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He didn’t want Becca wandering around the transport without him. Until he grew to trust her, he wanted to know her whereabouts at all times.
    He scanned the room and didn’t see her. His ire rose. She’d just vowed to honor and obey him, only to hide from him not an hour after their wedding ceremony.
    The room was sparse, with only few pieces of furniture bolted to the floors. The bathroom door was ajar, but no lights were on inside. There weren’t many places to hide in their small quarters. He could find her in seconds if he wished, but he preferred she come out of hiding on her own.
    “Becca, show yourself now.” He waited, his impatience growing. “Becca, don’t make me look for you. You won’t like what happens when I find you.” Another threat. He cursed inwardly, but didn’t retract it. If she didn’t reveal herself, he would show her what happened to disobedient wives.
    “I’m here,” a small voice came from the bathroom. She slipped out into their room, gave him a fearful look, and dropped her gaze to the floor.
    He crossed the room and forced her chin up, forced her eyes to his. “Why were you hiding from me, wife?”
    She stared at him but didn’t answer. She swallowed hard and tried to pull from his grasp, but he caught her arms and yanked her against him. Though she resisted him, her body felt soft and welcoming against his.
    “I asked you a question, Becca. Why were you hiding from me?”
    A defiant spark ignited in her eyes and she ceased her struggles. “Because I don’t know you, Officer Makin. One minute you are kind to me, and the next minute you are cold. I worry you might turn out to be worse than the warden.” Her words came out harsh and angry, and she trembled in his hold. “You could beat me bloody every day if you wanted to, you could even kill me, and there’s nothing I can do to stop you. Forgive me, but I wish I could curl up in the dark bathroom and stay there forever.”
    He released her and stepped back, holding his hands out in a gesture of surrender. He hated to see her so afraid of him, and he knew earning her trust would take time. She stood in front of the one window in the room, the stars streaming by beyond her delicate frame. She held her hands in fists at her sides and spread her feet, as if preparing to fight him. She was so small he could subdue her in a second if he wished, but he didn’t want to force himself on her.
    He wanted the future he’d dreamed about for the last five years. The island and the small farm. A wife and children. A quiet, simple life on a planet that wasn’t as crowded and as rife with corruption as Earth was.
    He nodded at the table with two chairs beside a small kitchen area. “Sit down at the table, Becca, and I will fix you something to eat. We’ll talk and get to know one another a little better, and then you will see that I’m nothing like the warden. Please sit down and give me a chance to get to know you. I suspect you have been wronged by many people in your life, probably mostly men, and I understand that it will take some time for me to gain your trust, but I hope that you will at least give me a chance.”
    His little speech seemed to work, because she slowly relaxed her stance and stared at the table. After a few moments of hesitation, she moved away from him, not once showing him her back, and finally sat down at the table.
    “Good girl,” he said with warmth. “Now tell me, Becca, what is your favorite food?”
    “Wh-what?”
    “Your favorite food. There’s a food synthesizer in the kitchen. I can make anything you desire.”
    She looked at the small metallic box on the counter. “I’ve never seen a food synthesizer before. Wow.”
    “Tell me what you like,” he said, approaching her with slow, careful steps. Once he reached the counter, he leaned against it and grinned. “My favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs, with lots of parmesan cheese of course. It’s been my favorite since I was a