Chapter Two
Suki felt different after she’d been healed and had clothes, even if they were ill-fitting. She was still filthy but hadn’t wanted to wash at the med clinic. Despite the fact the large cyborg was with her and had saved her, she felt too exposed and worried her previous owner would come for her. Tark had brought her onboard a ship calledWayfarer, and now they were closed in a small room. There were no personal items around, and Suki wasn’t certain if she was staying in the room alone or sharing it with Tark. She’d agreed to be his, but he seemed reluctant. At first, she’d thought it was because of her, because of her past, but as she studied him she made a few observations.
Tark was large, probably the most massive male she’d ever seen. She’d been around large aliens before, but none that had both his height and muscle mass. If she had to guess, he was likely around six foot eight or so, and as broad as the American wrestlers she’d seen on TV back on Earth. And yet he seemed very insecure when it came to females. Or maybe it was just her. There was a longing in his eyes, but he kept away, only touching her when necessary. Suki had feared him at first, thinking he was like the others, but he’d taken her to a med clinic to be healed, had touched her with kindness, and Yoko had sent him. That was the most important part to Suki.
Her big sister had always watched out for her, and Suki was the reason Yoko had been taken to begin with. Knowing that Yoko had sent Tark was enough to make Suki trust him completely. Her sister had a gift that few knew about, a sense of knowing. She could look at someone and tell if they were good or evil, and Yoko would have never sent Tark after Suki if her big sister hadn’t been certain the male was good. Despite everything that had happened, she knew her big sister would have taken care of her, even if it used her last breath. Yoko had showed no ill will toward Suki, even though it had been her fault they’d suffered.
Tears blurred Suki’s vision and a great sense of loss filled her. Yoko had always watched over her. If Suki had only listened to her sister, then maybe they never would have been captured. But Suki never listened. She’d been selfish all her life, getting herself and Yoko into trouble again and again. Until the last time… when they’d been picked up by aliens and sold into slavery. If anyone had told her aliens existed before all this, she’d have laughed at them. And she’d have been wrong.
They weren’t cute, they weren’t friendly, and they’d only caused Suki and Yoko pain. She’d thought she’d never experience happiness again, would never know freedom. Suki had feared that she would die whoring herself out to aliens of all types, being drugged when she refused to obey and come out of the haze in extreme pain. It hadn’t taken long before all the fight had drained from Suki. If she fought, she was drugged and the abuse was even worse. Part of her wanted the drugs, but when they wore off, it was always more dreadful, the pain more intense. When she’d seen what they’d done to Yoko, she’d been so damn scared, worried they were both about to die.
Then Tark had come for her, had taken her from the hell she’d been living in for who knew how long. Now she sat on his bed, onboard his ship, and she was free to make her own choices once more. This time, she’d choose wisely, and everything inside of her was screaming that she needed to stay with Tark. Perhaps she’d gained a bit of knowing herself. Her mother and grandmother had both had it, and even though Suki had never shown signs of it before, maybe she was growing into it.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “Have you eaten recently?”
“Master fed us every other day,” she said.
Tark growled. “Never call him that again. He’s not your master.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, not wanting to anger him. “It’s what we were supposed to call him. If we didn’t, then we were punished.”
She bit her lip, thinking he probably didn’t want to know exactly how she’d been punished. Just because he didn’t look down on her for the things she’d done, it didn’t mean he wanted the details. He was a large male, and likely feared for his size alone, but he also seemed to be tenderhearted.
“Do you want to stay here while I get something from the galley? Or do you want to come with me?” Tark asked.
“I can leave the room?” she asked.
His gaze darkened and he paced for a moment. “I told you that you were free. How many times must I say that you aren’t a slave before you believe me? Did you think I was going to lock you away? Keep you caged?”
“It’s what master did,” she said. “When we weren’t being… used. He kept us in cages. We had to sit in our own refuse, and he only allowed us to wash before we were meeting clients. For me, that meant anytime someone special had reserved me. He starved us, beat us.” Her hand rubbed over her belly. “Did things without our permission, changed us in ways we never wanted.”
Tark’s expression softened and he knelt at her feet, taking her hands into his large one. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. And I’m sorry for the way I snapped at you. It was uncalled for, but… you have me on edge. It’s not an excuse, just an explanation.”
“Why is it hard for you to believe I would want to be with you?” she asked.
“Females don’t want me,” he said after a few minutes. “They never have. Even whores have run from me in fear. I’ve never…”
He looked away, but Suki could tell he was embarrassed. Was he trying to say he was a virgin? She couldn’t believe it. How could anyone turn him away? Tark was kind and protective. And he’d been gentle with her. Despite his mechanical arm, he hadn’t harmed her, not once. He was always careful when he reached for her, or carried her. She didn’t understand why women didn’t beg for his attention. On Earth, she’d been independent for the most part, hadn’t felt she needed a man for anything. She’d had boyfriends, but none that lasted longer than a month. But being a slave had taught her that out here in space, far from the world she’d called home, she did need a male, as long as it was the right one. She’d been too weak to fight them off, too weak to save herself and her sister. The thought of someone big and strong offering protection was tempting.
Suki stood and placed her hand on his bicep. He was so strong, so… He made her feel safe, and that was something she hadn’t felt in a very long time. If she could do anything, she wanted to make him realize that not all females feared him. She didn’t. If he claimed her as his mate, she would feel like the luckiest of women. She just didn’t know how to make Tark see that.
“I’m not running,” she said. “And I’m not afraid of you.”
He looked at her, his gaze holding hers. If he’d never been with a female, had he ever been kissed? Suki leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against his. Tark froze, every muscle in his body tense. Suki moved her mouth against his, giving him the softest of kisses, until he began to relax. She pulled back and stared into his eyes. Tark looked stunned as he reached up and touched his lips.
“Do you want to do it again?” she asked. “You could kiss me this time, if you want.”
“Kiss you,” he repeated, staring at her lips.
“Yes.”
Tark’s gaze flicked up to hers then lowered to her mouth again. Slowly, he leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. Suki placed her hand on the back of his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. Suki parted her lips and touched her tongue to his lips. Tark groaned and opened, letting her in. She kissed him slowly, deeply. And all too soon, he was pulling away. Suki clung to him, not ready for it to end just yet. It had been so long since she’d felt anything like that, and maybe she never had. Kissing Tark felt different, but in a very good way.
“You need to eat,” he said, his voice deeper than before, gruffer. She knew he was aroused, could feel the tension in his body, see the need in his eyes. And yet he was choosing to take care of her and not take what he wanted.
Suki knew in that moment, that one day she would fall for Tark. Completely and fully, and the thought didn’t terrify her like it might have once. She looked forward to it. Love had always scared her, but with Tark she knew she’d be safe, that her heart would be safe. And maybe one day, he’d come to love her as well. If he’d never been kissed, never been touched, then he likely hadn’t been loved. Not romantically anyway. She wanted to be the one to give that gift to him. He’d freed her, given her life back to her, and that was something she could never repay. But maybe she could make him happy, and that would be enough.
Tark stood and led her from the room. Suki couldn’t keep track of the twists and turns, but they eventually entered the galley. The ship was far bigger than it seemed from the outside. She sat at a long table and watched as Tark fixed a plate for each of them. When he joined her, he sat on the bench right beside her, their thighs pressing together.
