“To make the council distrust you,” he said.
“He said something very stupid,” she said with a frown.
“What did he say?”
“He said that I was fucking you so you’d let me see Todd. He’s not that ignorant.” Her gaze narrowed on the screen. “This doesn’t make sense.”
He stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Your father is trying to stir up trouble, create chaos before Earth Central attacks.” But, even as he said it, Matthew knew something else was going on. Harbold Denny was a shrewd political animal. This move meant something. And it wasn’t random.
“I was hoping to crack the damn code,” she said through gritted teeth. “I wanted to fry him.”
Now, that was a beautiful sight. Her brown hair was still tousled from their morning love making, and her eyes sparkled with anger. Color flushed her cheeks, and he had an overwhelming desire to take her into the playroom and have a satisfying session. “Over a slow fire?”
“Damn right,” she muttered. She met his gaze, and the fire in her changed to something sultry and hot. He clenched his fists to keep them still. Damn, the chemistry between them was explosive.
He bent down to brush her lips, electricity sparking. Her lips softened, and she turned to wind her arms around his neck.
Where things would have gone he didn’t know, but suddenly she tore her lips away and made a startling sound. “Of course,” she said.
He was forgotten as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Then, she smiled. “Gotcha.” She glanced at him in triumph. “He piggybacked.”
“He sent another code hidden within the code he gave you?”
She nodded and pointed. “It went to a different computer, but the message was sent along with the one he sent me.” She pounded a fist on the desk. “Bastard. He sent the real code to someone else.” Her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. “But who?”
“Can you trace where it went?”
Michael’s voice sounded from the door. “No, but I can.” He held up a data disc. “It’s embedded in the call.”
Fallon frowned. “Then it would only reach me, wouldn’t it?”
Michael shook his head. “Not if he was using a wide array signal. The call went to two vid coms.”
“Who was the other one?”
“You’re not going to believe me,” he said.
She stared at him, and Matthew’s gut churned. “Who?”
“Simon Boular.”
For a moment, Fallon didn’t move. Then, she dropped her head in her hands and said bitterly, “It figures.”
Chapter Seventeen
Betrayal on every side and Fallon had been completely deceived. Simon had been more than a colleague. He’d been her friend. To think the man was going to use a Ryser bomb on Asberek was too much for her to take in.
But she believed Michael Tarune.
“Let me talk to him,” she said. Maybe she could convince him this wasn’t the right thing to do.
Michael and Matthew exchanged a glance. “For all we know, the bomb is set for you, Fallon,” Matthew said softly.
She blinked. “That’s ridiculous.”
Matthew shook his head gently. “Baby, your daddy wants the moral high ground. A bomb that kills you, and only you, would make us look like the violent rebel barbarians he says we are.”
Her lips trembled, and she bit down hard to stop them. “Simon wouldn’t do that,” she said without conviction.
“He might.” Michael gazed at her steadily. “We’re not convinced that Todd Aster is the one who tried to poison you.”
Stunned, she could only gape at him. “What?”
“Todd Aster isn’t the one who has been giving information to your father. That was Boular. We found the coded messages sent to Harbold.” Michael glanced at Matthew. “I think Todd was the patsy. Did you know Todd Aster was Rodger Steeves’ cousin?”
“Rodger Steeves?” Fallon blinked. The name sounded familiar.
Matthew frowned. “He was my lover on Earth.” He shook his head and then stared at Michael. “Do you think—”
Michael answered Matthew’s unspoken question. “That the same people who recruited Steeves recruited his cousin? Yes.”
Okay, now she was confused. “Someone want to fill me in?”
“Later,” Matthew said, and she ground her teeth. “Right now, we need to stop Boular.”
“Let me talk to him,” she said again.
“No.” The word exploded from Matthew. “I don’t want you to risk your life, Fallon.”
“He’ll listen to me. He’s my friend,” she insisted. She couldn’t accept, couldn’t believe that Simon would really hurt her, or anyone else.
“Let her do it,” Michael said quietly. “She has to know.”
Matthew clenched his hands into fists. “He’ll kill her.”
“That’s what we’re there for.” Michael met her gaze. “We’ll protect her.”
Fallon stood up and headed for the door. “Then let’s go. Simon has the code, and he’ll use it.”
It was odd how the morning light on Asberek seemed so peaceful, so calm, when Fallon’s whole world was imploding. Her father’s murderous intent to use someone she thought cared about her completely destroyed her.
The fact that she was still upright shocked her. Matthew’s concern was evident by the warm hand on her spine as she strode down the wide lane toward the Causeway. Michael was on his vid com. “Have you located Boular?”
“Yes, sir. He’s in the shuttle bay hanger.”
“Stay back a safe distance. Does he have a bag with him?” Michael met her gaze.
“Yes, sir.”
“It’s a bomb. Use the silent alert.” Michael’s glance shot along the lane. “Get the surrounding buildings evacuated.”
“Do you think he’ll use Fallon’s DNA?” Matthew’s hand stirred against her back.
“I don’t know,” Michael told him. “What do you think, Fallon? What will he do?”
“You’re assuming I know that man,” she said bitterly. “The man I knew wouldn’t have the damn bomb in the first place.”
“We have to figure out how he got that bomb on the planet,” Matthew stated.
Michael nodded. “Fallon, I need to know what your father’s end game was for Asberek.”
“He planned to dispose of the old colonists and replace them with newer, more compliant humans.”
“And the DNA activated Ryser bomb was the way he planned to do it?” Michael pressed.
“That was never discussed with me. My job was to discredit Adonis Pasquel and begin hard line negotiations to force the financial supporters to switch to Earth Central. But I knew he wanted the super DNA eliminated as a threat. My father didn’t anticipate the loyalty of the money interests on Asberek.” That wasn’t all he hadn’t anticipated. Her father couldn’t conceive the idea his daughter would fall in love with Matthew Lestrano. Hell, neither had she.
They strode into the shuttle bay, and Fallon held up a hand to Michael. “Let me go in. I promise I’ll be careful.”
She didn’t hide or creep forward. She walked straight into the large, open bay. Simon stood beside one of the shuttles, a small case at his feet and a hard expression on his usually genial face. “Simon,” she said, announcing her presence.
He met her gaze, and her heart sank. It was all true. This man had never been her friend. She held his stare steadily and kept walking. He glared at her. “How’s your new Claimed? Are you enjoying the fucking?”
With a deep breath, she kept her tone calm and her steps even. “He saved my life. What are you doing here, Simon?”
The man let out a harsh laugh. “I’m doing what you should have done. I’m exterminating vermin.”
Her heart clenched. Vermin. That was her father talking. “So, all those things you said, about finding a peaceful solution—”
“—was enough to keep you from fucking things up.” He opened the case and began to press the buttons. Fall
on walked closer, knowing Matthew would want to strangle her for risking herself.
“Why poison me?”
“That was for publicity. Too bad you didn’t die.”
Fallon shivered. “And the bomb?”
“Set for human DNA,” he answered.
She stared at him. “So, you want everyone dead, including yourself?”
The smile on his face wasn’t sane. “I want this planet devoid of life. It’s a shithole filled with traitors.”
“And Todd? Did he know?”
Again, that humorless laugh. “That is the most satisfying thing of all,” he told her. “Finally getting revenge on that weasel.”
“I don’t understand,” she said.
She’d gotten closer and hoped to get close enough to decode the encryption and stop the bomb. But Simon whipped out a blaster pistol. “That’s far enough. Allow me to explain.” He sneered. “You thought Matthew Lestrano went to the academy to train, to become a military genius.” He snorted. “He wanted to find out one thing. Who killed Jake and Daniella Tarune.”
It made sense, but—“He was only eighteen,” she protested.
“Michael is his closest friend and maybe more than that,” Simon snapped. “Lestrano came to Earth to destroy your father. And he would have done it if it wasn’t for me.”
“That’s why Matthew left Earth?”
“Not before he obtained information from two traitors, Reeves and that bitch Olivia.” Simon glared at her. “I guess Matthew has a talented cock. He gets his lovers to spill.”
“What did these people have to tell him?” She thought she knew.
“Reeves had access to his father’s reports on Tarune and Harbold’s threats. Olivia decoded messages for that asshole.” Simon smiled. “But I stopped him from giving it to the council.”
“How?”
“I had Harbold tell him if he ever did, Reeves and Olivia would be murdered. Slowly.” Simon waved the blaster at her. “We made sure he knew we meant business.”
A heavy guilt weighed down on her. Murder, deception, betrayal were all her father was capable of. And she’d been party to it. “You’re not going to kill anyone today, Simon.”
He raised his eyebrows and glanced at the bomb. “Even if the poison gas doesn’t work, the blast will decimate you and your friends.”
She shook her head. “No, it won’t.”
Simon charged the blaster. “Goodbye, Fallon,” he said.
Just as he was about to fire, a hole appeared in his forehead. She whirled around, and Matthew stood with a rifle.
Time was against her, but she dropped to her knees and began to try and decode the encryption. The bomb made no sound as it ticked down the minutes. Sweat broke out on her forehead, but she didn’t stop.
Behind her, Matthew stood silent. She didn’t even glance at him. “Go, Matthew. If this goes off—”
“It’s not going off,” he said calmly. “I have faith in you.”
She took a deep breath and kept working. A glimmer of hope appeared when she cracked two lines, and she grinned. “I got it.”
With several complicated keyboard moves, she disarmed the damn thing. When the timer stopped on eight seconds, she started to shake. “Matthew?”
He didn’t say a word, but picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the bay.
“I feel sick,” she murmured.
“It’s the adrenaline crash,” Matthew said as they slipped out of the deserted bay.
“I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it,” she said. Her mind was splintered, shattered by Simon’s revelations.
“I’m sorry, Fallon,” Matthew said. “I should have told you, but it wasn’t my secret to tell.”
“You mean about Reeves and Olivia Tyner?”
He sighed. “Your father tried to have me killed after I found the evidence. I left Earth, and I gave the information to Pasquel.”
“But Earth Central knew nothing?”
Matthew set her down on her feet, but kept his hand on her arm. “Like Simon said, Harbold said he’d kill Olivia and Rodger if I told Earth Central anything.” His dark gaze held hers. “As a warning, they murdered one of Rodger’s lovers.”
“Oh, Matthew,” she breathed out. “I’m sorry.”
“You do not have to apologize for him, Fallon. Those days are over.” Matthew’s fingers tightened on her skin. “You’re my Claimed, my woman.”
She nodded. “I owe you so much. More than I can—” she started.
“You owe me nothing.” His face had a closed, hidden expression.
If only she could tell him she loved him. But she wasn’t going to burden him with that too. After all, the man had saved her life, given up his freedom for her, and faced a killer for her. She turned to walk away, but he tightened his hold. “Aren’t you going to ask me why?”
“Because you’re a nice guy?” she quipped.
He yanked her into his arms and plundered her mouth with barely restrained violence. “I am not a nice guy,” he snapped and dropped his hands. “You’re not in debt to me. If you don’t want to be Claimed, say it now, because tomorrow it will be too damn late.”
She blinked at the hostility. What the hell was going on? Why was he pissed at her? “You’re the one who’s trapped.”
“Me?” He scoffed and shook his head. “Let’s get one thing clear. I won’t do a loveless mating. If that’s what you’re hoping for, you’re out of luck.”
Her heart plummeted. That sounded like he didn’t want this, like he was looking for a way out. “If you want out of this, then be a man and say so,” she bit out.
He opened his mouth to say something when Michael approached. “Shut up, you two,” he snarled. “Neither of you have a choice anymore. The official ceremony will lay any protests to rest. You’ll both be there and smile if I have to hold a damn blaster on you to get it done.”
She crossed her arms. “Fine.”
Matthew glared at her. “Fine.”
Michael shook his head. “The stars help me,” he muttered and strode away from them.
“I need a drink.” Fallon needed more than that. She needed a punching bag or a padded room to scream in. It was still early afternoon, but she didn’t care. She headed for The Asberek Moon.
“It’s closed,” Matthew snapped.
She glared at him. “Then get them to open it,” she shouted.
He studied her for a moment, his nostrils flared. “We can have this out in private.”
“No,” she said. She didn’t want to fight. Not with him. She wanted to fuck him, wild unrestrained fucking.
To resist throwing herself in his arms and finding some relief, she strode down the lane quicker. His hand caught her arm, and he whipped her around. “Fine, then we’ll have it out here.”
She jerked her arm away. “What’s there to talk about? You don’t want a loveless mating. You said that.”
“That’s right, Fallon. If you’re my Claimed, you won’t shut me out of your bedroom or anywhere else,” he told her, his hand now on the nape of her neck.
No struggles would shake him. He pulled her closer and took possession of her lips, her body, her soul. She fought him, her fists pummeling him, but he slammed her against the nearest building and held her hands above her head.
He didn’t love her, but she loved him. Resistance was pointless. He had her now and forever. It hurt like hell to think he’d never return that love. Tears squeezed from her eyes. It would always be like this. He’d kiss her, touch her, but it would be a physical release, lust in its harshest form.
When he broke the kiss and tenderly wiped away her tears with his lips, she shuddered. There was no escape. “Come home, baby,” he murmured.
She couldn’t speak, but she nodded. He dragged her home, his long strides making her run to keep up. When they reached his house, he didn’t stop until they reached the play room. The scent of leather hit her, and she sank to her knees, her head in her hands. Was this all they had?
/> Then, he was on his knees in front of her, his hands cupping her face. “Fallon, baby, I love you. I have for a long time. But, if you don’t want this, if you only feel obligation to me, tell me now.”
She gazed at him with her mouth open and then she shut it with a snap. He loved her? “But you said you didn’t want a loveless mating,” she said.
He groaned and touched his forehead to hers. “I said it, but I’ll take whatever you’ll give me. I don’t want to live without you,” he stated.
“You … love me.” Her mind whirled. All of a sudden, it all made sense. He loved her. It was the reason he’d done so much for her, given her so much.
He held her gaze. “I do.”
She studied his face, and what she saw there stunned her. For the first time in their short time together, he was uncertain, unsure. It … unsettled her. “Matthew,” she murmured. “I love you so much, I ache from it.”
The tension in his face evaporated, and he clutched her closer, his mouth devouring hers. Between kisses, he told her sweet lies like how she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, how he was going to keep her chained to him, how he would stay buried inside her for an eternity.
Joy filled her, and she laughed, tipping her head back. “Oh Matthew, I’ll do anything for you.”
Clothes flew in all directions. For once, there was no ritual, no foreplay, just two people claiming each other. He covered her, bending her back on the carpet, his mouth never leaving hers. Overwhelmed, she twined her legs around his waist and arched toward him, desperate to connect with him.
Her hands flowed over his skin, reveling, touching, learning. She loved the way his muscles rippled beneath her fingers. His mouth moved down her neck and lower. She gasped when his tongue flicked over one nipple and then the other. It was difficult to breathe when his kisses led downward over her belly. “Matthew,” she choked out.
When his teeth scraped against her clit, she jerked in surprised pleasure. “Oh, stars,” she sobbed. He growled, a low feral sound that vibrated her pussy and sent shards of need cascading through her. Her spine bowed, thrusting closer, twisting toward his wicked mouth.
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