Right before his tongue found my clit, he breathed me in, moaning when he did so. I closed my eyes and tried to just feel. I had to get out of my own head. Soon, I had no choice. His intensity made him thorough. My hands gripped the bed when he found the perfect rhythm, making my clit throb.
“Damian,” I cried out his name. “Yes. Like that. Don’t stop. Please.”
He groaned, his hands digging into my hips. As I’d asked, he stayed right where he was, not stopping the rhythm he’d found that really did it for me. I was going to explode. Shatter. I might never be put back together again.
I opened my eyes, and the sight of him so completely taken with pleasuring me set me off. I came. Hard. Again and again. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Damian cried out my name, his seed covering the bottom of the bed. He panted, moving back to where he’d been before when he’d covered me. He kissed my cheeks, over and over.
He sighed against my mouth. “Your pleasure is my pleasure. Okay?”
I held him against me. Damian had gotten into his position in life because he was good at taking care of people. Being who he was, he always did it without fanfare or expecting anyone to notice. He needed me to know.
I stroked his back softly. “More than okay. Thank you.”
He sucked in his breath. “Sweet, sweet Diana.”
Neither of us was asleep; even as time passed we stayed awake, not moving. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Always.” He leaned up on his elbow.
I stroked his forehead. “When I watched you from the ship, before you came, you always carried two guns. Why two when Sterling only had one?”
“Truth is, Sterling only carries a gun at all because I insist. There isn’t an enemy out there that Sterling couldn’t disarm with his hands. Scary as that is, please don’t be afraid of him. Today’s incident aside, you’ll never find a less violent person that Sterling. I carry two guns because I believe in an abundance of caution. What if one jammed? How would I keep everyone safe from the Infected?”
I pushed away the image of Sterling taking down the Infected with his hands. What if he got bitten? By contrast, I understood Damian. I’d want two guns, too.
“My turn.” He didn’t say please, which I liked. I wondered if I’d only see him in that state when he was really turned on. I by no means minded giving him whatever he needed, whenever he needed it. However, I really hoped he didn’t walk around feeling like he should have to ask for what he should simply expect to have all the time.
I kissed his shoulder. “Absolutely.”
“How long did you watch us?”
“Every morning.”
His eyes widened. “I never knew that. Or if I did, I forgot. You were going to stay there alone and never come over? If your fire alarm hadn’t triggered our alert computer, I would never have known you. You’d still be there by yourself, and I’d be all alone without my Diana.”
“I’m glad with how things turned out. I’ll always be grateful you broke down my door.”
He sighed and rolled off me. We readjusted until he spooned behind me. “Tell me something about you I don’t know.”
“Wow. Suddenly I can’t come up with a single thing about myself.”
My brain had gone completely blank. I’d never been good at discussing myself, but this was ridiculous.
“Did you go to school with other kids? When you were young?”
“Oh, that’s an easy one. I did. On the station. There was a school. For a while, Uncle Cooper actually taught the class. Then a teacher moved to the station, and he went back to doing what he preferred. It depended on how many kids lived on the station at a time. There were regulars, like my one friend, Paloma. Others came and went. I think we had several hundred kids at one time.”
His eyes were closed, and he breathed on my shoulder. He wasn’t asleep, unless he’d suddenly fallen asleep with a smile on his mouth. “You?”
“Just me. My mother taught me. Until I went to Evander. Then we went to school based on aptitude and future abilities.”
That sounded dull to me. I’d enjoyed hearing what the others were interested in, even if all I did was listen. “So then we wouldn’t have been in class together. No one would ever have me manage people.”
“I think you did a great job at it when we decided to all give this a go. Tell me something else.”
I stroked his arm hair. “Ask me a question. I don’t know what to say.”
“Tell me about your family.”
“That’s a lot of stuff to talk about. Could go on all night.”
He kissed my shoulder again. “Okay.”
“Damian, I think you need to sleep.”
His fingers held my own. “I do. Only I want to fall asleep hearing you talk. Is that okay? Please.”
“Yes, of course.” I already knew there would never be a time when he said please and I didn’t give him whatever he wanted.
So I talked. I told him about my mother, how she was the center of the universe. Or at least I’d always thought so. Damian made a sound in his throat when I said that but didn’t otherwise comment. I talked about my father and the way he quietly held us all together. I talked about Dane and how he hadn’t smiled a lot when I was young because he was so guilt-ridden over things he had done when he worked for the Nobles. These days he did. He wasn’t not haunted; he managed it better. By the time I got to C.J., Damian breathed steadily against my back, out cold.
It was just as well. That was a lot of speaking all at once for me. I closed my eyes.
A loud alarm woke me from a deep sleep. I jolted upwards, and Damian cursed. He grabbed my arm. “Don’t be afraid. It’s the drone alarm. They don’t care. Day or night. Evander sent supplies.”
My heart raced, and Damian jumped out of bed, pulling on his pants. “I’ve got to meet him. The machine will want my current report, and it’ll take a picture of all of us, showing Evander we’re still alive. I’m going to have to account for Judge. Shit. Shit. Shit.” His eyes widened. “Diana, you stay in this ship. Don’t move. Don’t come out. If the robot sees you, I won’t be able to stop them from wanting to come back for you.”
“Am I safe in the ship?”
He nodded. “Yes. Even if the robot wants to see this room—and I doubt it will—they won’t know you’re in here. If they take a picture of the ship, I’ll tell them I found it and brought it in to examine it. Stay here. This could go on a long time. Sometimes it does. If I can’t come back, I’ll send someone with food.”
“Then I’ll go back to sleep. I won’t go anywhere.”
His eyes lightened up. “Perfection, love. Perfection.”
Damian took off running. A few minutes later, the alarm stopped. Presumably my five were handling the drone and the new supplies. I rolled over. The bed smelled like Damian. It would until I changed the sheets in the morning. I breathed him in. My body tingled. I wanted him. Hell, I wanted all of them. So far, only Damian could actually preform, and he wasn’t ready. That was fine.
I’d dream about it.
I made myself fall asleep.
In my dream, I walked through a city I’d never seen before. Buildings that touched the sky were all around me. I felt even smaller than I usually did. I was in a hurry, although I didn’t know where I was going.
My mother appeared before me. She crooked her finger and ran around the corner. I ran to keep up, but by the time I got there, she was gone. Instead of the unknown city, all I could see was a field of grass. A gravestone appeared in the center of the field, and a cold wind blew around me. I shivered and approached to read the inscription.
Diana Mallory—died alone on Orion.
I gasped and covered my mouth. No, I wasn’t going to die alone on this place. Judge walked up next to me. He shook his head. “You didn’t think we could stay here forever, did you?”
I rounded on him. How dare he be so flippant when I was dead in that grave? He was older than he was now. A small beard covered his face, and lines were ne
xt to his eyes. A wedding ring donned his left hand. “I had to go home to Evander. You were right. I didn’t choose you. When Cash solved the Infected problem, we were all heroes. I’ve got a wife and kids now. I’m sorry you ended up here alone.”
“Judge,” I cried, but he was gone. In his place was Sterling. He wore a military uniform. His eyes were distant.
“Death isn’t so bad. I did it long before you. Shot right in the head. I never saw it coming. I am sorry you were left alone. I had no choice. I always planned to come back. But then there were wars to fight and battles to win. I’m sorry, Diana.”
I wiped at the tears coming down my eyes. I didn’t want to see anymore. I didn’t …
Sterling morphed into Cash. He had the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen holding his arms. “Celebrities don’t travel to Orion. I really thought one of the others would.”
Lewis walked up next to me. “I meant to come back. I just … didn’t. Life moves on, right? And you thought your family was coming. I assumed they would. You died here? What a mess. Sorry.”
There was just one person left to break my heart. Damian stood next to my right shoulder. The others were gone. It was just the two of us staring at my grave.
He was dressed to perfection, an expensive suit. Like the others, he was older. His eyes were cold. “Truth of the matter is, Evander doesn’t make mistakes. I’m royalty. Unlike Cooper, I have no plans of not being man enough to lead. They need me. I’m there. No one ever cared about you, Diana. Your family left you here, and while you were a great diversion during the time we were stuck on Orion, when real life called, I had better things to do.”
I cried out, sitting up in the bed, sobs wracking me.
“Hey, hey.” Damian’s arms came around me. He was still dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed like he was going to take off his shoes and get back in. “What’s the matter?”
I sobbed, and I couldn’t stop it. I hadn’t been dreaming much since I’d come to stay with them. This nightmare must have been a long time coming. Abandonment had always been an issue for me. The first time I’d quit talking had been after my mother got back from being abducted by the psycho queen’s army. She’d gotten back, and I’d quit speaking.
My voice was still working. “I had a terrible dream. Lots of issues showing themselves for the first time in a while.”
He lay down. “The drone is gone. Sorry it took a couple of hours. Still night though. What was the dream?”
“I was standing over my grave. I’d died here alone. You all went back to your real lives. Had some choice things to say to me about why. My family never came. I died here alone.”
Damian’s eyes were serious, and a tic showed in his jaw. “The only way I’d leave you here alone would be if I died. You and me, Diana. The others would say exactly the same thing.” He touched where his heart was and then did the same where mine pounded.
“You were running Evander. Or something. You told me no one cared about me, not really. That’s why everyone left.”
“Ouch.” He pulled me to him, sticking my head against his chest. “That’s my heart. It beats for you. I know it’s too fast for me to be so attached. I can’t help it. When I commit, that’s what I do. You’re mine. Close your eyes and sleep knowing that. Okay? Please?”
I would never deny the “please.”
When I woke up later, I was alone. Had I dreamed Damian coming back? I didn’t think so. A knock on the door caught my attention, and Sterling walked in slowly. “Hey, sleepyhead. It’s finally my day. It’s almost nine, and I want to …”
“No.” Damian rushed through the door. “8:58. You said nine. I get two more minutes. Sorry I left. I ran to get you breakfast.” He handed me a protein bar. “Eat this.” Damian leaned down and kissed me. “Remember what I told you.”
Sterling rolled his eyes. “I swear I would have fed her. Diana will never starve when she’s with me.”
Damian patted him on the arm. “I know.” He pulled out another bar. “Brought you one, too.”
Sterling nodded at Damian and sat down on the side of my bed while Damian left. He took a bite of the protein bar, and I did the same. This was weird. I’d never woken up to any of them before. I was really groggy.
He kissed my forehead. “You okay? Did you get back to sleep after the alarm?”
“I did. I just had a bad dream, and it shook me. I’m not usually this out of it in the morning. Sorry. I’ll get up. Give me ten minutes. I’ll shower.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “Absolutely. Take all the time you need.”
I quickly got into the hot water and let it soothe away the memory of the dream. I’d had such a great time with Damian. Why had the monsters of my psyche chosen then to raise their ugly tentacles and strike at me?
“Hey, sweet baby.” Sterling called into the bathroom. He must be by the door. I was totally covered; he couldn’t see me. Still, the nickname made me blush. I really liked it. “What was the nightmare about?”
The separation from being in the shower made me feel brave. Telling Damian had been one thing—we’d been naked together. Sterling and I had made out once and the result had been the relationships I was in now. We’d not been together since.
I touched the shower door and told him. Everything. Including what he had said and how he died.
I heard him walk into the bathroom. He touched the door with a thump. “The only battles I fight anymore are personal ones. For myself and for those I love. I’d kill for anyone here. You’ll never be alone on Orion, not as long as there is breath in my body. And no one shoots me in the head.”
“Hand me a towel.”
He passed it over the top, and I wrapped it around myself after I turned off the water. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I stepped out of the shower, and he backed up to let me. “You couldn’t stop a bullet. Not from a sniper rifle. They could shoot you in the head. You’re not bullet proof.”
He bent forward, pressing his forehead to mine. “When they made me, in the lab, they gave me skills. Spliced genes until they had the perfect soldier. I’ve been shot at many, many times. Even from snipers.” He tugged on his ear. “I know this makes no sense to others. I can hear the bullet. I can see it. I move. They could kill me. It would have to be a decision I made to sacrifice myself for others. That’s in my DNA too. The need to save someone before myself. That’s why I make damn sure I’m only around those I’d be okay dying for. You are in there. The guys here, they are too. I’m not alone in that. You’ve spent enough time with the others now. They’ve got the gene too. Even if they weren’t created to have it.”
I don’t know why I put my arms around his neck. I only knew that what he said made me sad. I didn’t want him hearing bullets because I preferred he never see one again. He lifted me up. “Come on. Let’s get you dressed. I want my day with you. Unless you need to sleep. I get that. I’ll stay here and not bother you.”
“I’m feeling much better.”
He lightly spanked my rear end, and I squealed. “Good. Because it’s a happy day.”
I quickly dressed and met him outside the ship. We walked hand in hand to Lewis’ lab without my even having to suggest it. Lewis looked up when we entered and nodded. Cash stood next to him, frowning at something on a screen.
“Hey, Boo.” He grinned at me and blew me a kiss.
“Doll, Sterling.” Lewis acknowledged us both and then yawned. “Like our wakeup call? Those drones have no sense of things. At least wait to enter the atmosphere until morning.”
I walked to Judge’s machine. His brain waves showed happy dreams. That was good. I raised an eyebrow. “Lewis? Did you fix him?”
“No, Cash did. When he came in.”
They took care of each other. They’d done it before I arrived, and they’d do it if I ever left. I wasn’t certain my family was coming for me anymore. The likelihood was small. I didn’t know why I was finally willing to accept that fact, but I was.
> Sterling kissed my cheek. “Happy day, remember?”
“Happy day.” It would be.
Chapter Sixteen
His Special Glitch
To say I was surprised when I ended up holding a rifle and pointing it at a target would be an understatement.
“This isn’t our date, but I’ll feel better when I know you can defend yourself. In the ten seconds it takes me to get to you, I want to be sure you can put down some motherfucker who would do you harm.”
I blushed at his words. When Sterling said them, they didn’t sound like swearing. He meant them. Whoever came after me was a person who would do harm to their own mother.
“Who’s going to come here that I’ll need to shoot?” I’d be glad to shoot anyone who came from Evander to cause my five harm. “Something come with the drone that concerned you?”
He shook his head. “No. News was fairly routine. They took one of Damian’s horses to see if what he said was true. Photographed us, the robot did. Took readings on Judge. Damian doesn’t think they’ll make a fuss. Judge broke his leg doing work. It happens. The computer will show he’s healing. Even if his hormone levels are off—and they are indicated as such on the medical machine—they’ll assume that Lewis will stick him in the US when he gets out. The one surprise was good old Archie—the man technically responsible for my existence since he authorized the program—stepped down and was replaced by a guy called Franco Maxwell. I know the man. Not a fan. It doesn’t matter. We make no issues out here, and we have the potential to make him a lot of money.” He pointed at the target. “You’re all lined up.” He’d showed me how earlier. “Point and shoot.”
I rolled my eyes. In ten seconds I’d hit the target twice in the center. “That’s easy. Move it back or get it shifting around so I don’t know where it’s going. Otherwise don’t bore me with baby steps.”
His mouth hung open. I’d quoted my father. That was what he said when someone drove him crazy. I wasn’t really annoyed. It was fun to play with Sterling, though. I suspected that few did.