Her Cyborg Champion (The Drift Haven Colony #2) - Susan Hayes Page 0,45

an inch from her warm cocoon of blankets. She needed more sleep if she was going to keep up to her lover’s near insatiable appetites, at least until she’d been on Liberty long enough to qualify for her nanotech injection. Good food and a safe place to sleep had already done wonders to improve her health and fitness. It was hard to imagine feeling any better than she did right now.

The main source of her happiness wasn’t the riches of this place, though. It was Striker. He had a playful side she’d never imagined, and the last few days had been filled with more laughter than any other time she could remember. She was truly happy, and that knowledge fed a growing sense of guilt and worry. Jade was still missing, and so far no one had been able to find the slightest trace of her in the real or digital world. The two of them had done this before, disappearing and then reconnecting once it was safe, but it had never taken this long.

Then there was Maggie’s other fear. Things with Striker were too good. In her experience, every moment of joy came with an equal amount of pain, and she worried that the bill would come due soon.

“Don’t borrow trouble,” she muttered to herself as she grudgingly got out of bed. There was no point in trying to get back to sleep once her mind started churning. She might as well find some caffeine and get an early start to the day.

The door chimed before she even made it to the kitchen.

“Morning people are the worst. Doesn’t anyone sleep in around here?” Maggie looked down at herself and sighed. She was wearing one of Striker’s shirts, mismatched socks, and her hair was an uncombed mess. But given it wasn’t dawn yet, whoever was at the door could deal with her appearance or come back later. Much later.

“Who is it and why are you awake?” she asked as she approached the door.

“It’s Skye.”

“Did you bring coffee?”

She heard a soft laugh on the other side of the door. “No. But I needed to see you.” There was a hushed urgency to Skye’s words that made the hair on the back of Maggie’s neck rise.

She opened the door with a touch of her hand and was nearly trampled by Skye as she rushed inside. Shadow followed at a more sedate pace, looking slightly bemused.

“You’re okay!” Skye grabbed Maggie in a hug so fierce her ribs creaked.

“I am. Or I will be once I have a hot coffee in my hand. What the fraxx is going on?”

“Skye was worried about you,” Shadow said, looking around the almost-empty room. “Not much for décor. Is he?”

“It’s a work in progress.” Maggie untangled herself from Skye. “Why are you worried?”

“Striker beat up someone and then carried you out of the Bar None, and you haven’t come to classes since,” Skye said.

So that was it. “Caffeine. I am not having this conversation until I have caffeine.”

“And maybe some pants,” Shadow suggested. “You dress. I’m on coffee duty.”

“Pants are not required before sunrise, but if you’re making me coffee? I’ll make an exception this one time.”

She kept Striker’s shirt on but added a pair of pants and ran a comb through her hair before rejoining the others. Shadow handed her a mug and then looked at the two chairs. “I guess we’re doing this standing.”

“Sorry. Striker isn’t one for having visitors over. You two sit, I’ll stand.”

Once they were settled, Maggie started talking. “I know I haven’t been to my classes, but I did send messages telling you I’d be back next week. Things are…” she waved a hand. “In flux.”

“But you’re okay? You’re not hurt?”

“Striker wouldn’t hurt me. If you thought he might, you would have said something before now. I’ve just been busy. I’ve got shifts at the bar, and Striker’s been training me to protect myself, which involves a lot of hitting things with a stick.”

“But he took you…” Skye groaned and closed her eyes. “I thought I might have been wrong about him.”

“Which is why you showed up now, when he’s out running with his friends.” Maggie looked at Shadow. “Including one of your mates. Does Denz know you’re here?”

“No. But Kade does. I’m just here in case Skye was right. I’m glad she wasn’t. I like Striker.”

“So do I.” Maggie turned to her friend. “Skye, Striker didn’t beat up anyone. Thrash groped me. Striker reacted badly. No one got hurt. He carried