The first half of the drive home was unpleasant. Not for the experience itself, since Miles was programmed to be the perfect motorist. It was due to Alexia mentally kicking her own ass. How could she be so stupid? Miles had never harmed her in any way. She’d simply been taken by surprise, and Alexia couldn’t even blame that part on Miles. It was fear of her reaction to him. He was a machine. A giant walking, talking vibrator. Women didn’t have feelings for their nightstand filled with naughty toys. She shouldn’t care about Miles any more than she did her car. Her vehicle was a necessary tool that belonged to her. It would piss her off if someone stole it. That was all, except Miles wasn’t an “it,” not to her. She was such an idiot.
“You are sad,” Miles said, breaking into her inner berating. “I will fix you.”
In spite of herself, she giggled. “How do you intend to ‘fix’ me?” She even did the quotey fingers as she asked the question to emphasize her point.
“You laughed. Therefore, I have already done so.” His eyes never left the road, nor did his expression change. However, Alexia got the impression he was playing with her. She tested the theory. “You couldn’t have known I would. Therefore, you must’ve had an initial plan.”
“There were two possible contingencies,” he admitted.
“I’m waiting with bated breath.” She held her breath in case he meant to stall her by pointing out her vitals showed no such thing.
“Option one consists of joke telling.”
“I like this. Let’s hear it then.”
“There once was a man from Nantucket.”
Reaching over, she covered his mouth with her hand, roaring with laughter. His lips touched her palm, lingering. The sound died in her throat. Even though she didn’t want to, she moved away. The silence was too loud.
“What was your second option?”
He glanced away from the road, meeting her gaze. “To bury myself inside you until you possessed not a single thought, much less unhappiness.” A horn blared. He didn’t look away from her as he easily maneuvered around traffic. Her heart raced, panties dampening. “See. I have fixed you.”
Yes. He had.
Chapter Three
She wore a simple summer dress. It ended at her knees. Since she hadn’t wanted to do this to begin with, Alexia wasn’t happy when he asked her to wear it. She’d done it, for him. Miles hoped her sexy legs would keep Lucas sidetracked from whatever he had planned. Of course, he hadn’t factored in how much it would distract him as well. That was how they ended up with his hips cradling her ass while Alexia rode the palm of his hand and the doctor rapped his knuckles against the front door. Incapable of leaving her dissatisfied, Miles snagged her hair, tugging her head back. He swallowed her cries of pleasure, stroking his tongue along hers as he teased her into completion. The moment her final tremor passed, he shoved her inside the bathroom.
“I will keep him entertained while you fix your clothing.” Closing the door on her dazed expression, Miles marched toward the incessant banging, untucking his t-shirt as he went. He’d worn his field clothes again. It had a dual purpose. The outfit would remind Dr. Khan of Miles’ position and keep his weapons concealed. Of course, they did nothing to hide his erection.
Keeping his expression blank, Miles didn’t bother apologizing as he invited the doctor in. “Alexia is still getting dressed. I have already set the table.” Showing the man his back, Miles strode away.
“Good evening to you as well, Miles,” Lucas said dryly as he followed him to the dining room.
Deliberately, Miles kept his movements as mechanically timed as possible. He turned his head, making sure to keep his voice flat as he spoke. “It is a good evening, but I do not recall saying as much.”
“It was a joke,” Lucas said on a laugh. “I was…” He paused, waving away further explanation. “Never mind.”
Yeah. Miles knew what he was doing, but it was more fun to pretend as if smartass comments didn’t compute. He pulled out Lucas’ chair. “Alexia will be with you shortly. Please sit and I will pour you a drink while you wait.”
With a sigh, Lucas did as Miles instructed. Miles chose Alexia’s least favorite wine. There wasn’t any sense in wasting the good stuff. After filling the doctor’s glass, he fixed one for Alexia as well. He intentionally held his tongue, hoping to make the man as uncomfortable as possible. While most people categorized bots on the same level they did laptops, Dr. Khan’s job would make such a thing impossible. He—more than anyone—knew exactly what androids were capable of doing.
“I must check on your food.” Without waiting for a response, he left Lucas alone. The moment he entered the kitchen, he set to work. “Bring up security camera two,” Miles said under his breath. A live feed of the dining room appeared inside his left retina. “Begin recording.” Upon his order, a red circle popped up in the corner of the video footage. Miles watched as Lucas made a quick scan of the room before dropping something in Alexia’s drink. Lifting her glass, he swirled the liquid around, ensuring whatever he’d placed inside dissolved. He almost wasn’t quick enough. The moment his ass hit the seat, Alexia appeared, claiming her chair. Miles rushed to the dining room. He made it just in time to snatch the glass from her hand.
Her eyebrows hit her hairline, showing her surprise. He kept his expression carefully blank as he swapped her drink for the one in front of Lucas. “My apologies. Alexia always drinks from the crystal with eleven flowers etched on the side. This one only has ten.”
Lucas’ jaw dropped. It took every ounce of Miles’ self-control to keep from laughing. The doctor visibly floundered for an excuse not to drink his own drugs while Alexia lifted the glass to inspect the design. “That’s so funny, Miles. I’ve never paid any attention to how many flowers are on each flute.”
“I notice everything,” he said. Switching his gaze to Lucas, he held the man’s stare for a moment, hoping he understood the statement was meant for him as well. “I will bring your first course.” Walking away, Miles kept one eye locked on the doctor’s every action through the cameras placed strategically throughout the apartment. Back inside the kitchen, he moved quickly. He didn’t want to give Lucas an opening to harm Alexia. His hands hovered at the edge of their plates when an idea struck. A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Digging in the back of the cabinet, Miles found an ancient bottle of novelty hot sauce. It was strong enough to take a coat of paint from the walls. He doused Lucas’ chicken with the sauce. Flipping the meat over, he ensured every drop of the red liquid was hidden from view before carrying it out to Lucas.
The moment the food was on the table, Alexia smiled up at him. “Please sit with us.”
He chose the seat closest to her. Even though he knew she didn’t like it when he hovered over her while she was eating, he wanted to be within reaching distance of her when Lucas made his move. He would. It was only a matter of time.
“I must admit, Miles, I find your choice in dinner attire a bit unnerving. This is your home. You should relax.”
“My first objective is to protect, then serve. Relaxation is not an option.”
Alexia drew a breath as if she meant to interject. He bumped her foot with his until she set hers on top of his boot. It was an odd show of intimacy, but that was how it felt. She stayed quiet. Something shifted inside his chest. Their secret contact beneath the table said more than Alexia realized. They were connected. Somewhere in her heart, she knew the truth. She felt him, and they were a team united against a common enemy.
“Your brain waves suggest you are distracted.” Even though no one else could hear the voice ringing in his ear, it did the job of dragging his mind back on track. Alexia sipped her wine as Lucas took his first bite. Miles focused on Alexia to keep from watching the man’s every move, giving himself away.
Her eyes shined brightly from her earlier orgasm. A hint of blush still lingered on her skin. Neither of them said a word. There wasn’t a need. A knowing smile touched her lips and she hid it behind he
r glass. Lucas coughed. Her expression shifted, showing her concern. Miles was fascinated by every nuance. Of course, unlike her, he already knew why the man was choking.
“Cyborg One. This woman gave you a name and a home. Pull your head out of your ass and pay attention to your surroundings.” With an inner sigh, he tore his gaze away from Alexia as his second in command instructed.
“Oh my gosh, Lucas. Are you okay?”
The funniest thing about the scene for Miles was Alexia’s chemical reaction. It didn’t match the concern in her voice. She was merely irritated. Lucas coughed into his napkin.
“I’m fine.” It sounded as if he’d been chewing on tacks. He cleared his throat. “The chicken is a bit spicy.”
“Really?” Alexia’s disbelief couldn’t have been more evident. She cut into her food and took a bite. Her brow furrowed as she chewed. “It tastes fine to me.” Lucas eyed his plate carefully. Endorphins flooded the man’s system, rushing to lessen the pain. No doubt, it felt similar to having a cheese grater run along his tongue and throat. A muscle flexed in his jaw, signaling his determination not to let a woman best him. He scooped up a bigger piece. It took every ounce of Miles’ willpower not to lean closer to watch the show. This was going to be good.
“You are enjoying this a bit too much.” Yes. He was, but he couldn’t respond to his second without giving himself away. Lucas’ face became an unnatural shade of red as he attempted to swallow the food in his mouth. He tugged at his collar, snatching up his glass. He set it down again, obviously remembering that wasn’t an option. He gagged.
Alexia huffed. Her dislike of the man peeked through her civil mask. “Really now, Dr. Khan. You’re being rude. Miles worked hard to prepare this meal.” Lucas’ gaze locked on him. As if something clicked inside his mind, his eyes lit.
“You,” he rasped, pointing toward his glass, then Alexia’s. “You,” he repeated.
“Your readings indicate you are distressed. I must insist you take a drink before you hyperventilate, Dr. Khan.”
Alexia nodded. “Yes, Lucas. Miles is right. If your mouth is burning, take a drink. For goodness sake,” she said, tossing her napkin on the table. “I’ll get you some milk. That’s supposed to counteract spices, right?” Miles set his hand on her arm, stopping her. Even though she was obviously confused, she obeyed. Settling back in her seat, Alexia glanced between them, as if attempting to figure out what she was missing. After a moment, her brow cleared, and she focused on Miles. “Did you do something to his food?”
There was a note in her voice he’d never heard before. He blinked, attempting to wipe away the data blazing across his line of sight. She was hurt and disappointed, but not surprised. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she’d been expecting him to do something worse than disobeying her orders. The pain the knowledge caused caught him off guard. Chatter from his second filled his ears, but he couldn’t absorb it. Only Alexia’s gasp, as Lucas shot to his feet, managed to snap him out of the mental misfire. As he circled the table, a gun appeared in Lucas’ hand. He kept it trained on Alexia. She stared at it, seemingly transfixed, as if unable to believe what her eyes were showing her.
The doctor snatched up her wineglass with his free hand, guzzling the contents. Miles watched for his chance, calculating the odds of being able to get between Alexia and the gun before Lucas could pull the trigger. He didn’t like the numbers. With the wine consumed, Lucas tossed the glass aside. It shattered against the wall, causing Alexia to jump. This time, when the doctor spoke, his voice was twice as hoarse as it had been before.
“All you had to do was take a drink. You would’ve gone to sleep. It wouldn’t have hurt at all, but no.” He drug out the word as if Alexia was a child who’d misbehaved.
“You put something in my drink,” Alexia said, sounding numb. Lucas was beyond listening to anyone. Now that he’d revealed himself, he was unstable. It made him even more dangerous.
“You would’ve gone to sleep,” he repeated. “Of course, Miles would have to be destroyed. We can’t have a rogue android on the loose, but you’d be dead, so it wouldn’t hurt. You did admit he was able to override your commands. You’re having dinner with another man. No one will be surprised that he felt if he couldn’t have you, then no one will.” Lucas’ eyes had taken on a crazed glint. He was half-convinced his words were true.
“People won’t believe that, Lucas.” Miles was surprised at how calm Alexia seemed to be. Her vitals were amazingly steady. “Androids don’t have fits of jealousy. That’s a human reaction.” While Alexia held Dr. Khan’s attention, Miles transferred his weight to his feet, poising to strike.
“His programming is sophisticated. He is inoperative,” Lucas argued. “Once they test my food, it will show it’s been tampered with, giving truth to my story.”
Alexia growled, showing her aggravation. “Automated devices don’t show pettiness. Computer programs aren’t capable of such reactions.” As the words left her lips, Lucas’ gaze shifted to Miles. He knew the exact moment that the doctor recognized the truth.
“It’s not possible,” he muttered more to himself. “You’re…”
Miles cut him off. “Dr. Lucas Khan, you’ve officially been found guilty of treason. How do you plead?”
He laughed. “Not guilty, of course. It’s my word against yours. Who do you honestly think they’ll believe—an abomination or a respected scientist?”
Even though there was quite a bit of prejudice against his kind, a smirk pulled at Miles’ lips. “The abomination, of course. You’ve been under surveillance and every word you’ve said has been recorded since the moment you walked through the door.” Miles registered the man’s intent a split second before the world exploded. The walls shook and smoke filled the room. Miles sprang from his seat, knocking Alexia to the floor and covering her with his body. He felt the bullet lodge in his flesh before he heard the gunfire. Two more shots rang out. He kept his gaze locked on Alexia’s face. She was going into shock. Silently, he willed her to breathe. He quickly scanned the room, finding the doctor’s vitals had voided. Alexia would be okay, but having his massive weight pinning her to the floor couldn’t be making it any easier to catch her breath.
“Do you think you guys could have moved any slower?”
“Sorry, sir. We hoped for a confession or, at the very least, more information about whom was signing his paycheck.” Hands tugged him to his feet before helping Alexia stand. She didn’t make a sound. It was obvious she wasn’t going to make it much longer. Glancing around, he took note of Lucas’ body staining Alexia’s carpet.
“Let’s get this piece of shit out of here,” he called. Alexia needed him.
A team of men filled the room. Each member matched Miles in height and demeanor. However, the biggest similarity they each shared was their eyes. Every single one of them possessed the same glowing yellow gaze. Miles began barking orders. In her shock, she couldn’t hear a word he said. Her stomach churned. A loud pulse beat inside her ears. As if proving he wasn’t missing a thing, Miles swung around in her direction a half a second before the floor swayed beneath her feet.
It seemed as if one moment she’d been watching Miles rush toward her and the next she was staring at the ceiling inside her bedroom, wondering how she came to be there. Searching the room with her gaze, she caught sight of Miles’ muscular back. A girl could wake up to worse things. The entire night’s events slammed into her as she spotted the white bandage two inches from his spine. Blood seeped through it. That wasn’t right. She sat up and Miles turned away from the window.
“I was overseeing your vitals.”
She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “You were staring at me again, weren’t you?”
He snorted. It was such a human reaction. She kicked the comforter away. Her bedroom felt foreign to her for some reason. Nothing seemed real any longer. A man she’d worked with for years had tried to kill her and it appeared as if she was the only person who didn’t understand why.
Miles watched her silently, as if awaiting his fate. It was ridiculous that she should need to ask. She held his gaze until he sighed.
“As you know, six months ago, the U.S. government received intel indicating that your team had been targeted by terrorists.”
She made an impatient gesture. “Yeah. Yeah. We were threatened and each assignment had a guard. You came to live with me. I know all this. What I want to hear is the part I don’t know.”
Miles nodded, looking thoughtful. “Okay,” he agreed. “None of that is true. For the past six months, your team has been under investigation.”
“What?”
He ignored her question. “In the past year, there have several suspicious deaths of high- and low-level officials. In each case, the only possible suspect was the victim’s personal android.” A sick feeling began in the pit of her stomach. “After further investigation, we discovered each droid had been serviced at your office less than a week before each murder. Your company was the only common factor in each case.” Her hands clenched. She wanted him to stop speaking, but she needed to know. “At first, we suspected your team’s orders were somehow being modified to insert secret assassination codes into the bot’s programming.” She was going to be sick. Obviously, reading her distress, he rushed to reassure her. “Don’t worry. Every one of your paintings have been free of such things.” Her heart rate slowed. “However,” he added. “Not all of your colleagues can say the same.”
Her chest hurt. The people he discussed were her friends. “They’ll be devastated.”
Miles next words ripped away her sympathy. “Only because we’ll be seizing the funds they received in exchange for their work.”
“What?”
His nod confirmed her worst fears. “They were on the take. We are certain Dr. Khan sized up each member of the group, approaching those he believed shared his weak character.” A tiny smile touched his lips. “You are anything but weak.”
What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 3) Page 152