to cry, and I’ve already told you how much I hate that.”
“I’m sorry,” Kalla apologized again before letting out a giggle at the look Nova gave her. “No more tears.”
“Wait.” Halla tilted her head and stared straight into the camera. “If you did not find the others, who are you sharing an apartment with? Did you make friends with other females?”
“Are you going to replace us?” Kalla asked, her nose twitching once again.
“Don’t be crazy pants.” Nova shook her head and let out a chuckle at the absurdity of their worries. “First, there is absolutely no way I could ever replace you. You’re literally the only pair of alien sex kittens I know.”
“You say that now,” Halla sniffed, “but there are many of our kind out—”
“What I’m trying to say,” she interrupted before the twin worked herself up any further, “is that you two are my friends, and I don’t replace friends. The two of you helped me get through this, and there is no way in hell I would ever forget that. I love you guys.”
“We love you too,” they purred simultaneously.
“I think I love my husband too,” Nova added, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I mean…he’s perfect.”
“Husband?!” twin voices screeched as they both began to fight for prime place in front of the camera.
“Oh yeah.” Nova couldn’t stop a big smile from spreading across her face at their reactions. “Remember that big Phaeton I kept dreaming about?”
“You didn’t!” Halla gasped, her face shocked as Kalla dissolved into happy tears once again.
“I did!”
And just like that, it all came pouring out. Every single thing that had happened since the girls left her at Cruum’s up until now was laid out in as much detail as she was able to remember. Some of what she remembered was spotty on account of her being beaten for part of it, but other than that, she told them everything.
“And you believe you love him?” Halla asked, bringing Nova back to what she’d said aloud earlier.
Nova nodded. “I think so.” She knew “think” was taking the wimpy way out, but her head wasn’t ready to commit to love just yet. Yet being the most important word in that sentence, even though she knew it was inevitable.
“Why do you not know for sure?” Kalla questioned, her face skeptical as she leaned back a little on the screen. “Do you believe he will hurt you?”
“No!” she answered quickly. “Absolutely not.” There was no question in her mind Axis would do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if it meant hurting himself in the process. He’d not only told her so, he’d shown her in action during the course of their short courtship. Every single action he’d taken since they been reunited had been made in an effort to keep her safe.
“Bad at sex?”
“Pfft,” she snorted, shaking her head. “There is nothing Axis is bad at. He’s nice and sweet and strong and loving and—”
“What is the problem then?” Halla asked, her sister nodding next to her. “Yes. What is the problem.”
“The problem is that I’ve known this dude for a handful of days, you guys!” Nova pushed herself off the bed to pace, still in view of the camera but now moving about the floor. “Isn’t this all too quick?”
“No,” they answered in unison.
She stopped speed walking back and forth and propped her hands on her hips. “Promise? Because this feels really fast and really fucking scary.” She rubbed the center of her chest. “If I lost this—”
“Rule number one, Nova.” Halla’s reminder stopped Nova in her tracks.
Act tough, even if you’re scared shitless.
Nova backed up until she felt the bed behind her and sank down. Luckily, her ass didn’t slide right off the mattress with how little attention she was paying. It was close, but she caught herself before completely making a fool of herself.
“I think there are actually a couple of rules I could use right now,” she said after a moment of silence. “I don’t even know why my head’s fighting this so hard.” Nova pushed back her curls and looked up at the camera on the wall above the mounted screen. “I want Axis—this—so bad I can taste it, but for some reason, I’m really fucking scared I’m going to somehow lose it if I get too comfortable. Does that make any sense?”
“Nova,” the twins purred before Halla nudged her sister’s shoulder. The pair whispered for a moment before Halla cleared her throat. “Do you remember when you told