“I’ll see what I can do.” He leaned against my desk, not risking sitting on the tiny chair made for a Human. He lifted the photo. “Is this your family?”
“Yes.” I grabbed the photo from him and placed it carefully back on the desk. “Don’t touch that, please.”
He hummed quietly. “They’re dead?”
“All of them,” I confirmed. I placed my water bottle down and stepped back to get a better view of his pretty face. “Now, why are you here? And how did you know where my apartment was?”
“I already said I have news.” His lavish lips twitched. “And you gave me your apartment’s number. It wasn’t hard to find from that.”
If he had contacts in the Intra, it wasn’t hard.
So he was connected. Good to know.
And not surprising in the least.
I waved a hand, impatient to hear the rest. “So what is the news you have to share?”
He grinned, showing me all of his straight teeth. “My night man didn’t see anything.”
I averted my gaze over his shoulder and stared blindly at the white wall behind him. “You came all the way here to tell me that you don’t have shit for leads?”
“Pretty much.” He shifted away from my desk and pointed at my bathroom. “And I need to use your WD.”
My eyes widened at the stupidity of his excuses. I mumbled dryly, “You came over here to use the Waste Disposal?”
“That’s what I said. And I came by to inform you of the non-news, which I already told you.” He walked past me…and slapped my ass as he strolled by. “I’ll only be a minute. Don’t fret.”
I cursed quietly under my breath.
“I heard that.” He chuckled and only closed the bathroom door partially. “Giants have fantastic hearing. I’m guessing you didn’t know that?”
“I do now,” I mumbled.
I sighed heavily and pushed to sit up on my desk. I swung my legs back and forth while I listened to him take a pee in my WD. “Did you hear there was a corpse in my shop? The windows had been broken from the body flying through them.” I kept my tone extra dry since he was lying to me—and he’d said he never lied. Or maybe he just had a special way with his words. “It must have taken one strong Meta to throw him through that glass. It’s practically indestructible, you know.”
“I did hear that. It’s very interesting.” He was still peeing. Big bladder for a big man. “Be quiet a second. I’m getting a call.”
I shut my mouth and leaned forward to listen.
I wouldn’t be able to hear the person who he was speaking with since the electrical signals from the microchip go straight to his brain, but I’d be able to hear his side of the conversation.
“I’m peeing, asshole. What does it look like I’m doing?” He snorted. “Mine is bigger. It always has been—it always will be.” The sound of his pee trailed off, finally finishing. “Look, Ol, don’t start that shit with me. I’m behaving as much as possible, which is better than you do most days. I’m being a good little Giant, all for your stupid experiment.”
My eyes widened at the name referenced.
I jumped down from the table and silently crept to the bathroom door. With careful actions, I peeked inside.
That was when my eyes collided with the most unique golden gaze on a lifelike hologram. They were eyes the entire Seldova solar system knew. I straightened, caught snooping, and gave a wave.
I blubbered, “Hello, President Ol Grazad.”
7
The blond brows of the Giant president, of the largest Meta planet, rose and he didn’t respond to me. He took his merry time evaluating my person as I stepped fully into the bathroom. Gan was through using the WD, now cleaning his hands in the sink, his expression humorous as he watched his best friend study me.
The president was tall, the same as Gan. Despite his current occupation, his blond hair was fashioned short in a military style. The dark suit he wore pulled in all the right places a man’s clothes should—his muscles not completely hidden beneath the civility his clothes afforded him.
His looks were misleading, too.
The president was more attractive than what you noticed at first glance, like a slow moving jetter that eventually runs you over when you finally notice it’s there. His constant attempts to underplay his beauty were a useless battle. This Meta was one of the most sought after bachelors in all of Seldova.
Those spellbinding, golden eyes didn’t help either.
With casual restraint, Gan took a step directly in front of me after his hands were clean, blocking his President’s view. “Is there anything else you need, Ol?”
I tilted to the side and peeked around his shoulder.
The president’s eyes flicked in my direction, seeing me standing directly behind the Giant, then peered back to Gan. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear him. Though I could read his lips clearly enough to know that he said Human in the midst of it—with a confused question mark.
All of Gan’s humor disappeared, and he stated very quietly, “Yes. And I saw her first, so back off.”
The president blinked in surprise, but his expression quickly altered to neutrality. Then he smirked, spoke a little more, and glanced at me again.
Gan reached back and shoved me completely behind his massive frame. “Don’t go there. I’m not sharing.”
I stared at his back, and muttered, “I’m right here. You’re talking about me as if I’m not.”
Gan’s ice silver eyes caught my brown gaze as he glanced over his shoulder. “Hush. I’m talking to the asshole.” He turned his attention back to the president. “I do need to tell you one of your issues is gone. I put Zolla on it, and it was dealt with this morning.” He paused, listening. “The snitch.” He snorted softly. “He ate gumballs for his final meal.”
My nose crinkled, and I swatted at his back…his very muscular back. “I knew you weren’t telling the whole truth!”
Another glance back at me. “Harley, my dear, I am dealing with matters of state right now, and I never lied to you. I merely withheld evidence. So would you be a sweet Human and quit groping my ass?” He smiled. “You can do that later all you want.”
“For all the stars!” I cursed, throwing my hands up in the air. “I did not touch your ass.”
He winked and then turned back to his conversation. “Are we still meeting tonight?” He nodded. “Until then, asshole.” He touched the microchip in his palm, ending the call.
With guiltless eyes, he turned around inside my small bathroom, his warm and delicious smelling body so close, it was intoxicating. His trapping gaze stared hard into my eyes. “You already know that any conversations you overhear shouldn’t be repeated?”
I blinked. Such a simple question and so many repercussions if I said the wrong thing. “I know.”
“Good.” He took a small step closer, aligning our bodies. “Now, about that ass groping?”
I put a stopping hand on his chest, even as my insides warmed at his words. “I want to get something straight.”
His head cocked in silent question, his black hair dangling over one of his eyes.
“So you’re actually here working for President Ol Grazad?”
“Yes.”
“And how long were you actually in jail?”
“About a year, but I was undercover then.”
My eyes widened. “But—”
“At first, he threw me in jail because he was pissed off I had betrayed his trust by sleeping with his wife. I’m also his best friend. Then he realized I had done him a favor. He divorced the bitch, and just because he was being an asshole, and thought I could have handled the situation with his wife better, he kept me in jail for a year on an assignment.”
“That…is interesting.”
He snorted and sneered. “It was disgusting. I lived in the most putrid of conditions for a year. I blacked his eye as soon as I was done working.”
My brows rose. “You two have a very curious relationship.”
<
br /> He shrugged, his muscles pulling under my palm on his chest. “It’s normal to us.”
“But he’s your president.”
“And I’ll be the president in the next election.”
My eyes bulged in surprise. “What?”
“We arm-wrestled to see who would run first.” His eyes narrowed. “The asshole challenged me when I was drunk. Otherwise, I would have easily beaten him.”
“Oh, the galaxies are having fun with me.”
He smirked, appearing proud of himself. “Is that Human speak for you’ll be groping my ass soon?”
“No.” I dropped my hand and took a step back from him, watching as his smirk turned into a confused frown. “It means there will be no sex between us until I figure out if this is the right move. You’re who I thought you were…but not.”
He scowled. It was a little frightening. “Meaning?”
“Meaning, you are still the criminal thug I thought you were. But you’re even more. You are a Meta in power. A powerful Giant who is my enemy.” I pointed back to the picture of my family on my table. “My family died in the war.”
He growled softly, taking a menacing step toward me. “The Humans started P-Extinction.”
“That is debatable.”
“That is the truth.”
When I took a quick step back, he stopped advancing on me. There was definitely a predator look in his eyes, knowing he had me cornered. He asked softly, “No sex then?”
I held my ground. “No.”
He inhaled heavily and cocked his head. “Never?”
I screwed up my face in thought.
Eventually, I stated, “I didn’t say never.”
He nodded once and exited my room without another word. His warmth fled with him, but his scent lingered long enough for me to doubt my decision.
That Giant smelled so damn good.
8
I drummed my fingers on the window of the zipper. I’d lasted only a few hours. It was night now in the Complex as I traveled to the Uni Swiggers Bar. Gan Laun was too alluring for his own good.
He had the confidence I adored.
He had the swagger of a great lover.
He had the face of an ancient god.
He had the body of a trained killer.
He had backed off when he needed to.
He had the respect that was necessary.
Gan Laun was everything I needed in a man.
My only hold up? He was a Meta enemy.
However, I was here, in the Complex.
This place was made for shit like this.
I might as well give it a shot. I hadn’t been with anyone since I found out I was dying. It was time to start enjoying my life again now that I had the money for the healthcare needed to cure this deadly disease.
I was going to live. I would live enough for everyone in my family who had died. I would live my life to the fullest.
Halfway through the zipper’s flight, I remembered that Gan had said he had a meeting with his president tonight. Doubt that he wouldn’t even be there made my stomach somersault.
I pressed the microchip in my right palm, and stated, “Call Gan Laun.”
I held my breath, waiting to see if he had given me direct access to contact him. I had given him direct access to call me only an hour after he left my apartment.
A picture appeared in front of me, and I exhaled in relief. The lifelike hologram of Gan was dark, though. I could barely see him.
His voice was even quiet as he drawled, “Hello, Harley Boyd.”
My brows puckered as I attempted to figure out what he was doing. “Did I call at a bad time?”
“Not at all. Just give me a second.”
I waited, happy that I was the only person traveling on the zipper. I continued to tap my fingers on the zipper’s window until I saw the picture more clearly. My eyes shot wide open.
Gan grunted as he was kicked in the stomach by an Intra guard, but Gan quickly stuck a needle in the Meta’s throat. He caught his opponent’s body as the man’s eyes closed in an induced sleep. Gan gently laid the guard on the ground, shoved his body under construction material, and stepped back into the shadows. The black clothes he was wearing blended into the darkness perfectly.
“I think I should call you back,” I whispered. “You look a little busy.”
“Nah. I’m just cleaning before my guest arrives.”
I tried not to laugh but failed miserably, my eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’m on my way to your bar. Should I wait until later to go there?”
His head peeked out of the shadows and into the light, giving me a perfect view of his face. A black brow lifted. “Does that mean there will be groping tonight?”
I didn’t feel like playing hard to get. “Probably.”
He grinned and stared straight into my eyes. “That didn’t take long.”
I griped, “Please. You came over to my apartment earlier for the same thing, and you know it.”
His head tipped back into the shadows. “I won’t deny it. I came over for sex. Oddly, I want your Human pussy.”
I stared. “That’s very kind of you to say.”
His laughter came from the shadows. “I’ve always been a direct man when I know what I want.”
I couldn’t fault him on that. “So… Should I come by later to the bar?”
“No, I won’t be going back there tonight. I’ll send you the coordinates where you can go—now. I’ll be there shortly.”
I nodded. “That sounds perfect.”
“I’ll set up access so you can enter without issue.”
“That would be helpful.” I grinned.
His silver eyes managed to gleam in the darkness, and his tone turned intimate and deep. “Harley?”
I blushed, my cheeks pinking—just from him saying my name as had. My gut churned in want. “Yes?”
“Have you ever been with a Giant before?”
“No. I’ve never been with a Meta before.”
His teeth shone as he grinned. “You’re in for a treat.”
“Am I?” I raised my brows in question.
“Oh, yes. Giants are big everywhere.”
My smile faded, and I asked honestly, “Will we even fit?”
“We’ll figure it out. I’ll be gentle with you.”
My fingers went back to tapping. “I’m not really looking for gentle.”
His quiet laughter tantalized my ears. “You like it hard?”
“Very much.”
He shrugged a broad shoulder. “Then I’ll pound you so hard you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
My grin returned in full force. “Promise?”
“I am a Giant. I’m a man of my word, my oath as strong as my sword. And, Harley, my sword is very, very strong.”
I chuckled softly. “And your ego is very, very big.”
His hand appeared out of the shadows and into the light, pinching his fingers close together. “Just a little bit.”
“At least you know it.” I snorted.
His attention turned to his right, and his voice quieted. “I need to go. I’ll send the coordinates to your reader.”
“Have fun.”
“Absolutely. I love cleaning.” He ended the call just as he disappeared further into the shadows. True to his word, the coordinates arrived two minutes later. I altered the destination into the zipper and hung on in shock as it lifted high into the air.
Up and up it flew.
My surprised brown eyes locked on what had to be the destination since the zipper was still rising. “Oh, the galaxies above.”
I was going to the presidential eye-in-the-sky.
I really hoped the Intra guarding it didn’t shoot.
9
A hatch door in the black, shiny orb opened. The zipper flew in without trouble and docked. Flying up this high, I could now see fully how vast the eye-in-the-sky was. The AS had spared no expense for the presidents.
The zipper docked, and the door opene
d.
The Intra standing on the loading dock didn’t charge through as I had feared. They stood at attention, weapons in hand. But they didn’t attack the zipper.
With careful footsteps, I walked out of the black zipper and onto the platform. The Intra took note of me, intelligent gazes scanning my person. One stepped forward, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was Kelly Green.
Her brows lifted high on her forehead. “You must have some influential contacts, Ms. Boyd. When we received the notification you would be arriving, I had to double-check it was accurate.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, I have a friend who wanted me here.”
“A friend? It was Gan Laun who ordered your access.” Her head cocked. “Do you know who he is, Ms. Boyd?”
“I do.”
Her shrewd eyes held mine for a moment, debating internally what she wanted to say. She eventually leaned forward, and whispered, “He’s not someone to call friend. Half the guard piss themselves when he looks in their direction. Meta or Human, it doesn’t matter.”
My lips twitched. “I like that about him.”
Those eyebrows rose again. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” She shook her head. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Thank you for caring.” And I meant it.
She nodded. Then she smirked. “I have to scan you before you can go any further.”
I snickered in amusement. “I’m sure it’ll be a great hardship for you.”
“One of the worst.” She grinned in glee, dimples popping on her cheeks. A red glow hit my body, and I held still as her eyes ran over my body. It didn’t take as long as the first time she had done this to me, but it still took longer than necessary.
My tone was dry. “About done?”
“I’m checking your system for any chemical agents. Hold still a moment longer.”
I blinked. “Oh.” That was a new one.
The red glow disappeared a minute later.
She nodded. “You’re clear.” And she winked. “Nice panties.”
I wasn’t wearing any. “Pervert.”
“Occasionally.” She shrugged and turned to walk. “Follow me.”
Blade of Forever (The Complex Book 0) Page 3