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When she opened her eyes, I gazed into them with relief. She sat up. I sat next to her.
“How did you find me?” She sounded irritated. I supposed she would be. I’d stopped her escape with ease.
“Your scent.”
“That shower gel is total shit. Someone should tell Urgoth.”
I shook my head. “That would involve speaking to the asshole. Just put it into your report at the end of the assignment.”
“Report?”
“Yeah. You write down everything that happened. It’s supposed to be read by our superiors, but I think they really just put it all into archives without looking.” I was cynical. I’d worked with Urgoth for too long to believe the best in anyone on his payscale.
“Then what’s the point? Instead of wasting your time, you could have a day off.”
“Procedure. They’re big on procedure. If you don’t hand something in at the end of an assignment, they start sending you snotty messages about it.”
“I don’t like mindless rules.”
Me either, kiddo.But that was the system we were in.
“Ryon, how did you end up mixed up with them?”
I wondered how much to tell her. Not everything. Certainly not about Kairin. Or the fire. I liked her, but I hadn’t known her long enough to completely trust her, yet.
“I was a delinquent. Joined the space corps at eighteen. Got thrown out. Ended up in prison. When I got out, U-branch recruited me. I had basic military training and I was good with my fists. But they ask too much of me. Give nothing in return.”
“Why don’t you quit?”
“I’m in too deep, and I don’t see a way out.” Quitting was easy when you hadn’t done the things I had done. Every time I handed in a report on a job, I incriminated myself some more. Gave U-branch more ammunition. Tied the noose around my own neck. One day, when I got pissed off enough and finally told Urgoth to go fuck himself, I knew he was going to stitch me up.
“They don’t let you leave, do they?” She stared into the middle distance. I wanted to tell her she was wrong. But I couldn’t.
“No.”
“Urgoth said after this assignment, he’d consider letting me go. Removing the implant. Allowing me to bond with an alpha. I don’t think he’s going to keep his word.”
I shook my head. “Probably not.”
“There has to be a way out. I don’t want to live like this. It’s worse than my old life, in Glasgow. At least there, I wasn’t at someone’s beck and call. I hate that he bosses me around.”
Right then, I decided I was going to take any opportunity to get Natasha out of this life. She deserved a real shot at life.
My self-control slipped. I leaned in and kissed her. At first, she was surprised, but then she kissed me back with just as much fervor, and I knew she felt the same way as I did.
Her lips were like fairy lights. When I kissed them, she illuminated the darker parts of my heart. She made me want to be better. And she made me need to do worse than kissing.
I broke away. She gazed up at me with her soulful pink doe-eyes. Waiting. Wanting me. Willing me to take her soul and join it with my own.
My cock ached and strained against my pants. The mating urge was too strong. It took all my self-control to hold back.
“You need to use the scent disguising spray again, put your dress on, get out there, and complete your assignment. It’s the only way they’ll ever free you.” I hated saying the words but I couldn’t let her stop. Didn’t want to be the reason she was never released from this terrible obligation we were both enslaved to. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure they let you go.”
She lowered her gaze. Nodded blearily.
“Okay. Yeah.”
Slightly dazed, she walked off to the bedroom. A few minutes later, she emerged in the dress and heels. I marveled at how incredible she looked. Her entire posture was different in these shoes. Her dress fell perfectly over her body then widened into a flowing skirt after her hips. She wore no makeup. I thought she looked perfect without it.
