I’m spying on him, just because I can.

I should say something, or at least make a little noise to alert him to my presence, but I’m totally transfixed by the sight of him.

Besides, with his ridiculously sharp hearing, he probably already knows I’m here. He’s just not saying anything yet. He can be sneaky like that.

I stand in the shadows, fascinated by his expression. Even though we’ve been together for a while now; even though we’ve enjoyed heaven and endured hell and experienced everything in-between, he still occasionally manages to catch me off-guard.

Like now, for example. He’s sitting in a chair by the observation window, staring out at the deep, dark void below. He’s perfectly still, the room is quiet, and the giant circular ‘hole’ in the stars isn’t really a hole at all.

It’s the Dark Planet.

A strip of blue lights runs across its surface, representing the so-called Civilized Zones. The Kordolians never had a name for their capital. It’s always just been Kythia, like the rest of their bleak planet.

Now the river of lights is dimmer than usual. A seismic shift has occurred down there, and as always, he’s been at the center of the chaos.

As Tarak watches his home planet, a complex mixture of emotions plays across his face. Triumph, anger, sadness.

Inevitability.

And something else… something I can’t quite put my finger on.

He’s sprawled in his chair like a forlorn king, his head tilted to one side, his chin resting on one hand. It’s a rare glimpse of emotion in a man who’s notoriously hard to read.

But he’s no king. He’s my husband, and the father of my child.

“Abbey,” he says. His rich voice reverberates deep in my bones, sending a little shiver down my spine. The feeling never gets old. “What are you doing skulking in the shadows? Come here.”

“I wasn’t skulking,” I say, injecting a little mock-petulance into my voice. “I was just… watching you.”

“Oh?” He raises a pale eyebrow as he swivels in his chair to look at me, turning away from the light. The starlight dusts his profile with a faint silver outline. I can see the whites of his eyes and the stark lines of his features, but the rest of him is shrouded in shadow.

He waves his hand, beckoning me. Come.

Of course, he can see me perfectly well, even in the darkness. I walk slowly towards him, my bare feet silent on the cold floor. As I near, I notice the slight quirk of his dark lips. My answer seems to have pleased him.

“And what have you seen, my amina, that makes you appear so deep in thought?”

“You,” I say softly. “I missed you. We missed you.”

As I come to a standstill before him, he places a possessive hand on my waist. His fingers slip beneath the stretchy band of my pajama shorts, caressing my bare skin.

His touch does weird and wonderful things to me.

“Our daughter is asleep?” He pulls me towards him, his fingers snaking across my skin until they’re resting on the small of my back. He traces small circles with the pad of his thumb, sending a hot little tremor through me.

Considering what he’s capable of, it always amazes me that he can be so gentle.

“She’s asleep. Finally.” A small sigh escapes me as I turn and sink into Tarak’s lap. “She’s been quite unsettled these last few days.”

He wraps his arms around me, cocooning me in his warmth. To my delight, he’s wearing only a pair of loose trousers, leaving his torso bare. His scent is raw and intoxicating. It swirls around me, a potent combination of something faintly smoky and spicy and male.

He buries his nose in my hair and inhales deeply. “I feared she might be sensitive to the disturbances on Kythia. Young ones can sense such things.” There’s a sliver of concern in his deep voice. “She fares better now?”

“Yeah.” I pause, staring out the window at the glittering tapestry of stars. For a moment, we’re both quiet. “I hope the worst of it is over,” I say eventually, emphasizing my words. I might not be able to do anything about what’s happening on the Dark Planet, but when one’s husband is Tarak al Akkadian, a subtle hint dropped here or there can have major consequences.

Tarak says nothing. He just holds me tighter and finds the nape of my neck with his warm lips.

He kisses me softly. I lean into him, closing my eyes and basking in his presence.

As usual, he doesn’t say much about his business on Kythia. I know there’s been a major coup of some sort. I know there’s been bloodshed. I know he’s right in the thick of things, and that he’s probably done a few things he’d rather not tell me about.

I get it. He’s a former general of the Kordolian Empire, and his people are the ruthless, bloodthirsty kind. After what happened on Earth, he’s done his utmost to keep us safe. Cocooned up here in space on the deadly, super-fast, and ultra-secure warship, Silence, we’ve been given everything we need. He’s tried his best to replicate conditions on Earth, but it’s just not the same.

Sooner or later, we’re going to have to plant our feet firmly on the ground again.

“I will do everything to keep both of you safe,” he murmurs, running his fingers through my unbound hair. “Sometimes, I—” He catches himself mid-sentence, going quiet.

Hesitating.

That’s so unlike him, and for some reason, it makes me a little uneasy.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“What?”

“Old Earth saying. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

A soft growl escapes him. It’s the sound of pent-up, tightly leashed frustration. “Sometimes I grow impatient,” he admits. “Sometimes it occurs to me that I could just destroy that infernal place and erase its wretched history in a heartbeat. Silence has the capacity to raze planets. It would be easier that way.”

If I didn’t truly know him, his words might terrify me.

“But you won’t do that,” I say softly, “because the man I married doesn’t do that kind of thing.” I capture his hand and squeeze it. “You don’t take the easy way out. I wouldn’t be with you if you were the genocidal type.”

What the hell has he encountered down there on Kythia that’s made him think of such dark things?

“Abbey…” He takes a deep breath and then exhales, holding me close. We’re pressed so close together that I can feel the steady beat of his heart. “You are wise.” After a pause, he adds, “…for a Human.”

To my relief, his tone is gently mocking. It’s as if a great weight has been lifted from him; as if he needed to confess his dark thoughts to me in order to exorcise them. He places his hand under my chin and turns my head, tilting my face upwards.

“I love you,” he whispers.

Before I have a chance to respond, his lips are on mine, and his slow kiss burns right through me. He’s wild and yet deliberate, fierce and yet gentle, insistent and yet patient.

He takes his time. I respond in kind, succumbing to him.

Surrendering myself to him.

After all, what else is a girl supposed to do when she’s engulfed by a force of nature?