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“I’ll do anything but that. What’s holding you back from this? It can’t just be because we work together. It’s not ideal, but the others make it work. Hell, it even makes them operate better. Rexx hasn’t wanted to kill anyone for months.”

Cleo sagged forward. “It’s not only that, but that’s a part of it. People will gossip if they find out you’re screwing the boss.”

“It would be much more than screwing. I keep telling you that. I want this, too.” He rested his hand over her heart.

They were silent as the sound of footsteps faded.

Hunter wrapped an arm around Cleo and kissed the top of her head. “You can tell me anything. Nothing you can say will scare me off. Third nipple? I’m down with that. Secret love child with an Inkral? Bring on the baby tentacles. Or how about—”

“Stop! There are no extra nipples or hidden babies. I... maybe I’m protecting myself.”

“From me?” He repressed a growl.

“From getting hurt again.”

Hunter’s gut tightened, and he pulled her back against him. Something in Cleo’s past, some old hurt, meant she wasn’t letting him in. If some fucker had hurt her, he’d make them sorry for messing with his beautiful human.

“It safe to move. Let’s get out of here.” Cleo pushed away and headed out the door.

Hunter repressed another growl as he followed her. There had to be a way to get Cleo to open up, but he was damned if he knew how to do it.

***

“I still don’t wantto leave until we’ve checked out that lab site,” Cleo said as they hurried back to the ship.

“There are too many Siblet. It’s not worth the risk. Seeing the troops proves they’ve got something down here they value. One guess what that is.”

“The poison.”

He nodded. “A weapon to bring down any enemy is priceless.”

She glanced up at him. His forehead was wrinkled and his jaw tight. Hunter wasn’t happy with her.

Cleo bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to open up more, but what if she let him in, and he used her like her old boss had?

She’d believed he’d wanted the exact same things as her, but it had all been a lie. He’d simply told her what she wanted to hear to get her into bed. After that, everything had exploded, and she was fired. Cleo had lost everything and had no choice but to start again with nothing to show for all her past achievements.

It was far from her proudest moment, and she was determined never to make the same mistake again.

She flicked a glance at Hunter. What if she was just a challenge to him? Apexians were competitive sons of bitches. He could be trying to win her like she was some competition prize.

Once he got to screw her again, he’d lose all interest.

Her gaze ran over his gorgeous form as they hurried back to the ship. She wanted Hunter so badly, her body ached, but she just couldn’t trust him.

Her former boss had been just like Hunter, confident, sure of what he wanted, and determined to have it. And when he’d finally gotten his way with her a few times, his true colors shone out. He was rotten to the core.

Cleo had even heard him joking with his colleagues about what he’d done to her on his desk in the office. That was the day before he’d set her up and fired her.

Humiliation burned through her at the soul shredding memory.

She may shake from desire and longing for Hunter, but no one would ever make her feel stupid and small ever again.

They reached the ship and headed inside.

Once they were in their seats, and the engine started up, Cleo relaxed a fraction. That was in the past. She had a solid future in front of her, and that wasn’t changing because of Hunter.

“There’s still time to do a quick fly-by to see if we can get any useful data, then we’ll head back to the Apocalypse and report to High Command.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Cleo ignored the regret bubbling inside her. Hunter had withdrawn into himself after her rejection. She should feel relief, but all she felt was defeated and lost.

The mission hadn’t gone to plan, she’d almost confessed her sad, sordid past to Hunter, and then she’d shoved him away when he’d promised her so much. Everything felt like a mess.