She was a League agent. They were all enemies to The League. Dancer might love her, but none of the rest did.

Well… maybe Darice and Thia.

But Dariana would hate her guts, as would Dancer’s parents. For that matter, if she went, she might cause him to lose his lineage.

Forever.

I’m not Omira. The last thing she wanted was to cause any harm to Dancer or to those he loved. Her presence with him would be nothing but misery and continued problems for him.

Excessive problems.

He was Andarion. She was human. Thia’s story about their asteroid belt went through her head. She had no business with him.

And yet…

She couldn’t stand the thought of not having him in her life. It hurt so much that it made it hard for her to breathe. It was like losing her daughter all over again.

Fain stepped down from the ramp and approached her. “What’s wrong?”

Overwhelmed by it all, Sumi wrapped her arms around her chest as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t hurt Dancer the way Omira had ruined Fain. She couldn’t. One look at that wedding band on Fain’s hand and his Tavali uniform, and she knew just how wrong it would be to take away everything Dancer loved.

Even his name.

Clearing her throat, she glanced away, scared she might lose her conviction. “Dancer’s where he belongs. I should be going.”

Fain scowled at her. “Are you nuts? Do I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you into the skimmer?”

She raked a horrified look over him. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“For my brother, there isn’t anything I would not dare. I would defy the gods themselves to keep him happy and safe.” He moved to stand right in front of her. “I saw his eyes, Sumi, and I know that wasn’t from Dariana. And unless I need to keep Nykyrian from ripping Dancer’s spine out through his nose, there’s only one female who could have done that to him on this trip. The one he was clutching when I arrived. It would devastate him to wake up without you.”

Those words choked her even more. But still, she didn’t want to hurt him. Or cause him harm. How could she buy her happiness at the expense of his entire life and family? “I’m a threat to him.”

“So am I,” he said with a bitter laugh. “Every time he speaks to me, he runs the risk of losing everything he has.” Fain glanced back toward the skimmer. “Dancer’s never done anything the easy way. And he never will. It’s part of the little bastard’s charm.” He held his hand out to her. “C’mon. I’ll be with you the whole time. Nothing to fear. I will keep both of you safe.”