“Yes,” he says simply.
I’m almost crushed by gratitude. I lean forward. Pressing my lips against his, I taste his sweetness. His arms encircle me and haul me up on top of him. “Thank you,” I whisper. Tears I can’t hold back spill from my eyes. He becomes a thief, wiping away my tears with the back of his hand, trying to steal my sorrow from me. His fingers shift into my hair. They draw me close so that our lips meet again.
Then Kyon sits up, causing my legs to slip apart and straddle his hips. “Where did you go?”
I sniffle. “To the future. It keeps following me.” I try to smile and fail miserably.
He frowns. “No. I mean where did you go?” He points to my heart. “You haven’t come back yet. I need you to come back.”
I cover my eyes with my hand. My mouth contorts in grief as I sob.
He tugs my hand away so I’m forced to look at him with tear-blinded eyes. His lips nuzzle mine with silver-lining caresses. I wrap my arms around his neck. With my wrists against the back of his head, I urge him closer as I realize how well he knows me, and how much he genuinely cares about me. He changes from my problem to my lover as he adjusts himself and pushes up into me. Our bodies connect and become one; my mouth opens and I breathe his name. A sharp thrill of pleasure causes my cells to riot.
Even swimming in sorrow, he won’t let me drown. Kyon moves against me. I move with him. “You’re perfect,” he groans—a lovely sound.
I become a villain for his touch. A delirium of delicious sensations builds, intoxicating me. I can’t bury the euphoria he’s making me feel. Small moans and gasps hiss from between my lips as he increases his strokes and sharpens my bliss.
“Tell me you’re my consort.”
“No,” I rasp, struggling to deny the shattering heights of passion he elicits.
He growls. I dance on the point of a blinding star with him. Our breath mingles. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I trace my lips over his cheek, moving them until they brush up against the shell of his ear. As I come undone, I whisper his name with the darkest part of my heart.
He’s unrelenting. He sends me over the edge again and again. I disintegrate into crushing, wretched ecstasy with him. He follows me, saying my name like I’ve destroyed him. He lies by my side, hauling me to him once more, stroking my back as I rest my cheek against his chest. “You can run from your love for me, but know this: I will hunt you anywhere,” he promises.
In the morning, I awake to the sound of the shower running in the other room. Sitting up in bed, I notice breakfast hovering on a tray next to me. Uncovering it, I smile. It’s not pancakes. It’s their version of quiche. My appetite has come back, so I eat everything on my plate. Just as I finish up, Kyon walks into the room with a towel draped around his narrow waist. I chew slower, my eyes following the perfect contours of his skin. He’s beautiful in ways that are hard to fathom. He’s symmetry. Even as he’s just sinew, flesh and bone, he carries it differently than most people. Gracefully. His skin is like honey. I remember tasting it last night, sampling it. Savoring it. I swallow the last bite of quiche and blush.
“You’re awake,” Kyon says as he prowls around the bed, coming to my side. He leans down and gives me a thorough kiss, which makes me blush more. “How do you feel this morning?”
“I’m okay,” I murmur, trying to hide my reddening cheeks from him by looking up at him through my lashes.
He touches my flushed cheek, running his thumb over it gently. “I’m glad to hear it. We have a busy rotation ahead.”
“We do?” I wonder at the smile on his face. He’s happy. Kyon Ensin is actually happy. I don’t think I’ve met happy Kyon before. He’s a little fascinating. “What are we doing today?”
“I want to show you the rest of the estate. Fulton will join us. He runs things for me here. I want you to become comfortable going to him for anything you need. You’ll also be introduced to the rest of your security detail. You’ll be able to ask Keenan about anything with regard to it.”
“Like leaving the estate?” I ask with as much nonchalance as I can muster.
“Exactly.”
“Will I be allowed to leave?” I ask, my heartbeat accelerating in fear for reasons I can’t explain.
“Of course. There is an event planned for this evening.”
“Is it a date?” I give him a sidelong look.
He flashes me an unguarded smile. It’s radiant. “If you’d like.”
“Are we going to see a movie?”
“Urr . . . No.”
“Bowling?”
“Uh . . . Bowl—”
“Karaoke?”
Kyon leans down, his hand cupping my nape as his lips claim mine, silencing me with an exquisite kiss. I’m unprepared for the rush of desire his touch creates. When he pulls away and looks into my eyes, he says softly, “It’s a victory celebration, Kricket.”
“What did we win?” I ask breathlessly and with a smile.
“It’s what we want to win. Hearts and minds, remember?” he says as he straightens. “We need to ensure that the public opinion remains in your favor. To do that, we need to endear you to the citizens of Alameeda.”
“So . . . I should get dressed now,” I say.
“You should,” he agrees.
I wait for him to leave the room so that I can walk to the lavare and take a shower. He doesn’t move. “Aren’t you going to go get dressed?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.
He nods and says, “Mmm-hmm,” but he doesn’t move.
I finally get it and a small smile touches my lips. I pull the sheet back from me, rising from the bed. I brush past him, naked, and walk to the lavare. As I cross the threshold, I feel an arm wrap around my waist, then halt me and turn me around. I lean against the doorjamb as Kyon kisses me until my lips are full and tender.
“Wait,” he murmurs urgently. “I just need . . .” He lifts me up and carries me back to bed with him.
After we both dress for the day, he gives me the grand tour of his estate. Fulton is there to answer all my questions, which are extensive. I meet my security team in the formal gardens outside. There are a dozen of them, and I try to remember all their names. I think I have them figured out. It’s important. I plan to watch them to understand their shifts and patterns. Kyon explains that they will monitor me at a distance on the estate, but I will need to schedule them for any activity that I plan to do in the city or beyond. Of course, this is for all future activities, which will be considered only after Excelsior is no longer a threat to me. Unfortunately, no one can say when that will be, not even me.
After the security team is dismissed, Kyon and I stroll arm in arm along the path near the water. “Your house is ridiculous—you know that, right?” I ask.
“I knew you would think so. That’s why I took you to the island first,” he replies. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“Yes. I will get lost and you’ll never find me.”
“I’ll always find you,” he promises. “And you’ll get used to it.”
“Will I?” I wonder aloud. I sound sad, even to my ears.
Kyon immediately reacts to my tone. “Why do you say it like that?”