“He told me you were able to provide eighty percent of the food for the compound with the produce from his greenhouses.” Taryn had also let it slip that it originally had been the credits Andrei had sent that had financed the rows of indoor growing areas within the well-guarded fences around the compound.
“Taryn’s greenhouses have brought us through many rough patches. Kenner teaches them how to hunt. How to use weapons. How to fix things. I teach some of them how to fly, and I like to read to them, too. I don’t want them to only have the rough parts of life.” She hopped down from the stool and began to pace.
“Of course they have to know how to fix a generator and how to make effective dust seals. But I want more for them. I don’t want them just existing. I want them to live their lives with enthusiasm and happiness. I want art and music in their lives.”
The soft hope in her voice tore at him. That she still had the book he’d given her so long ago really tore at him. That it had meant anything to anyone but Andrei had been something shattering to him.
Books were so fine and beautiful. They were the very symbol of what made humanity special. There hadn’t been very many books in Andrei’s life until he started with Phantom Corps. But when he came by one, he did all he could do to make it his.
To that day, when he held a book in his hands, it was a sign of how far he’d come in his life. The spine, cracked or supple, was the backbone of whatever journey the pages took him on. There was nothing in the Known Universes like a book.
“I can send books. If you need them, that is.” He kept his head down, tried not to think of how desperate he’d been for them as a child. “The wife of one of my friends is a teacher. She would most likely have some good suggestions.”
“I . . . I’d like that. Thank you.”
He wanted to touch her. Wished he could just let himself want her without feeling guilt or shame.
Instead he continued to rebuild the valve, thankful for that diversion. He’d jerked off twice since he arrived, and it hadn’t helped at all. Andrei wasn’t a slave to his prick, but damn it if his cock wasn’t at attention every second in her presence.
It was stupid of him to be here this way. There were other merc camps on Asphodel. None of them had this . . . baggage. This weight of memory.
He repeated to himself that this was the best option. And it was. He knew enough to understand the Roundtrees were the only mercenary group where he’d get the trust and access he needed.
He needed to keep his dick in check. Needed to keep his focus on the mission. If there had been any time in his life where it had been more important to avoid mistakes, he wasn’t aware of it. The cost of failure here was higher than he was willing to pay.
It didn’t mean he couldn’t help out while he was there. It would be good for his cover if he acted like one of them anyway, so why not combine it with getting a few things repaired and helping with some skill building.
And it would keep her safer. He still needed that. Accepted a long time ago that he would always feel that need and that he would obey it when he could.
She mattered in a way no one else ever had or would.
A flash hit him then, straight in the gut. Piper’s braids in his fist as he fucked into her body from behind. Her pussy, hot and creamy around his cock as she writhed against him, pushing back to meet each of his thrusts.
Her skin would be moist and salty from sweat as he licked up the line of her spine. She’d whimper when he sucked hard just below the edge of her shoulder blade, marking her.
“Where do you go?”
Startled, still vibrating with the need to be in her, he risked a glance to her. It was funny how little she’d changed, even after eleven years. She’d been a lovely child. Lively. Pretty and smart. Sullen then as her mid years had hit. And then she’d been perfect and small and all his. At his side always as they
“Taryn’s greenhouses have brought us through many rough patches. Kenner teaches them how to hunt. How to use weapons. How to fix things. I teach some of them how to fly, and I like to read to them, too. I don’t want them to only have the rough parts of life.” She hopped down from the stool and began to pace.
“Of course they have to know how to fix a generator and how to make effective dust seals. But I want more for them. I don’t want them just existing. I want them to live their lives with enthusiasm and happiness. I want art and music in their lives.”
The soft hope in her voice tore at him. That she still had the book he’d given her so long ago really tore at him. That it had meant anything to anyone but Andrei had been something shattering to him.
Books were so fine and beautiful. They were the very symbol of what made humanity special. There hadn’t been very many books in Andrei’s life until he started with Phantom Corps. But when he came by one, he did all he could do to make it his.
To that day, when he held a book in his hands, it was a sign of how far he’d come in his life. The spine, cracked or supple, was the backbone of whatever journey the pages took him on. There was nothing in the Known Universes like a book.
“I can send books. If you need them, that is.” He kept his head down, tried not to think of how desperate he’d been for them as a child. “The wife of one of my friends is a teacher. She would most likely have some good suggestions.”
“I . . . I’d like that. Thank you.”
He wanted to touch her. Wished he could just let himself want her without feeling guilt or shame.
Instead he continued to rebuild the valve, thankful for that diversion. He’d jerked off twice since he arrived, and it hadn’t helped at all. Andrei wasn’t a slave to his prick, but damn it if his cock wasn’t at attention every second in her presence.
It was stupid of him to be here this way. There were other merc camps on Asphodel. None of them had this . . . baggage. This weight of memory.
He repeated to himself that this was the best option. And it was. He knew enough to understand the Roundtrees were the only mercenary group where he’d get the trust and access he needed.
He needed to keep his dick in check. Needed to keep his focus on the mission. If there had been any time in his life where it had been more important to avoid mistakes, he wasn’t aware of it. The cost of failure here was higher than he was willing to pay.
It didn’t mean he couldn’t help out while he was there. It would be good for his cover if he acted like one of them anyway, so why not combine it with getting a few things repaired and helping with some skill building.
And it would keep her safer. He still needed that. Accepted a long time ago that he would always feel that need and that he would obey it when he could.
She mattered in a way no one else ever had or would.
A flash hit him then, straight in the gut. Piper’s braids in his fist as he fucked into her body from behind. Her pussy, hot and creamy around his cock as she writhed against him, pushing back to meet each of his thrusts.
Her skin would be moist and salty from sweat as he licked up the line of her spine. She’d whimper when he sucked hard just below the edge of her shoulder blade, marking her.
“Where do you go?”
Startled, still vibrating with the need to be in her, he risked a glance to her. It was funny how little she’d changed, even after eleven years. She’d been a lovely child. Lively. Pretty and smart. Sullen then as her mid years had hit. And then she’d been perfect and small and all his. At his side always as they
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