Aria shook her head. “I was in shock, and then I was kind of pissed. But now that I’m starting to wrap my head around everything, I think I understand. It helps that I wasn’t in love with the way my life was going.”

Relief rolled through me like a wave. “You understand why I took you?”

“Mmhm. Want the summary?”

“Of course.”

She cleared her throat. “Once upon a time, a lonely, sexy mermonster king suddenly had the opportunity to decide his own future for the first time in his life. So, he rigged a vote and went to Earth to steal a human bride.” She points to herself. “Now that he’s started determining his own future, he’s realizing that he's had the power to tell his people to fuck off all along.”

I snorted.

“Wait. There’s more.” She held up a finger, telling me to pause. “Will the king embrace the destiny he’s making for himself, or will he pressure his new bride into breeding for the sake of his kingdom? Everything is at stake—but especially, his heart.”

“You have a true talent,” I drawled. “The world of human literature suffers without you in it.”

“It really does.” She lowered her head back to my chest. “What do you think?”

She didn’t clarify, but she didn’t need to. We both knew she was talking about her summary. “I think your king is far too smart to attempt to pressure his bride into having his child. Which he proved by helping her find a plant that would prevent pregnancy.”

“My king?”

“Yes, Sweetheart. Yours.”

“I kind of like the sound of that.”

“Good. You should.”

“You do want kids, though? I saw the way you were with them. You love them.”

“I do love them. I never considered having my own, before.”

“You must’ve thought about it, when you were rigging a vote and traveling to Earth to abduct me.”

“Surely there’s a better word than abduction.” I stroked my fingers down the length of her back, and she sighed again in contentment. “But yes, I can admit that I crave the idea of a family to love now that it’s an option.”

“Were you afraid everyone would realize you tricked them into the vote?”

“Of course. I was tense all the way to the portal out of Alterrae, waiting for someone to tell me that the vote had been redone and I was going to have to stay alone. I didn’t actually think I’d end up with a mate. On Earth, I continuously failed to find someone compatible. I wondered if the goddess was telling me she disagreed with the way I took things into my own hands.”

“You watched everyone else find someone first.”

“Quickly,” I agreed. “The rest of the males who had gone with me found a mate by the second round of humans.”