“I didn’t mean to interrupt you—follow you,” she said.
“What are you doing?”
Her eyes settled on his muscles slicked with moisture. He was naked on the threshold, his long, wet hair plastered to his godlike frame, and his thick cock semi-erect.
Her lips parted, and her gaze slid appreciatively over him. Everywhere. She clenched.
God, there goes my pride.
“Packing up,” she gulped. She couldn’t see his wounds, but the way his face sharpened at her words convinced her that Cypher wasn’t bothered by them anymore. “I’m going to officially forfeit from the championship. I figured since—”
“No, you’re not.”
Vee’s lips pursed. “What?”
“You’re not going to forfeit. And you’re not going anywhere.”
She sighed when he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist.
Guess he’s not going to use the dryer…
She swallowed. “I thought you were with me on this.”
“I was, but I changed my mind.”
“Cypher, after all that’s happened, I don’t think—”
He held up his hand. “We’re doing this Vee, whether you like it or not.”
“And the Trentians?” she asked.
“I can deal with them.” Cypher turned away from her and grabbed a fresh bodysuit and jacket from a panel that opened up from the wall. “Drop your bag, Vee. I won’t let you leave even if you try.”
She sighed again, but a blaze of excitement zipped through her. She watched him dress, the material sliding over his tawny skin, hiding the dew of water he hadn’t bothered to wipe off. Even with his wounds still showing, red but no longer open, she wanted him.
She dropped her bag. “Are you sure?” Her excitement built.
Maybe he did want her to stay. Even if it was for a little longer, she’d take it.
He eyed the duffle at her feet. “Yes.”
“We’re really going to do this?”
His eyes moved to hers. “We’re really going to do this.”
“We’re in eighth place. We may be thrown in separate simulations again… There could be more curveballs.”
His lips twisted into a smile. One of his rare broody bear smiles. “Then we’ll just have to prepare for the worst.”
“Why? Why do you want to do this? After everything, after coming here to get out of it, after Nightheart and the EPED and the protestors and Diatrix?”
He moved to stand before her, towering, looking down as she strained her neck to look up at him. She swallowed again as heat surrounded her.
“Because I realized something, little human. You and I have been hiding for far too long.Ihave been hiding for far longer. A lifetime’s worth. The universe has changed around me, and I let it happen, ignoring it all the while. Life isn’t war anymore, and hiding doesn’t help anyone. My long hibernation ends today.” He cupped her chin and leaned down. “And you, Vee, have woken me up. Now it’s time to finish what we started.” He placed a small kiss on her cheek.
Her heart thumped. With his other hand, he closed his fingers over her wristcon.
“Yes,” she whispered, feeling more hope in her then she had since she first met Nightheart in his office nearly two months ago. “Let’s finish this.”
