Vee’s heart hammered at her mom’s words. She needed to see Cypher. Now. Excitement and anxiety surged through her veins. “If I go,” she said, getting to her feet, “I leave in a couple of hours. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It could be awhile. Months at least.”
Her mom chuckled again. “We’ve never known how long you’ll be gone, sweetheart. You left home years ago and never came back. I think your dad and I can handle a few months.”
“So you and Dad will be okay?”
“Of course. We’ll be here when you get back. Always have, always will be. School will be too—when you get back that is.”
“Mom,” Vee groaned.
“My baby’s going to space!”
“Don’t be so sure yet.” Vee started to pace. “I need to talk to him first. I can’t just follow a guy and give up everything without something in return even if he’s offering me the universe.”
“Right. You better take tons of pictures and get me and your dad souvenirs from every place you visit! What a dream. Maybe ask him if he can take us along sometime in the future?”
“Mom!” Vee laughed halfheartedly. But it did make her feel better. Maybe all this will be okay after all. Hope bloomed in her chest. If her parents were on board, what was left to stop her? “I’m gonna go. I don’t have much time left to talk to him.”
“Go get him! And make sure you call me back before you take off.”
Vee smiled. “I’ll try. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
After she hung up with her mom, her nerves returned tenfold, but they were good this time.Good nerves.She rubbed her arms. Vee dashed into the bathroom to wash her face and change out of her Terraform suit. She eyed the red dress but ended up opting for jeans and a simple shirt.
She wanted—needed—something from Cypher, and she didn’t want to manipulate it out of him. She needed to know if he loved her back. Not if hewantedher for her body. The red dress had never failed her in that regard. It was sacred.
It pained her to know she’d be putting pressure on him for an answer, but she didn’t think she could follow him into the stars without knowing.
Bees nuzzled her leg, and she scritched the cat’s head. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
This could be the last time we talk, she realized, pursing her lips.The last time I ever see him.Her heart thundered.
This is it.
She wiped her palms on her pants and left the room—and heard his voice the moment she entered the corridor. Broody, authoritative, and deep, it came from the bridge and made her skin blaze. Even now, he intimidated her, and she swallowed hard.
As she neared the bridge, she glimpsed the backs of at least a dozen men facing away from her, all in black leather space uniforms. Cypher addressed them. He towered over every one of them, now in a similar uniform himself, with an EPED logo stitched on the right side of his chest.
Her pulse quickened. His hard, piercing eyes looked at each man in turn, his face a mask of unwavering leadership, and it made her core knot tight with want.
Seeing him like this, she could barely believe she had him inside her body again and again, all over this ship. That he’d taken her with such savagery and tenderness each time.Me, a nerdy gamer girl.Vee sucked her bottom lip into her mouth.
Cypher glanced up and met her eyes. His jaw tightened, and he quickly looked back at his men. “That’ll be all for now. Prepare your stations. I have one last thing to do before we ready for take-off.”
Vee shifted from foot to foot, beyond nervous.
The men saluted and scrambled away. Cypher caught her eyes again and headed her way.
Vee straightened as he stopped before her.
“Captain Cypher,” she said breathlessly, eyeing his body gloved in his suit. She never wanted to climb him as badly as she did now. He screamed power, and her sex clenched, wanting to feel that power thrusting into her.
“Vee Miles,” he responded, his voice heavy.
She licked her lips. “C-can we talk? Captain Cypher.”
His eyes flashed—a glimpse of the man she’d known for the past several months. “Yes. Let’s go to the lounge.”
