The First She ✓

FORTY NINE

She wanted to keep as much distance between them as possible, but Vrox's footsteps constantly jostled her. To spare her breasts from pain, she pressed her chest against his back.

They were against each other, but they couldn't be any further apart. Running north, but going backward. Running over soil, but sinking.

Perhaps they would be rolling over the floor of the cave and swimming in each other's flesh if Kira was submissive. Perhaps if she had apologized and agreed to leave decisions that concerned her safety to Vrox, they would have avoided this rift.

But that wasn't her. She was as stubborn as Vrox.

Her brother, who abused a poor woman, her father, who abandoned their family for someone younger, and her cheating boyfriend, had shredded and built her at the same time. Through heartbreak, they taught her that life was hers, and she was the only person entitled to call the shots.

It didn't matter how much her mother begged her to forgive them. It was up to her to cut them off one after another.

She couldn't give up on her beliefs to appease Vrox. She sure that she made the right decision in coming after Nebula, and she wasn't going to apologize for caring for her friend.

Vrox began to slow his running. She eyed their surroundings and identified the wooden perimeter of the camp.

Home.

He placed her down, eyeing her as she tied her dress back in place. With her head high, she walked through the breach on the wall. She headed for their bed, not bothering to check if Vrox was following.

"Kira!"

She turned and found all the men coming her way.

"We heard Ak's voice. What happened?" Rokan asked, his face riddled with worry.

"I will tell you," Vrox answered.

Not having the energy to talk to the others, Kira continued her way. She appreciated her friends' concern, but she was tired to the bone. Her soul felt a decade older.

She heard the rumble of men's voices behind her as she entered Vrox's dwelling. She was unable to climb on the bed, needing Vrox's help.

After curling to a fetal position on the floor, she rested her head on her hands and closed her heavy lids. She was about to fall asleep when heavy footsteps kicked her back to consciousness.

"Kira."

She didn't stir, choosing to ignore him. She looked like a fool. How could she try to pretend like he wasn't there, while his saliva was still fresh against her cunt and breast?

Vrox didn't disengage. He reached down, pulled her to his chest, and then softly dropped her on his furs. He knew that she didn't like sleeping near the wall decorated with weapons, so he kept her on her side.

That night, they slept like strangers sharing a bed. When she woke up, Vrox was gone. She didn't chase after him, needing time to process her own thoughts. This was the first actual argument they had. Sure, they bickered over Vrox's irrational jealousy over his brothers, but they didn't turn their backs on each other.

Kira refused to roll onto her belly. She was sure that she made the right call. Nebula was the last bit of Earth she had left, and she wasn't ashamed of trying to protect that.

She spent the day in their room. After requesting blocks of wood and some tools from the men, she got to work. It took her roughly three hours to make herself a small staircase so that she could finally get on the bed platform without Vrox's help. It was splintered and still needed to be soldered down, but she was proud of it and thankful for the distraction it provided.