“Someone need a little backup?” Skinny asked as he stepped forward to cut her cuffs off.
She gasped, scrambling to her feet. A second later, she slammed into Zero, almost taking him off his feet as she threw her arms around his neck. He rocked on his feet and smiled.
“Hey, beautiful,” he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers.
“Hey,” she managed, her throat thick and choked. He’d come for her. Even after their argument and her being mad at him, he’d come to find her. “Zero… listen, I’m so—”
He shushed her up, finger against her lips as he pulled back to look down at her.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” His voice was soft, just between them but she was aware of the rest of the team listening in. And she didn’t care. Not one jot.
“I was the one at fault. I see that now. I…” For the first time since she’d met him, he seemed to lose his innate self-confidence. He bit his lip, looking down for a second as if to collect his thoughts… or get them in order.
Then he looked up and the expression in his eyes speared her to the core.
“I should be apologizing… I am apologizing…” he corrected himself in a soft voice, cupping her face, his thumb brushing gently over her lips.
“I’m sorry, Eris. I should have listened to you. I shouldn’t have told you that you couldn’t come. I was scared of losing you. You… you’ve become too important to me. I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. That’s why I tried to keep you on the ship. I thought if I protected you, kept you safe… I could… I mean… what I’m trying to say is.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. This is agony,” Sparky broke in. “What he’s trying to say is that he’s a fucking tit and he lo—”
His words were cut off as Skinny wrapped a big arm around his neck and muffled him. The human squeaked, slapping at the bigger man’s arm and trying to free himself.
“Sorry, bud, but some things a guy just has to say for himself.” Skinny nodded toward Zero to carry on.
“He’s right.” Zero looked back at her, his expression tortured. “I was an utter idiot. I totally deserve it if you want nothing to do with me anymore. I just... “
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she murmured breathlessly. “Just tell me you love me and kiss me already!”
The smile that broke over his lips rivaled the beauty of any sunrise.
“Yes, ma’am, Chief Archer,” he whispered, gathering her closer against him. Bending his head, he brought his lips close enough so they breathed the same air before murmuring against them. “Eris… I love you.”
And then he kissed her.
It wasn’t like any kiss he’d given her before. It was soft and sweet, heartbreaking in its intensity—a promise and an apology and his heart poured into it all at the same time.
A soft whimper broke from the back of her throat and she pressed closer, needing more. Needing his touch and his strength… and his love. He loved her and nothing else mattered.
Breaking from the kiss breathlessly, she held him close. Looked up into his eyes and saw the rawness there. The insecurity and the need.
“I love you, Zero.” Her words were a soft whisper but she knew he heard her. His eyes warmed with emotion and relief, his arms tightening around her. “You’re a big lug and you’re bossy, but I love you.”
“Thank the gods,” he whispered. His voice was raw as he crushed her against his broad chest. Trembles ran through his big frame, and she stroked gentle fingertips over the short hair at the nape of his neck.
“I thought I’d completely fucked up, and you wanted nothing more to do with me,” he admitted, his voice muffled against her neck. “Or that maybe you would forgive me but want nothing more than sex. Nothing serious.”
She gave a soft chuckle. “Well, we can talk about sex later…”
“Not the only people in the room,” Sparky managed to wriggle loose enough from Skinny’s hold to remark. “And, in case you guys hadn’t realized, we’re kind of in the middle of something right now? Like getting the fuck out of here…”
Zero barked a short laugh as he let her go, keeping a hand around her waist as they faced the rest of the team. Warmth filled her as she realized they really had pulled out all the stops to come and rescue her and Sparky. Their own species wanted nothing more than to wipe them out of existence, but the aliens were on their side. She could work with that…
“They have Eric,” she gasped, looking at Zero. “They have my brother. They were going to take him somewhere. We have to rescue him.”
Zero smiled and turned her around. The spotlights had dimmed a little to reveal it was her Scorperio suit. A small pang of jealousy hit her as she flicked a glance up at the darkened visor. Who had they gotten to pilot her? It had to be Red. Although she was taller than Eris, she was the only one of the Warborne who would fit.
“Thought you might need a little something…” Zero whispered by her ear and, as she watched, the front of the suit cracked open in a hiss of clamps and released air to reveal…
Nothing. There was no one piloting it.
“Huh?” she turned to find Zero watching her with a smile curving his lips. He tapped his temple. Her jaw dropped. He’d brought it down here for her. Shit, was there anything her man couldn’t do?
“I do believe you’re improperly dressed,” T’Raal added. “But make it quick. Those shuttles were getting ready to leave.”
She was out of the Latharian power suit in a heartbeat, Zero stuffing it into a backpack he carried. Slipping into her own suit again was like putting on a well-worn pair of sneakers, only better.
“Welcome, Sergeant Archer,” it purred as she slid into the pilot’s sling. “Calibrating for
