That didn’t seem reasonable to Theo. “He lost a bunch of employees and holds it against you?”
The pain in Jun’s expression squeezed Theo’s heart like a fist. “No, Theo. Not employees. Dolls. He lost people he considered his property. He thinks I stole from him. I didn’t. He was stealing from them. Stole their freedom. I merely restored to them that which was rightfully theirs.”
It should have been obvious, from the occasional formality of Jun’s speech patterns, that he had been Core-born. Theo had been so dazzled by his stunning appearance and mysterious persona he hadn’t read the signs. Too fascinated by and focused on their differences, he hadn’t realized how much they had in common.
He beamed up at Jun with every ounce of the love that had been building inside of him for weeks now, finally letting it shine through. “You’re a hero, Jun.”
The pain on Jun’s face darkened into something more akin to anger. “No, I’m not. I’m nothing like a hero, just an ex-grunt trying to set things straight in a tilted universe.”
Theo inched closer and smoothed the scowl line between his brows away with his thumb. He cupped the side of Jun’s face and let his voice drop low between them. “Don’t you see? That is precisely what a hero would say.”
Jun’s lashes fluttered shut for a brief, sweet moment as he leaned into Theo’s hand. And then he pulled away with a sharp inhale. “Come on. I’m getting you out of here.”
Theo dug in his heels when Jun attempted to tug him by the hand. “What? Where am I going? Why?”
The force of Jun’s sigh lifted his broad shoulders in a way that might have been distracting if Theo did not possess laser focus and an iron will.
Alright, so it was slightly distracting.
“As charming as your endless inquisitiveness usually is, I don’t have time for it right now.”
All traces of anger fled beneath the sheer driving force of his joy at the praise. Theo bounced on his toes and shoved his hair out of his face to better look up into Jun’s. “You find me to be charming? Really? Tell me more.”
The shadow of a smile passed over Jun’s face before he reverted to his scowl. He slammed his hand on the door panel that opened into the docking bay. “Get in the dinghy. I’m sending Axel to take you home. I should never have brought you out here, into danger.”
Theo peered in the doorway and then took a step back to lean against the bulkhead and cross his arms. “Hmm, no.”
The sharp, precise way in which Jun turned to him sent a frisson of electricity up Theo’s spine that he wanted to chase to the source. “What do you mean, no?”
Flicking an imaginary speck of dust from the wrist of his jacket, Theo affected a bored tone that had never failed to set his brother’s teeth on edge. “Allow me to translate in plain Standard. No. I will not be going. I refuse.”
Jun loomed over him, fists clenched, a muscle ticking in his jaw. It should not have been as alluring as it was. “I don’t recall giving you a choice.”
Theo scoffed as Jun wrapped a firm but careful hand around his arm and tugged him away from the wall. “Is this a reverse kidnapping? You’re trying to send me back against my will? You are, truly, terrible at this, Jun. Just an abysmal abductionist. Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure you have other talents I’m as yet unaware of. Baking, perhaps? Pianoforte? But, kidnapping? Not one of them. I would say you have ample room to improve in that arena.”
Jun dragged him along a couple of steps, then halted with a low, frustrated growl. “Shut up and get in the dinghy.”
Theo twisted and looped his arms around Jun’s neck. He hooked one knee around Jun’s thigh, tilted his head, and booped his nose against Jun’s. “Make me.”
It was as if a dam had broken. With a heavy grip beneath his thighs, Jun lifted Theo up and then slammed his back against the metal shell of the dinghy with just enough force to make his teeth rattle and his cock as hard as steel.
Jun swallowed his gasp with a heavy breath, hovering over Theo’s lips, then dropped his face to Theo’s throat. He sucked on a patch of skin, teeth skimming just right as Theo bucked his hips against his. Theo was so distracted he almost missed the words Jun started to growl against his neck. “Trying. I’m trying, but you—always—you—with your fucking mouth.”
Theo dug his fingers into Jun’s shoulders and arched back against the ship, already breathless with wanting. “You could always kiss me to shut me up.”
The velvety fuzz of the shaved-close side of Jun’s head tickled him under the chin. “That’s not how I want to kiss you.”
Theo let go of Jun’s shoulders, grabbed the long fall of hair at the top of his head, and yanked him up to meet his shocked gaze. “I’m sorry. Did you just say that you want to kiss me?”
It was a good thing Theo had a tenacious grip with his thighs, because Jun might have dropped him otherwise. His mouth worked silently for a moment, and then he stammered out Theo’s name, eyes as wide as Theo had ever seen them.
Theo wanted to scream. He wanted to jump for joy and also maybe bash Jun’s head against the ship a little. “Jun. Are you serious? Because, I—”
The unwelcome buzz and whine of coms switching on overhead froze them both in place.
“Captain to the bridge! You’ll want to see this. Bring Dr. Campbell.”
Jun lowered him to the floor
