She shoved against my chest, and I pulled back just enough so I could see her face. “How do you know, Brone? This bonding process might be making us feel this way.”
I grit my teeth. “What way? That I have been miserable since they made you leave? That I spent nights pacing my room wondering what I had done to make you not want me?”The truth was ripped from me like daggers being yanked free from my chest, leaving me to bleed out onto the floor.
I sucked in a breath, pain spreading beneath my rib cage, my shoulders slumping. “Why don’t you want me?”
Her hands made their way to my chest, palms pressing hard against my frame as if she could keep everything from spilling out. It’s too late. I stood here, exposing every secret and wire, hoping she would see me as worthy.
All I needed was a chance. The chance she denied me when she refused to let me join her here.
Someone cleared their throat. I had totally forgotten we had an audience.
“Maybe we should take a break?” I watched as the Military Model stood up and came over, placing a hand on Nara’s shoulder. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll make you something to eat.”
Nara looked back at Ion, appreciation flashing in her eyes, a soft smile forming on her lips. “Thanks, Ion.”
A lot of people think Military Models, especially the Tank Class, are nothing but dumb brutes. A wrecking ball on legs that, even for a cyborg, doesn’t have much intelligence stored in their CPU’s.
They were wrong, but as realization slowly dawned, I couldn’t help but feel like a fool.I’ve been replaced.
By a fucking Military Model who was staring at my female like she belonged to him.
I grabbed Nara’s hands and tore them off my chest, giving her a tiny shove that sent her backward into Ion’s frame. His arms wrapped around her like he had done it a hundred times.
Hurt flashed across Nara’s face as she reached for me again. I stepped away from her seeking fingers, my lips curling.
“Brone?” Her teeth pierced her lower lip, her green eyes huge as she stared at me.
“I get why now.” My eyes flicked between her and Ion, and her mouth dropped open in shock.
“Wait, do you think?” She sucked in a breath. “No, Brone.” She shook her head. “No. Ion and I are just friends.”
The Military Model’s brow creased, his mouth opening than slamming shut. He leaned down, his mouth finding her ear, “Please make your point a little clearer, Nara. I don’t want to die today.”
“Oh, fudge it!” Her hand shot out, fisting in my shirt. Tugging me down with a hard yank, her mouth sealed over mine, swallowing my grunt of surprise.
The press of her lips to mine sent a rush of fire along my wires, rewriting every line of my old code, my programming flashing-Mine, mine, mine,inside my head.
As quick as it had started, it was over, Nara pulling back to suck in a lungful of air,her cheeks flaming a bright red. “I’ve never. That was…”
“The best moment of my fucking life,” I growled. I didn’t think it was possible for her cheeks to get redder, but they did, the color slipping down her neck and sliding under the top of her shirt.
She waved a hand over the blooming progress of color. “I must look like some type of awkward lobster.”
I flashed her my most winning smile. “A beautiful lobster.”
She groaned, burying her head in her hands. “That was my first kiss.” The words were said under her breath, but my superior hearing allowed me to pick them up.
Carefully peeling her hands away from her face, my finger slipped under her chin to tilt her head up. Green eyes bored into mine, the red staining her cheeks slowly fading into pink. “Mine as well.”
The corners of her lips tipped up in a slow smile. But as fast as it appeared, it vanished as her body began to sway to the side. With lightning speed, my arms wrapped around her, keeping her upright.
She peered up at me and for the first time since I had arrived, I noticed the dark circles ringing her eyes. Her pale skin was even paler underneath the flush of pink.Do her arms feel thinner beneath my fingertips?
She blinked. “Thanks. It’s been a long couple of weeks.”
I didn’t stop to think. Reaching down, I scooped her up into my arms, settling her against my chest and ignoring her tiny gasp. I found the Military Model, Ion’s, amused expression as I held my female close.
“I am taking Nara to bed. If you would please make something for her to eat, I would be very grateful.”