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“Do you think we still need him?” she asked.

“Guess we can always grab a new one.”

Before she could suggest tying him up, Capricorn heaved the guard over the rail. He plummeted long enough they didn’t hear the landing thump.

Her brow arched. “Was that really necessary?”

“Yes. A real man doesn’t threaten a woman or use her to protect himself. Besides, can’t be sure he wouldn’t have tried to attack us from behind.” While his ease over using deadly violence did bother, he made good points.

The makeshift sling holding the sphere bounced against her hip as they ascended, the many stairs causing her to pant with exertion. She paused on a landing, trying to catch her breath.

“We have to keep moving,” Capricorn reminded.

“I’m. Aware.” She huffed. “But not all of us have bionic legs.” Like seriously, the man didn’t show any sign of exertion.

“Come here.” He beckoned.

She hugged the lump of the orb against her. “No. You are not taking it and leaving me here.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, but we really need to move faster.”

“And how do you propose we do that? You’re the one who vetoed the elevator.” She didn’t hide her irritation.

“Get your sweet ass over here, Beauty, so I can carry you.”

She blinked at him and then laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“You thinking you can carry me around like some dainty— Eep!” As she mocked, he’d closed the distance between them and scooped her into his arms. He then proceeded to take the stairs two at a time.

While holding her.

Ridiculously impressive, especially considering Zora wasn’t a lightweight. While not obese, she had more pounds than her doctor liked. Heck, even some of her ex-lovers had commented on her curves.

You should have a salad instead of the pasta. Do you really need to order dessert?Hell yeah, she did, since those fools wouldn’t be getting any after-dinner sugar.

Capricorn carried her with ease. It led to her remarking, “How often are you pumping iron in the gym?”

“Often. My job requires me to be fit.”

“How long can you do this for?”

“As long as it takes, Beauty.”

“Sweet, because you’re right, this is much faster.”

His energetic stride moved them from floor to floor, and when they accidentally came across some folks in white lab coats on a landing, those folks wisely scurried back to their level rather than confront.

Of the guards, they saw nothing until they spilled out of the final door. The men in uniform—wait, they had one chick with them as well—had their backs to them and appeared intent on being the line against whoever pounded for entry outside.

“Now what?” she whispered, still cradled in his arms.

“We need another way out.”

Motion from the corner of her eye turned her head in time to see two white coats scurrying through a door on the far end with no signage. She nudged Capricorn. “Just saw some doctors going that way.”

“Rats fleeing the ship,” he murmured as he headed in that direction, only to grumble as they realized it led to a cafeteria, where a bunch of people huddled in the corner by a door marked Exit.