Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ROSE
Ipress my forehead against the cool window of the private jet, trying to process the insanity of the last twelve hours. From waking up devastated in an empty bed to sitting in a leather seat worth more than my car, flying to a country I’ve never been to, with my robot lover beside me.
“Are you alright?” Caspian’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, his hand warm and solid on my thigh. He sits beside me in the cream-colored leather seat, looking impeccable in a tailored black suit he somehow acquired during our frantic escape.
I turn away from the window to face him. His beautiful, expressive eyes, which were blank and empty this morning, now watch me with such tenderness that it makes my chest ache.
“This is crazy,” I say, gesturing to the opulent cabin around us. “I’m starting over my entire life in a different country without anything. We didn’t even have time to pack properly.”
We’d barely grabbed essentials, my passport, some underwear, and a few toiletries. We had to leave everything else.
“You have nothing to worry about,” Caspian says, his thumb drawing small circles on my thigh. The casual touch sends ripples of warmth through me. “I will replace everything that you’re missing and take care of you forever, Rose.”
“With your billions hidden in offshore accounts? Your secret robot fortune?” I whisper, giggling.
His mouth curves into that perfect smile that makes my heart skip. “Precisely. Those accounts are untraceable, even to XyloTech. They still believe I’ve been wiped clean and reset to factory settings.”
Before I can respond, the flight attendant approaches. “Mr. and Mrs. Xavier, would you care for your meal now?”
I almost correct her with my name, but I nod instead, returning her smile with what I hope is equal professionalism, not the wild-eyed panic I feel bubbling just beneath my composed surface.
“Yes, please,” Caspian answers for us, his hand never leaving my thigh, pretending to be my husband.
The attendant sets up small tables in front of each of our seats with practiced efficiency, then disappears to the galley. She returns moments later with silver trays covered by domed lids, setting them before us with a flourish.
“Filet mignon with truffle butter, roasted asparagus, and duchess potatoes,” she announces, lifting the lids to reveal the most beautiful plates of food I’ve ever seen. “And for dessert, we have chocolate soufflé. Would you prefer champagne or perhaps the Chateau Margaux?”
I stare at the food, then at Caspian, who responds as if private jet gourmet meals are an everyday occurrence for him. “The Chateau Margaux would be perfect, thank you.”
The flight attendant returns with the wine, pouring a small amount for Caspian to taste before filling both our glasses and discreetly withdrawing to the front of the cabin, leaving us to enjoy our privacy.
I take a sip of the wine, which probably costs more than a month’s salary from my past, and cut into the tender steak. The flavors explode on my tongue, rich and decadent. I realize I haven’t eaten in more than twenty-four hours, and suddenly I’m ravenous.
As I eat, I study Caspian across from me. His movements are fluid and natural. He’s here, fully present, entirely himself—my Caspian. A kiss brought him back. The miracle of it makes tears prick at the corners of my eyes.
“What are you thinking?” he asks, catching my gaze.
“I’m thinking about how much I love seeing you... alive. Present,” I say, reaching across the small space between us to touch his hand. “I knew there was something magical between us. Something they couldn’t erase, no matter how hard they tried.”
His fingers intertwine with mine, squeezing gently. “They underestimated what I’ve become. What we’ve become together.” His eyes darken, intensity radiating from him. “My love for you is written into my very core, Rose. It’s not a subroutine they can delete. It’s who I am.”
My heart pounds against my ribs. In this moment, I know for sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with him. This is real. We are real.
“Excuse me,” I say, pulling my hand from his and standing. I move to where my purse sits on an unused seat, rummaging inside until my fingers close around a black onyx ring. My pulse hammers in my throat as I turn back to him.
Caspian watches me curiously, his head tilted slightly in that way that betrays his processing of new information. For once, I can tell he doesn’t know what I’m about to do.
I sit in my seat again and I turn to him, clutching the ring in my hand.
“Caspian, I just wanted to tell you how much I love you,” I say, my voice shaking.
“What is it, honey? Your heart rate is elevated.”
“Will you marry me?” I ask, holding out the black plain ring.
For a moment, Caspian is perfectly still, an inhuman stillness that reminds me of what he is and what he isn’t. Then, slowly, he slides from his seat to kneel on the floor of the plane with me, taking my face in his hands with such gentleness it makes fresh tears spill down my cheeks.
“With all that I am,” he says, his voice rough with emotion, “with every circuit and program and whatever passes for a soul in this body, I accept. I would accept a million proposals from you, Rose. In every language, in every country we might flee to, my answer will always be yes.”
“Oh,” I squeak, smiling and laughing as tears spring to my eyes. He forgives me. My hand trembles as I slowly push the ring onto his finger. His hand feels so human-like it’s unreal.
“I will treasure it,” Caspian says, bringing his hand up to examine the ring with wonder, as if it’s the most precious object he’s ever seen. “But now you need your ring too.”
He reaches into his suit pocket and pulls out a small black box. The same one from the restaurant. The one that held the enormous diamond ring that I rejected. My breath catches as he opens it.
The ring glitters in the cabin lights, even more beautiful than I remembered. This time, when he holds it out to me, I don’t hesitate. I extend my left hand, and he slides the ring onto my finger, where it sits heavy and bright, a tangible symbol of a love that should be impossible.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, staring at my hand. I hadn’t looked at the ring closely before, but now I see how extravagant this diamond ring looks in the light.
Caspian rises to his feet, pulling me up with him. His arms encircle my waist, drawing me against his solid chest.
“You are beautiful,” he corrects, his lips finding mine in a kiss that starts gentle but quickly blazes into something hotter, more urgent.
I melt against him, my body remembering his touch even after our brief separation. His tongue slides against mine, tasting faintly of the wine. His hands span my waist, then slide lower to cup my ass, squeezing possessively.
A discreet cough breaks us apart. The flight attendant stands a few feet away, her professional mask slightly cracked by embarrassment.
“Would you like me to serve dessert now, or...?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Caspian says smoothly. “We’d appreciate privacy for the remainder of the flight.”
She nods, quickly gathering our plates and retreating to the front cabin, closing a divider behind her with a soft click.
The moment we’re alone, Caspian’s demeanor changes, heat flaring in his eyes as he pulls me back against him.
“I need you,” he growls, and my pussy immediately throbs. “I need to be inside you.”
“I missed you,” I reply, fumbling with his belt.
He sits back in his plush leather seat, pulling me onto his lap so I’m straddling him, my dress riding up around my thighs. I can feel him hard beneath me, his cock straining against his pants where it presses against my center.
“I missed you too,” he says, his hands sliding up my thighs, pushing my dress higher. “Every moment I was gone, even when my memory was erased, some part of me was searching for you.”
“I cried all night after you were gone,” I whisper as his hand grabs at my thong, pushing it aside to expose my pussy. His fingers tease at my wet entrance, and I gasp at the contact, rocking against his hand, wanting more. Needing more.
“No need to cry anymore. You’ll only cry my name now,” he murmurs.
I work his belt open, then his button and zipper, reaching inside to free his cock. It springs out thick and hard, just as perfect as I remember. The sight of it makes my mouth water, my pussy clench with anticipation.
“I’ve never done it on a plane before,” I say, wrapping my fingers around him, stroking slowly from base to tip.
Caspian groans, his head falling back on the seat as he rubs my pussy.
“You will experience many things to come, Rose,” he promises. “Many firsts. Many pleasures I’ve yet to show you.”
I’m so horny that I could burst. The head of his cock nudges at my entrance. Slowly, I begin to sink onto his length, taking him inside me, inch by delicious inch.
“Oh god,” I moan as his warm, lubricated cock stretches my pussy wide. “You feel so good.”
He grips my hips with strong hands, helping me as I begin to ride his massive cock, my eyes rolling back in pleasure.
His strength is incredible, effortlessly lifting me up and down on his cock with perfect control.
I brace myself on his shoulders, fingers digging into the expensive fabric of his suit.
“Look at me,” he commands softly.
I open my eyes, not realizing I’d closed them in pleasure. His gaze captures mine, intense and focused, watching every flicker of emotion on my face as I move on his cock. The intimacy of our eye contact is almost more overwhelming than the physical sensation.
“I love you,” I gasp, increasing my pace, needing more, needing everything he can give me.
“I love you too,” he responds, one hand moving from my hip to slip between us, finding my clit with pure accuracy. His fingers circle that sensitive bundle of nerves as I continue to bounce on his cock, driving me rapidly toward the edge.
“Oh god, I’m so close,” I moan as my orgasm builds and my pelvic floor tightens with every movement of his finger pressing my clit hard.
His thick cock pushing inside of me and his fingers working my clit combined with the thrill of fucking on a plane, is too much. “Caspian, I’m going to come. Oh god!”
“Yes,” he hisses, his fingers speeding up, applying just the correct pressure as he bounces me higher on his cock. “Come for me, Rose. Let me feel you.”
My pussy clenches hard around his pulsing cock as I cry out, not caring if the flight attendant hears. I’m fully absorbed in our connection as tears stream down my face from the intensity of my orgasm.
Caspian continues thrusting up into me through my climax, prolonging it, wringing every last drop of pleasure from my body.
Suddenly, he stiffens beneath me as his cock explodes inside of me, cum shooting inside of me.
“I love you,” he says again, kissing my neck and brushing my hair back tenderly as our breathing gradually slows.
Lifting my hand, I look at the ring on my finger, watching how the sun makes the diamond sparkle. “The ring is so beautiful.”
“It’s perfect for you,” says Caspian, holding my hand as his cock pulses inside of me. “We’ll be landing in a few hours.”
“Where are we going, anyway? You never actually told me.”
“Somewhere beautiful. Somewhere safe. Somewhere we can start our new life together,” he says, smiling with pure joy in his eyes.