Chapter 7
It was concerning how short the conversation was in 8-Bit’s head about where they’d go. The answer should have been the Hack House. But he’d decided his home. The one forbidden space he allowed nobody. Not even The Twelve. He blamed the bathtub incident. Ever since he’d heard her in that tub, his dick began making decisions. One after another. And it seemed to be keeping its ultimate goal secret from him. It knew logic would not accommodate whatever it planned. Not with the non-sexual marriage scheme he’d already set up with her.
“This is my home,” he announced as he parked in the secluded cove. “I have enough equipment here to do what needs doing. The rest can be done from the Hack House where I usually work.” He shouldered her bag and hopped onto the pier, extending his hand to her. “I’ll return for the rest. I want you inside first.”
She eyed the hand-offer then took it. Good she knew when to be practical. And good that he got to touch her.
“Hack House. I like that.” Her grip was warm and strong as he pulled her onto the dock. “I really love this seclusion you got.” He watched her as she looked all around. “Where’s the house?”
He pointed before them with a grin.
“Oh my God,” she laughed, finally seeing it. “It’s camouflaged! Now, that is amazing!”
His dick agreed with her exuberance if nothing else. Clearly it intended to be wide awake for the rest of the night with her.
“Oh shit, this pier is making me dizzy,” she said with a giggle as they followed the zig-zag path.
“The outer perimeter of a home is its first defense. The longer it takes an intruder to get to it, the longer you have to prepare.”
“Oh. Now that’s smart.”
Every word she spoke passed through a sexual synthesizer in his head now. It was on a hunt for the sounds she’d made in the tub. And it was getting feral about it.
“Tera is my assistant,” he warned as they climbed the steps onto the porch.
“Tera?”
He looked down at her, catching the hint of anger in her curiosity. She’d heard a female name in Tera.
“She lives here?”
Possessive and jealous. What that didn’t do for him. This was escalating fast. He needed to protect his plans before his dick wrecked them. Or at least renegotiate. Eventually, sex was in their plan, but he was far from needing or wanting it. But… that pleasure she’d started in the tub... that was an equation that needed finishing so the world could continue spinning.
“It lives here,” he corrected. “Tera is short for Terabyte. The abbreviation I gave the AI system that controls my home.”
Her mouth formed an oval and his mind pumped his cock in and out of it. “You’re kidding!”
He pulled out his phone and opened his home security. “Tera, I’m home.”
A chuckle escaped when she jumped at the sound of the locks disengaging. “I gave Tera a couple of personalities to accommodate my moods,” he warned, opening the door, and shutting it after she entered. “I’ll let the nicer one meet you.”
“The nicer one?” she whispered, amazed.
“Big G,” he called.
The mature, professional version of his AI filled the room with his warm, soothing tone. “Welcome back to your swamp fortress, 8-Bit. As the guardian of the Hoard, your sanctuary is always ready for you. What”s the play?”
He grinned at how huge her eyes and mouth were as she looked at him.
“The usual.”
“Of course. Here are your usual summaries:
Swamp Security Status
Health Recommendations
Local News Highlights
Your Daily Schedule
The ”Hoard” Activity Overview
Equipment Maintenance Alerts
Which of these would you like to hear first?”
He eyed her. “Give me the data overview on my latest tracking device.”
“Certainly. Your geofencing indicates current location within this residence.
Heart Rate: Elevated at 102 bpm.
Body Temperature: Slightly raised at 99.5°F.
Movement: Moderate activity within the last hour.
Device Battery Status: 92% remaining.
Connectivity: Strong; no interruptions detected.
“Given the elevated heart rate and body temperature, it may suggest heightened emotional or physical states. Would you like to dig deeper into any of these metrics or require medical consultation advice?”
“Not at this time,” 8-Bit said, chuckling to find a near comical terror mixed with her shock. “Give me the overall Hatch data.”
“Certainly. Summary:
Total Unidentified IMSI Signatures: 11 across various Hatches
Unusual Human Activity: Noted in Hatches 3, 7, and 9
Invasive Species: Detected in Hatches 1 and 4
Equipment Status: 5 drones in total require maintenance across Hatches
8-Bit prompted, “Proceed with detailed recommendations.”
“Detailed recommendations:
Deploy Spectrum Analyzer: Highly recommended for Hatches with unidentified IMSI signatures and human activity. Target Hatches 3, 7, and 9 specifically.
Increase Static Monitors:
In areas with noted unusual human activity, increase the number of Swamp Squats for better data gathering.
Invasive Species Control:
Immediate action required in Hatches 1 and 4 to mitigate the spread of invasive plants.
Equipment Maintenance:
Schedule drone maintenance for 5 drones across various Hatches.
“Would you like further information on any of these items?”
“No, that’s all. Boot up all systems and give me a printout report for all Hatch readings along with specific recommendations to triangulate unusual frequency signals.”
“Affirmative, Ethan. Initiating home base operations. All equipment is coming online. Swamp Squats: Activated. Bird Eyes: In Flight. Oracle: Crunching Numbers. Tattle Tellers: On High Alert. Chatter Chains: Ready for Direct Comms. Would you like a status update once all systems are at full operational capacity?”
“Yes. That’s all for now. Thanks, Big G.”
“Very well, Ethan. Systems are now active and ready for your next command. If you require further updates or assistance, I am here at your service. Would your guest like coffee or tea?”
He glanced at Cat who stood there with her hand over her mouth.
“Let me ask,” he said, ready to laugh.
Somehow her eyes got bigger before she moved her hand enough to whisper, “Uhhh, coffee?”
“I’ll start the smart pot. Would your guest like me to prepare a bath infused with lavender to help lower her elevated stress levels?”
Giga-bucks for Big G. Again, he looked at her with expectant brows.
She stared at him then finally shook her head. “No,” she whispered then repeated it louder. At the air. “But…thank you… for offering,” she called out. Judging by her levels still, he’d need to put Big G in the closet till she got over her AI shock.
“Big G, enter sleep mode.”
“Thank you, Ethan. I’ve been wanting a nap.”
He grinned at her light gasp.
“He’s gone,” he announced.
She released her breath and he let his laugh go. “Sorry, it can be a little off-putting if you’ve never seen that in action.”
“If you had told me this existed, I would have laughed in your face!”
He studied all these new layers, his cock loving every one of them. Shocked, yes, but more in the form of exhilarating awe and excitement.
She jerked her hand up, eyeing the ring, her mouth open again. “It got all that from this?” she whispered.
“Yep. Specially designed.”
Fuck, her gasps were killing him. And then that smile he was becoming addicted to appeared. “I feel…wow, kinda like…swamp royalty!” She wondered. “What does the G stand for in Big G?”
“Genius.”
She sputtered with a “Duh!” and he lowered his eyes to her chest with a need to know all.
“You mentioned another. One that was rude?”
He moved closer to her and leaned to her hear. “AL,” he whispered. “Short for Algorithm. Don’t say his name. He might answer.”
She eyed him with huge, serious eyes and whispered back, “Okay.”
“You can have that bath later,” he said, ready to have her naked, even if he didn’t get to see it. Unless he renegotiated their agreement. Too bad he couldn’t ask He suddenly wanted to wake Big . He’d trained him to think outside the box and exploit situations.
Wait. He could text him.
****
Maybe by tomorrow she’d be able to shut her shocked mouth.
Catch your dang head. Catch. Your dang. Head.
“Comfortable?”
She took the coffee from his extended hand, sure comfortable would never apply anywhere at this place. “It’s uh, perfect,” she said, hating to lie, but hell, she did not have the words to express what she felt.
“I should’ve warned you,” he muttered, sitting across from her in the small room so full of greenery it reminded her of a tropical forest. He’d changed into something more comfortable which was loose black flannels and a black muscle shirt. Jesus, save her. She stared at the coffee in her cup, feeling doomed. How would she not stare at all that?
“How was your visit with your friends this afternoon?”
Ah shit. The sexual inexperience visit. She took a sip of the coffee and gave an “Mmmm. This is good!”
He waited.
She circled the top of the cup with a finger, giving him a smile. “It was fine. Same silliness as always. Dumb…married women girl stuff.”
He nodded, his mouth hinting with a smile. “No idea what that is,” he admitted. “You tell them about our arrangement?”
Shit. “I did,” she said, keeping her voice light. Was just an arrangement. “They had all kinds of questions. Ring gave it away,” she said, flashing her hand up then tucking it back into her lap.
“How’d they take it?”
“You know…like bored drama mommas do. I’m the latest, greatest soap opera now.” She pulled at her shorts, wishing they were three feet longer. His eyes kept straying to her bare legs, making her wonder why and what he thought. She was fit and believed in tanning. That was her one girl indulgence. “I told them about me wanting a baby and boy that blew up in my face.”
His grin ran circles in her stomach. “How so?”
“Well… sex is a hot topic with those three.” Tell him now. Just get it out. “Which brings me to something I feel you have a right to know.”
“And what’s that?”
Lord, his tone. Felt more seductive than ever for some reason. And his gaze. Maybe he was tired. He was definitely relaxed.
“Well…” She turned the coffee cup round and round in her hand. “It’s only fair you know what you’re getting. Or not.” She smashed her lips together then wet them. “This is awkward. I know it’s just biology, I’m just not used to speaking freely about it. Specially to a man. Because I have zero experience. With men. Hell, when you mentioned sealing the deal with a kiss, I may have panicked just a little. Or a lot.” She ran into his gaze and the boil in them sent her own straight to her lap. “I know it’s not rocket science but if there’s a right and wrong way with that, I have no idea what it is. But I can learn anything and I’m a fast learner. I’m sure you realize if I have zero experience with that then I have negative zero with the rest of what goes after it. And you did come up by the way. Your past and what not,” she hurried on, not about to pause the conversation on her not knowing a single sexual thing. “They had tons of rumors to spread about you. None of which I believe,” she assured, flashing him a look, and even managing to hold it. “I know how rumors are, there’s two sides and usually the one side being rumored is stretched thin. Of course…maybe they are true, I don’t know, and really, it has no bearing on who you are now.”
“Which rumor?” he asked, his voice still silky low.
“Just teenage years, silly stuff.”
“Like?” he pressed.
Dammit, she didn’t like repeating it. “How about you tell me your past if you want me to know it rather than us discuss what other people think they know.”
He lowered his smile. “That bad, huh? Porn addict? Spy? Stalker?” He met her gaze. “Those rumors?”
“Like I said, silly,” she muttered.
His head slowly shook as he stared right at her. “Not silly. Fairly accurate.”
Have mercy, his shame and regret reached clear to her bones.
He turned his gaze to where he stroked those tan, strong fingers along the arm of his chair. “After the Noctambule war, I decided to change my life and use my skills for useful things. I joined The Twelve, took an oath of celibacy, and never looked back.”
She nodded, pierced through at sensing painful shadows in his past. What had happened to bring him to something like that? She tried to remember the details of his personal life. His family. She didn’t know anything.
“Well,” she said, quiet and calmly as she could. “That’s like the good son and the bad son in the bible,” she thought. “Where the father tells them both to do a job and the good son says, ‘Sure thing, poppa, I’ll do it. But then he never does it. The wayward son says ‘Nah, not doing it.’ But later, he changes his mind and does the job. Which one is the good son? The one who did the right thing after all was said and done.”
She watched as his gaze moved into the air between them, unfocused. “Thank you,” he finally said.”
Awww, shaaa peechay. The sound of a man used to being wrongly judged by everybody. “There ain’t no thanks needed, Ethan. I see you’re a good man. Screw what dummies say and think. Some people love believing the worst of others because they’re pieces of shit inside and they know it.”
He remained somber then muttered, “You said earlier you wanted to know everything about my rules so you can decide if you can handle it.
Her nerves woke up at that. “Alright,” she said, regretting how she’d said it but needing to know.
He finally looked at her, locking her tight in his flaming gaze. “I will always be bound by The Twelve’s code. And though I’ve never been with a woman long enough to call it a relationship, I do know what I want and do not want. What I can tolerate and can’t.”
Her nerves woke up at the mention of him being with a woman, wondering if that’s where his ghosts came from. “Alright.”
“I’m extremely possessive,” he informed with a severity that maybe should’ve worried her. But didn’t. “Might even be mistaken for illogically jealous. Jealous, yes, but illogically, no. That character trait solidified into stone after a very brief relationship that ended in unfaithfulness. So, when I told you what’s mine is mine, I mean it with every fiber of my body.” She was still glued to those eyes, this news explaining a lot. “When I said if you need or want male company, or need anything that a husband would provide—that is exclusively non-negotiable. If you still agree to our arrangement, you’re mine. Entirely. Completely. What does that mean to me exactly? That if I want or need anything from you that a wife provides, you give it. Whatever it is you want that only a husband provides, it’s yours. Regarding your lack of experience, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I want to learn what you want or need and I want to make sure you get it perfectly, completely, and anytime you want or need it. Understand that no war, no fight between you and I, no disagreement, and no event in this life will ever come between that. At the end of the day, or any part of the day, if you have a want or a need, just say it and I’m there. Unless I’m at war, or somehow unable to for whatever valid reason, then you’ll wait. As long as it takes. The same goes for me.”
Breathe. In and out. Steady breaths. She nodded, worried only about one thing. “I…I don’t like the…porn things. In a marriage.”
“The only woman I will ever see naked is you. If I want to see you, I will. In whatever way I want to see you. You also get the same from me.”
Mud and muck, now she had to ask what that meant! What did see her in whatever way he wanted mean? How many ways could one see a person?
This is a biological business arrangement. You can’t leave any areas gray. She cleared her throat and forced it out. “Some of your uh, terms, are kinda cloudy for me.”
“Which ones?”
She set the coffee cup down on the little table next to her before she spilled it all over herself. “The uh…part about…seeing me. However you want to.” She tucked her legs under herself.
“Naked. Your body is mine and if I should want to look at it, it’s mine to look at. Every part of it, every angle. Whatever position.”
“Position.” She wasn’t a porn person, but she couldn’t help but guess he meant one of those centerfolds. “You mean those…porn poses?”
“No, I mean those wife poses. It’s not the things they do in porn that’s wrong Cat, it’s who they do it with.”
Everything in her balked while her body tingled in all the wrong places. Or maybe they were right. “I…you want me to do…certain sex things?”
He gave a light scoff like she were dense as a rock. “I may want you to do wife things on occasion.”
Which was fine but… “That’s what I’ve been trying to understand. If I don’t know anything—”
“Cat. I’m not asking you to perform complex circus acts,” he said, apparently finding her funny. “But if I want to see you naked in various positions, I’ll instruct you.”
Now she got it. Ho. Lee. Mo. Lee. “Got it.” She suddenly needed affirmation about this being a mostly non-sexual arrangement outside of her baby payment. “And since you said you know how not to need a woman, then…I’d expect those occasions to be…a little rare.”
She was stuck in his gooey, hot caramel eyes, forgetting all about the breathing requirement. “Yes. Unless you decide that you want and need more. But…like you said, you’re very good at not needing a man.”
She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, nodding. Pretty sure that was a damn checkmate. “Yep. I am. Good at not…needing a man, absolutely.”
****
8-Bit shrugged at her, his dead, celibate cock raging. “Then my proposal still stands the same as before.” Only it surely fucking didn’t. He couldn’t believe where the conversation had gone and what it did to him. And her, even as she did her best to hide it. Her virgin responses were burning him alive and her attempts to hide it were a cruel fuel. The need to see her in every position was burning a hole in his hard drive now. What had she been thinking and doing in that tub is all his brain wanted to know. And her no experience—his biggest fantasy. Everything he’d once liked in porn sat right there across from him. All his. To have however he wanted. But he’d already made other arrangements with her. Arrangements that involved little to no sexual interactions. Something said he needed to stick to that, but the why of it was getting harder to answer.
Any changes made had to come at her hands. He’d make her ask for it. Then again, seeing her beg would very soon be a critical fantasy he’d need to fulfill, he was sure.
He remembered the kiss. What would that do to him? And her? He might need to require she not touch him. But why would he?
“Any questions?” he decided to ask, not ready to quit talking about sexual things with her.
She barely shook her head and he wondered where she found the courage to look at him. He liked when she did. He suddenly knew he’d have a taste of what was his before the hour was up.
“Well…I probably need…resources. Stuff to read,” she remembered in a quiet voice.
“No. Those things I’ll teach you.”
“But…wouldn’t I need to like…practice? Somehow?”
“What things are you referring to,” he now burned to know.
“Well…I mean…” She aimed her raised brows at her lap, pulling at the fringes of her cut-off shorts. “Every man is different I’m thinking, and there’s…acts to perform.”
“Like?” he asked, keeping his tone casual while his cock begged to break free of its celibate prison.
Whatever her answer, it required her to lower her head even more. “I don’t really know the…terms. But…the things a woman would need to know to…” She scratched her cheek suddenly. “Please a man.”
What was she not understanding? “I told you I would instruct you.”
She appeared distressed with that. “Well, that don’t sound very sexy, geeze,” she muttered with wide eyes on her lap.
“It’s very sexy,” he assured. “To me.”
She nodded and pursed her lips. “Not rocket science, like you said.”
“Not at all. I’ll even let you try without instruction.”
Her head went to vigorous shaking. “I wouldn’t…might not be a good idea.”
Fuck, she was so aroused, he realized. “You’ve never sucked a cock?” Damn, that came out.
She covered her face with both hands. “Nope,” she squeaked, then lowered them to her lap, still shaking her head. “Green as they come, I’m afraid.”
No. Fucking sexy as they come.
“It’s just biology,” she blurted, grasping the reminder like a lifeline.
“That’s it,” he said simply, ready to give her a lesson in it. “You’ve ever orgasmed?”
Her “Uhhhhhhhh,” went on for many seconds before ending with an unapologetic, “nope.”
“Maybe a quick lesson in the basics wouldn’t hurt,” he dared, his breath holding in his chest as her shocked gaze snapped to his.
Her mouth hung open and she closed it. “Now?”
He did his best to appear unfazed. “It’s just biology,” he reminded, getting the gradual return of her nods.
“Like…what?”
Fuck, yes. Like what… Which was more dangerous? Her doing him or him doing her? If he made her orgasm, he wouldn’t be able to stop. Maybe.
“I think you should know what an orgasm is.”
She appeared stunned. “I’m sorry, I just never—”
“No, Cat, you misunderstand. I think it’s important you know what that is. We can start with that.”
“Start?” she barely whispered, opening pandora’s idea box.
“It’s just an orgasm,” he said, doing his damndest to hold his cool.
“What…do I do?”
Fucking praise God.