Page 138 of Border Control

“So if I put it on, it'll be forever.” My heart sinks.

Shara's eyes light up as she smiles at me. “How about that? The link can be… inconvenient, I imagine. Thank you, Samara, for thinking of Law-rah.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” My focus shifts to Dom, who stands a little apart, watching all of this.

He smiles.‘I know how much this means to you, to finally have your own thoughts fully to yourself.’

I shake my head, but… it isn’t fully my choice, is it?

“Dom,” I say softly, moving closer to him, into the familiar warmth of his presence. “What do you want?”

“Me?” He frowns.

“Yes, you. You deserve someone who can put you first.”

“I have that,” he says simply, eyes shining. “You were willing to give up so much for me. Your boundaries. Don't think that I'll demand you give up your privacy too.”

I swallow hard. “You have a choice in this as well, you know. You can have freedom from me. The decision is yours, but I promise you, whatever you decide, I’ll make sure you have a choice. Even if that means you… you…”

I can’t stumble over words here. This is too important.

“Even if it means you might choose something other than me.”

The words catch in my throat. My chest tightens at the thought, but I push it down. This is his decision, and I can’t let my own feelings cloud the bond. He’s earned this, more than anyone, and I shouldn’t hold him back if he wants something different.

Dom’s gaze meets mine, eyes deep warm pools of lavender. “My choice is you, Law-rah. I want you, all of you. I’ve made my choice.”

Relief surges through me, through us both. He chose me! Not just because he was accidentally bound, but because he wanted to.

I reach for his hand, entwining my fingers with his, his warmth seeping into me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so whole.

Samara’s scales turn gray. I suppose a public declaration of love is a bit icky, but not ours.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” I tell her.

Sliding the necklace into her pocket, she addresses Dom for the first time. “Do tell your shipmates,Surgere ac excitare.”

Is that Latin? I don’t understand the words, but Dom tenses, his grip on my hand tightening. I catch the barest glimpse in his memory: a male Olorian, slipping into his cell last night, his voice a low, threatening hiss.

He puts a mental hand on my shoulder. ‘I’ll show you later. For now, we just need to go, before anyone rethinks this outcome.’

‘Best fucking idea ever. Let’s bounce.’

We step into the flyer, the doors hissing shut behind us, sealing us in. The engines hum to life, and as we lift off, I clear my lungs of the cloying air of that planet. The society, the trial, it all falls away.

Once we’re airborne, I curl into Dom’s side as much as the pilot chairs will let me, resting my head on his shoulder. My heart’s still racing, but with delicious anticipation, not fear.

He looks down at me, his eyes softening, the corners of his mouth turning up in a small smile. There’s so much in his gaze, warmth and devotion, and something fiercer that stirs a thrill within me. It’s a promise that, whatever happens, he’ll be there.

‘I will, always. We’ve proved through simulation that you strengthen me enough to support Nevare even if he goes nova, although I wouldn’t want to try it for real.’

“Right. A new and exciting career change for me.” I drop my head in my hands. “At least I’ll find out what’s happening with the inquiry. I… I know now it’s not all on me. I’m going to expose Morgan, though; after dealing with the Prif, he’ll be laughably easy to kick to the curb.”

He kisses the top of my head. “I would be delighted to join you in the kicking. In terms of your new vocation, there will be plenty of pursuits for the law-sayer who changed how an entire planet views clones.”

“Not exactly something I can put on my resume. And anyway, I didn’t do that. You did.”

He chuckles. “I did nothing, I stood there. You made the Prif give me a trial. You entered the Base loyalty test and showed me that what I do for you, I’m strong enough to do for Nevare as well. You helped me through it.”