The Outlaw Cyborg (Cyborgs on Mars #5) - Honey Phillips Page 0,46
as he drew her into his arms once more.
Chapter Twenty
The storm only lasted for another day, but it took them three more days to reach the Judge’s homestead. John didn’t mind. Neither of them were in a hurry. They rode slowly and he stopped early each day to put up the habitat. They made love and they talked, and each day, Serena seemed to settle more comfortably into this new version of herself. The person he suspected she could have been if tragedy hadn’t damaged her so badly. It wasn’t until they were riding up the embankment to the Judge’s habitat that a remnant of the old Serena appeared, her face settling into the icy calm he remembered.
He started to mention it, then decided to let it go. If she felt more comfortable masking her emotions, he wouldn’t try and stop her.
As they reached the top of a small plateau, a big black horse appeared in front of them, his posture not threatening, but watchful.
“That’s Blackie.” Serena bent over and murmured to Winston as they came to a halt. “His family lives here.”
The two horses regarded each other, then a tiny girl came running up. Without a mask, he realized with a start. “She’s not wearing a mask.”
“I know, but she’s fine. I’ll explain later,” Serena said quickly. “Hello, Kami.”
“Auntie Seena! Daddy went off to help you and he said you were fine, but then the bad man came and Mama melted him and then no one knew where you were!”
By the time the little girl had finished speaking, Serena had dismounted, and Kami threw herself happily into her arms. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, sweetheart.”
His chest ached as he looked at the two of them. She would have been such a wonderful mother. Kami finally stopped talking and turned to look at him. Her eyes widened.
“Who’s that?” she whispered.
“This is John. John, come and say hello to Kami.”
He dismounted, watching cautiously as Winston and Blackie touched noses.
“Hello, Kami. Does your horse mind when other horses come to visit?”
“Nope. He likes ‘em,” she said confidently, but she was watching him, not the horses. She suddenly grinned and nodded. “You’re like Daddy. I knew it. I told Mama that Auntie Seena needed a husband like Daddy.”
Husband? The thought hadn’t even occurred to him but now that Kami had mentioned it, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more. He looked over at Serena and saw the tide of pink washing her cheeks, but her eyes were smiling. Excellent. Now all he needed to do was find a minister—or a judge…
“Does your Daddy do weddings, Kami?”
“Yep. And I do flower girl.”
He laughed, and the three of them turned towards the habitat just as the Judge emerged, accompanied by a petite, curvy blonde woman. She wasn’t exactly what he had pictured when Serena said she was a scientist.
“Serena. You disappeared.” The Judge’s tone was remarkably neutral, and John found himself bristling on her behalf.
Kami looked from one to the other. “What’s the matter, Daddy? Aren’t you happy to see Auntie Seena?”
“Of course he is. We were worried, Serena,” Addie said quickly. “No one knew where you were.”
He saw Serena’s icy mask resurface, but then she looked at him and sighed, and she was back to being his Serena. “We went after another lab.”
“Another lab?” Addie turned pale. “More hybrids?”
“Not exactly.” She looked at Kami, listening intently. “It’s no longer a threat, but I did want to discuss it with you.”
“Of course. Come on inside.”
Serena looked over at him.
“I’ll take care of Winston and be right there,” he assured her.
Still carrying Kami, she disappeared inside with Addie, leaving him with the Judge. The older man studied him thoughtfully, and he had the oddest urge to salute.
“Do you have somewhere I can put this equipment?” he asked.
“The supply shed will do. I’ll give you a hand.”
Together they unloaded Winston and the horse butted John’s shoulder affectionately before moving back over to join Blackie looking out over the desert below.
“General Biggs says you can be trusted.” The Judge broke the silence as they stowed the gear.
“He didn’t mention you to me at all.”
The other man barked a laugh. “I’ve known him all my life. He still treated me like a person, even after I became a cyborg.”
“If more officers were like him, I might have been happier in the military,” he admitted.
“A lot of fools there. I was one of them. But Addie straightened me out.”
The Judge’s face softened when he mentioned his wife, and