Star Kissed

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Mandy eased out of the bed, her whole body trembling and sore from lovemaking unlike anything she’d ever imagined. Akkadi had always been passionate, but this night was surreal. His skill and touch were inhuman, his lust like a fire that didn’t die. Their connection had been beyond physical. She’d been susceptible to him before. Now, she’d never turn him away again. She wanted to crawl back into bed with him and let him make love to her until they were too tired to move. She wanted to surrender to him every night, even if it meant she didn’t go home.

His hands and mouth hadn’t just branded her, they’d claimed her. She was his, even as he turned her away to marry another woman.

She was weak. Her throat tightened as she reminded herself of the truth. He had chosen someone else. The reasons why didn’t matter. 

He had no right to make her feel like he had this night. Her tears rose again, not out of anger but out of frustration. She’d meant to betray him and walk away, leave him the same way he left her. He was supposed to be on the battle deck when she came to steal the marbles. This was supposed to be easy.

Instead, he’d reminded her that she’d fallen for him almost as soon as she met him. And tonight, she’d given him everything she held back. He gave her no choice, wringing cries out of her, pushing her to new heights of pleasure, suspending her pleasure until he was satisfied with her lustful frenzy. The way he gazed into her eyes when he watched her orgasm …

Her hands shook. She pulled on her clothes. The connection she felt to this world was like a dream – except when she was with him. She had never belonged with anyone else the way she did him, even in her life in the past. 

Her eyes went to him. He lay on his stomach, a sheet over his lower body. His sleep was deep, like hers had been after all they’d done. 

Walk away.

No part of her wanted to leave. She stepped into the antechamber and fixed her hair, took a deep breath and left his quarters. 

Mandy broke into a run. She sprinted through the halls, desperate to escape him and her own emotions. Down the lift, she then raced towards her destination.

Cesar was waiting for her. They had a plan, one that didn’t change just because Akkadi gave her the best night of her life.

Breathless, she reached the slave dorms and entered. 

Cesar looked up from his spot seated on the trunk at the foot of his bed. He hurried towards her.

“Jesus, I thought something else bad might’ve happened!” he exclaimed, scouring her features. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I got the cells.” She held up the sash, where she’d dumped the energy marbles before Akkadi stumbled upon her in his room. She grabbed all she could before his interruption, but she suspected there was one or two left in the box. Hopefully, she didn’t need those two. If she’d gotten there a few minutes earlier, she could’ve made sure she grabbed everything and completely avoided Akkadi.

She realized Cesar was talking to her. 

“Urik sent me instructions. There’s a cargo ship waiting to take off from here. We have to go now.”

Mandy glanced towards her bed then realized she had no belongings here to collect. She had nothing but Akkadi, and he wasn’t coming with her.

Cesar started up the ramp. 

Heart heavy, Mandy followed. 

He led her through the hallways and down two elevators until they reached a floor with markings she recognized. The corridor was lined with massive bays into space, the same floor where she’d caught a ride with Helen and Hichele to Earth. Cesar’s pace slowed as he took in the markings on the floor.