R yder exited the training facility, showered and on a mission. He would see Talia this morning. Would make her understand how valuable the information she held was. And he’d realized the most obvious way to gain her cooperation was to show her the world outside. Let her see the people of his planet.
He neared her chamber and spotted Krystal dialing in the code.
“Good morning, little sister. What are your intentions with the prisoner this morning?”
Krystal spun around, guilt flittering across her face before she turned on her usual big smile. She was attired in a dress that displayed more flesh than what was covered, and her perfume lingered heavy in the air.
“Hello, Ryder. I was going to take Talia out for a walk. You did give her permission to leave the building escorted twice a day.”
“Hmm. So I did.” Krystal was up to something, likely would be attempting to see Trevon Andrews. He narrowed his eyes. “Tell you what. Why don’t you let me escort her on this walk?”
Her eyes widened, and then annoyance flickered in her gaze. “Oh, but I already—”
“Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to assist Dillon in loading one of the cargo crafts for its upcoming departure. He’s over in sector ten.”
Krystal’s mouth tightened; her displeasure was obvious. “If that is what you wish.”
“Thank you, kid.” Ryder dropped a kiss on her forehead and then patted her shoulder, sending her on her way.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Control . He needed to be in absolute control when he walked into Talia’s room. He opened his eyes and typed in the code that would open the door.
The computer beeped its appreciation and then the door swung open. He stepped inside, glancing around the room. His blood began to pound when he didn’t immediately see her.
“Give me one moment, Krystal.” Her voice rang out from the bathing chamber. “I am attempting to comb my hair.”
The image of the red silky strands of hair had him crossing the room to the bathing chamber. He stepped into the doorway.
“Though it sounds absurd, I have never combed my own hair—” Her gaze lifted and caught his in the mirror. The brush in her hand fell with a loud thud to the counter, and the muscles in her throat worked as she swallowed hard. “I thought…Krystal was to escort me outside for a brief period.”
He took a deep breath, his chest feeling strangely tight. Gods, she was beautiful. Her hair was a long wave of fire against creamy skin. Her shoulders were bare and the top of her breasts swelled above the silky fabric of her dress. His gaze moved lower, to where the dress hugged a small waist before flaring over her hips and ending just above her knees. Shapely calves ended in a pair of laced leather sandals.
“Plans have changed.” His words came out hoarse. His jaw clenched as he stepped completely into the bathing chamber. So much for control.
Her eyes widened when he came right up behind her, closing in until there were just a few inches separating them.
He reached out and lifted a silken strand, rubbing its softness between two fingers. Pulling her hair off her neck, he settled it over one shoulder, baring the graceful curve of her neck to him.
Leaning down he pressed his lips against her nape, inhaling the smell of soap and woman. Her body trembled beneath his lips, and he watched as her hands gripped the edge of the counter.
Biting back a groan, he reached past her and picked up the brush off the counter.
“Why have you never combed your own hair?” He brought the brush to her scalp and pulled it through the strands.
“I was never allowed to. I had an assistant who did that for me.” She curled her fingers around his wrist and he met her gaze in the mirror again. “There is no need to do this for me, Ryder. I’m sure the process is quite simple.”
“It is not a chore but a pleasure for me,” he murmured, watching as each stroke made her hair more sleek and shiny.
She released his wrist, though obviously reluctantly, and allowed him to finish the task.
He continued to move the brush through her hair, waiting until the tension had eased from her body before asking, “Why will you not confess what you know about the Governing Council, Talia?”
Her shoulders slumped a bit and her gaze lowered. “Because your planet is full of barbaric heathens. You would attack us and would bring nothing but pain and misery to a planet that already suffers.”
Ryder frowned. How misguided she was, perhaps brainwashed from years of being under the Council’s influence. He set the brush onto the counter once more and gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him.
“You truly believe that?”
Her eyes flashed with defiance, and yet maybe also uncertainty. “Of course. I have heard the stories—”
“From whom, the Council?” He reached out to trace the throbbing pulse in her throat.
“Yes.” Another visible tremble traveled through her body and her next breath was ragged. “Please, Ryder. No…”
“No?” He cupped her cheek, running his thumb over the mouth that tantalized him.
“Do not take my body for your own pleasure again,” she whispered.
He ran his gaze over her once more. Her body had awakened in the past few minutes, her nipples were hard and outlined against the blue fabric of the dress.
“For my pleasure, princess?” He slid his thumb between her lips, until it became moist in her mouth. “Can you honestly say that you experienced no pleasure last night?”
He knew she’d been pleasured, even if she would deny it now. Their eyes locked, and he recognized the exact moment her expression changed from wariness to desire. She closed her eyes. Her only response was the tip of her tongue stroking against the pad of his thumb.
His cock hardened and a groan traveled up his throat. He had plans for her this morning. Plans to make her confess while keeping his desire for her under control. Perhaps there was a way to do both. Relax her and gain her trust.
“Seeing as you believe yourself not to have been pleasured last night…” His hands moved to her waist and he lifted her, ignoring her startled gasp as he set her on the counter. “I will remedy that this morning.”
He pushed her knees apart and stepped between her thighs, sliding his hand under her dress to stroke her cunt. She was smooth, hot, and already drenched with cream.
He slid two fingers between her labia, scissoring his fingers and opening her to him. The musky smell of her desire filled the room as her slick juices coated his fingers.
She gave a loud moan, but pressed her palms against his chest, her gaze searching his. “Ryder, this does not solve anything.”
“Does it not?” He licked his middle finger on his other hand and then brought it between her legs to rub against her clit.
“Oh…” Her eyes closed and her hips lifted off the counter.
“Do you want me to stop?” He rotated his finger against the kernel of swollen flesh.
She moaned again. Her hands ceased in pushing him away and instead clutched his shirt. “I hate you for this,” she choked out. “But I’ll hate you more if you stop.”
His blood pounded in triumph and he smiled, pushing two fingers into her humid cunt. Gods, she was so hot and wet. His cock pressed against the fastening of his trousers and he gritted his teeth. For her, this is for her .
He kept one finger on her clit, rubbing steadily while he began to slowly finger fuck her.
She leaned into him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he moved his fingers in and out of her hot cunt. He curled his fingers, rubbing against the sensitive spot inside her.
“Ryder.” She gasped and jerked his shirt, pulling his head down to hers.
He answered her plea and closed his mouth over her parted lips, thrusting his tongue into the sweet moist cavern. Her tongue moved against his almost hesitantly, as if kissing was a novelty for her.
He moved his fingers faster, deeper into her, mimicking the thrusting of his tongue in her mouth. Encouraged by her husky groans, he added pressure to her clit.
Her thighs tightened around him and she pulled her mouth from his to cry out. Cream surrounded his fingers as she climaxed and her nails nearly pierced his shirt as they clawed at his chest.
She closed her eyes, her breasts rising and falling with each rapid breath she took.
He pulled his fingers out of her channel and cupped her pussy, smoothing his thumb over the silky lips of her cunt.
“Are you ready to go for that walk?”
Her eyes opened and she blinked in confusion. “Walk? You don’t need to…?” Her gaze lowered to the crotch of his pants.
“You need not worry about me now.” He pulled her dress back down over her hips and then lifted her off the counter.
Her legs buckled and he slipped an arm around her waist to steady her.
“But I don’t understand. Do you not want—”
He brushed his mouth against hers, cutting off her prattle. She clutched his shoulders and made the sweetest little moan. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, before slipping it inside her mouth to rub against hers. His arms tightened around her, and he pulled her flush against him. Her full breasts crushed against his chest and his erection pressed into the softness of her belly.
He brushed his mouth over hers one more time, before he lifted his head.
“Yes, Talia, I want . However, the plan for the morning was to take you for a walk, and I have enough control that I will honor that.”
Her expression was a mixture of confusion and surprise, and his heart twisted a bit. Gods, the way she must have been treated on Zortou.
He smoothed her hair down her back and murmured, “Let us go outside and we will talk further.”
Talia stared at him, unsure what to make of this change in his behavior. It made no sense. He was a different man this morning. Realizing he was waiting for her to respond, she nodded. “Thank you.”
He held out his hand and she glanced down at it, before placing her palm in his. His long fingers curled around her hand and he turned, leading her toward the door.
They moved into the hallway and immediately encountered another man in uniform.
“Good morning, Daniels.” Ryder paused in his stride. “How is the baby today? Feeling any better?”
The man paused in his brisk stride, his mouth curving into a broad smile.
“Oh, she is good. Marie telemessaged me an hour ago and told me she was eating again. Thank you, sir.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Ryder nodded. “Have a good day and say hello to Marie.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Talia glanced up at Ryder. He had such familiarity with a soldier of lesser rank. Such kindness. Was it all a ruse?
They approached a series of glass doors, and he began to punch in the code. She stared outside at the strange trees and flowers—some form of a garden—and her chest tightened.
There was a series of beeps and then the doors swung open. Warm air brushed against her face and she gasped in the outside air, gripping Ryder’s hand tighter.
He glanced over at her, his brows drawn together as he led her the few steps that took her outside the building.
Her legs shook with each step they made. Oh gods. She was outside. Tears welled in her eyes and the bizarre urge to laugh caught in her throat.
She lifted her gaze to the sky. It was blue with fat white clouds in it. Her head shook as she glanced around. So different, so vastly different from Zortou.
“You appear overwhelmed, Talia. You have only been imprisoned for less than two days.”
Ryder’s words put everything into perspective. She lowered her gaze to the path they walked upon.
“I have been imprisoned since the day I was born.” She shouldn’t have said the words, but they’d been unstoppable on her tongue.
At his questioning glance, she continued. “I was allowed outside the Council’s headquarters once…when I was eight years of age.” She breathed in the fresh air, her diaphragm expanding as air filled her lungs. The smell of flowers was rich all around them. “And it was nothing like your planet.”
His grip on her hand tightened. “You were not allowed outside the building?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“Only that one time.” She hesitated. “The air was…not safe to breathe for long periods of time. When you looked up, the sky was not blue as it is here. It was dark, nearly black, and thick with pollution. They were not willing to risk any contamination to my body.”
“Yes. I’m aware of the environment your planet existed in. It was brought on by the current Council.”
“Yes.” She lowered her gaze.
“So you understand why they would want to attack Belton?” he asked. “To take over our home?”
Guilt clawed in her gut and she bit her lip. “But you are—”
“Barbaric heathens? So you’ve said, Talia.” He stopped and turned her to face him, cupping her chin and tilting her head until she met his gaze. “Are you so sure?”
The intensity of his gaze rendered her speechless. No, she wasn’t sure. She didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t anymore.
“Do not answer that yet.” He released her and again took her hand. “Come, let us walk.”
They continued along the path. It wound through green hills that were covered with flowers and trees of all varieties. She could not stop breathing in appreciative gasps of the crisp air.
Soon they moved down a hill that led into a small park. Talia stumbled, her mouth parting in surprise.
Children rode a good fifty feet in the air on some kind of flying bicycle, while their mothers watched from the ground and chatted with each other.
“There are children here,” Talia murmured in disbelief, her eyes wide as she drank in the sight. “I have not seen a child since…My generation was the last of the children on Zortou. There will be no more.”
Ryder glanced down at her, his expression dark and unreadable. “You are not able to have children?”
She gave a small shrug, though her stomach rolled. “I am able, I suppose, but a Rosabelle is kept on a strict injection schedule that would prevent us from being impregnated.”
His eyes narrowed. “And why is that?”
“When they realized that women had ceased birthing girl babies, it became a problem. Already there were just a handful of women and numerous men.” Her throat tightened.
She’d known for quite some time she would never be a mother, had eventually buried the heartache deep within her. Her glance locked again on the mothers at the play area and her lips trembled. To see what could have been made that wall around the pain crack just a bit.
Her voice wavered. “They began giving the injections to ward off pregnancies until they discover why men have stopped generating the X chromosome.”
“Interesting.”
His tone was so curt she glanced at him again and found his mouth drawn tight, his chest expanding slowly as he took deep breaths.
He did not seem pleased by her words. Uncertainty flicked through her. “Have I angered you?”
“No. You have not. Your words are disturbing, but you just relay the truth. A truth you hold no responsibility over.”
She nodded. He blamed the Council. But then who else could he blame? They were after all the ones who had created and enforced the law.
“Come, there is more I’d like to show you.” He switched topics and started them walking on the trail again.
The sound of water reached her ears and she looked around, her pulse increasing. Were they near a river? Or a lake?
They rounded a corner and a vast sea of sparkling blue water lay upon the horizon.
“Oh…” She sighed and pressed a hand to her heart. “It is beautiful.”
Her gaze moved over the people who appeared to be literally walking over the water. Her brows drew together and she glanced up at Ryder who was watching her.
“How do they—”
“There is a raised foot path that is invisible to the naked eye. It hovers just under the water, so when crossing the lake a person is advised to remove any covering on their feet.” He smiled. “Would you like to try it?”
Sweat gathered on the back of her neck as she stared at the lake. Could she do it? She’d never been on a body of water—not in a boat, and definitely not walking across it like she was some higher deity.
“Yes, you’d like to,” he encouraged, then sank down at her feet and began to unfasten her sandals.
His touch on her foot was gentle, sending heat licking up from her ankles to her womb. He stood up, the straps of her sandals slung over one finger.
“Come, you will enjoy it, I promise.”
Excitement pulsed through her blood and she followed him the last few steps to the lake. He toed off his own shoes and held them in his free hand.
He stepped into the lake and then glanced back to make sure she followed. The path was only wide enough for them to go one at a time.
She offered a brief smile and then stepped into the water. The platform beneath her feet had a gel, plastic-type feel that dipped under the water level with her weight.
The water was borderline cold as it sluiced up and around her ankles. Her pulse jumped as she took another hesitant step and the path moved a bit lower. Surely the path would sink under the water.
Ryder called over his shoulder. “How are you doing?”
The lake water was refreshing against her skin, the rush from doing something so new, exhilarating. “I’m wonderful. I’m terrified.” She laughed and took another step. “I cannot believe I’m doing this.”
His laughter was loud and amused. “It will not sink. I promise you, princess. Just make sure you do not step off the path, because you may not fare as well.”
They had to be thirty feet out into the lake now and she lifted her gaze to glance around. There were other paths that crossed through the lake that people strolled upon.
Off the path there were couples that sat in antique-looking wooden boats. One boat held an elderly couple who sat next to each other, holding hands as another man rowed.
The man leaned over and kissed the woman, and Talia’s heart twisted with bittersweet longing. What kind of love endured through so many years?
“Watch the corner.”
His words reached her a little too late. She jerked her gaze back to the path just after she missed the curve. She lost her footing, her right foot overshooting the path and sinking into the lake.
She waved her arms, trying to regain her balance, but already had tumbled off the path.
“Ryd—”
Her words cut off into a gurgle as she went under. She flailed her limbs, trying to reach the surface as the cool lake sucked at her.
Strong hands gripped her arm, dragging her to the surface and out of the lake.
Ryder’s worried glance came into focus. “Gods, Talia, what part of ‘watch the corner’ didn’t you understand?”
Her lips shook and she clung to him as he lifted her into his arms. Surely he wouldn’t try and carry her. Would he not drop her?
“I apologize.” She coughed more water out of her lungs and pulled at her saturated dress. “I allowed myself to become distracted and lost my footing.”
“So it would appear. You worried me, princess. Are you all right?”
He adjusted her in his arms, and his hand slid up her rib cage, brushing the side of her breast. Her nipple, already hard from the cold water, tightened further.
“Yes. Just…cold.” Her lips trembled. “I am a fool.”
“You’re not a fool, you’re clumsy,” he teased with a laugh and veered off on a new path. The new path led them toward the opposite shore of the lake where a heavy thicket of trees lay.
They moved out of the lake and moved deeper into the brush; she glanced around trying to figure out where they were, seeing as they were not at the original starting point.
He moved them deeper into the woods and then set her down on her feet. He reached for the hem of her dress and she swatted at his hand in dismay.
“What are you doing?”
“You need to remove the dress, Talia. It’s soaked through to your skin and the weather is growing cooler.”
“Yes, but I will be naked.”
“And your point would be?” He lifted an eyebrow and pulled the dress up and over her body. His gaze dropped to her breasts and he issued a strangled groan. “You can wear my overcoat on the way back when we leave within the hour.”
Her eyes widened. “Within the hour? What are we doing before then? I am near shaking I’m so cold.”
He gave a husky laugh. “Worry not, Talia, I will warm you.”