“I’m sorry, Milo. I… I didn’t know this would happen. If I’d known he had plans to implant you, I would have told you to quit a long time ago… I feelso fucking guilty.”
‘Liar,’a voice whispered in the back of my mind. I’d known there was a risk in keeping Milo here. Seb had warned me. He had warned me, and I hadn’t listened because I’d been so fucking selfish andlonely.The thought of losing Milo had been too much for me to bear. And now, because of my pathetic need to keep him here with me, he was a fucking prisoner.
“Okay,” Milo breathed, frowning down at his arm and rubbing a thumb over the cotton pad Luke had tapped there. “Okay… this is… this was unexpected, but we can figure this out… I just need tothink.”
He began pacing, looking adorable in his short-sleeved button-up that had the little dopamine chemical symbol stitched in above the front pocket. His brow furrowed behind his big, frameless glasses, and a tiny piece of soft caramel hair fell into his eyes.
On reflex, I almost reached out to pull him into me so I could brush it away, but my stomach sank when I remembered I couldn’t.
My throat closed up, and my gut felt like it was full of acid at the thought of never being able to touch Milo again.
Never tracing my lips down the gentle slope of his jaw.
Never sinking my teeth into the soft flesh of his shoulder.
Never driving my cock into his tight, perfect?—
“NOVA,” Milo chirped, and my AI chimed in response, her voice bright and chipper as always.
“Yes, Milo?”
I smirked. She always called him by his first name, which was a customized ask on his part. It was so fucking cute.
“I need to get back into The Cave, and I’ll be there past curfew. Can you cover for me? Make it seem like I’m in my cube or something?”
“Pshht. Of course I can,” NOVA boasted, sounding almost offended that he was even asking. “I run this place.”
Milo nodded, his eyes still unfocused like he was still lost in thought.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought… That’s why he’s resorted to body modification… He can’t use any tech connected to NOVA’s main network without her overriding it…” he muttered, and I wished I hadn’t gotten so drunk.
I loved it when he was like this. I wanted to help him plan and brainstorm and do whatever it was he was thinking, but even on a normal day, I wasn’t nearly as smart as Milo. I needed a Neurolyte so I could sober up and help him.
“Okay… I’m going to need a change of clothes, so it looks like I wasn’t there all night when everyone shows up for work in the morning…” He was fully talking to himself now, rushing in the direction of my room, where he now had a space in my closet for some of his things. While he was busy grabbing his stuff, I got up from the couch and made my way over to the fridge, digging around to find a Neurolyte to sober myself up.
I cracked the top and chugged the fizzy cherry-flavored drink in a few gulps, sighing in relief as my addled mind quickly began to clear.
“I’ll be back!” Milo called, and I turned to find him sliding into his Vans with a small backpack on. The laces on his left shoe were undone and trailing behind him, but he didn’t seem to notice
“Hey, wait, I want to come too,” I said roughly, tossing the empty can in the garbage and making my way over to him.
I dropped to my knees at his feet and quickly tied his laces for him, making sure to double-knot the bow so there was no risk of it coming undone and trippinghim.
He glanced down at me, his brandy eyes bright with what looked like surprise and…determination?
“Yeah?”
“Of course. I can’t let you take this on by yourself. This is my mess. You’remyresponsibility. If you’re planning something I’m in, no question,” I assured him, getting to my feet. Again, the urge to touch him was so strong, I needed to cram my fists in my pockets to keep myself from fucking up.
Milo softened, his entire face lighting up. He reached for me like he wanted to pull me in for a kiss, then froze, dropping his hand.
My heart squeezed as I realized that he was struggling with this just as much as I was.
He wanted to touch me, too.
He… wanted me.
Not because he knew I could give him a promotion, or a raise, or a reference of some kind. He just wanted… me.
