As the ship swayed beneath them with his arms caged around Rylie, he slept for the first time in over a week.
***
RYLIE DIDN'T WANT TOwake up.
“She's tired,” someone said above her. It was hard to process the words and the fuzziness in her head receded with the effort.
“Rylie, wake up. You gotta come see this! It's incredible and Da is retiring for the evening. If I can be up, you can be up.”
Janet.It was Janet. Rylie sighed and kept her eyes closed.Go away.
“Leave us and let her rest some more.”
Rylie felt a hand— a large hand—and it made her sweat, her body melt. She opened her eyes.
“When she wakes, tell her to come above.”
Rylie stiffened as everything came back to her. She realized her bedding wasn't bedding at all...but a man, a Cyborg, one that stressed her out and left her wanting for more.
The sound of her sister's footsteps recede as she looked up at Netto. She stiffened and he locked his arms around her, preventing her from moving away from him. A blush that had nothing to do with his heat made her face go red.
“You're awake,” Netto said, staring down at her, and once again, she was held prisoner under him. The blanket she had draped over her shoulders fell from her back.
“I'm awake. Can you let me go?” she asked, breathless.
She could feel his hard muscles beneath her legs, her thighs, under her butt. She could feel his skin, velvet and rippled with strength against her chest and arms. They were skin to skin.
“If that's what you wish.”
She bit down on her lower lip until the pain cleared her senses. “I don't know what I wish for.”
He turned to look around at the large lounge, messy with items strewn about. They were alone.
Alone.
Rylie leaned further away. His arms loosened enough for her to sit on his lap, but he kept his hands on her spine and leg. Her body ached, her muscles strained and pulled from the bruises on her back, calves, and knees. However, the only ache between her legs mattered.
“How long was I asleep?”
His eyes flashed. The bright neon color of his irises mesmerized her. Rylie could look at Netto all day long and still be surprised by his nature.
“Two hours, fifteen minutes, give or take. Earthian time.”
Rylie nodded and slipped off his lap, immediately missing the warmth of his skin.
“I guess we should go above.” She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to remove the last strains of exhaustion over her features. “If Janet is up then I should be up too.” She laughed. “She's worse off than I am.” She was also curious about what her sister wanted to show her.
“I don't care about your sister.” Netto leaned forward and stood up, offering his hand to help her to her feet.
Rylie frowned. “Icare about my sister.” She took his hand and pressed her feet into the sodden floor, biting back disgust at the tepid water beneath her feet. “Did she do something to you?”
She wobbled but Netto kept her upright.
“No. She has Zeph to care for her and your family. She doesn’t need any more from me.”
Keeping her hand within Netto’s, Rylie picked up the blanket and draped it around her shoulders. She followed him upstairs.
The mist had already descended upon evening air, though it remained clear enough for her to see the ship in its horrible state. She hated the disarray. Most of the damage was beyond her ability to repair. Bent metal, shards of glass, scratches, and jagged grooves were everywhere she looked.
