Weapons Master: Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone #6

by Hackett, Anna

  Maxon pushed up and flipped them over.

  “Hey,” she complained.

  He hitched her legs up high, and slid back inside her—hard and deep. He savored the expressions that floated over her face. Memorized every one.

  “So damn full,” she said.

  Maxon started thrusting—slow, firm, even.

  “Faster.” Her nails bit into his back.

  “Slow,” he countered.

  “Maxon.”

  Their eyes locked. “Slow. Just feel, Bellamy.”

  Her lips parted. He moved deeply, loving every sensation—her warmth, wetness, the musky scents, her small sounds of pleasure.

  “Maxon.” His name like a sigh.

  He felt her body clamp down on his cock. Both hers and his own release drawing closer. Instead of a violent explosion, it was growing like a slow-moving sandstorm.

  “I’ve got you, Bellamy.”

  There were a million emotions in her green eyes.

  “Let me watch you come,” he murmured.

  Her body arched into his, and she cried out.

  Maxon watched her, what he did to her, before his own release slammed into him. He roared her name, feeling her hands on his biceps, and knowing that she had him as well.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bellamy woke with a stretch and a hum. Her body was deliciously sore.

  And there was a big, hard chest under her cheek. Maxon was…petting her. One of those big, callused hands stroked her side, then down to her ass.

  She smiled against his chest and he made a rumbling sound. Almost like the purr of a big, satisfied lion.

  “Sleep well?” she asked.

  “Yes. You? Any nightmares?”

  She sucked in a breath and realized that not a single bad dream had plagued her while she’d been tucked up in his arms.

  “No. Guess you scared them off.” She rubbed her hand over his chest, desire stirring lazily. Her crazy body clearly didn’t know when enough was enough.

  “So, you have synthetic organs and super-strong bones?”

  “Yes.”

  “You must’ve been really injured.”

  Silence.

  She lifted her head and looked up at him. “You know everything that happened to me, but you won’t tell me anything about you?”

  “I don’t talk about it.” His voice was cold.

  She sighed. “Fine.” Maxon was the most closed-off man she’d ever met. “Keep your secrets.”

  A heavy beat of silence. “I was attacked. By a gang of thieves. I was…from a wealthy family, and we were visiting Carthago for the Arena and the District.”

  She blinked and tried to imagine a young Maxon on vacation. She failed dismally.

  “We’d been partying,” he continued. “I was drunk, and got separated from my family.”

  Bellamy’s heart began beating hard.

  “The thieves attacked me, beat me, and took my things. It’s a common thing in the District for gangs to target the young, wealthy, and stupid. They kept beating me.”

  “Okay.” She smoothed a hand over his chest. She didn’t want to hear anymore.

  “You wanted to know.” His voice was harsh.

  “Stop.”

  “No.” He sat up. “My organs were pulp. My bones were splinters. They left me dying in a pool of my own blood. Someone found me, and then Magnus came.”

  Bellamy swallowed. Something warned her that his injuries were the least of what had caused him pain.

  “I woke up in the House of Rone medical. Avarn and his team had replaced my organs. The bones they couldn’t repair were infused with metal.” Maxon shot her a mirthless smile. “I was happy to be alive.”

  “Of course, you were.”

  “Then my family arrived.” His hand clenched on the sheets. “My parents, my brother. And my fiancée.”

  Bellamy gasped. He’d been planning to get married?

  “I was engaged to marry a wealthy family friend. A beautiful, frivolous woman that you would hate.”

  Bellamy sort of hated the woman already. “That’s enough. I can guess the rest.”

  Maxon cupped her jaw, his eyes boiling. “My family believed in untainted bloodlines and good breeding. On my homeworld, it’s a priority to keep the family tree pure.” He spat out that word.

  “Maxon—”

  “When they learned that I was a cyborg, they were horrified. I was contaminated. Silva looked at me like she wanted to vomit.”

  That cow. She’d had a man like Maxon, and she’d rejected him?

  “My family denounced me and left me here. Silva went on to marry my brother, Erix.”

  Bellamy closed her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She understood rejection all too well. She kissed his cheek, then the other one. Then his forehead, nose, eyes. “I understand being cast off by those who are supposed to love you.” He’d bared his soul, so it was time to show him some of the scars and stains on her own. “My family left me. I don’t even remember my father, and my mother had a weakness for booze, drugs, and bad men. She dumped me on Gram, my grandmother, when I was six.” Bellamy smiled. “She was a crusty old lady, but she loved me in her own way.”

  “I’m glad you had her.”

  “I was still really angry. The two people who were supposed to love me the most had tossed me away without a backward glance. For a long time, I kept wondering what was wrong with me.”

  Maxon’s hands tightened on her. “Nothing.”

  She almost smiled at the growl in his voice. She felt a beat of shared kinship.

  “I know that now.” But she wondered if he knew that about himself. “Gram died when I was nineteen. I was a pretty wild teenager and often in trouble, driven by my anger.” She smiled. “I have a bit of a temper.”

  “Really?” he said dryly.

  “I was all alone and then I met this guy. An older guy. He showered me with attention.” She felt Maxon go still. “Turned out he was an abusive asshole who liked to prey on vulnerable young women.”

  Maxon growled.

  Bellamy grinned. Her overprotective cyborg. “He didn’t hit me or anything, just was very controlling. Anyway, he’s half a galaxy away. And I kicked his ass when I finally left him. I just…I wanted you to understand that I know. I know how it feels when the people who are supposed to love you walk away.”

  Maxon stared at her without blinking.

  “It’s on them, Maxon, not on us. They’re deficient.”

  He grabbed her and kissed her. It was a kiss that was hungry, with an edge that was all wild.

  He rolled her under him. “I have to meet a client for a weapons design, but I need to fuck you first.”

  Her belly contracted, and she felt a pulse between her legs. “If you’re expecting me to say no, you’re sorely mistaken.” She bit his lip. “Now get that big cock inside me, Ace.”

  With a sexy growl, he obeyed.

  * * *

  Maxon stifled a snarl. The buyer was exceedingly annoying.

  He was a thin man, with a billowing shirt of an eye-searing yellow. He circled the prototype crossbow Maxon had been working on, tapping a finger against his narrow chin.

  “Exquisite.”

  The man’s high-pitched voice hurt Maxon’s ears. His entourage hovered nearby, all of them dressed in gaudy clothes.

  Jax stood beside Maxon, poorly suppressing a grin.

  The buyer, Al’oth, threw his arms in the air. “It’s exactly what I envisioned.”

  The man owned some mines in the desert and needed protection for his workers from dangerous desert beasts and bandits.

  “I do think it needs some small adjustments,” Al’oth continued.

  Maxon ground his teeth together. The man had no clue about weapons design. Most of his suggestions were ludicrous.

  Al’oth launched into his ideas, his arms waving, and his entourage nodding.

  Maxon growled. He didn’t want to waste time with this idiot. He wanted to be with Bellamy.

  His blood hea
ted. Their night had been wild and drakking amazing. His cock twitched just thinking about it. He reached deep for some control.

  She’d taken him places he’d never been. She’d been open, not hiding how much he pleased her.

  Jax elbowed him. “I know that look. Pay attention.”

  Maxon grunted. Al’oth was still going on and on. He forced himself to listen to the buyer.

  Some of the suggestions… Drak, no. He’d never compromise his designs with this nonsense. The man’s second in charge stood beside him, and clearly read Maxon’s face.

  “Sire, the weapons master and the House of Rone are the best at this. He’ll deliver you an exquisite weapon. Why don’t you give him the gifts you brought?”

  “Yes, yes.” Al’oth clapped his hands. “A little token of my appreciation.” Some of his entourage came forward with boxes. “Gifts from my oasis. One-of-a-kind.”

  They opened the boxes and Maxon stared at sparkly useless objects, bottles filled with liquids, and polished rocks.

  He bit his tongue, trying not to snap. He crossed his arms over his chest.

  Jax leaned in. “You know, women enjoy gifts. Pretty things, stuff that makes them happy.” The cyborg raised a brow. “Especially a woman who’s been in captivity and denied lots of things.”

  “I don’t do gifts.” Unless it was a weapon.

  Or a tool. Bellamy had liked the one he’d given her.

  Just thinking of her again made him want to see her, and get an update on the Edull situation.

  “Enough,” Maxon boomed.

  Al’oth and his retainers froze. Jax rolled his eyes.

  “I will design the weapon as I see fit.” Maxon spun and walked out.

  He was known for being difficult. He didn’t give a drak if the client had a tantrum. He headed out into the corridor and down to the training arena. As he drew closer, he heard feminine laughter.

  He turned the corner, and saw the sand of the training arena framed by the pillars and archways of the walkway. Bellamy and the other women from Earth were out in the sunshine.

  Quinn was swinging her sword, while Sage, Jayna, Bellamy, and young Grace fired weapons at targets.

  Sage and Jayna were laughing hard. Both were clearly terrible shots. Their targets were almost untouched.

  Bellamy and Grace appeared to be much more talented. Although he knew Toren had taken a keen interest in training the girl. Simone sat in the shade nearby, sipping drinks with Ever.

  Bellamy laughed and ruffled Grace’s straight, black hair.

  The sound of her laughter echoed right through Maxon.

  She hadn’t had any nightmares while she’d been in his arms. He was drakking happy about that. And here she was, laughing.

  Everything she’d been through, and she was healing. She wouldn’t let it twist her like he had.

  His lip curled. His family’s rejection had changed him. What happened when Bellamy was settled? Would she still want a surly loner like him touching her?

  “Thanks for abandoning me with Al’oth.” Jax appeared.

  “I don’t pander to idiots.”

  Jax snorted. “You aren’t nice to anyone.” He cocked his head. “Although, the way you’re looking at Bellamy, like you want to get her naked and to lick her all over, makes me think you’ll be nice to her.”

  “There’s nothing going on,” Maxon denied. He didn’t want people in their private business.

  “Riiiight,” the cyborg drawled.

  The women spotted them and waved them over.

  “Any update on the Edull?” Bellamy asked straight away.

  “Galen is talking with his king friend today about an invite,” Jax said.

  Drak. Bellamy’s gaze locked with Maxon’s. She smiled.

  Once they had an invite, that meant he’d have to take her back to Bari Batu. Drakking hell.

  “And Zhim has some other info as well,” Jax continued.

  Bellamy moved toward Maxon. Then surprising him, she leaped on him.

  He caught her just seconds before she kissed him. He lifted her higher and kissed her back. Her hands slid into his hair.

  Hoots and laughter filled the air.

  “Hey, Ace,” she murmured against his lips. “I missed you.”

  Drak. He’d missed her too.

  “You are trouble.” He set her down and squeezed her ass.

  Jax shot Maxon a knowing look.

  “I knew it was only a matter of time.” Quinn grinned at them.

  “We knew, too.” Sage beamed, her arm wrapped around Jayna.

  “Guess what?” Bellamy said.

  “What?” Maxon asked.

  “The women have organized a dinner in my honor. There’s going to be eating, drinking, having fun.”

  He grunted. Socializing was not his idea of fun.

  She leaned closer, her voice dropping into a whisper. “Have you ever had drunken sex?”

  His heart kicked. “No.”

  She licked her lips and he couldn’t look away.

  “You’ll like it.” She winked at him. “Promise.”

  It looked like Maxon was going to dinner.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Bellamy sipped her drink and smiled.

  She was happy. Damn happy.

  She stared around the huge table, everyone around her eating and talking and drinking.

  It had been so long since she’d been happy, even well before her abduction. Feminine laughter—wild and bold—made her glance down the table. Mina and Ryan were cackling over something. The House of Rone women were all laughing as well.

  The cyborgs were sitting back, faintly bemused, but smiling at their women.

  Maxon touched her leg and she looked up. He was sitting beside her and talking with Mina’s man—Tannon. Tannon gave Maxon a run for his money with his serious face. The pair were talking weapons. Surprise, surprise.

  The table groaned under plates and trays of food. Zaden’s woman, Calla, had outdone herself. The pretty, dark-haired woman kept popping in with more dishes—flushed and happy that everyone was enjoying her food.

  Each time she appeared, Zaden caught her and gave her a kiss, which made her even more flushed. The pair was so freaking cute together.

  Bellamy looked at Maxon. Sensing her gaze, he shot her a scorching look. She felt it all the way through to her lady parts. Yes, she was so freaking happy.

  Then she bit her lip and lifted her drink. She’d learned not to trust being happy. Life loved throwing her curveballs—crappy ones.

  Quinn leaned over from across the table. “OMG, Maxon is hot when he isn’t looking like he wants to punch someone.”

  “Mine,” Bellamy murmured.

  “I have my own hunky cyborg.” Quinn grinned. “And I can see he’s very much yours. The way he watches you.” The woman shivered.

  “It’s new. I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing.” It was so intense. Was it too much, too soon?

  Quinn grabbed her hand. “We’ve all been there. Go with your gut. Trust your heart.”

  Bellamy laughed darkly. “My heart has led me astray before.” Lenny the abusive dick had taught her a painful lesson.

  “Bellamy, you survived the Edull, believe me, you can trust yourself.”

  She’d need to think about it. “Damn glad we made it, Quinn.” She scanned the table. “All of us.”

  Quinn smiled. “Me, too. It’ll be even better when the Edull are crawling in a gutter, somewhere.”

  “Hell, yeah.” Bellamy lifted her drink to that.

  Then she glanced down the table. Magnus sat at the head, talking with Zhim. Baby Asha was fast asleep and nestled safely in his arms.

  “God, any man looks totally hot holding a sleeping baby. Extra points when he’s a cyborg.”

  Quinn snorted. “I’m pretty sure Magnus looks hot with or without the baby.”

  A second later, Magnus stood. “I’m glad everyone’s enjoyed the evening. Calla, thank you for the food.” The alien woman was sitting on the
arm of Zaden’s chair, and she blushed deeply.

  “Now, to more serious matters.” Ever appeared by her mate’s side and took the sleeping baby from his arms. “We all know things aren’t over until we put a stop to the Edull’s activities.”

  “Until the battle arena is destroyed,” Bellamy said.

  Under the table, Maxon took her hand, squeezed her fingers.

  Magnus nodded. “Yes. Galen’s ally has confirmed that he secured an invite to the upcoming race.”

  Bellamy’s pulse kicked up a notch. This was it. Finally.

  “He’ll take a small team of our people in disguise as part of his entourage.”

  Yes. She squeezed Maxon’s hand. She’d have a chance to make the Edull pay.

  “And Zhim has news,” Magnus continued.

  The information merchant stood. He was dressed in all black, and he worked it. With his long hair brushing his shoulders, the look totally suited him.

  “I found a supplier of the mag-tech. He’s off-world, but he talked for a price.”

  Ryan snorted. “He talked because you threatened to hack his ship and shut down all his power systems.”

  Zhim smiled. “Perhaps.”

  “It was hot, info boy.” Ryan winked.

  Zhim dragged his gaze away from his mate. “The supplier contributed some parts of the mag-tech to the Edull.”

  Bellamy straightened. “Did he have information we can use?”

  “Yes. I’ll send it through. It may give you some ideas on the tech’s location, and how to destroy it.”

  Maybe she could find a way to destroy that hellish prison once and for all. She smiled at Maxon.

  He stroked her jaw. “I’ll help you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Dinner wound down, and the guests left. Bellamy found herself back in Maxon’s workshop, but she was too wired to sleep.

  “I want to look at the data. There has to be a way to destroy the mag-tech—”

  Maxon wrapped his arms around her. “Not tonight.”

  “Maxon—”

  “I have other plans.” He lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck.

  Bellamy shuddered, forcing her brain to stay functioning. “This is important.”

  “And it will still be there in the morning, when you’re rested and refreshed.”