He caught up to her, his legs taking him way too close. “You telling me somebody failed to inform you that you have the best laugh in this dirty fucking world?”
She gasped like he’d crowned her Miss Universe. Now she was jumping up and down in celebration. “Probably because I didn’t have much to laugh at!”
The realization didn’t dampen her mood, but it sure gutted his. He realized he still didn’t know what she’d wagered. “I give up. What did you use to place your bet on me?”
She suddenly gave a closed lip smile with raised, secretive brows. She leaned in close and whispered, “Myword.”
Stupid
“Tell Ethan I’ll be waiting for him in the kitchen,” Cat told Omnis. “But I’m not waiting long,” she warned, holding Omnis’ stare.
“Thank you,” he said.
Her hands paused on the headset at all the heavy crap in his tone. She marched over to him and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight again. “Get a body,” she whispered. “You deserve one. Then you can make me your lavender tea with your very own hands.”
Tears gushed when he caressed her head, his fingers slowly tensing. “Thank you, Cat.”
The eternal gratitude punched her right in the heart. Sure he didn’t have a real heart, but he sure had one hell of a digital one. “You’re so very welcome.” She reached up and pulled his face to hers and gave him one last cyber kiss.
Then removed the headset.
You’re okay, Kitten,Zero said as she pulled the dungeon door open.Breathe for me.
God, she couldn’t. Not until she was out of there.
She made her way to the back deck sucking in lungsful of the frigid night air, leaning on the rail.
Fuck that feels amazing,Zero marveled.Sorry, Kitten, everything is still brand new.
She shook her head. “Don’t apologize for that,” she breathed.
Your pulse is racing so hard.
The childlike fascination took the edge off what was coming. Ethan was coming. Pain was coming. Possibly devastation.
“Whatever comes, comes,” she swore, pacing on the deck with her eyes closed. “I’m not running from it, I won’t. In fact, I can’twaitfor it to happen, I’m sick of imagining it, sick of living on death row, waiting for permission to finally die and move on. I don’t care anymore about the pain, I just want my verdict, I want my noose, my bullet, my whatever the hell he has for me. It’s mine, Zero, it’s mine and I want it so I can be done. I want to be done.”
I’m going to patch Omnis into our feed for this, Kitten. You okay with that?
She froze, stomach knotting. “You can do that?”
I can now that he knows.
The idea of having both of them in her head for this filled her with relief. “Yes!” she whispered. “Do you think he’ll want to?”
Why wouldn’t he?
She shot out a shaky half laugh. “Because he’s Big G?”
We’ll let Big G stay in the system and Omnis can join us. The cool trio.
Her heart tugged viciously in her chest.
Wow, Kitten. That was a mega quake.
“Is it wrong… to want Big G more?” she forced out, tears gushing. “I love all of you but… Big G, he’s… he’s kind of my best friend,” she quipped, holding back a sob.
I can be in both places if it helps.