Page 63 of Stars in Nova

‘Fokk,’ she whispered, startled, her voice catching in her throat, clutching her weapon and, with a jerk, aiming it at the silhouette.

The stranger stepped out of the shadows with an almost predatory grace, his tall frame blocking the passage ahead.

‘Twas a man, given his looming physique and sculpted muscles under the attire.

He tapped the side of his helmet, which folded away and disappeared into the back of his suit.

The bioluminescence of the cavern walls illuminated him, casting an eerie glow across his chiseled features.

She stared at him in shock.

‘What in Pegasi hell?’

‘Searching for me, soldier?’ he drawled, those familiar aqua eyes of his, vivid and alive, burning through the dim light as they fixed on her.

His menace was unmistakable, his presence undeniable.

Fokk, he bristled with it.

He loomed over her in all his meta Rider glory, glaring.

Hands crossed over his massive torso, muscles rippling, sinewed limbs locking as if he was controlling himself from leaping for her throat.

She froze, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her shock was evident, her silver and gold eyes expansive as they darted over his face. ‘Kisan.’

She was catapulted to their time on Eden II, the most intimate moments, and the lingering kisses they’d shared.

‘Samira,’ he growled.

She jolted at the rage in his voice.

Yet a tremor lingered below the profound utterance.

The betrayal he felt was still raw and bleeding, even though his expression had hardened into a mask of indifference.

It pulled her back to the present, grounding her even as it twisted the knife in her gut.

She forced herself to stand straighter, even though her heart thundered.

She opened her mouth to speak again, but he raised a hand, silencing her.

‘Don’t,’ he rasped, his bass laced with menace. ‘Whatever excuse you have, whichever reason you think I want to hear—it’s too late for that.’

She flinched as his ragged growl cut deep, like a dagger to her chest.

‘I have an explanation, please,’ she whispered.

A flicker of something—regret?—crossed his frigid face, but she tagged his nostrils thin with an inhale.

Kisan wasn’t going to fold over without a fight.Fokk.

He stood, rigid and defiant, iced over. He jerked his chin, waiting for her to speak.

‘How?’ she attempted. ‘How are you here? How did you even find me?’

He stepped forward, his imposing presence filling the narrow space between them. ‘You made it difficult,’ he snarled. ‘Your wrist comm shared your location. I’ve had to contend with your shielded tunnels and the interference since, but denada—while you did a superb job hiding, I located you. Not hard for a man who hunted his enemies and annihilated them not so long ago.’

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