Rebellion (19 page)

She met his kiss without a word. They didn’t need words. She was ready to let him take her then and there when, thank the Gods, he pulled away.

He placed a hand on her face, his thumb trailing along her cheekbone. He shook his head.
“Your room or mine?”

“Whichever is closer.”

He took her hand and led her out the kitchen and, thankfully, away from the dining room. She couldn’t stand the thought of traipsing past everyone. She would though, if that was what it took to get him alone. They’d waited long enough. Stopping now wasn’t an option. They went down a poorly lit passage and up a narrow flight of stairs.

“It’s an old servants’ passage,”
he said to her.
“Never thought I’d be using it like this.”

She felt his humor.
“I appreciate the detour.”

He turned right at the top of the stairs. Of course, he’d selected the room farthest from hers. Closing the door behind them, he pulled her into his arms and pressed her against his hard chest. All the tension during the last few days, their inability to talk, the distrust, disintegrated in one passionate kiss. Her last thought before letting go completely was
I can fix this
.

Their psi burned in a frenzy. Ria buzzed with energy like drinking too much caff. She needed this man, and she needed him now. Reaching up, she ripped his shirt open, sending buttons flying. His eyes burned with gray light as he yanked her shirt up over her head. They fumbled out of their shoes and the rest of their clothes before coming together again. Skin on skin, the heat of his body fed something deep inside her as she met his kiss. He tasted of the spiced wine from dinner. The way he smelled, of spice and forest, intoxicated her.

More.

She pushed him backward toward the bed. He slid back to the center of the mattress and she followed. Crouching low, she bit and nibbled her way from his ankle to his thigh. She ran her hands up and down his legs, drunk with desire.

He propped himself up on his elbows and spread his legs wider.

When their eyes locked, she held his gaze as their connection ignited. Her breath expelled as the intense pleasure ripped through her. When she couldn’t take anymore, she looked down. His erection pulsed when she wrapped her hand around it. Hot and hard, it beckoned with the promise of more pleasure. No—of ecstasy. She bent and licked the tip, smearing the precum around her lips. She took him into her mouth then, wetting his shaft and taking as much as she could before sliding her lips up and down. Wetting her palm on her saliva and his juice, she pumped him in rhythm with her mouth.

Ty reached down and wrapped his fingers through her hair. He pulled to the brink of pain as he moved with her. “Baby, your mouth is magic.”

She had to agree. Their connection made it possible for her to experience some of what he did. It was her mouth and hand, and yet somehow she felt it between her legs. Nearing the brink, she stopped. In one swift motion, he flipped her onto her back. He hovered over her, breathing hard.

The mix of passion and anger they stirred in each other had her growling as she pulled him down for a kiss. His tongue probed and searched her. Her growl turned to a whimper as he melted her core.

She squirmed, rubbing her aching clit against his cock.

“Gods, fuck me, Ty.”

She lifted her knees and locked her ankles around his waist as he slammed into her. Pounding her into an oblivion they both desperately needed. The tension in their bodies and psi rose together. Faster and higher they climbed until they crested.

Ria heard her own voice cry out as the pleasure blasted through them. An explosion that rocketed through her body and consumed her psi. She let it pulse, and then lowered her shaking legs as Ty’s body came to rest next to her.

She drifted back to herself slowly as Ty trailed his fingers between her breasts. She opened her eyes to find him propped on one elbow looking at her.

His face was a mask. She had no idea what to say. Where to start. He scanned her body and ran his free hand everywhere it could reach.

It felt so good.

He found each breast in turn, toying with her nipples before running his hand up her neck and rubbing his thumb across her lips.

The gesture so tender, so loving… She nearly cried as she reached up and cupped his face with her palm.

Gods, but this man was gorgeous. His eyes were back to their normal color, and no doubt hers were, as well. He didn’t avoid her gaze, which was odd after days of keeping their distance.

He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

The sentiment and sincerity took her breath away. “The feeling is mutual.” She desperately wanted to trace his surprisingly red lips, but she didn’t. “Ty…” She stared into his eyes. How could they be so close and so far apart?

A lopsided grin formed across those amazing lips. “You’re going to tell me we need to talk, aren’t you?”

He was teasing her, and it felt good. Virtually everything about him was foreign to her. “You know me well.”

“No.” He sat up, and she did the same, sitting cross-legged facing him. He stretched his legs out on either side of her, lightly placing his hands on her knees.

His touch had the butterflies in her stomach going crazy.

“I don’t know you well. I don’t know you at all, Red. I have a hard time reconciling what we are together and what you are, or were, before.”

It was a huge understatement. “Promise me something?”

“What?”

“Right here, right now, we’ll be totally honest with each other. We can’t go on like we’ve been. I don’t want to go on like that.”

He took her hand and rubbed his thumb around her palm.

Tendrils of delight snaked up her wrist.

“I don’t either, but I’m not sure if complete honesty is really what you want.”

She didn’t even think about it. “It’s what I need.”

Ty grinned. He had a sinful, delicious smile that grabbed her heart. “What you need is me.”

She nodded. “True. But I need all of you. Not just this.” She leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

He pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth when he leaned back. “What changed, Red? Why aren’t you fighting this anymore?”

“When I was helping Trin in the kitchen earlier, she told me…about your parents.” His pain rippled through her.

He rubbed his temples. “So now you know.”

She put a hand on his shoulder, gripping hard. “We’re not all like that.”

“I know, Ria. But you’re the worst kind. Tell me I’m wrong, and you’re not ex-military.”

His words ruffled, but she reminded herself of why he felt the way he did. “You’re not wrong. I was in the military. But I got out as soon as I could, once I realized how deep the corruption was.” She struggled to find the words, wanting him to understand completely. “You should know that I’d still be serving, with pride, if it had been the kind of force it was meant to be. I believe in the need for a military to protect its citizens and keep the peace.” She trailed her fingers down his muscled arms. “That’s how I found my way to the Cavacent clan. They’re honest and decent people. And as for the military, things are getting better now, Ty. I know. I have friends that are still serving.”

“Gods woman,” Ty said, pulling at her thighs and placing her legs on either side of him. His erection made thinking a difficult prospect. He put his hands on her ass and lifted her onto his lap.

He studied her face a moment. “I wish I could believe you.”

Ria placed her palms on his chest. “You don’t believe me?” Anger flared.

“Relax. You said to be honest. I believe that you believe what you’re saying. We’re making a start here. You’re going to have to give me some time.” His eyes flashed and his erection sparked another fire between her legs.

“Promise we’ll talk and stop avoiding each other?”

“If we did that, we’d end up here a lot more often.” He lifted her up and slowly impaled her. She closed her eyes and let the pleasure build. “I think I could handle that.”

It was a start. She wouldn’t let them stay apart again. She understood his anger toward her now and knew he wasn’t the killer she’d thought. He was her psi-mate, and she wanted to know everything about him.

In time.
Thought stopped as the rhythm of their bodies took over.

Rain pelted Ty’s face as he ran. The familiar feeling of dread filled him. Thunder exploded overhead, and he instinctively ducked. They ducked. She was with him. She was always with him. They had to get to safety. The cache! There was a weapons cache hidden in those cliffs. They would be safe if they could just get a little farther. She cried out, and he turned to find her kneeling on the boulders behind him. He spun around to help her up, and they ran to the fissure in the cliff face. Panic filled him. He knew what was coming but was powerless to stop it. “We’re almost there.” He reached back to pull her in when a laser tore through her body. “No!”

Ty bolted upright. Ria shot up next to him, a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek. She’d had the dream, too. He wrapped her in his arms and lay back against the pillows, heart still pounding.

“Why do we keep having that dream,” Ria said, curling in closer to his chest.

“I don’t know. It started after you took me down at the Summer’s Ball.”

“Me, too.”

“We’ll just make sure we stay away from any cliff faces.” Telling her about the cache wouldn’t serve any purpose. He peered down into her green eyes. He’d been an idiot to try to keep his distance. He believed in her sincerity when she had talked about the military last night. He toyed with her silky hair. She didn’t strike him as naïve. Maybe, just maybe, she was right about the change in the military. For their sake and that of the empire, he hoped so.

His stomach rumbled.

“Hungry?” She traced her fingers along his chest.

“Starving.” He took a deep breath of her intoxicating scent and knew he could spend the rest of his life staring into those eyes of hers.

A slight crease wrinkled her brow.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Are we okay?”

He couldn’t keep her at arm’s length anymore if he wanted to. “We’re better than okay. We’re psi-mates. I want to know everything about you. From the day you were born until the moment I swept you off your feet.”

“Gods,” Ria laughed. “Is that what you call kidnapping?”

“Strictly speaking, I did sweep you off your feet.” They both laughed then. Happiness unlike anything he thought possible swelled inside, and he vowed to spend the rest of his days finding ways to make her laugh. He wanted her again, would always want her, but they needed to get downstairs. Warder Zar’s underground was supposed to have contacted Arlo last night. He needed to know if everything was all right. While they dressed, he filled Ria in on the collective underground and the rumors of DNA testing.

“He will kill them. Women, children, all of them. You understand,” he finally said, “Mortog must be stopped.”

“I know. We need to get the GTO to step in. It may take time, but I’m sure they’ll help.”

He’d just pulled his shirt on when he paused to look at her. She was used to following orders. Of course, she’d assume they’d try to work within the system. “We both know the GTO isn’t going to care about screwed up politics on Mitah.”

Her beautiful face paled. “Ty, you can’t just kill him.”

He didn’t answer. He could, and he would, as soon as they had a plan.

She stood in front of him and grabbed his shirt, twisting it as she pulled him closer. “We just found each other. I am not letting
you
spend the rest of
our
lives in jail. Promise me you won’t kill him.”

Frack.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
“I can’t promise you that, my love.”

Ria pushed back and shoved him with her psi.

He stumbled backward a few steps. “Ria, wait, please. I’m being honest with you. You said that’s what you wanted. I won’t make a promise I may not be able to keep. I love you, Red. I’ll do everything I can to keep us together. Forever. I promise. I don’t want to fight anymore. Please.” He opened his arms, and she came to him. He held her where she belonged for a long while until he felt her anger subside. “Come on. Let’s go eat and find out what’s going on in Watersedge.” She wasn’t happy with him, but she loved him. That was enough for now.

* * * *

Ria felt sucker punched. She couldn’t let Ty kill the chancellor and be taken away from her. At best, he’d be locked up, at worst, he’d be killed. The very thought was enough to shake her.

He took her hand and kissed it as they headed downstairs.
“I love you, Red.”
He shot her that grin that melted her insides every time.

“I love you, too. You’d better keep your ass alive for me.”

Her face flushed as they entered the kitchen. Everyone was there, and they all stared at them. She tried to pull her hand away, but Ty only held on tighter.

“Yay!” Bella squealed, clapping her hands. “We’re like sisters-in-law now.” The teen, already taller than Ria, came in for a big hug, forcing Ty to let her go.

Trin and Merek joined them.

“About time,” Merek said, clapping Ty on the back.

“I knew you two would be okay,” Trin said.

Ria caught a pained look on Olivia’s face as she walked out of the kitchen. She glanced at Ty who’d noticed as well. He brushed his psi across hers. There was no doubting his love for her, but the thought of him being with another woman made her insanely jealous.

Merek shrugged as he watched Olivia walk down the hall. “Why don’t you two grab some plates and meet us in the dining room. Olivia was about to fill us in on Warder’s contact with Arlo.”

“Sounds good,” Ty said.

They got their food, and Trin joined them in the dining room.

“How is Olivia communicating with her dad without being traced?”
Ria asked Ty.

“She gets a new com every few days and only uses them once. Everything is coded. It’s not perfect, but the chances of being intercepted are slim.”

In the dining room, Olivia was all business.