A petty pickpocket, a brilliant engineer, and a traumatized soldier too broken to fight.
Baldiri Trod already has a mate: Qwi'kikki, the brilliant Ska'hian Engineer who is working with him to adapt Ska'hian tech to Alliance vessels, but when a visit with their manufacturing partner K'ren Daku leads him to cross paths with a charming solaran woman named Cathy, Trod's feelings are torn. Despite Qwi's assurance (and even encouragement) that courting a second partner is acceptable, Trod has his doubts. Qwi's people may be polyamorous, but Cathy's are not. Would she be willing to accept a relationship with him if it meant she had to share his divided affections?
Before he can learn the answer to that question, a horrifying truth about Cathy's situation comes to light, and he is faced with a choice: go on as though nothing has changed, or risk everything to protect her from harm. The choice is obvious. Breaking Cathy out of Daku Headquarters and removing the deadly collar around her neck are the easy parts. Sheltering the abducted solaran under the same roof as his mate? That may prove more challenging...
Thief of Joy is a full-length sci-fi romance novel with a happily-ever-after and no cheating. Potential triggers and content warnings are listed in the book. This book is intended for mature audiences.
