Earth Is Mine

Chapter 17

"Aria, come with me," Lucian repeats impatiently while I stay rooted in place, wondering if I am seeing things.

He grabs my wrist and tugs me forward. I turn to Luna only to see her sharing a look with Lucian.

They stare at each other and she nods her head subtlety, understanding him without any words spoken.

"Where are you taking me?" I sputter in confusion and cast her a pleading look but she just grins at me wickedly.

"Have fun you too and play safe," She winks at me and then shuts the door. My lips purse at the person who was supposed to be concerned about keeping watch over me.

It's now glaringly clear that she's Lucian's wingwoman more than my roommate or protector.

"What is happening?" I complain as Lucian drags me to a small metal contraption that resembles a glider. "Lucian, where are we going?"

"There's someplace I really want you to see," He says adamantly.

I dig my heels into the ground but my weight makes no difference. He pulls me to the glider effortlessly.

"I thought you didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore," I grumble even though his touch is creating fire works in the pit of my stomach.

I glare at him but inside my heart melts when he smiles at me. His cheeks are still tinged pink and his eyes are light, he doesn't look like the commander of the Plutonian army and rebels.

Right now he just looks like a mischievous boy who wants to have fun.

"I know. But I used to think of you whenever I came here on missions. There's this place I've always wanted to show you," Lucian explains, ignoring my grumpy expression.

"What place is this?"

"Aria, stop being such a buzz kill and sit down," He stamps his feet in frustration looking like he's throwing a fit and I can't help the smile that forms on my face.

I sit down hesitantly and he gets on in front. This smaller glider moves much slower than the ones he owns on Pluto. Our ride is long and our pace is slow but it is much easier to talk to him this way.

"Why are your cheeks so pink? Have you been drinking?" I ask him.

He jerks forward and I instinctively grab him from behind. My arms tighten around his waist and I peer up at him only to see him smiling to himself.

Really Lucian?

"We guys carried on for awhile and then I remembered this place and came to you immediately," He says.

I look up at his profile and my stomach does subtle flips as I stare at the sharp outline of his nose and his soft hair that has flown back to reveal his forehead. Every muscle in my body aches for me to rest my head against his back. I want to breathe in his scent and feel every inch of him.

My want fills me with conflict. I told him about myself and I expected things to end between us and this isn't how I pictured the end.

This feels like I am going out with him for the first time. The uncertainty and excitement I feel is exactly how I felt when I traveled with him to the Western border after my second fight and Michael's death in the pits.

The Western border became our safe space for us to confide in each other and the memories make me feel soft.

I loosen my hold around Lucian, not wanting to give into my hopes. I don't know what he wants but I don't want to have any expectations anymore. Not after everything I've done to him and everyone else when I left Pluto.