I turned my head slightly and met Torvyn's gaze. His expression was intense, hungry in a way that made my stomach flip. His hand came up to rest on my hip, mirroring Vaelix on the other side, and suddenly I was acutely aware that I was being held by four very large, very strong men who were looking at me like I was something precious and entirely edible.
"The Corporation spent a fortune trying to take me," I breathed, my voice shakier than I wanted. "They should have just asked nicely."
Torvyn's smile was dark and full of promise. "They will not get another chance."
The words hung between us, charged with more than just protection. This was a claim. A declaration. And my body was responding with an enthusiasm that should probably concern me, but didn't.
I was bonding to them. All of them.
And God help me, I wanted to.
"Director Voss just made this personal," I whispered. "Bad move, Director."
Kaedren's grip tightened, and I felt the rumble of approval in his chest. Lyrin's hand flexed against my neck, and Vaelix's thumb continued those maddening circles on my hip. Torvyn leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear.
"We should get you to your quarters," he said, his voice low and rough. "You need rest."
Rest was the last thing my body was interested in right now, pressed against four warriors who'd just fought for me, who smelled like violence and looked at me like I was the only thing worth fighting for.
But I nodded anyway, because I wasn't quite ready to examine what this heat between us meant, what the tether meant. What I wanted it to mean.
They slowly released me, but not completely. Hands lingered. Touches trailed. As we began walking toward my quarters, they surrounded me—Kaedren and Torvyn in front, Vaelix and Lyrin flanking me on either side. Close enough that I could feel their presence like a physical thing, like invisible threads binding us together.
The tether was forming.
And I was absolutely, terrifyingly, thrillingly ready for it.
Chapter 9
A full night's sleep and an hour in the refresher should have cleared my head. Should have. Instead, I stood at the sink, face dripping, heart racing like I'd run a damn marathon. The pirates? The gunfire? That I could handle. But that embrace—all four of them wrapped around me like I was the center of their universe—that had me spiraling.
Heat flooded my cheeks. A giggle bubbled up, and I clamped my hand over my mouth. What was I, fifteen?
I splashed more cold water on my face. Enough. If I kept replaying that moment—four sets of hands, four racing heartbeats pressed against mine—I'd spend the entire day in this room doing absolutely nothing productive.
Actually, that was a lie. I'd be plenty productive. Just... not in any way that moved my life forward.
I needed to leave. Now.
The medical bay doors slid open to reveal all four Knights clustered around Torvyn's datapad, their voices low and urgent. Whatever they were discussing, it stopped the moment Kaedren spotted me.
He waved enthusiastically, gesturing for me to join them. The other three looked up. They all smiled at the same time.
Not creepy at all. Okay, maybe a little creepy. But they had been nothing but genuine to me, and perhaps it was because of the tether, so I was willing to give them a little leeway. They all stood there, waiting for me to come to them. I stood where I was, not sure what to do next. After a few moments of awkward silence and medical staff racing around us to help people, I took a deep breath and walked to them.
"Hello, friends," I said.
I mentally added "learn to greet people normally" to my growing list of post-corporate-life skills.
"Hello, Kira," Torvyn said. "We were actually just about to come and find you."
"We have to make repairs to the Starbreaker," Vaelix said.
"It requires docking at a space station under the protection of the Zorathi Reach," Lyrin added.
"Would you like to come with us?" Kaedren asked. He was so excited he was almost bouncing in place.
"Is it safe?" I asked.
