Page 42 of The Rebel and the Rogue

“That explains much about him. But you? Humans are weak and should not be able to fight as you did.”

“I haven’t been on Earth in several years and should be insulted by your statement for all mankind, but

I’m not. We are weak and that’s why I volunteered for the Coalition, to get the fuck off that planet.”

“Very well, why are you not weak like your species? Because you sliced through three from Cerberus with one stroke. Took down dozens, leaped over a few and landed a great distance away. That is not normal human behavior or abilities. You had Hive integrations injected by a black market dealer,” he stated.

“Yes.”

He sat up so quickly he almost knocked me backward. “Why? Why would you choose to be contaminated?” His gaze was thunderous, his voice booming. Everyone in the Coalition had heard of the concept of having Hive nanobots and other technology surgically added to a body to enhance strength, speed, hearing and any number of other possibilities. It was forbidden, and all who voluntarily sought out such enhancements were considered vile. Traitorous.

I narrowed my gaze, poked him in the chest. “Contaminated?” I huffed. “Do not use that term. Do you know how insulting that is to all the fighters out there captured, tortured and integrated? It makes it sound like what they suffered is something pleasant, something they wanted, like going to the mall to get your ears pierced.”

He took a deep breath, let it out. “I do not understand what you mean by going to a mall, but for the rest I apologize. You are correct. While we from Rogue 5 do not serve in the Coalition, I would never disrespect anyone their service or sacrifice, especially those who survived the Hive.”

I nodded at his very sincere response.

“But why the fuck would you want Hive integrations?”

“I fought the Hive for four years. I told you about the battle that killed my unit.” He nodded, so I continued. “You saw the scars. I was trapped on that planet for weeks. Alone. No medical help. After they found me, a ReGen pod only fixed small things. A broken finger, burns. But it couldn’t fix everything. I was medically discharged from the Coalition. They did everything they could, but I couldn’t make myself whole. I wasn’t strong enough to fight or join a new ReCon unit. Every step I took was a battle and I knew I couldn’t go after Gerian like that. My body was weak and I was in constant pain. The only difference between me and my unit was that I was alive. And they weren’t in pain.”

He set a hand on my knee.

“I was angry, had survivor’s guilt. I hurt. I did what I had to do to be strong again. To fight. To track down whoever was responsible for selling my unit that damn drug.”

“The implants made you stronger. Faster.” The hand on my knee moved, petting me like I was a kitten. So gentle. I wanted to curl up in his lap and purr. “Are you still in pain?”

I shrugged. “Sometimes. But I can live with that. The integrations made me whole. They called me a rogue. Hived-up scum. But I didn’t care what they called me back in the Fleet. If the Coalition’s technology couldn’t fix me, I was going to use other technology to do so. It was for the Coalition, and for my unit that I did it.”

He shook his head. “You’re not rogue, you’re a rebel.”

I shrugged again. “The end result is that I’m everything I wasn’t before.”

He took my wrist and tugged me down on top of him so we were chest to chest. “Don’t you see? You are one of the strongest people I know. And the implants have nothing to do with that. It’s your heart. You’ve always been Ivy Birkeland from Earth. Your sense of honor, of loyalty has always been there. You’re you.”

His hand stroked up and down my back, and I knew he could feel the line of my scar.

I frowned, set a fist on his chest and rested my chin on it so I could look at him. “You sound like the Wizard of Oz telling Dorothy she’d had the way to get back to Kansas inside her the whole time.”

His dark gaze roved over my face. “You have this fascination with this place called Kansas. I should like to see it one day.”

I smiled, realizing I liked referencing that old movie.

“I am sorry the same technology was inside Cerberus, but you ended him. He can’t use it any longer for bad shit.” I paused, took a breath, sneaked a glance at him through my lashes. “Have we talked enough?” I asked. “I want you and I want you now.”

In one swift move he had us flipped so I was on my back, and he loomed over, his body pressing me into the soft mattress.

14

Zenos

I kissed her, craving her taste, the feel of my lips claiming her mouth, a promise of what my cock would soon do with the plunge of my tongue.

Fuck, I wanted to rage at her, yell at her. Tie her to my bed so she’d never put herself in danger again. Spank her. Fuck her. Kiss her. Love her.

Feelings pumped through me at what had happened. At what had almost happened. But I couldn’t think of it, wouldn’t or I’d go insane. Ivy was here, with me, beneath me. Gerian Eozara would be sent to a Coalition court. Cerberus was dead. Thank fuck.

And Ivy was mine. I had the rest of my life to shout and argue with her.

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