Who would have guessed that the woman’s tough demeanor hinted at her having a soft heart? Especially for a ship.
“Oh, baby girl! What did they do to you?” Chloe twirled around with her arms raised. “Can you hear me?”
The only response was silence.
“I thought this ship annoyed you, myaruu.“ Aylzrunth put one of his massive palms on her shoulder.
Chloe wiped a tear from her eye. “Yeah, but she didn’t deserve this.” She turned her dark gaze to Ari. “How can you possibly fix this?” Dropping her arms, she studied the room. “Elemi’svery soul is gone. It’s nothing but an empty shell now.”
“She’s not dead, Chloe.” Ari assured her. “It might take me some doing, but I’ve got everything I need to make her whole again. Trust me, she’ll be better than a hyperdrive held together with duct tape.”
“Well, ain’t you a hope in hell.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’ understand how you can do that.” She gestured with a hand wave.
“Time to confess, A-Man,” JR12 interjected. “To quote the British SAS motto, ‘He who dares, wins.’”
Ari scratched the side of his temple. “Thanks, JR12. That’s real helpful.” He shrugged with a sheepish grin. “Well, I’ve, ah, put her someplace safe.”
Now it was Morgan’s turn to frown. “What do you mean, you put her someplace safe?” She crossed her arms.
“Okay, I’ll show you.” Ari put his hand up. “But you’ve got to promise me you won’t freak out.”
Morgan’s eyebrows rose, pretty sure her expression mirrored Chloe’s. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Morgan, I mean it.” Ari put his fists on his trim hips. “You’ve got to keep your cool when I show where I putElemi. Just remember, I did this way before I knew you.”
She pursed her lips and looked first at Chloe, then Aylzrunth, and finally As’ni. What choice did she have? None. That’s what. Besides, she trusted Ari down to her core. Steeling herself, she nodded. “Okay. I promise. Show us what you’ve got.”
Ari stared at her before a warm smile pulled his full lips up. “Good. Okay, then.” He took a step and grasped her upper arms, pulling her into a brief kiss. “You won’t regret it, I promise.”
Face hot from his show of affection, she humphed and pulled away. Crazy man.
Ari went to the middle of the opposite wall, closed his eyes, and placed his palm on it. The organic material of the panel parted, then widened. He opened his eyes and stepped back to reveal a tray holding a still figure with its eyes closed.
It was a sexbot. A bright-pink, freakin’ sexbot from the gangster planet FiPan.
One of those hated jailers she and the other human women endured while trapped in a cramped cell no bigger than her bathroom at home. Just the sight of the prone robot burned her blood. Good thing Ari made her promise not to “freak out” because it took everything she had to swallow the scream threatening to erupt. She clutched her hands into tight fists.
“You have a fucking sexbot?” Her voice was low as she glared at him. “Care to explain why?”
“It’s a good thing I had it!” Ari held his palms up in defense. “It was the perfect place to putElemijust before I lost it.“ He let his hands drop and went to the still robot. With a flourish, he placed his hand on the side of its bald head and pressed. “Wake up, Elemi. Time to get to work.”
Ever so slowly, the android’s eyes fluttered open. Her eyes, the color of flamingo pink, widened. “Arakiba?”
“Yes, darlin’.” He reached out and took her hand to pull her up. “Time for you to wake up.”
If Morgan’s eyebrows rose any higher, she’d lose them in her hair. Darlin’? She’d show him who hisdarlin’was…
“What took you so long?”
The whine in the female voice stopped Morgan. The shrill tone made her wince.
“Honestly, Arakiba. I expected more from you.” The droid yanked her hand out of his and sat straight. She narrowed her gaze at him. “Perhaps I overestimated your abilities.”
“And there she is,” Chloe announced with a grin. “The diva herself is back. Just in case any of ya’ll forgot who was really in charge.”
Chapter Twelve
“No,Irefuse.”Elemithe sexbot narrowed her pink gaze at Ari. “I enjoy being mobile and there’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”
