One glance at her watch assured her they were making good time. If she could keep the tight schedule, they just might make it. She heard sirens blare far below them from the street and her heart accelerated with fear. She knew an army of security guards and civilian police would be closing in around the area to search the grounds. They were safe where they were unless someone had spotted them as they lifted to the roof. If someone had called in a report of that, they would have company in mere minutes.

Charlie dropped her suit down the shaft and turned to point out the bag of clothes. She’d gotten stretch materials and hoped some of it would fit. She faced him and her mouth dropped open as she gawked at the cyborg who straightened to his full height just feet from her.

His chest and muscular arms had impressed her but the sight of the fully naked, gray-skinned male left her speechless. He’d not only removed the suit but those loose shorts the lab had put him in as well. Her gaze lowered and she swallowed hard.

“What? Haven’t you ever seen a male without clothing before? You said to remove it all.” His deep voice nearly pulled her from her shock.

She blinked and knew she’d been caught gaping at the area just below his trim waist. Words still didn’t form inside her head. He was aroused, large all over, and the skin of his c**k appeared darker than the rest of his body. He didn’t have any body hair except for his shoulder-length, wavy, dark-brown hair.

“Female?” He snarled the word.

Her head jerked up and she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as she met his gaze. “Why are you hard?”

He frowned. “Adrenaline.”

“Right. Whatever.” She forced her gaze to look away from the scary sight of just how big adrenaline made him and quickly pointed. “There are clothes inside that bag for you. Put something on.” She spun away to give him her back again.

She could hear him move and the slight noise of the bag being unzipped even over the sound of sirens from far below. She took slow, even breaths. For a silvery-gray guy—a cyborg—he had the best body she’d ever seen. The fact that he had been created size proportioned all over burned into her brain. It was a sight she doubted she’d ever forget.

He isn’t an ass**le. He’s a big dick. She couldn’t hold back the chuckle or the smirk.

“You find our situation humorous?” He didn’t sound amused, judging by the tone of his deep, rumbling voice.

Charlie turned her head to stare at a beefy, muscular ass, bent over while he jerked up the pants he’d removed from the bag. It had to be the best one she’d ever seen. She studied it, grinning. “Let’s just say I’m finding my sense of humor.”

He turned his head and his dark gaze narrowed dangerously as he glowered at her. “Humans are not rational.”

And cyborgs have nice asses, she silently decided, admiring the view once more before she looked away. “Hurry up.”

Chapter Two

Charlie glanced at her watch. Sweat started to form on her brow and worry hit her hard. The next phase of their escape would be the most dangerous part of her plan. The cyborg drew her attention when he sighed.

“They do not fit well but I am dressed.”

She had to hold back a laugh when she turned his way to see how he looked in street clothes. The shirt stretched tight over his thick, beefy upper body. It reminded her of some of the off-duty guards who frequented the local bar. They dressed that way to purposely show off their muscled arms and abs, trying to pick up sex partners. Her attention lowered and her eyebrows shot up. She couldn’t miss seeing the clearly defined, impressive bulge revealed at his crotch. She changed her mind about the appearance he gave in street clothes. He reminded her of one of the drug-addicted male hookers who hung outside the clubs in her old neighborhood who displayed their cocks in thin, tight pants to entice business.

“I said they do not fit me well.”

“I heard you.” She forced her gaze to lower the rest of the way down his body. “The boots at least fit and hide the fact the pants probably don’t reach your ankles. I was able to get hold of a pair of tester boots.”

“What are those?”

“They are designed to form to any foot then give a detailed size to the machines the traveling boot maker uses for rich people who enjoy having shit made just for them. I kind of borrowed that pair from my next-door neighbor who does that for a living.”

“Even in clothing, I am still unique in appearance. It won’t work if your plan is to walk us through any inhabited areas.”

Irritation flared. “Really? You don’t think they’d notice you’re as big as a pillar and gray?”

“Your sarcasm is noted and not welcome at this moment.”

“I can’t believe anyone is willing to pay so much money to save you.” She paused. “I’m Charlie, by the way. What’s your name?”

He just stared at her. She inched closer to study his strong bone structure. He appeared human despite his coloring, a very handsome one at that, with his strong jawline, straight, perfect nose, and generous, full lips. Dark, thick eyelashes fringed his beautiful eyes but his silvery-gray complexion set him apart more than his attractiveness.

“I’m saving your ass, cyborg. Did you know those lab jerks were planning to do an autopsy on you? Do you need a clue what that means? They were going to cut you up to examine you a tiny piece at a time and they are such ass**les that I’m not sure they would have even bothered to kill you before they started. I asked your name.”

He leaned closer, anger darkened his features slightly, and she had to acknowledge that he did intimidation really well as he scowled at her from his height. She stood her ground, refusing to retreat even an inch while she glared back at him. She’d dealt with many bullies in her lifetime, and while he definitely had to be the most frightening one she’d ever come across, hands down, she knew the only way to handle him would be to stick up for herself.

“Don’t anger me. Get me out of here and off this planet now.”

Her eyebrows arched while she gaped at him. “You don’t give me orders. We can fight each other every step of the way or you can start doing what I say. Maybe they scrambled your circuits or screwed up your programming when they had you locked up so reboot your systems until you take orders better. Give me your name or tell me how to address you. Were you assigned numbers? I know a lot of the work androids go by them.”

His mouth curved downward more and small lines appeared next to his eyes. “I don’t take orders from humans and I’m as sentient as you are.”

“Great. So you really are just an ass**le. Fine.” She turned away from him, hoped he wouldn’t attack, and stormed across the rooftop toward the air conditioning shed on the far side of the building. “I’m getting the hell out of here. You can come with me or wait around to be returned to your holding cell. Have fun with your autopsy if you stay.”

His boots made a slight noise when he followed her. She headed to the smaller of the two buildings on the roof and jerked open the door. She hesitated and then glanced back at the cyborg to see his reaction. He looked perplexed as he peered at the vehicle she’d parked there before he met her gaze.

“You look a bit confused. Haven’t you ever seen an air cyclone before? I…um…borrowed it too. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

“I don’t know what it is and I’m not intolerant of high places.”

“Oh goodie,” she snorted. She lifted her leg and straddled the seat. “It’s got thrusters and it will hover about ten feet from any solid surface.”

“We’re on top of a building. This is a useless piece of machinery if you hoped we’d escape on it, unless you plan to take the elevator down to the first floor of the building. Is that a possibility without detection?”

“We could try that but I’m pretty certain even if we managed to make it out of the ground floor lobby, we wouldn’t make it half a block down the street before we were captured.” She forced a smile. “You’re going to have to trust me, cyborg. Please get on the back and hold on to me tightly.”

He didn’t move. “There is nowhere to drive that machine.”

One glance at her watch sent fear inching up Charlie’s spine. She met his gaze. “We’re going to be found if you don’t shut up, trust me, and get on the back of this thing now.”

“There is no reasonable―”

“I’m as dead as you’ll be if we are arrested,” she interrupted. “Get on the damn seat behind me, stop arguing, and trust me. I don’t have time to talk you through my escape plan. We’re behind schedule and they will search every building, floor by floor. I don’t want to be here when they reach the roof. Please? Get on!”

“It makes no sense.” He actually straddled the seat of the cyclone, behind her. “Of course logically I see your point. If I were in charge of a hunt for fugitives I would check every inch of all buildings.” He hesitated before two big hands encircled her h*ps to grip them firmly. “What is it you have in mind?”

She flipped the “on” switch. “Hang on and don’t be alarmed in a second when the auto belts wrap around your thighs to keep you in place.” She started the engine by gripping the steering bars. “Put your feet on top of the running boards.”

The cyclone lifted a few inches then hummed softly while levitating above the floor. Charlie put her feet flat in front of where she’d told him to put his and as soon as she felt the secure press of the auto belts over her thighs, she pushed forward. The vehicle slowly accelerated out of the shed to the open roof.

“What is your strategy for escaping the roof?”

“All you need to know is, don’t freak out.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just close your eyes and know I tested this first. We’ll be fine,” Charlie assured him.

“What―”

She said a silent prayer, pressed her thumb down firmly on the energy button, and gunned the engine. The cyclone shot forward, increasing speed and height as she aimed it toward the edge of the roof. They went sailing over the twenty foot gap between the buildings.

Pain made her clench her teeth when the cyborg squeezed her h*ps in a near-crushing clench. The cyclone stabilizers took over to prevent them from crashing into the rooftop of the next building. They bounced a little on the air cushion the thrusters gave them when the sensors made contact with the solid surface, a sick feeling churned inside her stomach, but she didn’t ease up on the power button. She kept it full throttle, ignored the bruising hold he kept on her, and aimed for the next roof. They sailed over another gap. By the fifth building jump, he seemed to realize they weren’t going to crash or fly off a building to plummet to their deaths.

“You’re insane,” he raged but he eased his hold somewhat.

She didn’t say a word, unable to really fault him for his thoughts, and braced for another jump. Three blocks later she finally stopped the cyclone and killed the engine. Her heart still pounded from the fear but they’d made it. The cyclone gently lowered to the roof until it settled firmly onto the flat surface.

“That wasn’t so bad.”

The cyborg yanked his hands off her the second the belts released their thighs. His big body lurched away from the cyclone. He took a few shaky steps before he whipped around to scowl at her. Rage darkened his features and his hands fisted at his sides when he growled, “You could have killed us.”

Charlie released the handle grips and stood on weak knees after she eased off the seat. “No, the government security officers or the civilian police would have done that if they’d caught us. Make yourself useful and grab that tarp behind you. Cover the cycle so it’s harder to spot. We have a shuttle to get you to before they expand the search and lock down the entire city.”