Deceived Read online

  “What are you talking about? Leave me alone!” Anna gasped. But he was already pushing up her skirt and forcing her face down into the seat. His breath was hot and panting at the back of her neck.

  “Turn over so I don’t have to see your fat face while I fuck you, bitch,” he snarled. “Gonna leave a load of my cum in your fat ass—something for you to remember me by!”

  Anna cried out at the tearing pain but there was nothing she could do, nowhere she could go. She was trapped and there was no getting away…

  “Anna? Anna, are you all right?” Dark’s deep voice sounded concerned. “You’ve been quiet for a long time, he added, when she finally looked up at him.

  Feeling sick, she pushed the memory away.

  “Sorry, I was just…thinking,” she said.

  “About what we were talking about—the fact that I am only male in appearance? Does my lack of…equipment bother you?” Dark asked, looking at her.

  Anna shook her head.

  “I’m glad you don’t have that equipment,” she said thickly and realized, to her horror, that she was suddenly on the verge of tears. What Gorn had done to her…was doing to her…had become her new reality. But her Trollox captor had never pretended to love her and then betrayed her. With Gorn, what you saw was what you got. Lazlo had made her love him before he hurt her—hurt her so badly that even now she couldn’t bear to think of it too closely.

  “Does it make you feel safe with me?” Dark asked.

  She nodded. “Yes. You seem really nice but I’ve thought that before, you know. At least if you turn out to be a shit like Lazlo, I know you can’t hurt me. Can’t…can’t…” She shook her head, unwilling and unable to go on.

  “He did more than just sell you to Gorn then.” His broad shoulders were tensed again, his bronze eyes narrowed.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. If we talk any more I’ll cry and I hate crying.” Anna took a deep breath and was relieved when she felt the threatening tears retreat. She hadn’t allowed herself the luxury of weeping since the first night Gorn had owned her. If she did, the tears would take over and she would drown. It was better to take herself away, into the past when she felt sad. Better to think of a time before Gorn, before Lazlo, before all the pain and misery of her present and the worry of her uncertain future.

  “What would you like to talk about?” Dark asked softly. “Would you like me to make you something special for Mid Meal?”

  “For lunch, you mean?” She flashed him a grateful smile, glad he was changing the subject. “I’d love that.”

  “Come back to the kitchen with me then.” Dark rose and pulled her lightly to her feet. “I’ve ordered some things I thought might work in the context of Earth cuisine but you’ll have to help me. As I said, I only know a few Earth recipes.”

  “You mean…help you cook? I’m not much good in the kitchen but I’d like to try,” Anna said shyly, looking up at him. “I’ve always wanted to learn to cook.”

  He looked so beautiful, standing there in the artificial sunlight, his bronzed chest bare and broad, his eyes with their startlingly thick black lashes trained on her, as though she was the most important person in the world.

  A girl could fall in love, whispered a little voice in her head. If she wasn’t careful, that is…

  Then she scoffed at herself. No matter how sweet and kind and caring Dark seemed to be, she had to remember he was only following his programming. Falling in love with a Replicant didn’t make any more sense than falling in love with a dishwasher or an oven. It was plain stupid. And anyway, she didn’t think she could trust any man enough to have those emotions again. Not after Lazlo and Gorn. Not after what had been done to her.

  “I’d love to give you cooking lessons,” Dark said, breaking into her train of thought. “I can always use another sous chef—or any sous chef at all, since I’m alone in the kitchen.”

  “That would be nice.” Anna smiled at him. “I’m usually so bored in this house. Bored or in absolute terror of Gorn when he’s home, I mean. I mostly just try to stay out of his way.”

  “He doesn’t seem to come into the kitchen much,” Dark remarked as they walked back to the house. “And if he does, you could always hide in the pantry.”

  “Good point.” Anna nodded. “All right—I’ll risk it. Usually when I’m out of sight, I’m out of mind for him. For the left head, anyway—I think the right one is smarter. It really hates me. It thinks Gorn should have bought another girl—one that wouldn’t take so long to get ready to…to breed.” The words stuck in her throat and she shook her head. “Anyway, I’d love to learn to cook. Thank you,” she said quickly.

  “You’re welcome,” he said, nodding. “Now come with me—your first lesson starts now.”

  Chapter Nine

  “So you’re definitely moving to the Mother Ship?” Sophia passed one of Lauren’s delicious chocolate chip muffins to her new friend and smiled as she brushed crumbs off the picnic blanket they were sitting on.

  Nikki was visiting the Mother Ship again and this time she had brought her three sons up with her. The three of them and her new mate, Malik the Volt Kindred, were playing some kind of game on the rolling green lawn in the recreation area in the center of the Mother Ship.

  It had seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce the new girl to some of the other brides so Sophie had decided to throw a picnic, not far from the Sacred Grove. So far she and Nikki and Liv were the only ones there but Kat had promised to come too and Lauren had already dropped off some muffins and cupcakes and apologized that she couldn’t stay.

  “We’re coming up here this summer after the boys finish the school year. That way Malik and I can have our joining ceremony before they start back again,” Nikki said, smiling as she took a bite of muffin. “Oh my goodness, this is amazing. Your cousin is so talented!”

  “Yes, Lauren makes the best goodies.” Liv smiled and took a bite of her own blueberries and cream muffin. “So are you going to be joined right here in the Sacred Grove?”

  “Did I hear someone say Joining Ceremony?” Kat settled on the blanket beside them and shooed her three boys away. “No—go on, Mommy needs some grown-up time. Go play with your fathers!”

  The three ran off, laughing and shouting and she turned back to Nikki.

  “So you must be the new girl Sophie’s been telling us about. Tell me where and when you want to have the ceremony, doll, and we’ll make it happen.”

  “Kat’s our resident party planner,” Sophie explained, smothering a smile at Nikki’s rather startled expression.

  “Oh, and she does a really good job—she planned both our ceremonies,” Liv said. “If you let her help you won’t be sorry.”

  “Help? Hell—I’ll take over if you let me.” Kat grinned. “But I’m also willing to butt out completely if you’ve already got everything settled and you don’t need any help. Either way works for me.”

  “No, but I do need help,” Nikki protested. “I hardly know anything about the Mother Ship or how to book the Sacred Grove or where to get the decorations and food and cake or anything.”

  “Then Kat’s your girl.” Liv smiled and patted their oldest friend on her arm. “She loves planning a party.”

  “Can you fit me into your schedule?” Nikki asked anxiously. “We were hoping to get joined in August, right after we get settled up here and before the schools start up again.”

  “Oh, I don’t really have a schedule—I’m more of an unofficial party planner,” Kat said, smiling. “The nice thing about living on the Mother Ship is that all our guys make more than enough to support a family. So we girls don’t actually have to work—although we can if we want to, of course.”

  “It just means that you’re able to do what you want for a living, even if it doesn’t pay much,” Sophie explained. “Like, I love my art, but I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the next Andy Warhol or Georgia O’Keeffe.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, womb-mate!” Liv exclaimed