up in the head.
Alexa had secrets. He knew that now.
He wanted to know them… He wanted to fuck them out of her.
Hysterian reached up and pulled at her half-fallen bun. Rich black hair, silken and slightly wavy, fell over her shoulders and down her back. No longer was it stiff and unnatural. He’d added sweet-smelling scents to the dye, scents that he enjoyed.
Beautiful. He slid his gloved fingers through a strand at her shoulder. Alexa Dear had beautiful hair. Long, soft, and easy to grab.
To yank.
“Please fuck me. I don’t know how much longer I can take this.” There was pain in her voice. A lot of pain.
His eyes found hers. He would love to do just that. But couldn’t. If she just looked at him hard enough, she’d see that his entire body was growing damp and that his undersuit was sticking to him.
“I don’t want you going near Raul again,” he said.
Her brow creased. “I work with him—we share a room.”
“Not anymore.”
Hysterian straightened, and Alexa rose on her elbows. She reached between her legs when his hand left, pulling at the clothes bunched up there. He’d tried hard to pierce her cunt…
“Where am I going to sleep then? My things?” she asked.
“You can stay in my quarters.” The words left his mouth before he could stop them. Hysterian backed up another step, putting space between them. He continued to watch her hand between her legs as she adjusted herself. “It’s clean. I don’t use the bed.”
“Your…quarters?”
Her hand finally fell away. She closed her legs with a sad moan.
“Yes,” he snapped. “My quarters.” He pivoted away before he attacked her again. Because all he wanted to do was give in and take what he craved, regardless of the damage that would cause.
“You’re leaving?” she asked, when he rubbed his face and made his way for the exit.
“It’s late, Dear, and we have a warp to prepare for. Get some rest.”
“Wait!”
He turned to see her standing, hugging herself, the very picture of haunted confusion. It didn’t make sense. Her reaction tonight made no sense at all. She was combative, desperate, even scared, and he had no idea why. He needed to get away, for his sake, but for hers more.
She should be fucking scared. I’m not well…
Hysterian deleted the thought before he could finish it.
“Can I see your face?” she asked, curling into herself further.
My face?
He tugged down the part of his suit covering his nose and mouth. Secretion was all over his skin, but it wouldn’t look any different from sweat. He faced her fully and she stared at him, hard, harder than any normal person should be. Like she was trying to figure him out…
“Well?” he prompted when she just continued to look. It was time for him to escape and lock himself in the bridge tonight. If he didn’t soon, he was certainly going to risk her life and touch her.
He needed a shower more than ever, but he’d just given his room away.
“You look exactly like I thought you would.”
His jaw ticked. “Then you have a good imagination—”
“Hysterian…” she interrupted. “Why are you doing this to me?” Her voice was so low he barely heard her.
“Because I want you, Alexa, and there is nothing in this universe or the next that will change that.” He turned and made his way to the door. “Goodnight.”
He walked out, not waiting for her response. What he didn’t tell her was that he would go to the worst lengths possible to get what he wanted. That he’d only begun to feel emotions like guilt and remorse recently, and he still shut them out most of the time. That he was beyond fucked, and easily jealous.
That she should quit and run, far, far away and never look back.
He needed the Questor to get to Libra Station quickly. For both their sakes.
Hysterian shook, forcing his steps to the bridge. Because if he turned back again…
He was either going to kill Raul, Alexa, or both.
Alexa didn’t move for a long time. Even when her desire died down, she couldn’t make herself move. If she did, she was afraid her soul would fall right out of her and no one would be there to catch it, not even her dad.
Hysterian hadn’t fucked her like he said he would, instead he fucked with her head. He always fucked with her head.
She didn’t notice Raul had come back for her until he was standing in front of her.
“Alexa, are you okay?” he asked.
She shuddered. “Yeah. I’m