Page 23 of Repossess My Heart

“It has everything you need. Just take it.”

I hit the kitchen, leaving her to stare at the damn thing like an idiot. Jerking my own from a cabinet, I don’t waste time sticking myself.

“I- I don’t like needles.” She admits, shifting on her feet. I frown, not remembering her donning the rest of her clothes. Kicking myself for missing the show. My mind is fuzzy, the parts that aren’t are filled with her.

Fuck, she looks good, the bitch. Couldn’t she have been ugly or something?

I roll my eyes, heading to the cooling unit before jerking the door open knowing there’s nothing there. I make a show of staring at the empty contents. Shifting a few imaginary things around, “Fresh out of food, fresh out of fucks to give. Take the damn shot.”

She doesn’t speak, just slams it down on the couch like it was on fire before stalking towards the large floor to ceiling windows. I watch her, mostly her ass until she gets there, her fingers pressing against the cool glass. Leaving smudges I silently order my drone to never wipe off.

“It almost looks… pretty from up here.” She whispers, glancing over her shoulder at me. The anger from seconds before already dissolved.

My own chest constricts in a bizarre way, “Yeah, almost.”

Her dark hair falls into her face before she hugs her stomach tightly. Hiding the number I carved into her as she turns back to the window. One I would’ve made sure was on display regardless of the clothes she wore. Neon ads float by, a poster pinup of the Migs advertising some new body modification, but I’m looking at her. I can’t stop looking at her.

Fuck.

I run a scan on my vitals, checking for any abnormalities that would indicate a virus.

Nothing.

The only sickness is in my mind.

Fuck.

My eyes jerk away from her as my com implant blimps, a holo message from Six, “Hey I’m in the green district just caught sight of that Runner you were looking for. Might want to hit up a house for a while man, lie low. Something's up at the building, place was swarming with Migs. Sending his coordinates to your drone now. Whatever you’re up to… get it over with soon, I don’t like the way this feels-“

I shut down the com, not interested in hearing all his monologing. Reverie’s heart rate spikes, “Is everything okay?”

“Show me outside.” I command ignoring her because she irritates me, and I also don’t know. I let my drone take my vision as it patches into the security feed several stories down. A sleek matte black flyer screeches to a stop outside the building, my jaw clenching when a cloak clad Official steps out. Met halfway to the entrance byhim.

Number Ten.

The only one standing between me and their inner circle. A one-way ticket to their headquarters. Not just the outer rim where they keep the rest of us. It's access to everything I need.

“Nine…” Reverie whispers, her hand tightening on my shirt. I barely suppress a jolt, unsure when she got over here.

Fucking creep.

“We need to go, now.”

I clear my vision, jerking the Nutri Shot she refused off the sleek black couch. I’ve jerked the cap off, and hauled her against me, ready to inject her when her eyes widen so far they look like they’re about to pop out of her skull, “Please!”

A brief flash of something fills them, halting my hand. It’s gone so quick if I’d have blinked, I would’ve missed it, but it was there… panic. My heart constricts again in my chest as I release her, shifting so she doesn’t see my hardening cock.

“Commence protocol seventy-six.” I announce watching her as my home comes to life, the shot still ready in my hand. She doesn’t look away from it until I inject myself instead, tossing it in the sink. She finally turns away, watching every bot working seamlessly together as I head for my suit.

“Why are we leaving? What’s going on?”

I don’t glance back at her as I get dressed. “It would appear my time has just run out.”

Anger bursts in me as she jerks my mask from my hands, “Kill me then, you have to do it now, Nine. Kill me before they kill you, please. It needs to be you.”

A little self-centered, aren’t we sweetling?

I spin on her, wrenching my mask from her small hands. Liking how she looks holding it a little too much for comfort. Liking her words even more. She’s right. It does need to be me, itwillbe me, “I have no intention of dying anytime soon. Too many things to do.”

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