Captive (9 page)

She could hardly wait to touch him. Her fingers trembled as she ran her hands ran over the smooth skin of his chest, then around his neck to bury in his hair. Sidious moaned, moving his hips against her, pumping his cock in deep, short thrusts. Her lips slanted across his, this time initiating the kiss. His fingers dug into her ass, squeezing and scratching as he pumped harder, deeper.

“Ah, it feels so good,” she moaned against his mouth.

“Fuck yeah, it does,” he growled, his mouth moving to bite softly at her neck.

With one hand, he tugged at one side of her top, ripping it and exposing her breast. He dipped his head, hungrily sucking at her nipple. She cried out, arching her back and grinding her hips, unsure which she wanted more, his mouth sucking or his cock.

“Sid,” she cried as her release tightened her womb.

She dropped her head against the glass, closed her eyes, and screamed as every part of her shattered into a million tiny pieces of rapture. Sidious raised his head and captured her face in his hands.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

She opened her eyes, staring into his as her body rode out wave after wave of pure bliss. He kept pumping against her, prolonging her release and his until she thought she'd beg him to stop. But she didn't want him to stop. With a low, deep growl, he pumped one final time, spilling his hot seed inside her.

She closed her eyes as the realization of what they'd just done hit her square in the chest. It had felt so good, so incredible, she'd wanted it to keep going, and that made her angry. Angry with him and herself.

“Don't,” he growled, his breath coming out in harsh pants. “No more fucking regrets, Mikayla.”

She stared at him, startled that he could know what she was thinking.

“I'm still mad at you,” she snarled. “You can't keep doing this to me.”

“Doing what?” he replied. “Giving you pleasure?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Stop making me submit just to prove a damn point. I get it, okay! I have no control around you!”

He cupped her cheeks and gave her a shake as he spoke. “I'm not doing this to make a point, damn it. I'm doing this because I want you!”

“You can't have me,” she whispered, determined to fight him to the very end.

“I think I just did,” he snarled and pressed his cock deeper, proving his point.

Pulling out of her, he let her fall to the bed, fighting the tears that threatened to break free. She refused to cry in front of him again and swallowed them back down. She glared as he fixed his pants, grabbed his coat and knife, then turned to leave, not once looking back at her before walking out the door.

Picking up the glass that was sitting on the dresser next to the bed, she threw it, unfortunately missing him and hitting the door as it closed.

“I hate you,” she yelled.

* * * * *

Sidious stopped outside the door and closed his eyes against the pain those three words caused in his chest. She was angry and had every right to be. What the hell had gotten into him? He
'
d never in his life treated a woman like that. A couple of his men stared with grins on their faces as he strolled back into the bar. Ignoring them, he headed to the bottom level and Agnus's stash of Signora behind the bar. At the moment, he needed something strong. He had to get his mind off what she did to him. He jumped from wanting to kiss her to wanting to strangle her all in the same breath.

He pulled a glass down and set it on the counter. Opening the bottle, he poured the green liquid, anxious for the numbness he knew would soon follow.

Stefan stopped next to him, his brow drawn together in a frown. Here we go, Sidious thought with a sigh.

“You want to explain to me what the hell all that was about?” Stefan asked, keeping his voice low.

“Agnus doesn't allow the men to manhandle the women. He was at the other side of the room, so when the soldier tried to make a pass at Mikayla, I decided to step in.” He shrugged.

“That's not what I was talking about, and you know it.” Sidious ignored him as he brought the glass to his lips and downed half of it in one gulp. The liquid burned his throat, and he cringed.

“Since when do you carry women over your shoulder like a Veenori troglodyte?”

“Since her, apparently,” Sidious mumbled dryly as he finished off the glass and poured another one.

Stefan opened his mouth to say something else, and Sidious raised his glass, letting go of it with one finger to point at him.

“Don
'
t start with me. You saw the way she was behaving in front of the men. I wouldn't let one of them talk to me like that; I can't let her get away with it. The men would have expected nothing less from me.”

Stefan frowned. “You're getting a little too deep in your role, little brother.”

“Well, Sidious.” Agnus tossed the towel over his shoulder and snickered. “Quite a show. Will my waitress be rejoining us, or did you completely incapacitate her?” Sidious rolled his eyes, while the other two had a good laugh at his expense. “I
'
m sure she'll be down as soon as she's through cursing me to oblivion.”

“Yeah, well.” Agnus got his laughter better under control. “That's the least you deserve.”

Sidious silently agreed. God, he still couldn't believe he'd actually cut her pants.

“I have to admit” -- Stefan smiled, and Sidious inwardly groaned as he swallowed another sip of the liquor -- “it was interesting to finally see you lose that blessed control of yours. And over a woman, of all things. Although a very pretty woman at that.” Sidious watched his brother
'
s eyes roam appreciatively over the woman in question as she came down the stairs. She'd changed into new clothes, her eyes sparking fire as she stared at him. He didn't realize he was frowning until Stefan turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. “What's that look for?”

“What look?” Sidious growled.

“The „don't touch her, she's mine' look.”

He turned away and brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

Stefan snorted. “I may have misjudged your look, but I certainly haven't misinterpreted hers. If looks could kill, you, little brother, would be a dead man.” Sidious had no doubt about that, and the thought actually bothered him. He slammed the glass down on the bar, the liquor sloshing over the side, leaving a small puddle. “I'm going to my quarters.”

He didn't give either of them another opportunity to say anything before he left.

They'd both already said enough. Stepping out into the hall, he breathed a sigh of relief at the quiet that greeted him.

Maybe his brother was right. Maybe he had gotten a little too deep in his role.

Sidious would have never done anything like that, but Captain Marcone had.

He stepped into the turbochute and frowned at the closed doors. He'd been at this too long. They needed to end it, to finally bring down this travesty of a government.

Then maybe he could focus on seducing Mikayla the right way.

* * * * *

Mikayla had the worst migraine she could ever remember having. It even hurt to open her eyes. If she lay very still, the pounding would ease off some, just not enough to really make any difference. She hoped it passed soon, but she knew from experience it would be there for hours. It had to be all the stress of the last few days. She had expected Sidious to return, but he hadn
'
t. Not since that time in her quarters. Her body still hummed at night thinking about how good it had felt; then she would cry herself to sleep, so angry that she could give into him so easily.

Part of her was glad he hadn't come back. Another much smaller part was hurt.

The door opened, and then the bed sank on one side as someone sat down on the edge. Every beat of her heart throbbed in her head, and she cringed. It was probably Agnus, but she couldn't muster up the energy to open her eyes to see for sure. Celine had already been by, and Agnus was the only other person in the bar this early, except for Sidious.

“I'll be down shortly, Agnus. I just need to rest here for a minute and see if I can get rid of this headache.”

A warm hand tenderly touched her cheek, and she stiffened. This wasn't Agnus.

She felt it in her gut. Opening her eyes, she squinted at the man next to her. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Sidious. He could always do this to her, and that thought made her scowl.

“Damn,” she growled as she closed her eyes, trying not to look at him and get sucked in all over again. “What are you doing here?”

“Celine said you weren't feeling well,” Sidious said.

“Why do you care?”

He sighed. “I ask myself that same question every time you open your damn mouth.”

She glared at him. “What do you expect?”

“I don't know.” He held up a small metal object about the size of a matchbook.

“But since I am about to relieve you of that headache, maybe a little gratitude?”

“I'd rather have the headache.” She closed her eyes and turned away from him.

“Shetah,
gooliga teligo defni
,” he mumbled to himself.

She eyed him over her shoulder. “Excuse me?”

He narrowed his eyes. “You are a stubborn woman.”

“Well, now that that's settled.” She pointed toward the door. “There's the door.

Don't let it hit you on the ass as you leave.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Hit me on the ass as I leave?”

“Yeah.” She frowned. “You know. Your butt.” She pointed to hers and looked at him.

His eyes traveled down her back to her butt, a grin tugging at his lips. His eyes met hers. “You have a very nice one, by the way.” She rolled her eyes and turned away. The sound of his deep chuckle sent tingles of awareness throughout her body. She scrunched her eyes tighter against the sensations.

I’m in the middle of a migraine and still he turns me on. How sick is that?

“Mikayla, roll over,” he said as he gently tugged at her shoulder.

“No. Go away.”

He leaned over, his hot breath brushed across her cheek, his voice low and seductive in her ear. “Do you really want me to make you?” She stiffened. “You wouldn't dare.”

“Is that a challenge, Mikayla? Because if it is…” His words trailed off as his palm slowly slid up the outside of her thigh, sending hot, tingling current straight to her aching core.

She jerked around and slapped his hand. The motion caused her head to pound and bile to rise up her throat. “Oh God.” She didn't know what to grab first, her stomach or her head.

Sidious laughed. Reaching out, he removed her hand from her forehead and placed the small metal object against her skin. “Be still.”

“What is that?”

It began to whine and heat up the flesh beneath it. She frowned and moved to grab it off, but he took her hand in his and held it.

“It
'
s a Medabri. Give it a
senah
and your headache will be gone.” The warmth of his hand on hers caught her off guard, and she peeked through her lashes to watch him. He studied her hand in his, softly running his thumb across the back of it. An electric current spread up her arm, and she frowned.

She wanted to hate him. She needed to hate him. She jerked her hand away, and he met her gaze. Something flashed across his eyes, but before she could determine what it was, it disappeared.

He took the Medabri off her forehead and smiled. “There. Any more pain?” She shook her head as she stared at him warily. “Why are you here?” He frowned. “I came up to check on you.”

“No. I mean, why are you here? On Earth.”

He looked down at his hands as though thinking. “The prime minister was informed of this planet and thought its resources would benefit him. It's rich in Tornatium, a compound your world hasn't discovered yet, as well as salt water. More people under his rule, of course means more currency. Rigora also wishes to expand the shipping lanes, and Earth is in a prime location to be used as a refueling and storage station.” He looked back at her. “Actually, once the initial invasion is over, life will resume pretty much as you remember it. The only difference will be that no one can own anything. Ownership of land will only be allowed within the monarchies.

Everything else will be owned by the prime minister. He will take a portion of everyone
'
s income for taxes and appoint regent counts, or monarchs, to rule in his absence, instead of the governments you have now.”

“And how is that pretty much as I remember it?” she asked smartly.

“Your home will change, but in some ways for the better. You will have medical advancements, technological advancements. You will also have a measure of freedom to do as you wish.”

“You call this freedom?” She waved a hand at herself.

“Captives are allowed to be taken only during an invasion.”

“Oh, that makes it so much better. Is that how you rationalize it? It
'
s okay because we're invading? Just because you are more technologically advanced than we are doesn't justify what you're doing!” She sat up and climbed off the other side of the bed.

“You're right.” He studied the device in his hand. “But unfortunately I don't have any more control over this than you do.”

She snorted. “Yeah, right.” She crossed her arms in front of her as she studied him through narrowed eyes. “You're his what, second in command?” He held up three fingers. “Third. But despite my rank, I still have to do what I'm told, just as you do. Whether I like it or not.”

“But I'm always looking for a way out. I'm not willing to just lie down and accept it.”

“What makes you think I have?”

What did he mean by that? “Take a look in the mirror,
Captain
. I think the uniform says it all.”

He didn't say anything, just stared at her. His eyes darkened like gathering storm clouds, and a tremor ran through her. Did he support Rigora, or did he not have any choice in all this? Of course he had a choice, didn't he? Or was he made to enter the militia?

Would it matter if he had been forced and actually believed as she did? Would that make it right for her to feel the things she felt when he was near -- the fluttery heartbeat, the sweaty palms, the desire to feel those muscular arms of his around her, to feel his kiss as he made love to her.

Let's be real. They didn't make love. They fucked…plain and simple.

But in truth, it felt like so much more than that.

My attraction to him is getting out of hand.

Why was she always drawn to the wrong man? First Greg, who turned out to be a sick jerk, now this guy. But if she were honest with herself, she would admit that the two of them were nothing alike. Yes, Sidious was incredibly overbearing and arrogant, but there wasn
'
t the same underlying sense of cruelty to him that there had been with Greg.

Even when Sidious had carried her over his shoulder the other night, he hadn't been brutal. Not really. The slap to her behind had made more noise than it had hurt.

And when he'd pinned her to the bed, he'd mostly used his weight and not a harsh grip.

Like that makes it acceptable.

And God. The way he made her submit. It was forceful, dominant, but at the same time, so tender. She swallowed, remembering the way he commanded she do something when he was aroused.

The shrill beep of his communicator made her jump, and she scowled as a sideways smile of amusement lit up his face. He grabbed it and flipped it open.

“What?”

He was silent for a moment as he listened, his eyes never leaving hers. She had met men just as handsome on Earth. What was it about him that had her so mesmerized

-- so crazy? She had to remember he was the enemy. She couldn
'
t let him get to her, no matter how tender he could be or how gorgeous he was.

“I'll take care of it, Sergeant.” He flipped it closed and started walking toward her.

She crossed her arms and gave him a malicious grin. “Earth giving you problems?”

He snorted as he walked by. “Not nearly as much as you are.”

She scrunched her nose up at his retreating back.

“I saw that,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement.