against his own. His logic could have been impaired by his physical urges. His pride hated to admit it but it didn’t make it less true. His dick hardened just at the memory of her mouth wrapped around it. It had been the best feeling he’d ever experienced—right up until the moment she’d straddled his lap and he’d known how it felt to be inside a female.

A new lesson had been learned. Males not only joined family units to be a thriving part of their social community, or to breed and have a child they could help raise. It was to gain regular access to a female’s body and the pleasures that came with it.

He paused outside his door to conceal his smile. He had his own female, one that no other males could enjoy. He wouldn’t have to share Venice. She didn’t want other males.

He accessed his room only after assuring the corridor was clear, to avoid her being seen. The door slid open with his access code. She sat on his bed with damp hair and a pillow over her lap. The smile she gave him only heightened the nice sensation at seeing her awaiting his arrival. He studied her expression closely, deciding the happiness was real. She was glad to see him.

“I brought you food.”

“I’m starving. Thank you.”

The reality of their situation slammed into his mind.

She was completely dependent upon him for everything. He had taken on a role he’d never considered before. She’d need clothing, food, and protection.

Pride was an emotion he rarely experienced, but it flooded him as he sat on the bed next to her. She was truly his.

“You eat first.”

“We can share.” She smiled again, her gaze holding his. “Do you want me to feed you?”

He wasn’t sure what that meant and admitted as much.

She glanced down, took hold of a utensil, and stabbed a cut piece of meat protein. He tensed when she lifted it toward his face, wondering if she’d attack. She could be working for Earth Government after all.

The fork paused in front of his lips. “Open up.”

No deceit registered in her eyes to him. He parted his mouth and was stunned when she gently eased the bite inside. He took it as she withdrew the potential weapon. He chewed, watching her closely as she took her own bite. She stabbed another protein and offered it to him again.

“See? It’s kind of nice, isn’t it?”

He gave a nod, chewing while studying her features. They were delicate, and he couldn’t detect any scars. Curiosity became stronger as he allowed her to feed him the meal, Venice taking bites between the ones she gave him. All the questions he had about her waited until the food was gone. She set the tray aside and sipped from the same cup as him.

Sharing was a nice thing, he decided, having never experienced it on such a personal level before.

“What kind of accident did you have on Earth that damaged you?”

She passed over the cup to him. “The car’s computer experienced some kind of failure or glitch while I was traveling home from work. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to override the system before the vehicle careened to the left. I struck the divider wall and it flipped over.” Her expression flashed sadness, if he read her right. “It’s kind of a blur after that point. I was in a lot of pain and trapped in the wreckage. It caught fire, and I remember thinking it was over for me, you know? That’s how I got burned. Emergency drones arrived to put it out thankfully, cut me from the wreckage, and then a medical transport took me away. I knew I was pretty messed up. I kept passing out…and there was so much blood.”

“You said they took your blood? Why? They can manufacture it on Earth. It would normally be a higher-quality product than the real thing.”

“Rich people like the best, and to them, it seems that means the real stuff.”

Her mouth firmed into a tight line as she paused speaking. That was anger. He liked that he could identify her emotions, and that she didn’t hide them from him.

“I kept hoping I’d wake to see my sister at my bedside, but they kept me drugged most of the time. I’d come around sometimes, and then an android nurse would enter the cubical, refuse to answer my questions, and drug me again. It was shocking to find out just how long they’d