He moved past her, and she reached out and grabbed his hand. Stopping, he tensed and looked back at her. His face softened. He threaded his fingers through hers, and they made their way together. Some of her nerves vanished.
A team.We’re a team.
Adrenaline coursed through her.
The moment the lounge door shut behind them, Vee threw herself into his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Her fingers tangled into his tied-back hair. He stiffened for a split second before embracing her back and pulling her against him.
She closed her eyes and took in his scent as though it might be her last time. His heat enveloped her, and she gave in to it. It was heaven, her heaven.
Hewas heaven.
His hands tangled into her hair, and he pulled her closer. For a minute, neither one of them moved.
“Why do I feel like this is goodbye?” Cypher growled.
She jerked back to look at him. “It’s not.”
“It isn’t?”
She shook her head, dropping her gaze to his chest. “I need…” The words trailed off. She couldn’t say them without pain.
“You need what? Tell me what you need? I’ll give it to you.”
“I need…” She tried again, but her throat squeezed.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
Cypher cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at him. Tears prickled her eyes.
“What’s holding you back, little spitfire? Let me give it to you. I want to give it to you.”
“Love,” she burst out. “I need to know that you love me too.”
His eyes widened. Vee tried to turn her face away, but he held her fast. She clawed her fingers into his suit. “I don’t know if I can give up everything and follow you into the unknown without love. I...I haven’t experienced much in my life, and I’m afraid. Really afraid. These last few months have been awful but so incredibly wonderful to me.
“You’ve made my life, my real life, spark. I want to experience it with you beyond the virtual. I want to explore the universe, but I don’t know what you want or where you stand. Are you asking me out of friendship, pity? For sex?” Her lips quivered, but she kept her voice firm. “I don’t think that. But I need to hear you say it so I know where I stand with you. Where we stand going forward. I can’t give you full control without knowing I’m not more than a girl your bear wants to rut.” She blushed, dropping her eyes. “Even saying that hurts.”
“Vee—”
“—please be honest with me,” she interrupted.
“I love you.”
Her heart stopped. “What?”
“I fucking love you. This feeling in my chest, it hurts. It’s hot and constricting. If it isn’t love, it’s adoration. I love and adore you, Vee.”
Her eyes met his, and Cypher’s thumbs caught the tears under her lashes. She could barely process his words. “You do?” she asked. Her chest threatened to burst.
“More than anything in this universe, past or present. I’ve loved you since you had the naïve audacity to take my identity and pretend to be me and when you ignored my comms as I raced here to stop you. I didn’t ask you to join me out of pity,” he spat. “Or out of guilt. I asked you to come with me because I need you like I need my next breath. You want to find your own way, Vee? The only way going forward isourway. Understand?"
Her mouth went slack. “Really?”
“Fucking Nightheart knew what he was doing when he sponsored you, that wormy piece of shit.”
Her lips twitched to smile.Is this real? Is this happening?“Did he know your type?” she teased, still shell-shocked.
He loves me?
