Page 12 of Her Cyborg Commander (The Drift: Haven Colony #9)

11

In the interminably long days leading up to his arrival, Edge had imagined what would happen when he found River. A thousand different scenarios had played through his mind, but in none of them had he imagined River greeting him with sarcasm and a smile. The lack of pants was a pleasant surprise, too, as were the lacy black underwear.

He repressed a chuckle and several indecent thoughts about how easy it would be to tear that scrap of lace off her body. That was something else he hadn’t expected. Being near her had triggered a fresh onslaught of desires and dark thoughts. Why ?

He kept enough of his attention on River’s feet to ensure he didn’t make a wrong step, but the rest of his focus shifted to River herself. He allowed himself a chance to look at her. Not a passing glance but a long, assessing gaze that let him see her while she was too distracted to catch him doing it.

At first, he only saw what he expected to, but then he registered small differences. Her long legs were still as shapely as ever, but they had more muscle tone than he remembered. Most of her upper body was covered by her body armor, which was also a new look for her. More than that, she looked comfortable in the heavy gear, wearing it like it was a second skin. That was how it had felt to him, too, back when he’d worn it every day.

She moved differently, too. With a longer stride, straight back, and a general air of confidence. Gone was the meek female who always gravitated to the shadows and rarely met anyone’s eyes. Even her hairstyle had changed. She’d always worn her dark brown hair short and swept back from her face. Now, it fell in tousled waves he wanted to touch.

He crushed that thought like all the others, determined not to let them take root in his mind. Only, he wasn’t sure why he was still fighting this. This new, stronger River was so different than the female he’d thought she was.

She carried her rifle with the easy manner of someone accustomed to using weapons—a soldier, a killer, just like him. The traps were another indication he’d been wrong about her. She wasn’t hiding away in hopes of avoiding detection. She was prepared to fight for her life on this harsh, kill-or-be-killed world she’d chosen.

The camp itself brought back memories of past campaigns, though he’d never had equipment as nice as what River had. Where the fraxx had she found it all? He assumed some of it must have been liberated from the warehouses on Haven, but not all of it. She couldn’t have been here long, but it had the feel of a permanent encampment, with everything she needed to survive as long as needed.

The thought made him growl softly as he accepted that River truly meant to stay away from Haven until she thought it was safe. If he hadn’t come after her, how long would it have been before he saw her again?

“Welcome to my camp.” River opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for him to go in first. The doorframe was low enough he had to duck his head to avoid a crack to his skull, but once he was inside, there was enough room for him to stand comfortably. It took him a moment to find a spot to put his duffle bag because space was tight. He had to move backward a few steps to give River enough room to join him.

“I would have killed a dozen quartermasters to get a hold of a shelter like this during the wars. I like it.”

“Back then, we didn’t have scrip to spend. Now?” She gestured around her. “Money can buy pretty much anything you can imagine.”

Anger slammed into him as understanding dawned. “You spent the compensation the corporations and the IAF gave you? On this?” He flung out a hand, inadvertently smacking his fingers against the wall.

River raised her head to glare at him, her eyes narrowed and jaw tight. “I did. They said it was intended for us to use to improve our lives and our futures. This is my life now, Edge. What else would I use it for?”

He closed the distance between them, crowding her against the door. “How about something on the planet we’re not supposed to leave? Do you have any idea of the shitstorm your departure has caused?”

“Says the cyborg who also left Liberty,” she shot back. “I did it to protect the colony. What’s your excuse?”

“I don’t need an excuse.” The words were out before he could think them through. As retorts went, it was as weak as a Jeskyran’s sense of honor.

“Yes, you do. Because if you are here, Haven isn’t as well-protected as it could be. Who else is with you? And for that matter, how the fraxx did you even get here?

“I came alone, same as you.”

She scowled. “How? You’re not a pilot. There’s no way you could have gotten here without help.”

“Eddi did the flying.”

“Eddi.” Her dark eyes widened, and there was no missing the hurt that flashed across her features. “So, Hezza told you where to find me, and Sevda gave you her ship so you could chase me down. I guess I misjudged my friends. I thought I could trust them to keep my secrets.”

“You’ve got it wrong. Thrash was the one who figured it out first. He mentioned his suspicions to Wreckage and Ruin, and they had to drag him in to talk to me. Thrash never told me who his partner was in his little side operation, but it was fraxxing obvious to me. I tracked down Hezza and bombarded her with every threat I could think of, including losing access to the colony and every other Vardarian trading post on her route. To say she’s pissed with me would be an understatement, but she gave me your location, eventually.”

“You said you’d ban her from Haven? You don’t have that kind of authority.”

“She didn’t know that.”

“So, you blackmailed Hezza into giving up my hiding place? How did Sevda get involved? Is Raze looking to kill you for speaking harshly to his mate?”

“I went to Sevda because I needed a ship with an AI. She refused unless I told her where I was headed and why. Once she knew that, she realized she’d provided you with a lot of information about this area. She wants a word with you when you get back.”

River shook her head sharply. “I’m not going back! I told you before. I can take care of myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to!” he said, frustration twisting his words into a snarl.

She poked a finger into his chest. “I left everyone behind to keep them safe. If you’re here, you’re not at home, helping them prepare for whatever comes next. Don’t tell me Torex and the Shadows have decided to give up and go away. We both know that’s not going to happen.”

He caught her hand in his, flattening it against his chest. “We both know that Haven is as safe as we could make it already. You…” He lowered his gaze to lock eyes with her. “You are not safe. Troyan Jens is sick, twisted, and obsessed with his favorite creation. You . I’m not going to let him near you again, even if you’re too afraid of me to accept my help.”

A storm of emotions flowed across her face. Anger and frustration, he recognized, but something else was there, too.

“I am not afraid of you. Not anymore. That was… it wasn’t who I really am. It wasn’t me .” She raised her free hand and slapped her chest, but her eyes shone with unshed tears. “ This is me, and I am not afraid of you or him. I have to do this. Even if no one else believes I can.”

He pushed in closer until their joined hands were pressed between them. Her words broke something inside him, and all his anger died away in an instant. He saw her so clearly right now—the flush of her cheeks, the way her pupils had dilated, even the way her lips parted slightly—and suddenly he saw what everyone else had. Desire .

He released her hand and raised his to her shoulder. Slowly, he let his fingers caress the side of her throat, his thumb stroking her jaw.

She gasped softly, but it wasn’t in fear. “Say you want this,” he told her in a voice gone husky with need.

River trembled but didn’t speak.

He shifted his grip, cupping her chin in his hand so she couldn’t look away. “Say it.”

“I do. Stars help me. I do.”

Every enemy he had could have come for him in that instant, and he wouldn’t have noticed. If the stars themselves had gone nova, he wouldn’t have cared. All he knew, all he wanted, was her.

His lips crashed down on hers, a declaration of the desire he’d denied for so damned long.

“ Finally ,” he murmured against the silken heat of her mouth.

River didn’t answer in words, but when she opened her mouth to invite him deeper, he knew she felt the same way.