Christian cringed at the formality. “Why isn’t Gemma being included? I assume you know who she’s related to.”
Philip nodded. “Nadine Proctor. I am aware.”
Christian crossed his arms. “Then shouldn’t she be part of this team? If there’s anyone who wants to catch Nadine, it’s Gemma.”
Philip just smiled. “I completely agree, which is why Ididmake her part of the Systems Anti-Rebellion Task Force. But there is an issue far more pressing for her at the moment, so it’s in her best interest to stay behind and work with Rami.”
“What issue?” Imara spoke up from behind Christian. A glance over his shoulder showed that she and Hawk had remained in the room.
Philip flashed another smile at Christian and his teammates. “The concern for your friend is understandable and admirable. But I feel the question is better posed for Miss Proctor.”
Christian’s shoulders sank. His gut told him the reason she was being forced to stay behind was because of the alien virus running through her veins and binding itself to her DNA. Shehadbeen having nightmares every night, though she hadn’t wanted to share what they were about. But with the implant in her spine, the urges to use her powers had been suppressed.
Imara tugged on his sleeve. “Come on. Let’s go.”
With nausea roiling in his stomach, Christian followed Imara out the doorway, leaving Hawk to spend more time alone with his father.
Gemma hadn’t been waiting for him in the gym as he’d expected, his first sign that something had indeed happened when she’d met with Rami. Then the mouthwatering smell of Gemma’s favorite meal wafted through the doorway to their shared flat mere moments after the entry door slid open, and his concern was confirmed.
Christian frowned. Only once had Gemma cooked this for him in the last six weeks: the day after she’d woken from her coma. It was then she’d admitted that her mother used to make this dish whenever she or Nadine had had a tough day. The tradition had carried through the years after their mother’s passing, at leastuntil Nadine had left.
Why was Rami keeping her from going with them into Perileos? And how could Christian possibly tell her she wouldn’t be amongst those who found Nadine? The pain he’d see in her eyes . . . Stars, it was going to be brutal.
Gemma scooped the meaty filling into the baking pan, her eyes tight and her forehead creased. Yet her lips moved in sync with lyrics she heard through the biochip behind her ear.
He stood still for several moments, just watching her. He would savor every last moment he had with her before leaving for Perileos in the morning. She was so beautiful, even with flour on her shirt and dark strands of hair falling from her braid.
When the pinch in his chest overwhelmed him, he finally set his gym bag on the floor.
“Whatcha making?”
Gemma spun, clutching at her chest with one hand; the other pointed a large wooden spoon in his direction. Christian couldn’t stop the grin from riding up his face.
“Why do you always have to do that?” she asked as if she were annoyed, though the light in her eyes gave her away.
Christian crossed the small living area into the tiny kitchenette in just a few strides. He placed both hands on her lower back, but before he could pull her to him, she gently bopped him on the nose with the wooden spoon.
“That’s what you get for startling me,” Gemma joked, smiling up at him.
He wiped the spot of food off his nose with his thumb and licked off the remnants. As usual, her cooking skills were amazing.
“Eh, not bad,” he said, smirking.
She raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful push. “Well, fine then. All for me.”
Gemma turned to finish spreading the filling across the pastry crust. Christian yanked the spoon out of her hand, tossed it in the bowl, and wrapped both arms around her from behind. He made a show of dragging her away from the counter, and the laughter that followed was the melody to which his heart sang. He kissed the side of her neck, and she leaned into him.
“You’re gonna let the crust get cold, and then it’s not going to bake right,” she said without much conviction
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he answered between kisses, already hardening in his trousers. “It still tasted good, even if it was a bit chewy.” Christian placed another kiss on the side of her neck, and a soft noise escaped Gemma as she leaned into him.
“How’d your meeting go with Rami?” he said against her skin.
As if the air was sucked from the room, her playful fight deflated.
Fuck. Why couldn’t he have just kept his blasted mouth shut?
He turned Gemma in his arms to face him. Her warm palms rested against his chest. And those beautiful, bright blue eyes—that he so often found himself drowning in—stared up at him. There was an unspoken agony in them that tightened his chest.
