Page 34 of Forbidden Bonds
Now it’s my time to take that burden from her, to make sure no one touches her ever again.
I’m no soldier. But I can fight, and I can handle a weapon. My life on Lyus taught me plenty even before the government came through with their mass viral awakening. Even in our early days on Chimera, after I awakened from my coma, life was gritty and a struggle. The first apartment was government-sourced and in the non-dynamic slums. Lucian was away in training and thendeployed. I’d always had a fascination with computers, and I made some money doing repairs, monitoring, and some low-level hacking.
Then I was robbed of everything I owned by a local gang who’d gotten wind of what I was doing.
I started again, this time keeping my source equipment light and focusing on the hacking, using other networks for the grunt power I needed. I also got a gun and took no fucking chances. My reputation grew. Soon, I could afford my own protection. Soon, I discovered that hacking was far more lucrative than I had realized, and criminals were coming to me.
My skills are unconventional. I never got the kind of training most alphas did, but I have other skills. And I’ll use every single one to make sure Larissa never ends up in the hands of the Uncorrupted again.
As for our government and their supposedly more civilized ways, I know exactly what they would do to her, and it would be no better than the Uncorrupted.
“I need to check on things,” I say.
“Things? Hacking things?” she asks.
“Exactly. I need to see if anyone is looking for you. Do you want to come with me? Maybe put some clothes on first,” I add, because she’s naked under that towel, and if she stays that way, I’ll need to fuck her again before we make it to the elevator.
Also, she washed all my scent off, and I really don’t like that. “Maybe grab one of my T-shirts from the closet.” I’ll get some clothes delivered for her later.
I take her to my closet where everything is in neat rows. I have a housekeeper come in. She cleans and does the laundry, leaves meals that I can just heat up. I pull off the T-shirt I’m wearing and, without a word, give it to her.
There is a brief moment of hesitation where our eyes meet, and she is just holding it. Then, with a contented sigh, she drops her towel and slips my T-shirt over her head.
Can’t lie, it’s all kinds of satisfying. Next, I grab a clean pair of boxers and kneel to help her step into them. Covering her pussy up is also probably for the best if I don’t want to fuck her on the closet floor. I’m thinking about it, but her safety comes first.
“You like me in your stuff,” she says, a note of challenge in her voice.
I grin and slowly rise. She’s so tiny, she barely reaches the middle of my chest. Yeah, and that makes me want to fuck her again… “You like wearing my stuff,” I counter. “Especially when it’s covered in my scent.”
She doesn’t argue, her eyes are all over my chest and abs, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s admiring her marks.
Don’t worry, baby, I’ll be encouraging you to add to the collection later… after I check what’s going on and make sure no surprises are coming for us.
She heads out, slipping into the bathroom.
I go to grab a T-shirt and then glance down at myself. Clothing has never been a source of great interest. Dirty in the hamper, clean T-shirt and sweats from the closet. Shoes are optional… it’s not like I ever go outside.
Still, Lucian’s jab from earlier—along with Larrisa’s comment about needing a wardrobe makeover—have me reconsidering my choices.
I select a clean black T-shirt, probably new—there’s not even a gecko on the front. Then I shove out of my sweats and pick up a pair of jeans. Socks feel wrong, as does the belt. And boots. I mean, I do put them on sometimes…
When I step back out, she’s leaving the bathroom and gasps. Her gaze drags over me slowly, teeth catching on her lip.
“You do have regular clothes, then.”
“Uh, yeah.” Not awkward at all… Does it look like I’m trying too hard? Lucian is going to give me hell, but who cares, I like the admiring gleam in her eyes.
“I feel a little underdressed,” she says.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. Won’t be cold, and no one will see you.”If I had my way, you’d be naked. Right now, I can’t handle the temptation.
We take the elevator down to my office in the basement. Her second gasp in as many minutes makes me smirk as we step into the room.
I try to see it through her eyes. There’s a faint humming coming from the bank of servers. It’s got its own failsafe connections and independent power source. A big curving desk with a single chair faces a wall of monitors—the largest central screen shows a report of the latest alerts.
“Wow,” she says.
I grin. “Welcome to my lair.”
