She forced herself into the maintenance bay to finish work on the last of Zayn’s spare parts. Krypto kept her company. She paused, pain piercing through her as she stared at the tools scattered around. Last time she’d been in here, Xander had been with her. The two of them working together. Making love.
Hand on one hip, she pressed the closed fist of her other hand to her mouth. This was going to hurt for a while and probably would get worse before it got better.
The familiar motions of her tools helped her find a place where, if not happy, she felt numb.
“Mal?”
Zayn appeared from the shadows.
“Yeah.” She sat back on her legs, stretching her stiff back.
He held up a Sync. “Transmission for you.”
She closed her eyes for a second, then held out her hand.
And there he was. His face so handsome. So calm. “Hey, tough guy.”
Then he smiled. And it speared right through her heart.
“Sorry it took me so long to call back.”
“You’re busy. I understand.”
“We’ve been hunting up the last of the Rahl. There’s so much work to do. I have to attend a lot of meetings.”
That familiar crease appeared on his brow, and Mal felt a spurt of sympathy. She didn’t think sitting in meetings was Xander’s favorite thing to do.
She cleared her throat. “Like I said, I understand. I always knew once you came back here, Centax would be your focus.”
He stilled. “That doesn’t mean I won’t make time for you. For us. Look, I want you to come down. I want to show you parts of Centax you haven’t seen.” He sighed. “It won’t be today or tomorrow—” A voice called his name and he scowled. “Wait. I’ll be there in a minute.” He looked back at the screen. “Sorry.”
“Xander, you don’t have to keep apologizing. You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
He stared at her, like he was trying to see inside her head. “Malin, is something wrong?”
“No.”Everything.
“Look, can you stay? Stay on theInfinitasuntil I clear my schedule, and then come stay with me for a while?”
Her heart squeezed so hard and tears threatened. She viciously fought them back, dreading the words she was about to say. “We’ve already left.”
“What?”
Xander’s tone held nothing, not a single thread of emotion, but his face twisted.
She stiffened her trembling knees, trying to pull air into her heavy chest. “We set course for Khan several hours ago.”
Everything wiped off his face, leaving it blank. “You left me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Xander sat behind the desk, staring at Malin’s face on the Sync screen and trying to sort through all the emotions thundering through him.
None of them felt good
She’d left him.
Without a goodbye. And apparently very easily.
