Page 40 of The Program

I watched in horror as tears filled her beautiful big brown eyes and spilled over her cheeks to drip off her chin. They were fast, always ready with a replacement as soon as one brimmed over. I hated seeing that soul-deep sadness as she refused to look at me.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, her voice trembling and teeming with guilt. ‘I know I shouldn’t have let things go as far as they did, and I tried to keep my distance, but I wanted to be selfish just for a little bit. I wanted to feel wanted, and loved, and special, just once. Even if it wasn’t going to last. And I know it was wrong. I never should have led you on like that when you didn’t even know the real me. I deceived you, andI’m so, so sorry,Bromm.’

She still hadn’t looked at me throughout her whole speech. If she had, she would have seen how utterly irrelevant her past lies were to me. She would have seen the love I had for her emanating off of me in an aura almost as bright as these damn lines.

‘Look at me, my love,’ I told her, my voice low and gentle. Still, she refused.

‘Artemis,’ I tried again. ‘I want you to see the truth in my words when I say them.Pleaselook at me.’

I wanted to reach out to her, haul her into my arms and never let go. I’d watched her obliterate an entire facility. I’d witnessed her strength and perseverance. I’d seen her kill an entire group of armed men in record time like it was nothing. But right now, she looked so fragile and breakable and I knew I needed to be her strength here.

Finally, tentatively, she raised her head enough to make eye contact with me. I smiled encouragingly, hoping I was conveying everything I felt for her through my expression and body language. I didn’t think she’d appreciate my touch until we’d resolved this misunderstanding between us. She was going to know that we loved one another and were going to make this thing between us real if it was the last thing I ever did.

This woman was mine, and it was past time she learned I wasn’t going anywhere.

‘Arty, I didn’t fall in love with a male. My love for you never depended on a certain appendage that never even existed. I fell in love withyou, who very muchdoesexist. I don’t care about your parts, I never did. My feelings for you haven’t changed… Artemis, I’m yours. Fully, wholly, and irrevocably.I love you.Please tell me you feel the same. Please tell me this is real between us and that I haven’t lost my heart to someone who doesn’t want it, because I don’t want it back. It’s yours forever.’

I didn’t think it was possible but the tears fell in a steady stream even quicker than before. The hope in her gaze gutted me. I never wanted her to doubt this…us.Who cared that she wasn’t a man? I didn’t. As far as I was concerned, we were inevitable and irreversible. She was stuck with me for eternity and beyond.

‘But I lied to you…’ she protested weakly.

‘You had your reasons, and I don’t blame you for it.’

‘ButI lied to you,’ she tried one more time.

‘And I forgive you, my love. Your lies weren’t a personal attack on me. They had nothing to do with me. I forgive you.’

It was like the metaphorical wall between was the only thing holding her up, because as soon as it crumbled she fell forward right into my waiting arms.

I held her as she sobbed. Whispered sweet reassurances into her hair. Made promises of my love that I never intended to break. Rocked her back and forth as she let the emotion wash over her, through her, and settle deep inside her where it was safe and protected.

‘I love you, Artemis. This time apart has been torture. I love you, and I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.’

‘I love you too, Bromm,’ she answered, leaning back to take me in with her red, puffy face and running nose. The freckles there stood out starkly against the flush of her skin. Even now, she was so beautiful it hurt.

Her hands rose to cup my face, her thumbs softly sweeping in gentle circles across my cheeks and tangling with my wriggling beard.‘Stars,I don’t deserve you,’ she whispered, her breath a sweet, longing caress against my lips, ‘but I’m selfish and I want to keep you.’

I grinned down at her, my beard reaching out to tangle with her hair, to stroke her cheeks, her jaw, her neck… her deliciously plump lips. ‘You can be as selfish as you like when it comes to me. I’m all for it.’

She laughed then, the sound wet and gargled from her crying but still somehow managed to be bright and happy.

‘I can’t quite believe you’re really here. I can feel you. I cansmellyou. It doesn’t make any sense,’ she admitted.

I shrugged, the motion jostling her in my lap and causing her core to brush against my cock that was hard and ready in no time at all. Now wasn’t the time, however, and we both ignored the reaction.

‘I’ve been here a lot this past solar, but this is the first time I’ve been able to move past my usual spot.’

She frowned up at me from where her head rested against my shoulder. ‘I’m still struggling to believe it, and what you’re saying makes even less sense.’

‘Sorry, I don’t have an explanation. I was sorta hopingyouwould, but if it allows me to see you and hold you like this then I’m not complaining.’

‘You really have no idea how you’re here?’ she asked, then sat up suddenly, alarm flashing across her face. ‘The Program didn’t hurt you, did they? Tell me you’re okay.’

I held onto her, tugging her close to my chest so that her ear rested above my heartbeat. ‘I’m fine. The Program took over Nova Station and commandeered the academy, but they haven’t taken any of us as their test subjects.’

Yet, I knew that was a lie as soon as I said it. How could I have forgotten about Reece and Adara?

I interrupted her before she could finish her sigh of relief. ‘Uh, well that’s not entirely true.I’mfine,’ I told her before the rising panic in her eyes could spill over. ‘It’s Reece. And Adara.’

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