“You’re leaving?” she asked, when he rubbed his face and made his way for the exit.
“It’s late, Dear, and we have a warp to prepare for. Get some rest.”
“Wait!”
He turned to see her standing, hugging herself, the very picture of haunted confusion. It didn’t make sense. Her reaction tonight made no sense at all. She was combative, desperate, even scared, and he had no idea why. He needed to get away, for his sake, but for hers more.
She should be fucking scared. I’m not well…
Hysterian deleted the thought before he could finish it.
“Can I see your face?” she asked, curling into herself further.
My face?
He tugged down the part of his suit covering his nose and mouth. Secretion was all over his skin, but it wouldn’t look any different from sweat. He faced her fully and she stared at him, hard, harder than any normal person should be. Like she was trying to figure him out…
“Well?” he prompted when she just continued to look. It was time for him to escape and lock himself in the bridge tonight. If he didn’t soon, he was certainly going to risk her life and touch her.
He needed a shower more than ever, but he’d just given his room away.
“You look exactly like I thought you would.”
His jaw ticked. “Then you have a good imagination—”
“Hysterian…” she interrupted. “Why are you doing this to me?” Her voice was so low he barely heard her.
“Because I want you, Alexa, and there is nothing in this universe or the next that will change that.” He turned and made his way to the door. “Goodnight.”
He walked out, not waiting for her response. What he didn’t tell her was that he would go to the worst lengths possible to get what he wanted. That he’d only begun to feel emotions like guilt and remorse recently, and he still shut them out most of the time. That he was beyond fucked, and easily jealous.
That she should quit and run, far, far away and never look back.
He needed theQuestorto get to Libra Station quickly. For both their sakes.
Hysterian shook, forcing his steps to the bridge. Because if he turned back again…
He was either going to kill Raul, Alexa, or both.
* * *
Alexa didn’t movefor a long time. Even when her desire died down, she couldn’t make herself move. If she did, she was afraid her soul would fall right out of her and no one would be there to catch it, not even her dad.
Hysterian hadn’t fucked her like he said he would, instead he fucked with her head. He always fucked with her head.
She didn’t notice Raul had come back for her until he was standing in front of her.
“Alexa, are you okay?” he asked.
She shuddered. “Yeah. I’m okay.”
It would be so much easier if she liked Raul. So much easier. She wished it was Raul who she wanted.
But she didn’t and the more she tried, the worse it got. Any harder and she might start hating him instead.
Raul glanced at the table behind her. “What happened?”
Raul wasn’t the one who’d taken up residence in her head. It wasn’t his hand she wanted between her legs; it wasn’t his smile she wanted to see. She only wanted the coldness that Hysterian brought.
