Page 79 of Obsession

His arms slipped around my waist as I tried to fold his uniform pants. "You're thinking too hard again," he murmured against my neck.

"I'm trying to pack, since someone left it to the last minute." I tried to sound stern but failed miserably as he pressed a kiss just below my ear. "We're going to be in close quarters with Fiona, Volten, and Jess for who knows how long. You'll have to behave yourself."

He chuckled, the sound vibrating against my skin. "That's what supply closets are for."

I turned in his arms to swat at his chest. "And just how many females have you dragged into supply closets?"

Before he could answer, a knock interrupted us.

"Enter," Kann called out, not releasing his hold on my waist.

The door slid open to reveal Volten, his black duffel bag slung over one shoulder. His expression was knowing as he took in us, the room, and the clothes still strewn on the bed. "Ready to go?"

"Almost," Kann replied.

Volten shook his head with a laugh. “I know what that means.” He slid his gaze to me. “At least I know that Britta understands punctuality.”

Kann pretended to be affronted. “Are you suggesting that I, a Drexian warrior, am not punctual?”

Volten rolled his eyes. “You were Inferno Force. You guys were not big on rules and timelines.”

Kann opened his mouth to argue then shrugged. “That is true.”

Volt chuckled as he turned to leave, shooting me a final grin. “Good luck with this one.”

"We will meet you at the shipyard,” Kann assured him. “We are right behind you.”

"Don't be late,” Volten called over his shoulder. “I’m the pilot, remember? I won't hesitate to leave without you."

The door whooshed shut behind him, and Kann shook his head. “He bluffs like this all the time.”

“Which means you must be late all the time.” I turned back to the half-packed bag. "He's right, we need to hurry."

Instead of helping, Kann spun me around to face him, backing me up against the wall with that predatory grace that never failed to make my pulse race. "Volten would never leave without me. He is my best friend. He came into thegrekkingholosimulation to get us. We have enough time.”

"Time enough for what?" I asked, though the look in his eyes made my knees wobble.

His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing across my bottom lip. "Time for me to tell you again how truly, madly, deeply I love you."

Warmth bloomed in my chest, and I marveled at how different life was now that I'd stopped fighting my feelings. How much richer everything felt without the walls I'd built around my heart. Kann had taught me that vulnerability wasn't weakness—it was strength.

"And," he added with a wicked grin, "just enough time for this."

His lips captured mine in a searing kiss that made me forget all about packing, missions, and everything else in the universeexcept him. His hands found the waistband of my pants, and I smiled against his mouth, knowing we were definitely going to be late.

Chapter

Fifty-Seven

Morgan

The electromagnetic field from the planet below us rippled across our sensors in waves of static, perfect cover for any transmissions we needed to send or receive. I lingered in the cockpit doorway long enough to hear Ariana finish encoding the message back to the Academy, her fingers flying over the console while Commander Vyk watched with his usual stoic expression.

"Signal sent," she announced, her voice tight. "Now we wait."

I turned away, walking quietly down the ship's main corridor. The metal deck plates hummed beneath my feet with the idling engines' familiar vibration. We'd been stationary for too long, and the waiting made me antsy.

As I passed the open door to the crew bunks, I spotted Torq lying on the bottom one, his eyes closed. At least someone was managing to stay calm, although I knew the cadet was nervous about being the only Blade on the mission. Commander Vyk wasa skilled fighter, but we were supposed to have Kann and Volten as part of our team. Without them, I did not love our chances.

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