by Cynthia Sax
She glanced to her left and to her right. “Here? If we’re hailed by another ship…”
“They’ll see your tight ass and your wet pussy. Your pussy is wet for me, isn’t it, Captain?” Vegas breathed in deeply, torturing his already overstimulated body with her scent. “There’s no need to answer me. I can smell your readiness.” He dropped his gaze to the apex of her thighs. Control. “Sexy, remove your clothes also.”
Oh God. Raylee bent over, her fingers fumbling as she loosened her boots. I’m to fuck them both. She kicked her sturdy footwear off, the thud of leather against metal obscenely loud. On the bridge of my ship. She straightened, looking over her shoulder at Sexy. He was naked, his cock erect and ready for action, and she pressed her moist thighs together to keep them from trembling. So hot. She returned her gaze to Vegas and watched him watch her as she unfastened her flight suit and pushed the garment over her shoulders, the fabric falling to the floor.
His eyes darkened to a proprietary indigo blue as he leisurely perused her naked form. She waited, self-consciously shifting her weight from foot to foot, forcing her hands to remain by her sides, allowing him to see all of her. “You’re my reward, Raylee, for a lifetime of service, of sacrifice. You belong to me and only to me.”
“And you belong to me.” She lifted her chin, silently daring him to refute her declaration.
“I do.” Vegas smiled slowly and Raylee’s stomach flipped. “Put one foot here.” He patted the arm of the captain’s chair, the seat of power within the ship.
She glanced up at the beams. Forgive me, Captain. Her face heated as she tentatively placed her sole on the worn leather, the stance exposing her wet pussy to Vegas’ cool gaze.
“Sexy, stand beside me,” he ordered. The android silently repositioned himself beside the chair. “Look at us, Raylee.”
Vegas sprawled in her seat, effortlessly dominating the space around him. His eyes simmered with fierce emotion, awareness radiating from his being. Sexy stood passively, his expression blank and uncaring, a faded copy of the real man.
“Don’t ever again mistake me for your android.” Vegas’ words were curt, blunt barbs showing his displeasure, and Raylee nodded sheepishly, swallowing hard.
“Good.” His teeth flashed white against his tanned face and some of the weight lifted off her shoulders. “Sexy, you will stroke your cock as Captain Raylee touches herself.” Vegas pulled down his own pants and underwear, revealing his thicker shaft, and she licked her lips, hungry for a taste of him.
“Pinch your nipples,” Vegas instructed and Raylee tweaked them, the sting breathtakingly sharp. “Again. I want them red and hard.” He observed her, his eyelids lowered, his hand gripped tightly around the base of his cock. Sexy stroked his cock, his gaze also on her hands. Eager to please them both, Raylee abused her breasts, squeezing and pinching and slapping her nipples, the pain flowing into pleasure.
“Spread your pussy lips and show me your tight entrance.” Vegas leaned forward slightly and she felt his warm breath on her mound as she drew back her feminine folds, revealing everything to him.
“Circle your clit with your finger.” A dab of pre-cum formed on his cock and she skimmed her tongue over her lips as she caressed her pleasure nub. She wanted to suck on his tip, scooping up that precious liquid.
“Fuck, Raylee, you’re so hot. Pump that pretty little pussy for me,” Vegas coached. She fucked herself with her fingers to the rhythm of Sexy’s stroking, the sounds and scent of sex all around her.
“You’re so juicy. Let me taste you.” Vegas opened his mouth and she inserted a finger. He sucked greedily, his mouth wet and hot.
God. I want him. She wiggled, her pussy contracting with each tug of his lips.
“Sexy, lubricate your cock and fuck your captain’s tight ass,” he ordered the android.
I want both of them. Raylee shuddered.
“Look at me.” Vegas captured her face between his rough hands, bending her over his lap. Cooler fingers parted her ass cheeks and a hard synthetic cock pushed into her puckered hole. She stiffened. “At me,” he repeated.
Their gazes met and held, their lips a breath apart, and her trepidation leveled to serenity. I can do this.
As the cock breached her tight ring of resistance, pulling at her skin, panic swelled up in her. No. I can’t. “Vegas.”
“That’s it.” He kissed away her protest, plunging into her mouth while Sexy slid fully into her, the dual invasion ravaging her senses.
“You’re mine to use, Raylee, in the interests of the Federation.” Vegas petted her face, his touch light and loving and almost tender. She pushed her cheek against his palm, needing that human connection as the android rode her with his usual detachment.
“So while your android lover fucks your ass, the way I commanded him to, you’ll suck my cock.” Vegas spread his legs, revealing a hard cock and balls tight with want.
“Yes,” she agreed, yearning to please him. Raylee dipped her head lower and lapped at his tip, tonguing his slit, tasting him, all man. Vegas relaxed in the chair, watching her with dark, intense eyes, while Sexy pistoned his cock in and out of her ass like the fucking machine he was, his self-lubricating shaft easing the burn.
“Yes,” Vegas finally repeated, threading his fingers through her hair, massaging her skull. Ripples of pleasure spread from his touch. “Suck me, Raylee.”
She wrapped her lips around his shaft and licked around his rim before sinking down on him, attempting to suck all of his cock into her mouth. Impossible. His tip hit the back of her throat before her lips touched his base. She sighed, disappointed with her failure, and her breath flowed around his shaft. Too large. Raylee bobbed over him and he pulled at her curls, the pain spurring her onward.
“Finger her clit, Sexy,” Vegas instructed, his voice deepening with passion.
The android reached around and rubbed her clit while fucking her ass, pistoning in and out. So good. Raylee moaned into Vegas’ cock.
Determined to make her human lover come first, she fought her impending orgasm. As Sexy thrust his cock deep inside her ass, she took Vegas’ cock into her mouth, sucking on him, her tongue sliding underneath his shaft. As Sexy drew back, she retreated also, swirling her tongue around Vegas’ cock head.
“Raylee.” Vegas pushed up with his hips. “Raylee, I’m going to…”
She broke with their synchronized rhythm to suck him hard, her cheeks indenting with the pressure around his shaft, and Vegas roared, spurting hot cum into her mouth. Yes. She swallowed and swallowed and swallowed.
As she drank from him, she surrendered to her own passions, calling his name into his flesh. Oh God. Raylee clutched his thighs while her body shook and her pussy convulsed. With the world spinning around her merrily, she milked his cock dry and released him with a juicy pop.
“Come, Sexy,” Vegas commanded. He held her steady as the android lunged forward one more time, pumping hot air into her ass, setting off a second orgasm.
“Vegas!” She threw her head back and screamed, the lights on the bridge flickering, her body no longer her own, at the mercy of her raging desires.
“I have you.” He pulled her toward him and the android’s hard cock slipped out of her well-used ass. She had no energy left in her, lying limp and lifeless in his arms. “I have you, Raylee.” Vegas brushed back her hair and gently kissed the tear tracks on her cheeks, his lips cooling her heated flesh.
Yes. She curled up naked in his lap, cuddling into his rough shirt, finding comfort in his strength.
Chapter Four
Eight hours later, Vegas glowered at the cautious woman he adored, utilizing all of his Federation training not to lose patience with her.
“And this Balazoid blocker that you say is supposedly necessary, it’ll make me ill?” She stood in front of the bridge’s main viewscreen, facing away from him, her feet braced apart and her hands clutched together behind her back. “How ill?”
“When I received it, I didn’t leave my be
d for a week.” Vegas channeled his frustration through his hands, digging his fingers into the chair’s leather armrests. Since this morning’s transfer of command, his obstinate mate had questioned every order he’d given her. “And the blocker is necessary. That bastard Balazoid on Ungaria almost killed you.”
Raylee glanced up at the beams. Seconds ticked by and Vegas smothered the urge to rush her decision. She finally shrugged. “I’ve almost been killed a few times.” Raylee turned, her oversized flight suit rustling. “I always seem to survive my mistakes.” She gave him a sad smile, her haunted eyes pulling at his soul. “I can’t say that for everyone.”
“We’ve all made mistakes, Raylee,” he said softly, feeling her guilt and grief as though they were his own, wishing he could erase those grisly memories.
“When I make mistakes, people die.” Her lips flattened into a thin white line. “And this would be a mistake. You might have taken temporary command of Ship, but I’m still the captain.”
“I’m a class-A freighter,” Ship reminded them. “I do not require a captain. I—”
“Enough.” Vegas raised his hand, angered at the intrusion. “This is a private conversation between the captain and I.” Raylee crossed her arms defensively.
“And yes, this might be a mistake,” he admitted, desiring to be honest with his mate. “But not receiving the Balazoid blocker could be an even bigger mistake. While you’re ill, I’ll be there to care for you and to command Ship.” The vessel vibrated, communicating his displeasure with Vegas’ offer. “If you face the Balazoid again without a blocker…” He couldn’t contemplate that possibility. She was too precious to him.
“In other words, I’m fucked.” Raylee shifted her weight from her right foot to her left. “No matter what I do, I risk making a mistake.”
“Sit down.” He patted the seat next to him. Her face paled and Vegas gritted his teeth. He’d never seen her sit in any of the other chairs on this Goddamn ghost ship. “We’ve all made mistakes, Raylee,” he repeated, willing her to understand.
“You keep saying that.” Her eyes flashed. “But you don’t know.” Her chest heaved. “You don’t know what it’s like to make a life-or-death decision and be wrong, so very wrong.” Her voice cracked, pain slicing through her words.
Vegas winced, knowing what he had to say, what he had to risk, to ease her torment. Fuck. She would make him talk about this, his damn woman.
“Don’t I?” he asked, dread swirling in his stomach. She turned her head to stare at him. “Ship, conceal auditory.”
He scowled at the viewscreen, contemplating his words. What to tell her? How to tell her? He shouldn’t do this. Too risky.
“Vegas?”
He felt her gaze upon him, trusting him to tell her the truth. Trust first, then caring, then love.
“I caused the death of a planet,” he blurted out. He glared straight ahead, avoiding the judgment sure to be reflected in her revealing face.
Raylee gasped, the sound loud and accusing. “How many people?”
He didn’t know. He’d never asked. “Ship, what was the population of Gayle V before it went missing?”
“Five thousand, three hundred, and forty-six humanoids,” Ship recited as though it was a cold, hard fact and not a number representing living, breathing people, people with friends and families and futures.
Vegas slumped over in his chair, his head hanging heavy with guilt, and he closed his eyes. The silence stretched between them, and he felt more alone than he’d ever had. She was his. He’d never let her go. But she couldn’t love him. He’d done too much, killed too many people.
Slender fingers folded over his, her flesh warm and comforting. The scent of chalk powder and engine lubricant engulfed him. “How?”
He threaded his fingers through hers, linking them together, selfishly holding her to him, deluding himself that she cared. He needed her to care.
But he needed her to care for him, and he wasn’t Sexy, her perfect android. He was a man who had made mistakes, a man who had killed people.
“A contact told me he’d seen a Balazoid warship traveling toward Gayle V.” Vegas stripped the story to the bare brutal essentials, unable to emotionally manage more detail. “I passed the information along to my reporting officer, but we laughed about it. No one was at war with Balazoid, and there was nothing on Gayle V.”
“We were fools.” He twisted his lips. “A week later, Gayle V no longer existed. All of the five thousand, three hundred, and forty-six humanoids had vanished, never to be seen again.”
Raylee perched on his knee, her pose tentative, as though she was ready to flee at any moment. “How could you have known?”
He glanced at her. Her eyes were wide with a sympathy he didn’t deserve. “My contact was reliable, Raylee, and he had no reason to lie. I knew that. My reporting officer didn’t. I should have pressed harder. We should have contacted Gayle V and evacuated the planet. Hell. We should have done something.” He raked his fingers through his hair, tormented by his failure to act. “Fuck. I vowed never to talk about this.”
She leaned into him, sliding her ass along his thigh, until she snuggled up close to his body, her softness comforting him. “Then why did you tell me?”
He nudged the cap off her head and rested his chin on her brown curls, touching her, reassuring himself she was there, she hadn’t run from him. “You need to know who I am.”
“Human?” Raylee pressed her lips against his neck, imparting absolution with her light kiss. “I already knew that.” She laid her cheek against his chest, and he held her, struggling to come to terms with her acceptance.
Five thousand, three hundred, and forty-six humanoids. So many lives lost. My fault, yet she forgives me. Vegas wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, vowing to never let her go.
She rubbed a circle into his shirt, her finger moving ’round and ’round and ’round, the friction heating his chest. He nuzzled his face deeper into her soft hair, inhaling her unique fragrance and savoring the connection, the rare stillness in his action-packed life.
Raylee sighed, the slight sound tugging at his heart. “If I had done my job and spotted the pirate vessel sooner, my captain and crew wouldn’t have died.” Vegas strained to hear her quietly spoken confession. “Their deaths were my fault.”
If she had spotted the vessel… Vegas massaged Raylee’s shoulders, her muscles tight underneath his fingertips. “Is that true, Ship?”
“First Officer Raylee’s assistance was unnecessary. I am a class-A freighter. The pirate vessel was detected upon entry to the quadrant.”
“That’s not what happened, Ship!” Raylee pushed away from Vegas, sitting up. “The pirates hid their vessel behind—”
“Captain was aware of the pirates’ position,” Ship snapped. “He overrode my route redirect, similar to how my route has been overridden by our unauthorized passenger.”
“No. That can’t be.” She frowned, wrinkling her forehead. “Why would the captain—”
“Everyone makes mistakes, Raylee.” Vegas gathered her small form to him, relishing how perfectly her curves fit against his muscle. “Your captain made the best decision based on the knowledge and experience he had.” He kissed the furrows between her eyebrows. “As you’ll make the best decision you can about the Balazoid blocker.”
“Back to that damn blocker.” She drooped like wilted vegetation, her neck bowed, her countenance adorably disgruntled. He watched her expressions change as she chewed on her bottom lip. A spy, she was not. “We could park on a planet.”
“We don’t have time for delays.” He cupped her chin and lifted her gaze to his. “You can trust me, Raylee. I’ll never do anything to hurt you.” He stroked her cheeks, cherishing her softness.
“I know.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s just that after…after…” Raylee swallowed, the slender column of her throat convulsing. “I promised Ship I’d never let anything like that happen to him again.”
“A
nd we won’t.” He leaned his forehead on hers. “I’ll keep both of you safe.” She was his, and he’d protect her with his life.
“I am a class-A freighter,” Ship broke into the intimate moment.
“Ship!” Vegas barked, silencing him.
* * * * *
Bad idea. Raylee eyed the injection tube in Vegas’ hand with trepidation. Really bad idea. “You’ll remember to back up Sexy every night?”
“Yes. Lay back.” He placed his free hand on her shoulder and pushed. She lowered onto the bed while keeping her gaze fixed on the tube. “You told me that three times already.” She opened her mouth. “And you documented everything. Relax.”
“How can I relax?” she squeaked. “That’s a big injection tube.” Vegas brushed her hair away from her neck. His hands trembled and his expression was even more grim than usual. “There’s no chance of me dying, is there?”
Vegas paused. Beads of moisture formed on his forehead, glistening on his tanned skin.
“Is there?” Panic welled up inside her. Why didn’t he answer? “Is there?” she repeated, grabbing his arms.
His jaw jutted out and he pressed the nozzle against her jugular. “A very low chance.” An excruciating pain shot over her skin.
“A very…” The pain spread and spread, paralyzing her body. “Vegas?” She stared up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. What was happening to her?
He tossed the injection tube away, and his face blurred. “I have you, Raylee.” He gathered her into his arms, his body heat soothing her. She wanted to hug him but she couldn’t move her hands. “I have you.”
“Hurts,” she whimpered, the ache causing her stomach to roll.
“I know.” He brushed his cool, wet lips over her forehead. “Be strong, Captain. If I could bear this hurt for you, I would.” Vegas rocked her, the motion easing her agony.
