Page 8 of Igid's Bounty
Thud… ohh!Thump-thud… Mmmph-ah.
“What in the hells?” Turning from the replicator, I stalk back into the narrow hallway and try my best to follow the sounds, which are growing more pained the longer it takes me to figure out where they are coming from.
By the time I finally find the right room, I’ve worked myself into a rage. The grunts have turned to shrieks of pain, and I all but break down the door of the training room, where I find Igid on her back with a holo fighter looming over her. Its arm is cocked back, ready to deal the final blow as she crosses her forearms over her face to try to deflect it.
My vision tunnels, and before I realize I’ve even moved, I’m across the room, throwing myself at the holo fighter. My body flies through it, kicking the program off-line.
“What in the—” Igid gasps when I end up landing half on her. “Brox! What are you doing?”
I’m still seething, needing to pummel her attacker, but I can’t since it’s just a program—a program that shouldn’t be able to actually harm her, which leaves me feeling rather foolish.
“Brox,” she growls, kicking at my legs that are pinning her. “What the kurvingfuck!”
I prop myself up with one hand and run the other over my face, trying to calm the adrenaline racing through my veins.
“I had this. You didn’t need to—” Her cheeks are flushed, and she’s breathing hard as she pushes herself up.
“You had this?” I roll over so I’m sitting up and facing her. “How exactly did youhave this?I came in here because it sounded like you were being attacked, which is exactly what was happening. You could have been—”
“I could have been what?” Igid snaps back. Her wideset eyes narrow to blades that flash like bright metal. “It’s aprogram; it couldn’t hurt me.”
I mean, she’s correct in theory. There’s always a chance that something could have happened. AI programs go off the rails all the time.
Igid makes a disgusted sound and jumps to her feet before turning away from me. When she starts storming out of the training room, I can’t help myself when I reach out and grab hold of her hand, “Wait, I—”
As soon as my fingers curl around her narrow wrist, she spins on me, snarling like a wild animal. Before I have a chance to so much as blink, I’m on my back with her straddling my chest.
We’re nose to nose. She’s so close, I can feel the warmth of her breath on my face, and, gods help me, it makes me hard.
Snapping her tail back and forth behind her, she shakes her head and then, without a word, pushes herself up, and I watch her go.
Closing my eyes, I lift my head, only to let it fall back to the padded floor with a dull thud. How am I going to get her to see what I do? That there is something between us. The way I feel when I’m around her, it can’t be just me. Can it? This feeling, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt for a female before. It’s like we’re fated. Like a golden cord running between our hearts, drawing us together. How can she not feel it too?
I’ve considered that maybe it’s a one-sided thing. Like the bond Treto has with Bela. Treto knew the moment he saw his mate that she was his fatedsors.It wasn’t something Bela was able to feel or return in the same capacity, but she still fell in love with him, and they are disgustingly happy.
No, I refuse to believe that I’m the only one who can feel our connection. I’ve seen the way her eyes wander to mine when she’s deep in thought. The way her body leans toward mine when her mind is occupied with something else.
I’ve been trying to give her space, thinking she’ll come to me on her own. Maybe that’s been the wrong approach.
My lips quirk.
Being thrown together for this mission is the perfect way to bring us closer. She can run all she wants, but I’ll still be right here. I’ll need to tread carefully, though. I can’t push her too far, or I might lose her completely.
I want to show her I’m not just another male, but that I’mher male.The other half of her soul she didn’t realize was missing.
CHAPTERSIX
IGID
* * *
If anyone were to accuse me of avoiding Brox, I’d vehemently deny it. Except for the fact that for the rest of the rotation I do exactly that by hiding in my room. Which vexes me because this ismy kurving ship!
I shouldn’t feel like I need to hide. I haven’t hidden from anyone, or anything, since I was a kit. So why am I now? What is it about Brox that has my head in such a tumble that I’m not thinking straight or acting like myself?
With my stomach grumbling, I leave my room with my head held high, and I don’t stop until I’m standing in front of the replicator. With more force than necessary, I jab my finger into the keypad and then stand there, tapping a foot impatiently, while I wait for my spicycarriland meat-filledcruxrolls.
My muscles are still twitchy from my workout.
