Chapter 17 #2
BEll made a huffing sound. “About time.” The ship started a wide turn. “It’s been excruciating watching you be an idiot.”
Dathan dropped back into his chair. “What if she won’t have me back?”
Nik slapped Dathan’s back. “Brother, you’re the best in the galaxy for hunting down treasure. My money’s on you finding this one.”
Eos watched the Infinitas leave.
She bit down on her trembling bottom lip, her chest hollow. She felt like another piece of her heart had been carved out.
She stared blindly around her spacious cabin on the Odyssey before her gaze was drawn back to the window. Beta7 filled the view. A team of astro-archeologists and a security detail were on the surface with the treasure.
She’d been invited to join them, but hadn’t been able to muster much enthusiasm.
Yes, because moping and feeling sorry for yourself is a much more productive use of your time.
She shot to her feet and grabbed her bag. Unpacking might take her mind off things.
She opened the bag. She gasped.
Slowly, she withdrew the Mona Lisa.
Oh, Dathan. She hugged it to her chest. The stupid man did love her.
Clutching the fragment, she strode down the corridor. She had zero chance of convincing Diego to break orbit and abandon the treasure of the New Louvre to follow the Infinitas.
She reached a junction. One corridor leading to the bridge. The other to the escape pods. Fully programmable pods.
Her heart pounded. She had to make a decision. For the first time in her life, she ignored her head and followed her heart.
She was crazy. Eos clambered into the small escape pod and set the pod to track the trail of the Infinitas.
She was planning to give Dathan Phoenix a huge piece of her mind. She was going to make him listen. The idiot didn’t deserve her, but she was going to convince him they belonged together. She’d hunt him across the galaxy, if that’s what it took.
She launched the pod.
Ignoring the hails from the Odyssey, she watched on the small viewscreen as the ship and Beta7 got smaller and smaller. Now rational thought interjected. What if she got picked up by some scum following Darc’s call? She swallowed. Or worse, slavers.
Suddenly, the pod spun to the right in a wild swing. Eos screamed, bracing herself on the console.
She was caught in a ship’s tractor beam. “Escape Pod Two, identify ship.”
“Cannot comply. I do not have sufficient programming.”
Great. Her pulse racing wildly, she waited until the pod was hauled aboard. Her chest tightened. The pod door opened with a hiss.
Dathan stormed inside. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Any damn space pirate could have picked up this pod. You want to end up—”
She jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. “If you weren’t so stubborn, I wouldn’t have had to be so reckless.”
His arms clamped around her. He pressed his face to her hair. “Don’t you dare risk your life like that again.”
She rubbed her face against his shirt, drawing in the scent of him. “I’m not sure I can help it. Some of your recklessness must have worn off on me.”
He held her harder, his heart beating rapidly under her cheek. “Eos, I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“You’re not going to make it easy for me, are you?” He pulled back. His glorious blue-green eyes were bright. “I deserve that. I’m sorry for pushing you away.”
“I’ll think about forgiving you.” An apology wasn’t what she wanted to hear from him. “Why were you here? You should be miles away by now.”
“I was coming back for you.”
Something bright unfurled inside her. “Why, Dathan?”
His lips touched hers in the gentlest kiss. “Because I love you. Every adventure I’ve ever had pales in comparison to you.”
Her lips trembled and her chest swelled. He loved her. “I love you too.”
“Don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that.” His hands tightened on her arms. “I have something for you.” He carried her out of the pod, down the corridor, and into his cabin.
He set her on the bunk, then pulled an object from the drawer at his desk.
Eos gasped. It was a beautiful piece of engraved metal the same color as her eyes.
“If it reminds you of Lucifa, I’ll get rid—”
“No.” She ran a finger over the Eiran torq. “It’s beautiful.”
“I want you to be mine.” He gently slipped it onto her upper arm. “I want you to belong to me. But I’ll also belong to you.”
She stared into his eyes. “You got this on Souk.”
“Yeah. Not sure why.” He shot her a lopsided grin. “I guess some part of me knew I’d need it.”
She toyed with the top button of his shirt. “Not afraid I’m going to run off sometime in the future?”
“Maybe. Just a little.” He gripped her hands in his. “But we both know you can’t let the past rule your life. I’m just going to have to work damn hard to keep you happy.”
She smiled. “No complaints from me.”
He pushed her back onto the bed. “Screw the past. And right now, I don’t care much about the future either.” His big body came down on hers, one strong thigh sliding between her legs. “I’m all about what I plan to do with you right now.”
Desire was a bright burn over their love. “Here’s to the present.”