be free, Craig.

But he didn’t want to be free. He’d come to find her to explain that he loved her. But now this douche nozzle was getting in the way.

Taking away his wife.

The first time that happened, he was powerless to prevent it.

This time…he refused to allow it.

He twitched a finger. The compulsion hummed in him. Don’t move.

Another muscle spasmed. A shudder went through his body. And he snapped.

Ghwenn had reached her father, a man with a triumphant sneer on his face.

“Don’t you dare take my wife!” Crank roared and charged. Ended up going right through the hologram.

Staggering, he regained his balance and whirled to see Ghwenn smirking.

“He wasn’t real,” Crank stated.

She shook her head.

“This was all fake!” His voice rose.

She nodded.

“But the voice that froze me…” He’d been paralyzed.

“That was all you. Your bots that is. They helped.”

His own nanotech betrayed him? “Why?” he growled.

“Because we were both tired of waiting for you to realize you loved me.”

“Definitely don’t like you after that stunt,” he muttered, his brows drawn together in a frown.

“You were going to save me.”

“Of course I was fucking was.”

“Because…” she prodded.

“Because I fucking love your annoying little ass. Happy now? I tried to make sure you couldn’t weasel your way in. Tried to stay in my deep wallow, but you just had to squirm your way in.”

Her lips parted in a smile. “Was that so hard to admit?”

“Yes.”

She approached him. “Poor cyborg.”

“I can’t believe my bots plotted against me.”

“They tried to fix you, but in case you hadn’t noticed, you’re pretty stubborn.”

“Just a tad.”

“But so am I.” She wrapped her arms around him. “It’s why we make such a perfect pair.”

“I ain’t giving up my spot on the Moth just because you’re a princess.”

“I never asked you to. I am, however, renouncing my position as part of my father’s court.”

“You can quit?” he queried.

“Of a sort. I’ve taken steps to ensure my father will not bother us or your ship.”

“You’d give up being a princess for me?” He couldn’t stop his incredulity.

“Being a princess isn’t as fun as it sounds.”

“But what about your wealth?”

“For a man with the smarts of a machine, you’re awfully dense at times. I’d give up anything for your love.”

“But I thought elves didn’t believe in it.”

“I didn’t until I became a certain cyborg’s bride. I love you, Craig Abrams.”

And for once he didn’t have a grumpy retort. A hard cock, yes. A need for this woman, even more. He crushed her to him, his mouth seeking hers for a hot embrace. His hands tugged at her skirts, pulling them up that he might sink himself into her.

It didn’t take him long to find his pleasure, and her right there with him, whispering, Love you forever.

Which, given their lifespan, could be a long time.

The ensign, however, that chose to interrupt them—“I found the chief and his wife.”—would probably die.

Later.

He had some more apologizing to do first.