My Cyborg Savior (Crimson Romance) Read online

  “Well, Galen, if you fail me I’ll turn you over to the government. As long as you keep my daughter safe, we’ll have no problems. She means the world to me, and has no idea how much danger she is in. Most threats to her are idle, but we have had some that have become very specific. They are including details of places she’s been. Pictures of her coming and going from shops. There has even been one attempt on her life that was thwarted by my own guards. She knows nothing about it, and you’re not allowed to tell her. While my staff investigates this new threat, you’ll be responsible for making sure she’s safe at all times. That girl better not even get a splinter while under your care, or we’ll have to re-evaluate your place in life.”

  Galen nodded. He knew how it was going to be. It was what he’d been sent for. But he doubted the man’s love for his daughter. He had no caring note in his voice when he spoke about her. The majority of the new threats his daughter was getting were from Galen’s own people, but word of these pictures of her worried him. His people hadn’t been sending those.

  “I also have additional tasks for you. My only child has a bit of a rebellious streak.”

  That was putting it lightly. There probably wasn’t a thing that girl hadn’t done, and the whole galaxy had probably seen her do it.

  “I’d like you to keep her out of embarrassing situations. No partying, no flashing the cameras, no drug use or drinking, no getting arrested, and no sex. The voters already think she’s a whore, and I think she spends way too much time in bed with too many different men. I’m going to marry her off, and I’d like for some of the horrible rumors to fade before the wedding, so the groom isn’t bombarded with stories about the men she’s been ‘dating.’ Elections are next year. I need this girl’s reputation to become, and stay, sparkling clean until then.”

  Galen hadn’t expected that. How was he supposed to keep a well-known party girl from doing what she wanted? Especially since she could threaten to have him killed if he didn’t do what she said.

  “Now, I know she’s likely to threaten you, but you’ll have to hold your ground. As long as she doesn’t come to me with allegations of rape, I’ll assume you’re doing what I’ve asked, and give you the benefit of the doubt.”

  “And if she comes to you with allegations of rape? Which she’ll probably do as soon as she figures out it’s the only thing that will get me off her back.”

  A harsh edge entered the man’s voice. The first sign of emotion Galen had seen. “I’ll have her examined. If you have raped her, you’ll be castrated and handed to the government.”

  Ouch. Don’t fuck boss’s daughter was going straight to the top of his no-no list. That was a damned shame. She was a fine piece. Probably wouldn’t touch him anyway. Well-bred women were like that. They seemed to think that genetic engineering and cybernetic systems could be passed like some disease, when in reality, a team of doctors had to be very determined to turn you into what Galen was. He didn’t want to lose his cock for some slutty senator’s daughter anyway. He’d already have one scar from this mission, he didn’t need any more. The barcode burned into his flesh might come out with cosmetic surgery, but there was no way to be sure.

  “Do you understand, slave?”

  “Of course.”

  Cyrus raked a hand through his graying hair before crossing his arms over his chest. He was in remarkable shape for his age and station in life. Most nobles were thin and frail. There were few that were healthy enough to gain weight, but Cyrus maintained his appearance. Why? “I want you to comprehend how much danger she’s in. My political rivals aren’t above having us both killed.”

  “Then why don’t you have a bodyguard?”

  “I have several assigned to me, like the rest of the senate. And she’s no doubt safe while I’m here. But I’m leaving soon. Not only does she have my political rivals to deal with but she’s also generally disliked by everyone.” The senator nodded. “Now if you’ll go with Louisa, you can bathe, and attend to my daughter at once.”

  Chapter Two

  Jamila wasn’t able to go back to sleep after her encounter with the slave. Was her father threatening him now, or giving him instructions? The door to her rooms slid open and a line of servants filed in. She pushed herself up.

  “What are you doing in here?”

  They marched to her closet, gathered a row of clothing, and left the room without answering her. “Hello? What are you doing?”

  The slave appeared at the entrance. “Get up, and get dressed. You’re moving. I’m Galen, by the way, so you don’t have to continue to call me ‘slave’ as I’m sure your father will.”

  “What?” Outraged, she jumped off the bed. He couldn’t just move her wherever he pleased. Her foot got tangled in the thick blankets and she would have tumbled to the ground if he hadn’t grabbed her.

  “I can’t guard you here. I need to be close. We need adjoining rooms.”

  She shook her head and pushed away from him. “That’s unacceptable. I enjoy my privacy, Galen. I won’t be sharing a room with you.” She couldn’t bear to have him that close. He was beautiful, and virile, and so much more attractive than any male she’d been near. But after her recent escapades she was taking a man break.

  He arched an eyebrow. “I didn’t say sharing a room, I said adjoining rooms. And you don’t have a choice. It’s my job to protect you, and considering what will happen to me if I fail, I’m not going to take no for an answer.”

  She shook her foot to untangle it and stumbled away from him as she broke free. “Well, I’ll go to my father about this. It’s inappropriate for us to share a room. He’ll object.”

  He flashed her a tight lipped smile. “You’d be wrong. I cleared it with him. Don’t worry, princess, you’ll be settled in another room by the end of the day, and you won’t even have to do any of the work to get there.”

  Jamila rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point. I like this room.” She didn’t really care. All of the rooms were the same. There was no reason to object to moving, except that she didn’t want to share a room with this man. She wouldn’t be able to get away from him if he lived right next to her.

  She opened her mouth to argue with him, and paused. Maybe she should see this as an opportunity. Her father had only bought him to keep her safe. What if she could get him to admit to her father that he couldn’t manage it? She’d chased off plenty of others. Tutors, men, governesses.

  She glanced at Galen. None seemed as formidable as he did though, and it was already proven that he was stubborn. Also, she had to consider if she could do it without getting him killed. She didn’t want that, no matter how pushy and unwanted he was in her life. Still, she could annoy the hell out of him, and maybe he’d crack. Then she could ask her father to release him.

  His eyes narrowed, as if he could see what was going on in her head. She smiled, trying to appear every inch the sweet Daddy’s Girl. It took all her will not to roll her eyes. She wasn’t good at playing the innocent sweetheart.

  “Actually, I think that would be a good idea. I could use a servant always at my beck and call.”

  He crossed his arms over his wide chest. “I’m not a servant. I won’t do anything but be your bodyguard.”

  She smirked. “Now, I’m sure my father would object to that. You’re a slave, after all. You’re supposed to do what I say. I’m sure you were told what orders you should ignore, but I bet my father didn’t say I couldn’t order you around.”

  She flinched internally. She hated to be a bitch to the man, but the sooner she could get rid of him, the better. If she had to be horribly spoiled she would.

  “Now, if you’ll help the servants move the bed, I’d like to get back in it. I was up late.”

  “No, you’re done sleeping. You were awake when we walked in.”

  How dare he? He was going to order her around now? Of all the pompous,
arrogant men she’d ever met, he was quickly becoming the worst.

  “I’ll sleep when I please, and if I want to lounge around and spend my days in bed you can’t stop me.”

  He bent over and tossed her over his shoulder, provoking more of her ire. Jamila squeaked and pounded his back with her fists. She tried to straighten, so he’d be forced to let her go, but he shifted her so she couldn’t hold her own weight. She collapsed against his hard back, cursing him.

  “You, find her something to wear, and get her into it.” He strode toward her bathroom, set her on her feet, and pushed her inside. “Shower, do whatever other girly thing you have to do. Hair, makeup, what have you, and get dressed. Don’t make me come in there after you. You won’t like it if I have to dress you.”

  She rolled her eyes but the heat in his voice made her insides quiver. Somehow she doubted she’d dislike it if he dressed her. Though she’d rather have him undress her. His dominance sent a little shiver down her spine. She should have found it repugnant, but it was thrilling. No nobleman would have treated her like that. And she would have fed him her fist if he dared.

  She shook her head and turned on the shower. She glanced over her shoulder and found him watching her, his appreciative gaze on her backside. She straightened, stomped to the door, and slammed it in his face. “When someone has my clothes, you can open that again. Why don’t you do something useful instead of watching my ass?” she shouted.

  “But, princess, it’s my job to watch your ass.”

  She kicked the door with her bare foot and then cursed as pain shot up her leg. She could hear his deep, robust chuckle through the closed barrier. Damn that man. Five seconds into his company and she already wanted him gone. At least the fact that he was being pushy would help her feel less guilty.

  She threw off her robe, stepped into the shower, and started her morning routine. Or, rather, her afternoon routine. She was rarely up this early. It was only nine. She yawned and stretched as the warm water rushed over her body.

  How dare her father do this to her? Despite the many death threats made, her father had never bothered to assign her a bodyguard. And no one ever acted on threats against her, even though she was out often among noblemen and peasants alike. But many people tried to murder her father. He was trying to trap her, like he had her mother. Panic clawed at her insides.

  Was she becoming her mother? Before she’d committed suicide, she’d stayed in bed constantly; she drank and took pills prescribed by the family doctor. Jamila dismissed the idea. She stayed up late, she deserved to sleep in, even if she could barely sleep at all anymore. And her mother drank on the quiet; she didn’t party with her friends. By the end of her life she’d barely had any friends left. She’d stopped going out with them.

  The whole door shook under the force of the knock from the other side and she jumped.

  “What’s taking so long, princess?”

  She rolled her eyes. It hadn’t even been twenty minutes. She had gotten sucked into her thoughts, but it hadn’t been that long. “I’ll be out when I’m out. I’m not done yet.”

  “I’m just saying, for someone who probably bathed yesterday, you’re taking an awful long time. You can’t possibly be that dirty.”

  Jamila glared at the door but shut off the water and stepped out of the shower stall. He had a point. A normal shower usually took ten minutes. The chemical spray got you clean instantly, and in richer households like this one, a conditioning agent appropriate for hair and body followed. The water ran blue until you were clean. She’d been standing in clear, fresh water for about ten minutes. The de-humidifier kicked on along with the drier, evaporating the water while it dried her hair and body.

  She opened the door and poked her head out. “Now can one of the servants hand me clothes?”

  He smirked and pulled them out from behind his back.

  Jamila snatched them from his hands and shut the door to get dressed. When she stepped out of the bathroom most of the contents of her room were gone. The only thing that remained was the furniture, which was the same in every room, so she didn’t need it.

  She put her hands on her hips. “Now what?”

  “Do you have any plans for the day?”

  “Not until this afternoon. So what am I supposed to do until then?”

  He shrugged. “It’s your house. Surely you have something you can do.”

  Doubtful. She could go shopping, that was about it. All the servants in the house were busy, so there would be no bomber simulations over some alien planet. If she watched the news, she’d likely be inundated with reports of her father, and herself. In the winter there wasn’t much to do. She was in for a boring day.

  • • •

  Jamila spent the day reading with her ever present guard examining her. Always sitting there like some black cloud. But now it was five in the afternoon. It was a whole different playing field. As soon as the sun set on Larus, the nightlife in the Forbidden District of the city started. Her father had warned her to stay away from there, but she wasn’t about to listen. She had a special errand to run before a night of partying kicked off. Now if she could get rid of her black cloud. She was sure he would never approve an outing, particularly one not only into the Forbidden District, but Haven as well which she couldn’t allow him to know about.

  Galen was currently lounging on his bed in the room next to hers. The door was open so he could keep an eye on her from his reclined position on the bed. She stood and walked over to the door. His eyes were closed, and he appeared completely relaxed. Was the idiot sleeping? It seemed too good to be true. She quietly started to shut the door when he spoke.

  “What are you doing, Jamila?”

  “So you’re not asleep. Great bodyguard you are, lying around with your eyes closed.”

  “I’m probably more aware of everything asleep than you would be on your best day awake. And since I wasn’t sleeping I don’t see why you care. Believe me, if someone had come in here, I would have intercepted them long before they could reach you. So I’ll ask again: what are you doing?”

  Annoyance shot through her. And she’d assumed this would be easy. “I need to dress for dinner. I don’t plan on giving you a show.”

  He opened one eye and peered at her, seeming to accuse her with his gaze. After all, she’d given everyone else a show. “I’ll keep my eyes closed while you change.”

  She snorted. “As if I’d trust you.”

  Both eyes sprang open. “Princess, you’re not my type. And I have a job to do. You don’t have to worry about me spying. My concern is that these walls are almost completely soundproof. Even for me, and I have excellent hearing.”

  She didn’t doubt it. Cyborgs had excellent everything. She dragged her gaze down his body. She hadn’t quite believed that until now, but staring at him, he was definitely fine everywhere. She shook her head.

  “But you can still hear?”

  “Yes, but — ”

  She cut him off by closing the door. She smirked. Mission accomplished. She made quick work hacking the locking mechanism as she’d done in the past. It wouldn’t keep him out, that was for sure — he had enough strength to tear a hole in the wall — but it might buy her a few extra seconds.

  She’d actually changed in the bathroom a few minutes ago, and she’d opened her window to the bitterly cold wind in preparation for this moment. She wouldn’t make a sound as she shrugged out of her robe and slipped out the window and into the fake grass. One good thing about him moving her to this room was that it was on the first floor. She didn’t have to do any climbing to escape.

  The doorknob rattled as she straddled the ledge of the window.

  He banged on the door with his ham handed fist as she slipped out and dashed for the shuttle bay. His move had also put her closer to it than before. She wished she’d thought of switching
rooms earlier. She had her pick of the entire Temple. Especially when her father was gone. She’d moved rooms five times in two years, and had never considered that one. She’d been a fool.

  She rushed into the shuttle bay and hit the remote start on the jumper she usually used. It purred to life and the activation sequence started. It took two minutes for the auto pilot to do safety checks and heat the engine. Hopefully Mr. Hot Bodyguard wouldn’t make it out of his room before she’d taken off.

  She stepped into the shuttle. But just in case he did … “Computer, close all the doors and go to full lock down.”

  “Affirmative.” The deadpan, digital, female voice said.

  “How long until you’re able to fly?”

  “One minute, thirty-six seconds.”

  She nodded. Good, he couldn’t crack the door controls in that amount of time. “Set autopilot for the Haven District. Area five.”

  “Affirmative.”

  Now all she had to do was sit back and relax, and wait the thirty-eight minutes it took to get to the city.

  “Passenger, Galen Marduk is asking for entrance. Should it be granted?”

  There was a thump on the outside of the ship and it rocked slightly.

  “Minor hull damage.”

  “What? Holy hell. What is that mad man doing?” That wasn’t possible. He couldn’t have dinged the ship with his fists.

  “This vessel was kicked with an enforced boot. My readings show the culprit cannot be human. Possible hostile.”

  Damn right he was hostile. He damaged her jumper.

  “Access granted.”

  “What? Computer, I didn’t ask for anything.”

  The doors at the back of the shuttle started to lower. He must have managed to get them open. How was that possible? “Computer, override and close the doors.”

  “Access denied.”

  Fuck. What now? She had to go. People were counting on her. She had to get to the Haven District. Maybe he wouldn’t be able to work his way into the piloting systems as quickly. She’d have to take him along for the ride.