Flint looked furious. “I wouldn’t touch other women out of a desire for more than you. It would be an obligation.”
“That wouldn’t hurt me any damn less.” She jerked out of his hold.
“I can’t believe we’re fighting over this. A cyborg woman would understand. This wouldn’t be an issue.”
“Then go marry Arrion!” She stormed out of the bedroom. “Then you can both screw other people and call it duty or obligation or the law. Take your pick of how you can screw other people and validate it.”
Flint caught her in the hallway, spinning her around to face him again. He grabbed her and pinned her body there, making her aware that he was totally naked. His towel had dropped when he’d come after her. They glared at each other.
“You are threatening to run away from me if I fulfill my obligations? Do you know how unreasonable that is?”
“What if it was an Earth obligation that I fuck other men? You kidnapped me so you could have a wife who you didn’t have to share, right? How would you feel if I nailed other guys and just expected you to deal with it? You want to talk unreasonable to me? I’m willingly giving up any chance of ever going home, promising to stay with you until I die, and all I ask for is that we’re loyal to each other by not sleeping with other people.”
Flint glared down at her. “What would you have me do?”
“Swear to me you won’t touch other women and mean it.”
“I’m obligated to do exactly that if I get the call.”
“Then we have nothing more to talk about. When that call comes, you won’t be surprised when you come back to an empty bed.”
He clenched his teeth. “And how do you suppose you’d get off Garden? Do you think you could just stroll out the gates and ask the next ship leaving the planet for a ride to Earth?” He snorted, releasing her as he stepped back. “I’m sorry it upsets you but this is the way it is and you will adjust to the idea. I would tell you that it is highly unlikely to happen but that would be a lie. I would be surprised if I didn’t get a call in the near future. I know two of them are trying to breed right now and so far they haven’t had success. While I’m on the planet they will contact me if they need my sperm activated. Lucky for them I’ll have already taken that step because I fully plan to do that tomorrow so that I can breed you.”
She shook her head. “No.”
Flint growled at her. He was that angry. “Yes. I own you, Mira. You are mine. If you say no I will tie you to the bed and we both know I can make you want me. You could run away but you will be found quickly and returned to me. You would still be in my bed by nightfall. This is the way it is and you need to come to terms with those facts. You have no choice, just as I have no choice. You will adjust to the way life is on Garden. That’s an order. I’m going to put on pants and I’ll meet you in the kitchen. I’m hungry. I won’t argue with you. This discussion is over.” He spun and marched for the bedroom.
Chapter Fourteen
Mira leaned against the wall and shut her eyes. Hot tears filled gathered and her shoulders slumped. He was right about her being trapped on Garden. The tall wall around the city would prevent her from escaping. Even if she could miraculously escape the city she’d been warned how dangerous the natural inhabitants of the planet were. They were amphibians, so could function just fine on dry land. They were probably worse than cyborgs.
Flint would sleep with other women and she’d have to suffer the knowledge. Every time he left she’d have to try to pretend it didn’t bother her when she knew it would. What else would he inform her of later? If he tired of her, would he find some damn obligation clause, some weird cyborg law, or some other bullshit excuse to let men sleep with her? Was that the kind of life she was facing?
She walked into the living area and automatically walked out onto the balcony to stare at the breathtaking view. She walked to the railing to gaze at the ocean in the distance. Cyborgs and humans were just too different and their ways were too foreign to each other. He seemed genuinely confused as to why she wouldn’t just accept and understand the fact that he’d have to knock up other women because it was some fucked up law. What kind of life would she live? She was trapped on Garden in this life with Flint, no matter what.
Shaking her head, she fought back a sob, knowing she couldn’t live that way. Why couldn’t he just commit to her so they could be happy? Why did he have to pull the property card on her and just demand she adjust to his messed-up cyborg ethics? Couldn’t he see how he was hurting her? Didn’t he understand that he was going to destroy her emotionally, one painful situation at a time? He had even dashed all hope of escape. She knew, unless Flint sent her home to Earth, that she’d never get there any other way.
She wiped her tears and then took a deep breath. She gripped the railing, inching up on tiptoe, and before she could rethink it, she threw her leg over the railing. She glanced down, only to wish she hadn’t. They were on the twentieth floor and far below were sidewalks that looked tiny, making her realize just how high she was. Mira knew she’d never survive the fall. Her ass dug into the top of the railing as she balanced. Swinging her other leg over the railing was tough but she managed to do it without falling. Her feet braced on the outside railing as she sat suspended on the edge, staring down.
“Mira,” Flint’s voice was soft, shaky. “Get down. What are you doing?”
“Stay back or I’ll release my hold to kick off.” She turned her head to meet Flint’s horrified gaze, where he stood at the opening of the door wearing only his pants. His beautiful skin had visibly paled. He did follow her demand though as he inched back.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I want to go home.”
His mouth dropped open and then slammed closed. “You’re going to drop to your death if I don’t release you? Is that what you’re saying? Fine. Climb back over to safety and I’ll send you to Earth.”
“I’m not an idiot. You have no intention of sending me home. You just want me to get down so you can grab me.”
“I was hopeful that you’d believe me. Please come down on this side, Mira. You’re acting irrational.”
“Irrational is staying with a man who expects things from me that he won’t give in return. Irrational is setting myself up for a lifetime of watching you walk out the door to fuck other women while it tears my heart out and accepting your shitty attitude of expecting me to just deal with it. Go to hell, Flint. I’d rather die with my dignity intact than live like some pathetic moron who puts up with being treated like shit.”
“Dignity? What the hell does that have to do with this? You’re threatening to go to your death over an obligation I have sworn to uphold.”
A chime sounded, letting them know someone was at the door but Flint didn’t move. Mira stared at Flint.
“I can’t live like that, Flint. You made me very aware that I won’t be able to get away from you if you sleep with other women. Whatever you decide to do, I will just have to put up with it no matter how bad it is. I’d rather die. I know you think of me as property but—”
The chime sounded again. They ignored it.
“But I can’t live like that and be happy. I’d be miserable, Flint. You say you want a family unit but that’s just messed up to be with someone you will hurt over and over again until I hate you for breaking my heart like that. What other screwed-up cyborg shit are you going to hit me with? One day are you going to pass me off to one of your friends? Maybe when I get old you can just toss me out on the street and be done with me? I have no say in anything, do I? Well, this is my say. I get the final word this way. No fucking way am I letting you destroy me a day at a time.”
Mira saw movement behind Flint as a tall, redheaded cyborg walked slowly toward them. Somehow he’d gotten through the front door into the living room. He was frowning as he stepped next to Flint. His shocked gaze was fixed on Mira.
“What is your human doing? That’s dangerous. Human, get down carefully. You won’t survive a fal
l from this height.”
Flint turned his head to glare at the other man. “She knows that. She’s threatening to jump on purpose.”
The cyborg’s red eyebrows lifted as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I got a call from Arrion, telling me you refused her for a human. I didn’t believe it until I reviewed your request to form a family unit with one. Imagine my shock when I realized there was another formal request for another family unit with a human when Iron filed as well. What the hell is going on?”
“Leave, Cal. This isn’t a good time.” Flint was pissed, glaring at Mira. “Get down from there now that you’ve made your point. We’ll work this out somehow.”
She glared back. “You think we have nothing to talk about. You said this discussion was closed. Those were your exact words, if I remember right. I don’t believe anything you say at this moment since you’d say or do anything to get me to climb down. I know you’ll just tie me to the damn bed to make sure I can’t get outside again or you’ll lock the windows so I can’t open them.”
“Damn it, Mira. Get down from there before you fall. We’ll work this out. I’m sorry you’re so upset. I didn’t know it would affect you this way.”
The redheaded cyborg was frowning. “What did you do that was so bad she’d rather die than suffer through it? Is she afraid to breed with you? She is small.”
“Leave, Cal,” Flint snapped.
“I can’t. I was ordered to come investigate. You’re creating waves with your request. It wouldn’t have caused any alarm but then Iron’s request came in right after yours so I was ordered to come here. I came to figure out how a human and a cyborg family unit can work.” The man frowned at Mira. “So far I would say it’s not working out well and there’s no reason for worry that this will become commonplace. We like to keep our streets clean and humans diving from balconies would stain them.”
“Damn it, Cal!” Flint yelled. “Do you see this isn’t the time for your humor? Do I look amused?” He turned and took a step onto the balcony. “Mira—”
“Stop!” She inched her ass a little more over the edge.
Flint froze and then took a step back. “Damn it, Mira. Sit back again. You’re going to fall if you mean to or not. At least don’t die accidentally.”
She eased her ass back to where it had been. “Then stay back.”
“Fine. I don’t want you to die. Tell her about breeding pacts, Cal. She doesn’t seem to believe that I’m obligated to do my duty.”
The redheaded cyborg frowned. “She’s threatening death over a breeding pact? Why?”
Flint sighed. “Humans like monogamy.”
The man blinked. “I see.” He turned his gaze back to Mira. “It is our duty to breed because our numbers are so low that if we don’t we will die out as a race. It is the responsibility of every cyborg to at least breed one child apiece but breeding more children is highly encouraged. Every female and every male must have one to replace their life in our existence. Some of us are unable to breed physically so we have breeding pacts set up. It’s not a choice that we join them, it is law. If you join in a family unit with Flint, you must have at least one child together. If you were a cyborg couple then you would be expected to have two children, one for Flint and one for yourself. If you are unable to give him a child then another cyborg female would be ordered to conceive and carry a child for Flint. Isn’t that comforting to you? You will still get to raise a child made by Flint in your family unit.” The man smiled. “It’s a good system.”
Horror hit Mira. “You mean some poor woman would be forced to sleep with him and then just hand over her baby to us? Just like that? She’d have to give it away?”
Cal frowned. “That news didn’t comfort her. I thought it would.”
Flint shot the man a glare. “Shut up and stay out of this. You’re not helping. Mira, come down and we’ll talk about this.”
The redhead looked confused. “You’re not a cyborg. You are not in a breeding pact. No one will take your child away from you or force you to carry another male’s cyborg child that you have to give away. No sane cyborg would want to breed a child with someone as small as you. Flint is just being irrational.”
“Who the hell is this jerk?” Mira glared at the man as she addressed Flint.
Flint clenched his teeth. “The jerk is a friend of mine but he’s also who you would call my boss. Can you refrain from calling him names while he’s within earshot? I at least wait until he leaves the room when I want to insult him when he pisses me off.” Flint glared at the man. “Leave. I’m off duty.”
The man sighed. “I actually wanted to talk to you before the Star left. A situation has come up.”
“Yes, one has. Do you see right now isn’t a good time to talk? I’m a little involved in my own situation. Get out, Cal.” Flint glanced at Mira. “Please, come down from there. At least sit on the balcony floor. I swear to you on my honor that I will not come after you by stepping foot on the balcony. Just get off the railing before you accidentally fall.”
“If I fall it won’t be an accident.”
Fury hit Flint’s features. “What would you have me do, Mira? Disregard the pact? I could be arrested for it. There are laws to follow and they were made for my race’s survival. I’m not happy with them myself. You know this. I took you from the shuttle because I don’t want a family unit with two other males sharing my woman. I told you that I have no wish to touch other females and that wasn’t a lie. I wouldn’t be happy if I got a call to breed with a female in a pact’s family unit. I especially wouldn’t want to do it knowing that you were hurting because of it. The last thing I want to do is make you unhappy and hurt you. I like it a hell of a lot when you’re happy and want me touching you. I have told you that you mean more to me than anything else and I didn’t lie about that either. If I was harsh with my attitude about this it is because I am frustrated. You were happy and now you are sitting on my railing threatening to end your life. Don’t you think I wish it wasn’t this way? I wish I didn’t belong to a breeding pact but I can’t get out of it.”
Cal cleared his throat. “Actually, I can get you out of it.”
Both Mira and Flint stared in shock at the cyborg. Cal smiled. “As I was saying, a situation came up. We got a message from the Vontage.”
Flint frowned. “We lost contact with her months ago. Is Steel alive? His crew?”
“Apparently. The codes were correct so we verified the messages were from him when transmissions were very bad at first. He said they were attacked by pirates and suffered extreme damage to the ship. They just now have made enough repairs to get a signal to us. That’s the other reason I came here. I want you to command the Star and go meet the Vontage. They reported finding a planet with other cyborg survivors from Earth who have colonized there. Remember the Moonslip that disappeared twenty-five years ago? It crashed near that planet and, according to the report from Steel, there were survivors who made it to the planet surface. I’d like you to lead the rescue mission to bring them back to Garden.”
“I am off duty. Iron is in command of the Star.”
“I want you to lead the rescue and retrieval.” Cal hesitated. “Steel requested you and he was adamant about you being there. The ship Moonslip carried mostly female cyborgs. Steel thinks that between the Star and the Vontage that you could repair and tow the Moonslip back here. There are hundreds of cyborg female survivors and they’ve bred more females, Flint. Do you know what this means?”
Flint nodded. “Yes.”
“Can someone clue me in?” Mira called out.
Flint turned his attention to her. “I will if you at least straddle the railing.”
She lifted a leg and threw it over the railing. “Happy? Now what does it mean?”
Cal answered. “Males outnumber the females on Garden five to one. With hundreds more cyborg females back in our population that number is greatly changed.”
Flint nodded. “Our council said the laws would change according to n
eed and population.”
“We could change our breeding laws so that females would only have to enter into a family unit with two males instead of three. With my authorization I can not only clear you to join in a family unit with your human but I can remove you from the breeding pact you are in. I will exchange your name for one of the rescued males. You would be without a pact.” The cyborg eyed Mira. “He wouldn’t be required to touch another female ever again as his payment for agreeing to leave Garden after a lengthy shift and returning to another one consecutively. I have the authority to do it.”
Mira bit her lip. “So let me get this straight. He won’t have to touch another woman? Ever? No stupid law, contract, obligation, or hidden clause somewhere in there? He could be totally loyal to me in a monogamous relationship?”
“Yes. I’m even willing to put it into writing.” Cal stared at Mira. “He will be totally yours sexually. I don’t know why you would only want one male since females seem to enjoy the three men in a family unit but he could be yours exclusively if he agrees to go on this mission. It’s that important.”
“He’ll do it.” Mira didn’t hesitate to say the words.
Flint frowned at Mira. “I’ll do it?”
She glared at him. “Yes. You’ll do it. If you want me happy and if I mean so much to you, like you said, then you’ll do whatever it takes to get out of that damn breeding pact. I get to come with you, don’t I?”
Flint nodded. “Where I go, you go. You can’t accept deals for me.”
“The hell I can’t,” she sighed. “Come grab me. I’m terrified of heights and I’m afraid to toss my other leg over. I don’t want to fall anymore. You are going to accept his job if it means that you’re not touching any other women.”