Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“Of course I am back. Where else would I go?”
“I don’t know. Running back to the Authority?”
He did not like her tone one bit, but he understood it. “I am not going back to the Authority. Ever. And neither are you.”
She seemed confused. “Then, where are you going?”
“I am staying here with you. As my mate. I cannot leave you to the mercies of the Dinavri.”
“So you’re staying here to protect me.”
“I’m staying here to be with you. This… you… I…” He didn’t know how to say what he needed to say. Words were not his forte. If they had been, none of this would ever have happened.
“What?” She folded her arms over her chest with a slightly petulant and apprehensive expression.
“I love you. And I am furious with you.”
“You love me?”
Jerri couldn’t believe those words were coming out of his harsh face. Not after all the distance and the yelling and the arguing and the way he’d just walked out on her on the Audacity, and…
“Yes. I have come to this conclusion over the course of our separation. There is no other explanation for my feelings or my behavior.”
This was not exactly an emotional outpouring or confession, but she knew he meant the words to his core. Atlas did not say what he did not mean.
“You love me.”
“Yes. And I am going to punish you.”
She swallowed, but nodded. “Okay.”
What else could she say? What else did she desire? Jerri had fantasized every damn night since he transferred from the Audacity that he was there with her, loving her, punishing her, making her hurt and making her come. Being in his presence again was a dream come true. She could barely believe it. He’d come for her.
“Atlas…”
“Yes?”
“I know I cost you everything, but I honestly didn’t know you would come for me. I thought you were done with me forever after all that with Taylor, and…” Her voice broke slightly. “I had nowhere to go and nobody who wanted me.”
Atlas sighed. He very much wanted to be angry at her. He was angry with her. But she was right in a sense. They had parted company under dishonorable circumstances, and she had not had any reason to hope to see him again. If this were one big gambit for his attention, it was a truly desperate one.
“I missed you too,” he said, softening his voice with some effort. “I missed you more than I can express. But what you did…”
“I know. It’s unforgivable. Maybe that’s why I did it. I wasn’t forgiven for what was forgivable. I finally found someone who understood me, cared for me, gave me what I needed, and they ripped him away from me. So I took something they cared about.”
“You took a starship.”
“I know.” She gave him a little glimmer of a smile. “And as mad as you are, you have to admit, that was pretty cool.”
“It was not cool,” he growled. “It was reckless and outrageous, and it…”
“Who cares,” she interrupted. “It’s done.”
“We’re giving the ship back.”
“No, we’re not. It’s mine.”
“We’re giving the ship back, because that is one way we can avoid an actual war.”
“The Authority doesn’t want war with the Dinavri. That’s half the reason I came here. They’re fucking terrified of these people. They’ll write the Audacity off before they come after it, or them or us.”
“The ship is packed with technology unique to the Authority. They will be furious it has fallen into Dinavri hands. The main computer holds codes to…”
“I know what I’ve done, Atlas.”
“Good. So you’re a mutineer and a traitor and…”
“A badass bitch.”
“A brat,” he finished. “An absolute brat of universal proportions. Come here.”
He pulled her close and stripped her of the dress the Dinavri harem had provided her with. It came off easily, being very oversized and quite sheer. It did not survive the removal, but he did not imagine that would matter, and he did not care. He needed to see her naked body. He needed to feast his eyes on her soft curves, her adorable nipples already erect from the rush of exposure. Her hips had that perfect flare, and her belly had a delightful shape. He had imagined this sweet flesh so many times in his mind’s eye over the past days and weeks. To finally have her in his presence again felt like a dream.
She was blushing, but not making any attempt to cover herself. She knew better than to do that. She knew how he liked to see all of her. That submissive streak that hid beneath thick layers of defiance and brattiness was surfacing already. She had not forgotten how to behave for him, even if she had behaved outrageously.
“Bend over and touch your toes.”
Jerri gave a little whimper, but did not take long to comply. The position exposed her to his gaze, let him see that hot little pussy he had conquered so many times before. He would be inside her soon, he knew there was only so long he could hold off.