The annoyance in his heart grew. “Just do what you came for and leave.”
She pouted. “You don’t want me here, do you?”
“You were the one who wanted us to stay away from each other once the bond was in place.” Saying those words was more difficult than he’d expected, his voice had cracked a little. He hid a wince.
She cleared her throat. “Right. Remove your shirt. I’ll scan you.”
He obeyed without thinking. Anything to have her hands on him.
Faye studied his chest, and Silver didn’t miss how her eyes widened. The silent gasp that left her lips filled him with a tiny pinch of hope.
She did find him attractive after all.
She took a nervous step closer and placed the cold scanner against his chest.
He flinched but didn’t move. Instead, he held his eyes on her, trying to read her.
What did she really want? Was there any real interest for him?
She’d said she wanted to take care of him, that she was worried about him, or had it been a lie?
He sighed.
Was he reading too much into this?
Being in love with her and hating her at the same time was a bad combination. He wanted her to get lost, but he also wanted to hold her forever.
Faye yawned, and his attention was instantly on her again.
“You’re tired.”
She nodded as she waited for the scanner to show its results. She fixed her torn T-shirt with her free hand, but it did nothing. The material only fell back open, as it had been. “I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day.”
“It has.” His voice was low.
Silver’s blood had boiled when he’d stumbled upon Edge trying to rape Faye. He’d left after the binding to set his thoughts straight. It’d been an intense binding after all, but when he’d seen his bound one in danger, he’d completely lost it.
He’d never expected such rage coming over him. He’d never felt anything like it when he’d been bound to Claire.
Slowly, Silver raised his hand toward her face. It trembled, and hesitation ruled him.
Faye blinked, and watched him with wide eyes. She didn’t move, and her lips were tense.
Did she want him to touch her?
The longing and desire to do it was almost overwhelming. It could’ve been something beautiful. It could’ve been something amazing, but it was painful instead, because she didn’t feel the same thing he did. She probably never would.
Once the third and final flash had happened, his feelings for her had exploded like fireworks in his chest.
Silver had gone from finding her annoying but cute to the most beautiful woman in the whole world.
There was so much he wanted to tell her, but she didn’t deserve to hear it. Not yet, and maybe never.
He had no idea how things would end between them, but one thing was for sure.
There could be no happy ending.
The scanner beeped.
Resignation filled him, and Silver lowered his hand.
She blinked again, and frowned.
Was that disappointment?
Faye’s eyes moved as she read the information, then she relaxed. “You’re fine. Nothing broken, but you’ll be bruised for sure.” She removed the scanner.
“You’ve learned fast how to use the scanner.”
She grinned. “I’m a fast learning. I understand the basics now.”
He smiled back. “I would’ve never guessed.”
She shrugged. “Just because I’m impulsive, and speak before I think, doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”
His gaze returned to her torn shirt. “Take it off.”
She winced. “What?”
Silver pulled a T-shirt from his wardrobe and threw it her way.
Faye caught it. Disbelief shone in her eyes and she stood frozen.
He frowned.
She couldn’t possibly be shy after what they’d done in the infirmary earlier?
He cursed when she didn’t move and was about to turn around to give her privacy when she placed the scanner on his bed and took off the ruined shirt.
Naked and smooth skin greeted his gaze. Silver’s chin dropped, and his heart skipped a beat.
She didn’t have a bra on!
How hadn’t he noticed that before?
Her T-shirt had been torn after all.
Damn, Faye had a body to die for, with her slim waist, wide hips, and full breasts. His palms itched for a touch, a caress. He wanted to know what they’d feel like in his big hands.
“Interested?” Her lips twitched.
She didn’t even seem in a hurry to put the damn T-shirt on. She just stood there with it in her fingertips, smiling at him!
Anger surged. “Stop teasing me.” His chest clenched when she moved closer.
“Or what?”
“Or I might accept your offer.” He clenched his fists.
Did she understand what she was doing to him? Did she understand how she made him feel? That she confused him?
Faye had clearly stated they should keep their distance once the bond was in place, and yet, here she was, trying to seduce him.
Everything within him screamed to give in. Silver wanted nothing more but to wrap her in his arms and kiss those sweet lips of hers. Everything about her excited him. Everything about her made him want to sacrifice his whole life for her.
He barely even knew her …
Silver cursed.
If Carolyn Williams hadn’t been dead, he would’ve killed her! He’d never forgive that woman for coming up with something so vicious as the bond.
The temptation was almost overwhelming. He couldn’t hold back, and as if in trance, he reached for her.
Faye yawned and swayed on her legs.
Silver froze.
His bound one was tired.
From one second to another, his need changed. It went from wanting to take her hard and fast against the wall to take care of her.
Her needs came first.
Always.
Right now, her need was to rest.
Silver sighed and took the shirt from her, pulling it over her head. “Arms.”
Faye gave him a surprised look, but obeyed, and allowed him to put the T-shirt on her.
“You’re tired. You should get some sleep.” The desire in his body slowly subsided for the desire to tuck her in.
“But—”
“No buts.” Silver pulled away the cover from his bed and lifted her in his arms.
She squeaked. “What’re you doing?” She had no other choice but to wrap her arms around his neck.
It felt so damn good to feel her arms against him. It made him want to moan from pleasure, but he held it in. “I’m tucking you in.”
“Why? I thought—”
“Because you need to sleep.” Silver interrupted her again.
What she wanted to say wasn’t a mystery, but her words would’ve hurt him more than she could ever imagine.
Seducing him and giving him her body would only work for a few moments, but deep down, a wound would open.
A wound that would never heal.
It was her he needed. Her presence, her understanding.
Her love.
Faye wouldn’t, no, couldn’t give him that.
Her body came in second, and why was she offering in the first place? What could possibly be going through her mind after wanting nothing to do with him?
Silver placed her on the bed and covered her. “Now sleep.”
She blinked. “I should be taking care of you, and not the other way around. You still look like a mess with blood on your face and your hair needs a brush.”
He bit his lip. Hearing her say she should take care of him made him almost give in. He wanted that. Wanted to rest in her arms and enjoy the pleasure of her touch. It would calm him.
It would shut the hole in his chest.
There was nothing worse for a cyborg but a bound one who didn’t fully love him. Faye didn’t hav
e any feelings for him except the feeling of responsibility, and it slowly killed him on the inside.
Silver cursed for the hundredth time. How he hated the bond!
Hopefully, Nightmare and the others would find an answer fast. He wanted nothing more but to be free from it.
At least then, he wouldn’t die with Faye if something happened to her. His feelings for her would remain, but at least, he’d be safe, and it would be easier to move on.
“I’ll clean up soon,” he said. “Rest. You need it.” He turned to leave.
Faye grabbed his arm. “Don’t go.”
Silver sat on the bed and held her hand. “As you wish.”
She frowned.
Damn. He’d acted before thinking.
She flashed a fragile smile. “It’s the bond, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “Yes.” He placed her hand against his cheek. Couldn’t resist it anymore. He needed her nearness. “It makes me love you beyond your imagination.” His voice was barely a whisper.
“But you’re fighting it.”
“Of course. I don’t want this, and neither do you.”
Faye pursed her lips, flattening the color from them.
There was something in her eyes he couldn’t place. Was it sadness? Or what it just pity?
For a split-second, Silver expected her to argue about it. For some reason, he almost missed the feistiness she usually displayed, but today, she was different.
The experience with Edge had probably left a scar on her, but there was something else there as well. Something new.
Faye looked at him in a different way now. It was almost as if there was a hint of maturity there.
Somehow, he liked it.
CHAPTER 13
Silver watched Faye sleep in his bed. She’d been out in a matter of minutes. The poor thing had been completely exhausted. She held his hand in hers, and he enjoyed the heat of her skin, unable to let go.
Thousand thoughts crossed his mind as he listened to her gentle breathing. He wanted to give in to the bond, wanted to let it take him over completely, but there was no happiness on the other side.
Faye would never welcome him into her heart.
Despite all that, he didn’t want to leave, but he had to talk to Nightmare.
Silver cleaned himself up and changed clothes. It felt better to wear something fresh on after the fight with Edge.
He left his room as silently as possible to not awaken his bound one. She needed her sleep. Maybe one day he’d be allowed to sleep by her side, but he doubted. Why she’d allowed him to tuck her in was a mystery, but maybe she’d been too tired to argue.
Silver headed for the infirmary, hoping the Fighters’ leader would be there. His body ached even more now than it had just after the fight. It wasn’t a surprise. Although, he healed faster than a human, he still had to go through all the pain.
He opened the doors to the infirmary and scanned the area. Nightmare was there, but he wasn’t alone. Celise and Wind were there. Even Heaven, Phoenix, Blaze, and Sense were gathered.
Everyone was spread out, either sitting or standing, and all their gazes landed on him as he entered.
Celise approached him, looking him over. “Are you all right?”
He snorted. The doctor in her would never let her stop. “I’m bruised, but fine.”
She pulled out a syringe. “I can give you this. It’ll take away the pain for a few hours.”
Silver studied her, surprised she cared that much. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”
Celise shook her head. “I’m not afraid of any of you. Everything Nightmare has shown me is true, and even if the bond is necessary for you now, I will help you out of it once we know how … if that’s what you want.”
He clenched his jaw. Was that what he wanted? He glanced at Wind before returning to her. “Is that what you want?”
“Wind and I have decided to not break the bond.”
Wind crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not leaving Celise. Besides, breaking the bond will probably be painful, and I’ve had enough of that. I will die with her when the day comes.”
Silver inhaled and clenched his fists.
It’d be painful.
That much he’d figured out. The feelings were real, after all.
“No one really knows what will happen,” Blaze said. “Someone will have to be the guinea pig. It might as well be painless.”
Hope awakened within him. “You mean the feelings will go away?”
Hesitation lingered in the cyborg medic’s red-shining eyes. “Honestly, I’ve no idea.”
Silver sighed. No one had a clue about anything. “Give me the shot.” He bit down when Celise injected him with the clear fluid. “Where’s Edge?”
The human doctor applied a band-aid on his arm.
“He’s locked up,” Nightmare answered. “And he won’t be coming out any time soon. I expected something like this to happen sooner or later. I just never thought Edge would be the one.”
“It’s not safe here for the women,” Phoenix said. “Of all the Fighters, we, who are gathered here, are the most stable. The others stay away because they don’t trust themselves.”
“At least they’re smart enough to do that,” Sense said, “but if Faye and Celise are to stay here, they’ll need protection.”
Celise looked over everyone before she spoke. “We’re not staying. At least not today. We have work to do.”
Silver frowned. “What’re you talking about?”
Nightmare’s eyes lit up and a slow grin spread across his lips. “Celise thinks we can create the first female cyborg with the program Alexander Fleming gave me many years ago. It’s complete.”
Silver dropped his mouth open and stared at the Fighters’ leader. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve examined it,” the doctor said, “and I think it’s worth a shot. According to the information we have, the answer to the bond is in the female cyborg program. I didn’t find anything that stood out, but there were indications that the answer might lie in its active form. If we find the answer there, we can finish Alexander Fleming’s algorithm, and use it to remove the bond for good.”
He swallowed, and his heart started to speed up—with hope. “You mean that she needs to be alive and active?”
Celise smiled. “It might be a hidden signal that’s only visible when the female cyborg is active.”
He bit his lip and tried to control his excitement. Hoping too much at this point would do him no good, but he needed to know more. “And how exactly do you plan to do this?”
“We don’t have the equipment to create a cyborg, but I know where to find it.”
Silver almost jumped out of his skin. “You’re not making this up, are you?” He looked around and saw echoing excitement in everybody’s expressions.
The only one who wasn’t showing any emotion was Heaven. The blond cyborg’s emotions were shut off. They’d been damaged after his bound one had died, and he’d shut them off himself to prevent any more pain. It was all logic with him. He was here because his logic told him Celise was onto something.
Heaven’s eyes betrayed nothing. They shone just like every cyborg’s eyes, but they were dead, staring right in front of him, only listening to what everybody was saying.
“No, I’m not,” the doctor ensured him. “I really do know where to find it, but we need to go to Glaswell first. There, we must meet up with Jade. She has the access codes we need for the facility.”
“Can you tell us more about it?” Nightmare asked.
“MedAct refuses to store important equipment in the main building. It isn’t one of the safest places, since you try to take it down from time to time. Instead, they store everything in a facility hidden deep inside a forest about one hour from here. I’ve been there a few times, so I know the area.”
Wind gasped, and he grabbed Celise’s arm. “If you’re thinking what I think you are, don’t even think about it. You’re not going.” His eyes were wide, an
d fear lingered in them.
She appeared to squeeze his wrist. “I need to be there. Without me, the codes will be worthless. Only a MedAct doctor can enter.”
Silver crossed his arms. “And how exactly are you planning to smuggle us in?”
“The place is run by an Artificial Intelligence. There’re no guards, and if the codes are entered, the AI will trust the doctor who enters along with her team.”
He frowned, studying her. “Sounds too easy.”
Nightmare moved away from the corner, approaching the doctor and her cyborg. “We’ll look into every possible thing that can go wrong, but the first thing we need to do is get those codes.”
Silver ran his fingers through his hair. “I guess that means I’m going to Glaswell.”
He remembered a talk with his leader while he’d still been chained, and the last thing he’d wanted was to follow Faye to that forsaken place.
He’d promised himself he’d never set foot there again after Claire’s death. It was a place filled with wonderful memories, but also a place filled with sorrow. He didn’t want to go back.
Nightmare nodded. “You know what you have to do once you get there.”
Silver nodded back. “I do, but I doubt Hunter will be interested in coming back.”
“We won’t know unless you’ll ask.”
“Hunter?” Celise asked.
“He was with us at the abandoned house when we tried to remove Shade’s bond,” the rogue leader said. “He got caught by MedAct, and chose to bind himself to a woman.”
A deafening silence filled the room, and the sadness in Celise’s eyes made him twitch.
Was she really feeling sorry for Hunter?
“Hunter deleted all his data about us,” Nightmare said, “but it can be brought back if he chooses to. He was one of my best men, and he’s needed if we’re going to pull this off. We need an inside man. I’m hoping MedAct will accept Silver, but I have my doubts. Hunter, on the other hand—”
The doctor nodded. “I understand. Did he … bind himself to a good woman?”
Nightmare nodded. “They knew each other from before.”
“What about Shade?” Blaze asked. “Wind said he’d tell him, but to my understanding, he still doesn’t know.”
Silver didn’t miss the uneasy gaze in his leader’s eyes, and he himself, felt a sting of discomfort. Yes, Shade deserved to know, but at the same time, he could betray them all, and he wouldn’t be surprised if he did.
Kissed Cyborg (Bound by Her Book 3) Page 8