Page 149 of Tethered

Though Marlowe’s technically my partner at Sekmith Rose Cargo, it’s only in name. After finally doing her tattoo apprenticeship, she now works in a parlour near the spaceport,honing her craft every day, nearby for when I dock. She doesn’t always have up-to-date information on the business, and I’d been counting on that.

I sigh. I was hoping to keep this a surprise for a little longer, hoping to give her the good news in a more romantic setting. I’d made plans. But I should have known that with Marlowe, nothing ever goes to plan.

“I can stay behind and bring him home.”

She dismisses me with a wave of her hand, already falling back into her rapid thoughts. “I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve told me how stretched you are lately. I’ll just have to—”

“Valeja.”

“What?” she says distractedly.

“I can stay behind,” I repeat with emphasis.

She meets my gaze, eyes narrowed. Against my body, I can feel her heart pounding from all the excitement. She looks beautiful, skin flushed and full lips parted. Even after all this time, I can’t believe I’m hers.

“Are… what?”

“I stepped down.”

Marlowe freezes, only her gaze flitting around the room as she processes my words. “Wait...” Her grip on my arms tightens almost painfully. “You’re coming home for good?”

She’s already crying, so I don’t think she needs the confirmation. But I nod anyway, and deal with the consequent screaming as she leaps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. She drags my head down and kisses me, pressing her warmth and her scent into me. She smells like home and tastes like sugar. I slip my hands into her curls, knowing later she’ll tell me off for tangling the strands she takes such pains to separate, but I want to twine myself around every cell of this woman. I drink her in, the saltiness of her tears binding us.

Business has been good. The hangar we lease for an extortionate price currently stands empty—with my two other ships already in flight—but by the end of the week, there will be two new additions waiting for me to return. Once I do, Beau will graduate from Captain of theHomeboundto Captain of theKyena, and if Liz wants to take over from Beau,we’llhire someone for her ship, theRetribution.Khrys will probably stay behind; Max uses theRetributionfor his acquisition trips and they never get enough time together.

Marlowe pulls away and swipes at her damp cheeks. “What about school? Vee’s going to miss the start of the new year.”

This doesn’t even require a response; Vee’s always been ahead in school, and the only reason he’s not in private education is because he doesn’t want to use Dominik’s allowance to pay for it. He has a game in the works, and that money’s allocated to developing it. Marlowe knows we don’t have to worry about him missing two weeks, especially when the first one is always introductory.

She follows up quickly. “Are you going to be okay staying with your family when I’m gone? Vee’s not going to be around much.”

My stomach drops a little, but I ignore it. “I’ll be fine. If it gets to be too much, I can always visit Dev and Jules for a distraction. But I’m hoping it won’t come to that; my therapist thinks I can handle it.”

Marlowe bites on her bottom lip, and I try not to focus on how glossy it looks between her teeth. She quirks an eyebrow. “You know I love it when you talk therapy.”

That makes me laugh and I carry her to the bed, pulling her into my lap as I sit.

“Yeah?” I whisper, then lick a hot stripe up her neck, sinking my teeth into her earlobe.

She digs her nails into my shoulders, arching her back and pressing her curves against me. “You’re such a cheater,” she gasps. “You get me mad and then do this shit, knowing I can’t—”

She trails off into a moan when I yank her t-shirt up and catch a nipple between my teeth. She’s right, and it’s only a matter of time before she wrests control back, so I plan to take advantage of this moment. With Marlowe clutching at my head, I roll her other nipple between my fingers, sucking hard, until she’s lifting her hips against me desperately. When she’s panting, I trail my tongue down the constellation tattoo that now graces the space between her breasts and undo the button on her jeans.

“Tee.” She shakes her head. “We should talk to Vee first. I don’t want him out there getting more and more wound up.”

“We will,” I promise, slipping a hand between her thighs. “I’m just taking the edge off. You’re pretty wound up, yourself,valeja.”

She groans when I sink two fingers into her, gathering wetness to stroke across her clit. “Oh, fuck.” Her head falls forward onto my shoulder, and with shaking hands she loosens my bun to let my hair fall down my back—it’s like clockwork with her. I wait until she sifts her hands through the roots before I surge into her, holding her in place with an arm around her waist. Marlowe’s moan drips down my spine, and it sends heat roaring through my body, licking at my veins like the most disastrous bonfire.

“Baby,” she murmurs, right as she starts to ride my fingers.

“Yes?”

“I hope you packed the strap.”

I grin, though she can’t see it. “I thought you didn’t want to get caught up?”

“Oh,” she gasps, open mouthed against the sensitive skin of my neck. “Not for me. You’re mine tonight.”