Rachel frowned. “I…re…fused…it.”
She flushed with irritation when Seetha reached out and tapped the handheld in her palm.
“And yet there it lies in all its shiny glory.”
Rachel stared at the bright red metal object, detesting her weakness. “He…left it…with…AI guards. They…made me…receive…it. Sneak…y…bas…tard.”
Rachel glared when Seetha snickered and turned her face away. “Not…fun…ny…Seeth…a. I…do not…want his…at…ten…tion.”
Seetha waved a hand in the air as she walked away. “I can’t help you. You think cyborg men are handsome, but you won’t date them, including that sexy Marcus who walks you to work and back every day. You’re on your own with your obsessive geek problem, baby girl.”
Rachel stared at the phone, but finally pressed the power button to turn it on. As she had dreaded, there was already a message from Nathan. She read it and rolled her eyes.
I’m really, really sorry if I insulted you and your work. Please give me another chance. I promise not to make you mad again.
He’d ended the message with an animation of a person crying.
“Dra…ma…Queen,” Rachel said sternly, fuming still because she’d let Nathan trick her. Next time she’d watch where she was going in the damn hall.
Now she had the problem of finding a way to return the handheld without directly dealing with Nathan. But she’d find a way…or it would go into Norton’s recycler. The last thing she wanted was for any man to have a way to constantly be in touch with her.
She ought to ask Marcus to return the phone to Nathan, but that would give Marcus the wrong idea. It was bad enough she kept having sex dreams about her tattooed bodyguard. They had been so bad and so frequent last night after he’d left, it had been impossible to hold his gaze longer than three seconds this morning.
But no matter her physical needs, she was determined her hormones were not going to rule her common sense anymore. No man was going to have any technological means of tracking her. And she was not going to give Marcus any more reason to lust. With that resolve, she had dressed in her ugliest clothes today on purpose. All she’d gotten for her efforts was a raised eyebrow and a silent smirk from the man whose gaze stayed on her legs every time he saw her now.
Rachel huffed out a breath and hit the button to turn off the stupid device. When the power light stayed on, she sighed in frustration. Great. A jacked-up geek handheld that wouldn’t turn off. Just what she needed. She was now officially creeped out about him. Deciding to see if it died of its own accord later, she shoved the handheld in her carryall and went on with her work of prepping the lab.
Before her day was finished, four cyborgs had come in to be fixed. The last of the day was an older man…older even than Captain Elliott…if you could believe his silver temples and smattering of gray streaks in his hair.
Seetha fixed his arm, and then because she had to leave, she had handed Lieutenant Edward Jensen over to her to finish the report on his repairs. Trying not to be self-conscious about her speech, Rachel haltingly asked the required exit questions and carefully wrote down his answers.
Lieutenant Jensen smiled every time their eyes met. Finally, he spoke what she’d seen in his gaze.
“I hope you don’t take this wrong, but you’re way too beautiful to be hidden in here working on broken soldiers like me. Somehow I think you didn’t plan on being an engineer’s lab tech. What in blue blazes are you doing here, Sweetie?”
“Beau...ti…ful? Are…your…eyes…o…kay?” Rachel asked haltingly, smiling at his comments as she glanced down at her long pants and too large shirt. He should have seen her yesterday. She at least looked hot then.
What she was wearing today was her anti-sex outfit. She wore it at home when she got to feeling lonely and sexually deprived enough to consider going man hunting at bars. The clothes made her feel ugly and ratcheted down her crazy libido a few notches.
Which was good because she absolutely couldn’t afford to go picking up another Brad Smith for a one-night stand.
Today she’d worn the outfit to keep Marcus from staring at her so long and hard. She’d been having non-stop sex dreams for weeks now. Catching him looking at her legs had made matters worse. Now her body was starting to prime itself whenever he was near, but she refused to use Marcus for just sex. She had good reasons.
For one, he was hard enough to handle without adding that complication. And two…what if she wanted a repeat…and another after that? She was not going to fall for a man who could rip bots apart when he wanted.
Her patient’s chuckle brought her attention back to the man in front of her. She could only imagine what kind of look had been on her face while she thought about Marcus.
“My eyes are fine, Sweetie. And they see beyond those God-awful clothes you’re wearing. Now what’s wrong with your voice?”
Rachel shrugged and bent her head to her portable, keying words in blindly. “Accident,” she lied. She was caught off-guard when her questioner laughed loudly and a bit harshly.
“Right. You mean the same kind of accident I’ve had? The one that sent me in here to get my mechanical arm fixed.”
Surprising her, he reached up and lightly touched the side of her head where her cybernetic panel was hidden by her hair.
Rachel’s guilty gaze met his knowing one. In Edward Jensen’s eyes was empathy, not sympathy. Somehow she instantly knew this seasoned survivor would never judge her for what she’d done to survive. It was strange how intuitive she’d gotten about men while working with the cyborgs. Some ended up more in touch with their humanity than most real men ever got to be. Finally, she nodded because she realized she had no desire to hide the truth from him. If she was naïve for trusting him, well at least it felt better than looking over her shoulder all the time.
“Yes…same kind.” She drew in a breath and let it out. “I…was…ab…duct…ed,” she paused, “and…changed.”
“Some cyber scientist prick no doubt,” Edward said harshly, rolling down his sleeve and fastening it back without meeting her gaze. “I’m sorry for my language, sweetie. Frankly, I’d kill the bastard with my bare hands for you if I could. You’re young and beautiful…fresh. My God, you don’t deserve to have to deal with this shit at your age.”
“What…a…bout…you?” Rachel asked, studying the emotions on his expressive face. “Are…you…o…kay?”
Edward shrugged as he stood. “Am I going to live? Yes. Am I okay? No. My real wife died five years ago, and I had no idea until last week. She died not knowing I still loved her. Now our two children don’t want anything to do with me because they believe I’m some rogue killing machine. Some days I wish Dr. Winters had left me like I was. As a Cyber Husband, I was contracted to a pretty decent woman in most respects. In my case, I think ignorance really was bliss. Now I’ve got nothing and no one.”
Rachel put a hand on his arm. “No. Not…choos…ing…is…worse. Trust…me.”
Under her palm, she felt Edward’s whole body sighing from an emotional weight almost too heavy to bear. Yet she knew many cyborgs bore that same weight. She saw it every day. Edward was another Marcus—another man who’d lost his entire family because of what he’d volunteered to do as a soldier. “Life…gets…bet…ter. You…must…go…on,…Ed…ward.”
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to do, but I appreciate hearing it from someone who’s been there. Would it be asking a lot if I said I’d like to hug you?”
Rachel felt her lip quiver. “No…I…could…use…a…hug…too.”
His arms sliding around her were strange, but also comforting. She let herself lean ever so lightly against him. His lips grazed her temple before he gently let go. She sniffed a little and stepped back. “Thank…you.”
Edward snorted. “Oh sweetie, I’m the grateful one. You’ve given me my first real hope that maybe I can start over.”
He lifted a hand to her face and placed it on her cheek. Rachel smiled at t
he kindness in his touch.
“Rachel…it’s time to go. You’ve technically been off work for twenty-three minutes.”
She and Edward both turned at the roughly issued command. Across the room, Marcus was glaring at them from his post in the open doorway. Rachel straightened her spine and returned his glare with one of her own. The tiny moments talking to Edward had been the nicest connection she’d had with a person in a long damn time. She was not letting Marcus ruin it for her with his…his…what? Jealousy?
She studied his face. His gaze kept straying to Edward. Great. That was all she needed. More male ego crap to deal with.
She felt Edward’s hand rubbing her back in support and snorted. Genuine comfort from someone who was almost a virtual stranger. Looked like her instincts were right about him at least.
“Jealous boyfriend?” Edward asked in a quiet whisper.
The old-fashioned term he applied to Marcus made her giggle. She turned to Edward and shook her head. “No…worse. He…is…nem…e…sis.”
As if they’d shared a thousand jokes before that one, Edward belly laughed low and nodded. “Word to the wise, sweetie—that man sees beyond your ugly clothes too. I can tell.”
Despite the fact she didn’t really know Edward well, she backhanded him on the chest for teasing her about Marcus being attracted to her. The smack earned her another chuckle and made her happy again. She couldn’t remember instantly liking anyone as much in a very long time.
When Edward started to walk away, Rachel surprised herself further by pulling him back. She wasn’t ready to let him just walk out of her life. She needed a friend who wasn’t working with her at Norton. Edward seemed like he’d be a good one.
“Come…back…some…time.”
“I like you too, Sweetie. If you get tired of the thug over there glaring at you all the time, I know a few good men your age. We can fix you right up.”
Rachel snorted at his offer and then she saw Marcus’s hurt expression. Her gut clenched as he dropped his gaze. Though his surveillance of her life irritated her constantly, she couldn’t handle someone hurting his feelings. Her sigh echoed through her implant.
“Mar…cus…is…best…man…I…know.”
She saw Edward’s questioning gaze go to Marcus again.
“I hope so for his sake because I’m going to be keeping an eye on you from now on. Got a handheld somewhere?”
“Yes.” Rachel nodded.
“Let me give you my com connection then.”
Edward took her portable and typed his contact info at the end of the report on him, which she was still working on.
“Put that in your contacts and call me for lunch tomorrow,” he ordered.
When she nodded, he patted her cheek and headed toward Marcus who held open the door.
“Treat her right, Marine. Don’t make me come look you up and kick your ass.”
Marcus nodded, torn between frustration, and an unnamed guilt. Did he really come off as some kind of unfeeling asshole? The man had called him a thug. “I will. Take care, sir.”
When he turned back, Rachel was wearing her jacket, her carryall, and the biggest frown on her face he’d ever seen. He opened his mouth to apologize, but sorry never came out.
“When did you get a handheld? Where is it?”
He was dying to know. Rachel was changing every day and he was somehow missing her growth.
Rachel rolled her eyes. Of course the handheld would be the first thing he cared about. Never mind that he’d barked orders at her in front of one her patients. Never mind that she might be feeling embarrassed by his attempt to show he had some sort of control over her time.
“Screw…you,” Rachel declared. She glared harder and walked on to the airlift without him.
Marcus shook his head in defeat. “Fuck. Maybe I am an asshole,” he said to himself as he let the lab door lock behind him.
***
They walked in silence to Rachel’s apartment building where the most self-aware AI unit Marcus had ever seen greeted them. Apparently Eric had managed to get the guard bot upgraded to a top of the line one.
“Welcome home, Rachel Logan. You may proceed through the scanner. Your guest must register first.”
Rachel turned to look at Marcus. He shrugged and stepped forward to place his palm on the ID scanner.
“Welcome Marcus 582. Your identity has been recorded in our visitor database. You may both proceed through the scanner.”
Rachel marched through the archway, walking fast. She looked back and saw Marcus on her heels.
“Have a blessed day,” the AI guard said before returning to his guard-at-rest position.
As they waited on the airlift, Marcus glanced back at the AI. “Hope that model is the one you get to keep.”
Rachel hoped so too, but she shrugged instead of saying so. She didn’t want to talk to Marcus. He’d probably just ask her a bunch of questions about Edward she didn’t want to answer.
As the elevator doors slid open, Rachel walked quickly to her door. She paused before digging her access key out of her bag. “Good…night…Mar…cus.”
Her halting mechanized speech didn’t make his dismissal any less clear. Marcus tucked his hands into the pockets of a ratty exercise jacket he’d bought at a used clothing shop. Eric was right. He could stand to improve his image a little. But he was used to looking bad because it helped him blend into mixed crowds.
“Rachel, I…” he stopped when she turned and lifted her gaze to his. She was shorter in her flats, but oddly more intimidating. He studied her angry and unforgiving expression. His sigh echoed in the empty hallway. “Look…I’m sorry I interrupted you in the middle of whatever plans you were making with that guy at the lab. But I thought you hated cyborgs and I didn’t know if he was detaining you…”
Her palm pushing on his chest made him jump back in surprise. “What? What did I say?”
“I…can…make…all…the…friends…I…want. Go…now. Go…a…way.”
Marcus shook his head. “Rachel—wait. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…shit…I was jealous. Okay—I admit it. I thought he was asking you for a date. I—reacted badly.”
Her carryall slipped from her shoulder as she swung out her arm in a gesture of complete disbelief.
“Ed…ward…was…just…be…ing…kind. Do…not…be…such a….”
Her arm flew out again as a polite word escaped her.
“Okay,” Marcus declared, holding up both hands. “I get what you’re saying. I didn’t mean to imply anything. I can’t help caring about what happens to you.”
“Why?” Rachel demanded, her voice box squeaking as her throat tightened.
“Why?” Marcus repeated. What kind of question was that? He looked left and right and left again. “I have to care. You’re my job.”
“No…I…am…not. Fuck…you.” Her middle finger came up to accentuate her denial.
Marcus couldn’t help it. Her furious reaction made him laugh. Smiling hurt his face and he had to rub it. All the while Rachel stood there glaring at him.
“Chick…en…shit,” she taunted. She was pushing him hard, but she couldn’t handle things as they were. “I…don’t…need…you…watch…ing…me.”
His laughter died, but his smile wouldn’t. “Maybe you don’t need me, but I need you. The thought of not seeing you every day sends me into a panic that would make Kyra put me back into a cage if she knew how bad it was. I hate having to leave you alone at fucking Norton for seven and a half hours every day…and yes, I know that’s too much paranoia. Eric lectures me about it constantly.”
“You…need…men…tal…help.” Rachel declared.
Then she closed her eyes and counted to ten, trying to calm down. It didn’t help her temper cool. When she opened them again, Marcus was standing six inches away. The heat of him reached out to her.
“No, I need you…like a man needs a woman. Do you need me back, Rachel Logan? I can’t tell for certain and not knowing is killing me. I
’m probably too old for you…and probably too ugly…and definitely too damn fucked up…but I’d really like to kiss you…at least one time. I’ve thought about doing it for months.”
“Months?” Rachel repeated, trying to take in Marcus had been hiding his interest for that long.
“Yes—months. I felt like that shortly after we met and it got worse when I realized my family didn’t want me anymore. I didn’t say anything…or act on my interest…because I was trying not to rush you. You had your own demons to get rid of. I figured you didn’t need mine,” Marcus admitted.
“You are…bossy…and…ang…ry…at the…world. You are…not fun…at all.”
Marcus chuckled at the understatement. “Eric says I’m an asshole.”
Marcus 582: Book Three of Cyborgs: Mankind Redefined Page 6
