‘Why wait until now?’Chesnik’s question repeated itself. He had many answers for it, depending who asked, but the real answer plagued him.
I want her to fall in love with me before she has a chance to leave.
I’m a selfish fucking bastard.
All he really wanted to do was use what time remained for his own desires. He didn’t care about the others, the captain or the freighter ship, and he could still leave at any time.
Right now, he could light the vessel ablaze and make his escape. He could leave in an escape pod and contact the EPED and let the thumb-tip that was still buried in this ship be a tracker for him to find later and meet up with Stryker.
He could leave his only lead to his own ship’s whereabouts, but if he did that, Elodie and Chesnik and the others would get hurt. Although he could lead them to the escape pods himself, it would mean he would have to split up with Elodie. It wasn’t like he could tether his escape pod to hers. And if she got hurt...
If her escape pod malfunctioned...
Gunner ran his pointer finger over the hook of her ear, across her forehead, and down the bridge of her nose. He traced the outline of her face in an effort to memorize every detail. He couldn’t take that chance.Jackals mate for life.
“Don’t leave me,” he whispered. She mumbled and swatted his hand. Gunner slipped closer until her breath fanned his face.
Fall in love with me, Elodie.
Let me keep you.
Chapter Eighteen
***
GUNNER’S GLAZED GREYeyes, wraith-like and zombified, appeared before her. She jerked in surprise, not expecting him so close.
“Ugh.” Elodie rubbed her face. “How long have I been asleep?”
“A couple of hours.”
Her eyes widened. “That long?” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so long. Even so, she was tempted to go back to sleep again. Knowing Gunner was watching over her made her feel safe enough to rest peacefully, without fear. She licked her dry lips. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You needed the rest.”
“I need—” Gunner grabbed her as she attempted to stand and pressed her back against the floor. He pulled the blanket over them. Elodie swallowed but didn’t fight back—she didn’t really want to. His comforting heat enveloped her, and as quickly as she had woken, it was now as quickly hard to breathe.
