Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,69

few weapons. The bundled items were slung over his back except for the rope. The rope he tied to the machine and then strung over the edge where Alfred indicated. Even with handholds, this would make it safer and easier.

“I’ll go—”

Before he could finish that sentence, Riella disappeared over the edge, her metal hand gripping the rope while she swung herself out of sight. The sudden jolt on the tied-off rope dragged the vehicle a few inches. He shoved at the steering column, angling the front wheels to create more drag. Then for good measure he planted stakes by the rims as well, providing an extra barrier to it moving when he went down.

Only once he thought it secure did he walk, not run in a panic, and peer down.

Leaning out from the cave, she waved at him from about eight feet below the edge. Alive and not splattered on the rocks or drowning.

“It’s perfect,” she declared.

“I should hope so considering your fat ass almost took our ride over the edge when you jumped like that.” He didn’t let her completely get away with her stunt.

“Did you just call me fat?”

“Did you act without thinking?”

She gave him a rude gesture then laughed. “I wanted to go first.”

“I suppose a reminder that you’re pregnant—”

“You can stop right there. I’m pregnant, not an invalid. Physical activity in a healthy female, especially in the first trimester, is perfectly fine.”

“To you maybe. But my heart.” He thumped its chest. “I think it stopped for a minute.”

“Please. Your heart is tougher than that.” She smiled. “Need me to kiss you better?”

The promise in the words meant he ended up in that cave something fucking quick. He was gentle, though, when he took her on the bed he made of their clothes and sleeping blanket, savoring each slow stroke, basking in the sound of her soft cries of pleasure. When their bodies climaxed and relaxed, he held her, his back to the wall of the cave, facing forward. Alfred a sentinel on the lip.

Riella fell asleep quickly. Not him. Not at first. Worry kept him awake. Their escape from the Marshland City seemed too easy. Almost as if the king had let them go.

Surely not. But then again, was it worth it to him to send his soldiers out to die trying to bring them back? Because they wouldn’t capture Riella, not while he lived.

In the dungeon, Titan had existed, barely. He had no purpose, no desire, nothing he looked forward to. That changed the moment he saw her. The moment he found something he wanted more than anything.

Riella. And something he hadn’t even imagined he might want, a baby.

Keeping them all alive wouldn’t be easy, especially since he felt out of his depth. She knew more about the world outside Emerald than he did. Knew the names of the cities and their rules. Had traveled much farther than he had. But soon he, too, would be familiar with the places in the Sapphire demesne. Maybe even beyond it.

He’d never truly realized how big the world was. For all his reading, she was right about one thing—the ancient texts and their descriptions seemed more of a fantasy than anything else. He found it hard to imagine a world linked by aircraft, planes that no longer flew overhead due to mechanical issues. Seas that once used to be crossed with ease and for pleasure were now home to giant monsters. More monsters existed on land, just with more human faces.

Was there anywhere they could go and be safe?

For some reason, he couldn’t help but think of Eden, the Marsh City, and the freedom offered there. He might have liked to stay, but the bounty on Riella’s head made that impossible. Until they dealt with it, they would always be looking over their shoulders.

Or staring out the opening of a cave, hoping nothing would try and eat them while they slept.

Eventually, he fell into a restless slumber with dreams that involved lots of chasing and yells that had no voice. He slept more deeply than he’d meant to or expected and woke to Riella poking him. Not sexually.

Titan opened an eye in the dawning light that illuminated their cave. “Good morning.”

There was no softness in her expression to indicate the intimacy he’d expected after last night. “Alfred’s missing.”

“Probably just taking a look around.”

Her brow creased. “Or something attacked him. He’s not popping up on my lenses.” She dangled her goggles at him.

“Stop worrying. Alfred can handle himself. It’s