The alien who hand-picked me to wed and bed is the most domineering warlord of the bunch. Lucky me. As the first humans allowed in Suevan space, there’s a lot riding on my all-woman team. Earth desperately needs their tech, and I’m determined to prove we can negotiate the price. Without their planetary defense systems, Earth is a sitting duck, ripe for invasion. Except the Suevan culture is nothing like ours. When I take part in what I think is a welcoming ceremony, I leave with more than I bargained for: a husband. A mate. Apparently, we’re there to marry them as payment—something the top brass on Earth doesn’t bother denying. Fantastic. And the Suevan who hand-picked me to wed and bed? He’s the most domineering warlord of the bunch. Lucky me. I’ll get the Suevan tech we need, but there’s no way I’m giving in to his demands… no matter how, ahem, persuasive he might be.