Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles

A Few Cyborgs More

Cyborgs on Mars

Honey Phillips

Copyright © 2020 by Honey Phillips

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by Pro Book Covers Studio

Edited by Lindsay York at LY Publishing

Chapter One

The bomb exploded just outside of the small cave where they had taken shelter, and Sergeant Jonah Harper saw his newest recruit flinch. The kid looked up and blushed when he realized that Jonah had noticed. Fuck, he was young. But somehow, his youthful enthusiasm and big smile had won over the battle-hardened veterans that made up the rest of the squad.

Hell, Jonah liked the boy too.

“Just shots in the dark,” he said. “They don’t know where we are but they’re trying to smoke us out.”

“Maybe we should send Billy here out on a run, lead them away,” Ice Man said jokingly, cuffing the boy’s head.

“Would that help, Sarge?” Billy asked, his young face earnest.

“Nah. If I wanted to send them on a wild goose chase, I’d send Bixby. He’s too big for them to miss.”

Bixby grinned. He was a big, good-natured man and many opponents had made the fatal error of assuming he lacked intelligence. Instead, he was sharp-witted, surprisingly fast, and deadly with a knife.

Another explosion rocked the cave, and this time a small cloud of dust and rock showered down over them. The rebels were definitely getting too close. Damn Command for sending them on this mission without adequate intelligence. They had been sent to take down a supposedly small group of rebels that were raiding one of the factory farms so vital to feeding Earth’s ever-expanding population. Instead, they had encountered a large, well-organized resistance, and now they were pinned down.

“Any luck with the radio, Rabbit?”

“Sorry, Sarge.” Rabbit shook his head. “The spare battery was damaged as well. I don’t think I can get it working.”

Fuck. He swore under his breath. Sooner or later, one of the bombs was going to get close enough to bring the cave down around them. They were going to have to make a run for it. He studied the fading light just visible through the small opening.

“We’ll head out as soon as the sun goes down. Try and make that ridge above the processing factory. Hold out there until dawn, then try a visual signal to Command.”

Stony silence met his words. They all knew that the run for the ridge would leave them exposed.

“Maybe we should wait until closer to dawn,” Bixby suggested, the last few words muffled behind yet another explosion, and more dust filled the cave.

“Cave won’t last the night,” he said grimly, then noticed the apprehensive look on Billy’s face. “Don’t worry, kid. You’re so skinny they’d have to have a magnifying glass to find you.”

A smile flashed across the handsome young face. “Not so skinny that the ladies can’t find me.”

Good-natured laughter filled the air as they settled in to wait.

The shelling didn’t stop as night fell but that could be to their advantage. The constant barrage had left a mist of smoke and dust in the air that would add to the uncertain lighting and help to conceal them.

“Keep low and move fast,” he ordered. “I’ll lead the way. Bixby, bring up the rear.”

They were halfway up the ridge when disaster occurred. The ground to the left exploded. Rabbit was flung to one side, landing in a broken heap. He heard Ice Man cry out but the sound stopped abruptly, and he looked back in time to see Bixby buried under a pile of rock. A sharp pain sliced through his side as the shock threw him to the ground, but he was distracted by a spray of blood as Billy, too, crumpled and fell.

Jonah dragged himself to the boy’s side. Fuck. Most of his leg was gone and he was rapidly losing blood.

“Sarge?” Billy sounded shocked more than hurt.

“Don’t worry, boy. You’ll be fine,” he lied as he applied a tourniquet to what was left of the kid’s leg.

“You… you’re bleeding.”

For the first time, he felt the blood trickling down his neck.

“Just a scratch,” he muttered, then swayed. Fuck, he was losing blood as well. Didn’t matter. He had to get the kid to safety.

A brilliant flare lit up the night sky, then he heard the sound of an incoming round. He threw himself over Billy’s body just as fire seared across his cheek and the night exploded into chaos. His last thought as he lost consciousness was that he had failed.

He was on fire. Heat consumed every inch of his body, like fire ants running through his veins. When he tried to move, he could feel the restraints holding him down. Had the rebels caught him? What about the rest of his squad? He forced his eyes open.

White walls surrounded him. A hospital? But the two men in lab coats against the far wall looked more like scientists than doctors.

“Where—where are my men?” The words came out hoarse, his voice strained and his throat burning.

One of the scientists approached.

“They didn’t make it. You were the only usable specimen.”

A different kind of pain washed over him. He should never have ordered that disastrous change of position. Bixby, Rabbit, Ice Man, even young Billy with so much life still ahead of him. Their deaths were on his head. He forced the knowledge aside as the rest of the man’s words penetrated.

“Specimen?”

“You were a good fit for the cyborg program. Your human life is over. You are now J-817.”

“What do you mean? I’m still human.” If nothing else, the pain racing through him assured him of that.

“Not anymore.”

The scientist adjusted a mirror, pulling it into position over him. One side of his face was gone, replaced by metallic bronze skin that covered his cheek and edged down over his neck. Smooth and gleaming, it mocked him with its perfection.

“What did you do to me?”

“You should be grateful. You would have died otherwise. Now you’re stronger, faster, better.” The man laughed, a satisfied sound. “We made some other improvements as well. Flex your fingers.”

Horrified but determined to know the worst, he obeyed. Sharp blades appeared at each fingertip like deadly claws.

“Excellent,” the man said. “We’ve been experimenting with some additional enhancements and this is one of our most successful.”

His fists clenched, the blades cutting into his own flesh, followed by a swift burn.

“Now stop that. Your nanites already have enough work to do healing the rest of you.”

“I don’t want to be healed.” The faces of his men floated through his mind. “You should have let me die.”

“Nonsense. Your body is the property of Earth Government now and they have a use for you.”

“What use?”

“You’re going to Mars, J-817. You’ll be part of the task force assigned to terraform the planet.”

They had taken away his humanity and now they were going to take away his planet? The rumors he had heard—of plans to make Mars suitable for human life, of robots to do the work, of men disappearing—came together with a horrible clarity. Despair washed over him and he began struggling with his restraints, determined to free himself.

“Damn soldiers,” he heard the scientist mutter as the man quickly inserted an IV in Jonah’s wrist.

Ice flooded his veins from the injection site, and he felt his body go limp and numb before darkness closed over him.

Six weeks later, J-817 examined himself in the mirror of the austere bathroom assigned to the cyborgs. The transport ships to Mars were ready and they were waiting for the order to load. He was in uniform once more, but not the brown military fatigues he had worn for his entire adult life. Instead, he was dressed in black—black pants, black shirt, even a black hat. Earth Government must be casting the cyborgs in the role of villains, he thought ironically.

But the uniform was irrelevant. Instead, he focused on his new face. One half smooth, bronze perfection, the other the rugged, ordinary features that were so familiar to him. The metallic skin seemed to mock him, and his guilt and anger flared.

Extending one of his new razor-sharp claws, he slowly gouged a deep line across his cheek. The new skin wouldn’t bleed, but a fiery pain radiated from the mark. He ignored it.

“This is for you, Bixby.”

A second mark. “Rabbit.”

A third. “Iceman.”

The pain was starting to circulate throughout his whole body but he paid no attention, forcing back the nanites that had rushed to his face in an attempt to heal it.

One last cut, the deepest. “Billy.”

He grabbed onto the sink as a wave of heat rushed over his body in a vain attempt to combat the injury while he held back the nanites with every ounce of control he could muster. The metallic skin was no longer perfect—now it reflected his interior imperfections. He brushed his thumb across the wounds, ignoring the flare of agony. He would never forget that he had failed.

Later that day, his face throbbing, he stood in line with the others of his kind, waiting their turn to load. No one spoke; they had already learned to keep their emotions in check, their feelings hidden. The group of cyborgs ahead of him marched aboard one of the transport ships, closely watched by guards armed with the paralytic serum. He supposed they could have protested, fought back, but what was the point? They were no longer considered human, their rights stripped away by the very government they had fought to serve. The majority of humans regarded them with fear and mistrust. They didn’t belong here any longer.

As for him, he didn’t care. He didn’t deserve anything better. Bixby, Ice Man, Rabbit, Billy. The litany of names floated across his mind as he rubbed the scars beneath his eye. Four scars, one for each of his men, all inflicted by his new “enhancement.” Their deaths would always be on his conscience but at least they had been spared this fate.

“Sarge!”

He spun around to find a familiar figure limping towards him. A wave of relief was followed immediately by intense despair. Billy’s entire life had been in front of him. Now he would have nothing but work and isolation on Mars.

“They said you were dead,” he muttered as they were all ordered towards the waiting ship.

“Nah.” Billy winced and rubbed at the seam of his new leg. “Just part of me.”

Despite the attempt to sound cheerful, J-817 could see the apprehension on the young face as they marched on board and were directed to the small stalls that would be their quarters for the long trip.

He had done this. He had condemned that bright young man to a future of darkness and deprivation. Pushing another cyborg away with his shoulder, he placed himself at Billy’s side. He could never make up for what he had done, but nothing else was going to happen to Billy as long as he was alive to prevent it.

Chapter Two

Eleven years later...

“The ship will be landing in twenty minutes. As soon as the All Clear sounds, please gather your personal belongings and proceed to the disembarkation area. Any stored belongings will be waiting for you in the cargo area. If you have any questions or need assistance, please check with the uniformed personnel.”

Daisy clutched her stomach as a wave of nausea rolled over her. She was finally here on Mars. Married to a man she had never met. A reckless choice, driven by desperation, but this unknown man had to be better than the one she had escaped.

A few deep breaths and the nausea vanished. Her tiny collection of clothing and personal items was already packed, all of it fitting neatly into one small piece of luggage. It was a pitiful display, but she was grateful for every item she had managed to collect in the frenzied panic before the ship departed Earth six long months ago. Her new husband had generously provided a weight allowance for additional luggage, but she had neither the time nor the funds to take advantage of it. At least she had managed to sew herself a few more items of clothing during the journey.

As the countdown to landing sounded over the ship’s speakers, she sank down on the small bunk, thankful that her unknown groom had provided a private room, even such a tiny one. She had spent most of the journey cooped up in here, choosing to study all of the available material about homesteading on Mars rather than mingling with the other passengers.

In the first couple of months, loneliness had occasionally driven her out into the common areas, but the other travelers were predominantly male and she didn’t trust any of them. She sighed. Would she ever feel comfortable in the presence of men again? To not wonder if a smiling, handsome face concealed an evil heart? She hoped her new husband was an ordinary-looking man.

As the minutes ticked away, she rubbed her stomach in slow, comforting circles and tried to find some of the optimism which had once been an intrinsic part of her nature.

When the All Clear finally sounded, she rose unsteadily to her feet and wrapped her thermal coat around her. It was the largest one she could find, swamping her small figure, but she appreciated the concealment. She jammed a knit hat down on her head then donned a full-face breathing mask. Looking at herself in the mirror, she managed a smile. Only the pale circle of her face was visible behind the breathing mask, framed by the black hat and big black coat. She could have been anyone.

The anonymity suited her. She thought she had covered her tracks, but the idea that Richard might come hunting her haunted her dreams.

As she stepped out into the corridor, a big man in GenCon overalls almost ran her down. The GenCon corporation controlled the majority of the industry on Mars and sponsored most of the immigrants. Their logo was a common sight on board.

“Watch out there, ma’am,” the man said with a friendly smile as he caught her arm to prevent her from falling.

She couldn’t control her flinch and his smile faded. He studied her face, then said gently, “There’s no need to be afraid. Is someone waiting for you?”

“M-my husband.”

“Good.” He looked her up and down with a slight frown. “We’ll be disembarking into an enclosed hangar. You don’t need all that gear yet. Are you sure you want to meet him this way?”

“I’m sure.” She needed all the protection she could get.

Another group of men came barreling down the corridor, laughing and talking loudly.

“Watch out.”

Her new acquaintance positioned himself between her and the oncoming men. Although she appreciated his concern, the position left her trapped between his body and the wall, and her heart thudded painfully in her chest as her stomach rolled again.

“P-please move,” she whispered.

Her new acquaintance slapped one of the men on the shoulder, sending him on his way with a playful shove, but he immediately turned back at her words. One glance at her pale face, and he backed away, holding his open hands out to each side.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know.” Her mouth was dry but she managed a weak smile. He did seem trustworthy, but then again, would she ever be able to trust her instincts again? She studied him nervously. He had a broad, homely face beneath close-cropped dark hair, turning gray at the temples. His rough looks and anxious face reassured her.

“Look,” he said gently. “I can tell you’re scared, and I know I’m a big guy, but I’ve never hurt a woman in my life.”

She nodded, and the smile came a little more easily this time.

“I’m going to walk to the hangar with you.” Before she could protest, he continued, “You’re a little bit of a thing and I don’t want you to get run over by more of those clods.”

Her hands clenched, but he had a point. Her small size and deceptively childlike appearance had caused enough trouble in the past. She nodded reluctantly.

A wide grin split his face. “Don’t worry, ma’am. They call me Big Tom, and I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. Would you be more comfortable if I walked next to you or behind you?”

Behind her? Where she couldn’t see what he was doing?

“Next to me,” she said quickly.

His face softened. “Yes, ma’am. Would you like me to carry your bag?”

She drew herself up and thrust out her chin. “I can manage.”

“I’ll bet you can.”

He gave her a cheerful nod and she relaxed a little more. Together they made their way to the landing ramp and, as the crowds increased, she found herself grateful for his intervention. People pushed and shoved, yelling with excitement, but he managed to keep everyone away from her. She kept her head down and avoided making eye contact with anyone.

She wanted to pause at the top of the landing ramp and study her new home, but the press of the people behind them was too great. It wasn’t until they got to the bottom and Big Tom carefully guided her out of the crowd that she got a chance to look around.

The first glance was not encouraging. The area was already swarming with people and equipment. A broad cement floor covered with orange dust stretched out around them, doors leading off at regular intervals, while an equally dusty dome arched overhead. There were no windows and no view of the outside world.

“My buddy says this is new,” Tom said. “They used to just let everybody off on the ground.”

“At least they would be able to see that they were on Mars,” she muttered, and he laughed.

“I know. It’s not much like the pictures they show back on Earth, is it?”

She had to agree. The images of Mars that were so prevalent on Earth showed gleaming white glass buildings filled with greenery, occupied by smiling people in white uniforms. Earth Government was making every attempt to entice the population of an overcrowded and polluted planet to immigrate to Mars, but most people were still afraid of the journey, the hardships ahead, and the knowledge that they could not return. Only the very brave—or the very desperate—made the trip. She knew in which category she belonged, but she gave her companion a curious glance.

“Why did you come to Mars?”

“I came to homestead. I want land of my own.” He hesitated and looked off into the distance. “And a family. I want to have a family.”

Sympathy finally softened her cautious stance. On Earth, he would be lucky to afford a small room of his own, let alone any land. A license to father a child was becoming ever harder to obtain, driven by wealth rather than worthiness.

He gave her a curious look. “Did your husband come ahead? Or are you here as part of the mail order bride program?”

“The bride program,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing.

“You’re a brave little lady. I plan to apply for a wife as soon as my homestead can support two people. I hope I’m lucky enough to get someone like you,” he said with a surprisingly shy smile.

A confused mixture of emotions washed over her, her pleasure at his admiration tempered by guilt. Should she tell him that it was desperation rather than bravery that had driven her here?

She shook her head. “Not so brave. But I hope you get matched with someone nice.” Looking away from him, she cleared her throat. “Speaking of matches, do you know where I should go to meet my husband?”

“No, but let’s find out.”

He caught the attention of one of the uniformed attendants scurrying about by the simple expedient of grabbing his arm.

“This lady needs to meet her husband. Where should she go?”

The harried man tapped quickly on his tablet. “Over there. Door A.”

He rushed off before they could ask him anything else.

“Come along then,” Tom said cheerfully. “I’ll walk you over.”

She wished she felt brave enough to disregard his offer, but nerves were making her stomach roll again. She felt rather like a child walking into school on the first day, and it was reassuring to have a companion.

Her steps lagged the closer they got to the door. Tom looked around when he realized she was falling behind.

“Are you sure about this—oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Daisy Mullins,” she said automatically and then winced. “I mean, Daisy Harper.”

His eyes sharpened, but he didn’t pursue the matter. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Daisy.”

Ahead of them, an older woman with dark hair and a brisk stride entered Door A. Daisy caught a quick glimpse of a small white room before the door slid shut again.

“Looks like you’ll have some company,” Tom said encouragingly.

He went to open the door and she found herself putting a restraining hand on his arm. She blushed and drew it back when he turned to look at her.

“Could you… Would you mind coming in with me? Just for a minute,” she added hastily.

“Sure I will.”

He opened the door and put a comforting hand on her arm as they entered.

“Oh, hell no.” The woman they had just seen had her hands on her hips and was staring aggressively at the only man in the room. “I didn’t come here to marry no damn cyborg.”

A cyborg? A shiver ran down Daisy’s spine, and she almost instinctively pressed closer to Tom. She had heard the rumors about the machines on Earth—how they looked like men but no longer had any human emotions, how they couldn’t be trusted except when under government control. She snuck a peek at the cyborg the other woman was confronting. Slim and almost boyish-looking, with short red hair and a deep golden tan, he looked human enough.

“I don’t remember anyone asking you,” he drawled at the woman in a deep, pleasant voice, seemingly unfazed by her attitude.

“Well, I won’t. That’s all,” the woman spluttered, but her aggression seemed to die down.

The cyborg grinned at her, then looked up and saw Daisy. Bright blue eyes sparkled at her and her heart sank. He was ridiculously good-looking and despite the humor seemingly apparent on his face, she didn’t trust him at all.

“Hello there. Are you Daisy?”

He limped over to join them and she realized that his slender build was deceptive. He was as tall as Tom and roped with lean muscle, and she had no doubt he could easily overpower her.

“Are… are you Jonah?”

Her words were barely audible.

“No, I’m Bill—I mean, B-669. I’m here to take you to him.”

“Why the hell couldn’t he come himself?” Tom barked, and she looked up to see him scowling at the cyborg. “Why did he send you?”

B-669 reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the woman he had so meticulously arranged to join them on Mars. Lord, she was a tiny thing, even wrapped up in a ridiculously large coat and already wearing a completely unnecessary breathing mask. All he could really make out was a pair of enormous, scared green eyes set in a face so pale that the small freckles scattered across her delicate features were clearly visible.

The big man next to her had an almost possessive air about him and B-669 didn’t like that one bit. This was his—this was the Sarge’s woman, B-669’s last desperate attempt to bring back the man he had once known, and no oversized human was going to prevent him from carrying out his plan.

“Who are you?” he snapped.

“I’m Big Tom. I’ve heard all about you fucking machines… Begging your pardon, ma’am.”

“Yeah.” The skinny woman who had accosted him as soon as she entered spoke up. “Everyone knows they can’t be trusted.”

Daisy’s eyes flicked over to the woman, then back to him, and his heart sank as she lifted her chin resolutely.

“Where is he? Where’s Jonah?” she asked, surprising him. He had been sure she was going to repudiate the marriage immediately.

“At our claim. He’s my partner. The claim is in the mountains several hours north of town.”

“Away from everyone else?”

He nodded reluctantly, sure that she wouldn’t take the news well. Instead, she surprised him again with a quick, determined bob of her head. Her shoulders almost seemed to relax.

“Very well. We should probably get going.”

“Daisy,” Tom protested. “You don’t have to go with him. You can come with me. Hell, I know I said I was going to wait, but I’ll marry you myself if that’s what it takes.”

“That’s very sweet, Tom,” Daisy said. “But I’m already married to Jonah. I made a commitment, and I keep my promises.”

She patted Tom’s arm, and a sudden and completely unexpected growl erupted from B-669’s throat. Where the hell had that come from? She wasn’t even his woman, but he hated the sight of her touching the other man. Everyone stared at him and he cleared his throat, hoping they couldn’t see his own shock.

“And you… you’re not Jonah, right?” Daisy asked again, and his heart sank a second time. If she was so unsure about him, when he could mostly pass for human, how was she going to feel about J-817 with his gruff manners and scarred face?

“No, ma’am. I promise that I am not.”

He waited for her to ask the next obvious question—was Jonah also a cyborg?—but she didn’t. Instead, she stepped forward. She was still an arm’s length away but he caught a hint of her sweet fragrance and had to fight back the sudden impulse to tug her closer.

“We should go and get your belongings,” he said, trying to give her his usual easy smile.

“This is all I have.”

She held up a small piece of luggage.

“Didn’t you realize that I—that Jonah—arranged for an additional baggage allowance?”

For the first time, a small smile flickered across the pale face behind the mask.

“Yes, and it was very generous of… him. But I didn’t have much to bring.”

“Do you want to stop in New Arcadia and pick up some more clothes?” he asked doubtfully. Mars was still very short on almost everything and ladies’ clothing was no exception.

“No! No,” she repeated more calmly. “I would just like to leave as soon as possible.”

Big Tom was still scowling, but his face softened as he looked down at Daisy. “I’ll make sure and leave my information at the message center. If things don’t work out, let me know.”

“Everything will be fine,” he growled, stepping forward. He started to reach for Daisy’s arm, but he saw the faint flinch she tried to hide and dropped his hand. Damn, she was skittish. He could only pray that Jonah didn’t terrify her on sight.

“More fool you,” the skinny woman sniffed as she gave the big man an admiring glance. “I’d take this man any time over some damn machine.”

“I wasn’t asking you,” Tom said and for the first time, B-669 felt a hint of appreciation for the big settler. An unwilling grin twisted his lips as the woman scowled.

“Looks like no one’s asking you,” he said cheerfully. “Are you ready to leave, Daisy?”

“Yes.” She turned back to the other man and he had to fight back an instinctive protest. “Thank you, Tom. I hope your homestead prospers and that you find a bride.”

“I’m glad to have met you, Daisy. I meant what I said. If you need me, I’ll be there.”

To his relief, she merely gave the man a soft smile, then turned to him, that stubborn little chin back in the air. “I’m ready.”

Chapter Three

As B-669 led the way out of the meeting room, two men came towards them along the corridor. He instinctively stepped in front of Daisy, but he saw her flinch again at his sudden movement.

“You sure about this, Abe?” one of the men asked his companion. Both of them were dressed in the grubby overalls worn by the power station workers and looked pretty rough.

“Course I am. You’re my brother, ain’t you?”

“I don’t think your bride is expecting two husbands,” the first man said doubtfully.

“She’ll get used to the idea. Twice as much fun, right?” The second elbowed his brother and both men laughed.

Daisy looked up at him, green eyes startled, as the two men disappeared into the meeting room. “They’re going to share her?”

“I can’t say I’m surprised. There aren’t many women on Mars. But somehow I doubt that those two are what Ms. High and Mighty was expecting.”

“They won’t… hurt her, will they?”

“No, sweetheart.” The endearment escaped before he could prevent it and he hurried on. “Women are much too valuable up here. But I’ll let one of the rangers know to check on them.”

“Rangers?”

“Now that all of the preliminary terraforming work has been done, most of the cyborgs have been reassigned as rangers—we represent law and order on this planet.”

“Law and order? But…”

Her voice trailed off and he knew what she was thinking. The propaganda about the cyborgs on Earth had been specifically designed to emphasize them as machines, to remove any indication that they were still human.

“We were all military men before so it’s a good fit. And no matter what they told you, we’re still men.”

“Yes. Yes, of course.” An unexpectedly enchanting tide of pink covered her face.

Taking pity on her embarrassment, he changed the subject, talking cheerfully as he led the way to one of the big six-wheeled rovers that were the primary means of transportation on the planet. As he drove out of the transport shed, Daisy’s eyes went wide with amazement as she got her first glimpse of the planet.

“It’s so big. So empty.”

He followed her gaze. After eleven years on Mars, he no longer paid much attention to the landscape, but he remembered how shocked he had been when they first arrived. Vast, empty deserts of red dust, deep craters, and jagged mountain ranges, all topped by a pale orange sky. Completely different from the overcrowded Earth he left behind.

“You’ll get used to it,” he assured her. “It has a kind of beauty of its own that you learn to appreciate.”

She shot him a quick sideways glance and then went back to watching their surroundings as they trundled past the turnoff to the town and were soon alone in the desert.

He had brought the rover with him assuming that she would have possessions he would need to transport, in addition to the small luxuries he had purchased to try and make life easier for her out on the claim. Unfortunately, there just weren’t that many luxuries available, but perhaps it was just as well. Although he’d had a hefty reserve of credits between his accumulated and mostly untouched salary and the profits from the claim, arranging for a mail order bride and paying for the trip had taken a large portion of his savings. But he wouldn’t regret a single penny if it made the Sarge happy again.

What he hadn’t realized was that riding next to her in the enclosed vehicle would be so difficult. Her sweet scent filled the air, and his enhanced senses could pick up every soft breath and tiny rustle as she shifted her position.

“The cabin is airtight. You can remove the breathing mask,” he suggested, even knowing it would make the situation worse.

“I… Yes, I suppose that would be sensible.”

She lifted the mask away from her face, revealing delicate, pixie-like features with an unexpectedly full pink mouth. He hadn’t expected her to be quite so pretty, or so innocent looking. Why had she chosen to be married to a man she’d never met? To come to Mars? His questions disappeared as she pulled the mask off over her head, catching it in the knit cap and pulling it off as well, sending a cascade of auburn curls tumbling down her back. His mouth went dry. She brushed the glorious mane back with a shy hand.

“Sorry. I know I’m kind of a mess.”

A mess? He had a sudden vision of that wild tangle spread across his pillow, her face flushed not from embarrassment but from pleasure, and his cock jerked. Damn. He didn’t need to be thinking of her that way. No matter how pretty she was and how long it had been since he’d been with a woman. She didn’t belong to him. The knowledge didn’t stop him from making an additional suggestion.

“If you want to take your coat off, I can adjust the temperature.”

“No!” Her face flushed. “I mean, I prefer to leave it on.”

He frowned at the big coat swamping her small figure but decided not to press the matter. They both lapsed into silence.

“How did she know?” she asked suddenly.

“How did who know what?”

“How did that horrible woman know you were a cyborg?”

“Ah.” He hesitated, not at all sure he wanted to discuss his changes, but in the end, he gave her a rueful grin. “I have a cybernetic leg. It was an… experimental version and it can be uncomfortable. I was rubbing the joint when she walked in and saw me.”

“Is that why you limp?”

Damn. No matter how he tried to hide it, it was still obvious. He didn’t know any other cyborg whose cybernetic parts were so obviously ill-suited for their bodies. Even with his nanites constantly working on the transition area, he was always aware of the seam, of the constant ache and feeling of wrongness where his leg met the rest of his body.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

For a brief second, a small hand rested on his arm. It was the first time she had touched him of her own accord, and he wanted to demand—beg—that she continue. But even if she hadn’t been so obviously nervous, she wasn’t for him. She was for the Sarge. He only hoped that the stubborn idiot would recognize the value of his gift. Surely this pretty young woman would be enough to drag the man out of the dark pit of despair he had been wallowing in for the past eleven years.

“Nothing to be sorry about. I’m alive and that’s the most important thing.” If only J-817 would believe that.

“When you introduced yourself, you said your name was B-669 but it sounded like you also said… Bill?”

“I was called that once.”

“Why not now?”

“Earth Government assigned us designations instead once we became cyborgs.” He shrugged, trying to appear casual. “Most of us use them as a reminder that they no longer consider us human.”

“Can… can I call you Bill?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

She gave him a small, tentative smile, then returned to watching the landscape.

Daisy stared out the window and tried to focus on her surroundings. Mars was truly awe-inspiring, especially for someone who had spent their entire life in the crowded confines of the New York metro area. With one horrible exception, she had never seen anything close to this expanse of open land. The only sign of human life she could detect was an occasional small dome far in the distance. She decided they must belong to the homesteaders the government was encouraging to settle the planet. As an incentive to the settlers, the government provided both a section of land and a set of initial supplies. All the settlers had to do was to work their claims for five years and the land would belong to them.

As magnificent—and bleak—as her surroundings were, they couldn’t distract her completely from the tall cyborg sharing the rover with her, driving the awkward six-wheeled machine with an easy competence that she envied. The fact that he was a cyborg hadn’t bothered her for long—even their limited conversation had made it quite clear that he was definitely human, even if some of his parts were made of metal. But his humanity was even more disturbing. She was acutely aware of him, of his size, of the heat radiating from his body, of the fresh, spicy scent coming from him. She snuck a glance at him from under her lashes, only to have him catch her looking. He grinned, a wide, charming smile, and an answering smile began to curve her lips before she ducked her head away.

If only he weren’t so handsome. Richard had been handsome too, with an equally charming smile, and it had taken her far too long to realize the depths of depravity concealed behind that smile. She shuddered at the memory.

“Are you cold? Would you like me to turn up the heat? I’m afraid I don’t pay much attention to the temperature anymore.”

Why did he have to sound so genuinely concerned?

“No, I’m fine.” She pulled the big coat tighter around her. “Is that part of being a cyborg? Not feeling the cold?”

“It’s not so much that we don’t feel it. We’ve just learned not to pay attention.”

His eyes were shadowed, and she remembered that the cyborgs had been here on Mars when the temperatures were much lower than they were now. Their work had raised the average temperatures and increased the atmospheric pressure to the point where a pressure suit wasn’t required. Unfortunately, while the cyborgs didn’t need supplemental oxygen, humans would until the terraforming had advanced to the next stage.

“Was it bad here? When you came?” she asked tentatively.

“Bad? It was dark and cold and dangerous. We didn’t have anything in the way of comfort, and the few humans we interacted with treated us like shit.” He stared off into the distance, then flashed her another grin. “But you know, even then I didn’t hate it. J… Jonah was always at my side. And I was doing something important. That’s why I joined the military in the first place—to make a difference with my life.”

A reluctant smile curved her lips. “You’re one of those ‘glass half full’ people, aren’t you?”

“I reckon so. Never saw much point in worrying about what I didn’t have. How about you?”

“I used to be,” she said quietly.

Growing up as an unlicensed child in one of the vast government orphanages hadn’t exactly been a picnic, but the worst she’d ever encountered was a sort of benign neglect. The fact that she had been a late bloomer and looked far younger than her age had also helped. Even when the only job she could find to help work her way through college was as a waitress in a men’s club, everyone still tended to treat her as a younger sister.

Until Richard had come along and swept her off her feet, making her feel like a woman for the very first time. She shuddered again.

“You’re sure you’re not cold?”

“No. Just thinking about the past.”

“Well, don’t,” he said firmly. “If nothing else, Mars means a new future. For everyone.”

A new future. How wonderful that sounded. She had been thinking of this trip merely as a way to run away, but maybe she needed to think about what she was running towards instead.

“What’s Jonah like?”

“He’s a good man,” Bill said immediately, a defensive note in his voice.

“I’m sure he is, but that’s not what I asked.”

“Sorry. He’s older than me and he can be kind of… gruff, but only because he cares. Not everyone understands the kind of man he truly is. He saved my life.”

“That’s wonderful. He must be someone special.”

“Just… just don’t be scared of him, okay?”

“Why would I be scared?”

“He has some pretty bad scars,” he said reluctantly.

“I don’t care what he looks like.”

The knowledge that he wasn’t a good-looking man actually made her feel more comfortable. In her mind, Jonah was beginning to resemble Big Tom. Not as big, of course, and scarred. A little shy, perhaps, but she didn’t mind that. The image reassured her, and she found herself starting to relax a little. They were away from the town and any chance of anyone seeing her. Jonah sounded kind of sweet. Even Bill was turning out to be a nice guy—at least so far. She wasn’t prepared to let her guard down yet, but she was cautiously optimistic.

Definitely time to think about the future.

Chapter Four

Although her back began to ache several hours into the trip, it passed surprisingly quickly. Bill turned out to be an entertaining companion, quick-witted and funny. She found his boyish charm less threatening than Richard’s polished phrases and relaxed even more.

The sun was low on the horizon as they climbed a narrow track up into one of the massive mountain ranges. The road was only barely wider than the rover and dropped off sharply to one side, but the view was breathtaking. They wound around a final corner and Bill brought the vehicle to a halt at the edge of a large clearing. On one side, a big tunnel opened into the rock face, its entrance surrounded by a jumble of rocks and debris. Several rusty carts were scattered around as well. On the other side of the clearing, a large dome nestled against the cliff along with several smaller buildings, all of them covered with the prevalent orange dust. Everything looked dirty and worn and not the slightest bit welcoming and her optimism began to fade.

“It’s very… nice,” she said, trying to sound convincing.

“No, it’s not. I’m sorry, Daisy. I’m so used to it that I didn’t think about how it would appear to you.” Bill scowled at the surroundings.

“Maybe it just needs a woman’s touch.”

A hungry look crossed his face so quickly she wasn’t sure if she imagined it.

“I’m sure that’s it.” He handed her mask back to her. “Put this on. We don’t have an airlock between the transport shed and the habitat. Looks like J… Jonah is still in the mine, but we’ll get you settled inside before I start unloading.”

She donned her mask and stepped cautiously down from the rover, pretending she didn’t see his helping hand—or the hurt on his face at her rejection. Silently, he picked up her bag before she could grab it and led the way to the airlock. She waited until the inner door released and then stripped off her mask again as she followed him into the dome, coming to an abrupt halt as she surveyed her surroundings.

The inside was as barren and unkempt as the outside. The scattered parts from some kind of machine were laid out in front of the big windows at the front of the dome. A metal table and two benches marked a primitive kitchen area with little more than a counter, a few old appliances, and some shelves. A small bathroom unit stood against the far wall, next to two bunks, one neatly made and the other a heap of blankets. Two bunks? A sudden suspicion had her turning to confront Bill.

“Do you live here too?”

“Yes, of course. I said we were partners, didn’t I?”

“And you’re planning to stay here? With me and Jonah?”

The color rushed to his face. “I hadn’t really thought about it. We’ve been together for so long—” He winced at the dismayed expression on her face. “I’ll move out as soon as I can get back to town to get the parts for a new module.”

Her eyes were still fixed on the two beds.

“Just where did you expect me to sleep until then?”

“I have the materials for another bed in the rover,” he said hopefully.

She sank down on the bench as the full impact of her situation swept over her. She hadn’t expected much but she had hoped for a cozy little home with her new husband, not a dirty, chilly space that reminded her of a workshop rather than a home. A space they would have to share with his partner.

“Where the fuck have you been? And who the hell is this?”

The low, rough growl sent a shiver up her spine, but oddly enough, it wasn’t fear. For some reason, her body instinctively responded to the harsh voice and her nipples tightened. Her cheeks heated as she cast a glance at the newcomer who had just entered the dome.

Her previous image flew out the window—this was no shy older man. Instead, a mountain of a man stood at the entrance, both taller and broader than Bill, with short cropped salt-and-pepper hair, and a scruff of beard along one side of his face. She caught a glimpse of dark, stormy eyes and a scarred and oddly metallic looking cheek before he turned his head away, and she realized he was trying to hide his scars.

“Who is she?” he repeated, his voice strained.

Gathering her courage, she stood and approached him. “I’m Daisy. I’m your wife.”

“My wife?”

There was no hiding the shock in his face and her heart sank. He didn’t even know she was coming? They both turned to stare at Bill. He blushed again but faced them defiantly.

“Yes, your wife. You need a reason to start living again, Sarge—a reason other than watching over me. You deserve to be happy.”

“No, I don’t.”

Jonah’s voice was so tortured that she stepped closer, placing her hand on his arm. She could feel the hard, warm muscles beneath her fingers and her pulse gave an unexpected leap. What was it about this man?

He froze and she felt the tension tightening his muscles.

“I can’t have a wife.”

“You already do,” Bill said firmly. “The two of you were married by proxy back on Earth. You are legally married.”

“Legally?” He barked a harsh laugh and finally turned to face her, sweeping off his hat. The right side of his face was… not human. Metallic bronze skin covered his cheek, starting just beneath his eye and sweeping down under his shirt collar. Four vicious scars raked across his cheek.

“Cyborgs can’t marry. You know that.”

He was speaking to Bill but he was looking at her and her breath caught at the storm of emotion in his eyes—pain, anger, longing.

“I have the paperwork stating that it’s legal. Who’s going to challenge it?”

“She will. Won’t you, girl?”

Would she? She looked into those tortured eyes, then took another look around the dome as she remembered Bill’s words. It did need a woman’s touch, and so did this man. The rumors she had heard about cyborgs replayed in her head but she discarded them. His suffering was all too human.

“No, I won’t challenge it.”

Her words fell into a shocked silence.

“You don’t want to be married to someone that looks like me.” The words sounded like they were dragged from him.

She shrugged, trying to appear casual. “Looks don’t matter to me. A pretty face can hide an ugly heart. Are you going to hurt me?”

“What? Of course not,” he growled, and Bill echoed him.

“Are you going to throw me out if you get tired of me or if I do something you don’t like?”

“Fuck, no.” His eyes narrowed. “Who would do that?”

“You’re prepared to take me just like I am?”

His eyes ran over her, the heat in them so intense that she felt an answering spark low in her stomach.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t say that too quickly. There’s something else you need to know.”

Her hands trembled as she slowly unfastened her coat and let it drop.

“Fuck. You’re pregnant.”

Chapter Five

J-817 couldn’t hide his shock as he stared at the small woman in front of him. Part of him thought he should be horrified, but instead he was overcome with an entirely inappropriate lust. He was already entranced by her delicate features and that cloud of red hair, but now he could see the lush breasts, the gentle swell of her stomach, the ripe curves of a fertile woman. His cock stiffened into a full, aching erection. Beyond her, he could see Billy staring at her with equal fascination.

“Yes, I’m pregnant.” A rueful smile curved those rosy lips. “I can’t exactly hide it any longer.”

“Did it happen on the ship?” he growled. “Did some bastard take advantage of you?”

If someone had, he was a dead man.

“No. It must have happened just before I left Earth.” A shadow crossed her face. “I swear I didn’t know. It wasn’t until my second month on the ship that I realized. I’m so sorry, Bill. I know I should have mentioned it before we left town, but I was afraid you would leave me there.”

“Of course I wouldn’t have left you,” Billy protested.

J-817 finally snatched his gaze away from the young woman. From his wife. Fuck, she was pretty. And young. And pregnant. A sudden flare of panic replaced his previous lust as he realized just what that meant.

“She should be in town with a doctor.”

“No!” Daisy put her hand on his arm again, impossibly small and delicate, as she stared up at him with pleading green eyes. “I don’t want to be in town.”

“Why not?”

“I… I don’t like crowds.”

He snorted, despite the underlying terror still riding him. “Not a lot of crowds on Mars. You need to be near a doctor.”

“You have medical training, Sarge. She’ll be fine here.”

“Don’t know anything about birthing babies,” he snapped. Not that his paramedic training had helped him save the rest of his squad either.

“I know I’ll have to go to the hospital when it’s time, but that’s months away. I’ll be fine out here in the meantime. Please don’t make me leave.”

She was still touching him, still giving him that entreating look. The soft curve of her stomach brushed against his body and her tantalizing floral scent sent a rush of longing through him. How could he refuse her anything? Against his better judgment, he found himself putting his hand over hers, the small fingers quivering at his touch.

“You can stay here.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. Her lips were parted, pink and soft and tempting, and he wanted more than he had wanted anything in the past eleven years to bend his head and taste her.

“I’ll leave the two of you to get acquainted while I unload the rover,” Billy said hastily, and the words snapped him back to reality.

He couldn’t have a wife—didn’t deserve a wife—but neither could he turn her away. He would let her stay, protect her in every way that he could, but she would be a wife in name only. And once the baby was born, he would set her free.

When Bill spoke, Jonah stepped away, leaving Daisy feeling unexpectedly bereft. For a moment there, she had thought he was going to kiss her—and she had wanted him to.

“What did you get in town?” he asked.

The low, growling voice sent a delicious shiver down her spine. What was it about this man? About both of them? As much as she hated to admit it, spending hours in close proximity to Bill had ignited a spark of desire for the first time in months.

“Just a few things for your new bride—something to eat other than those tasteless protein packs, some fabric to brighten the place up a bit. A bed.” He mumbled the last word, but Daisy caught it.

Her cheeks flamed and she finally snatched her gaze away from Jonah. The thought of sharing a bed with someone she just met should have made her recoil, especially after her last disastrous exploration into romance, but the ache low in her stomach argued for a reaction other than distaste.

“I can rest in the mine shaft,” Jonah growled, arresting her wandering thoughts. “She can have my bunk.”

“No.”

She and Bill spoke at the same time, but she was the one that Jonah looked at. He looked almost… hurt and she hurried to explain.

“I’m not going to take your bed from you.” She glanced over at the bunk and tried for a lighter note. “And I don’t think it’s big enough to share.”

The words seem to echo through the empty dome, and she realized that both men were staring at her.

“Expect you’re wrong about that, girl,” Jonah growled, sending another one of those delightful shivers down her spine. Before she could respond, he turned to Bill. “I’ll give you a hand.”

Bill opened his mouth, undoubtedly to protest, but one look at Jonah’s face and he closed it and headed silently for the door. The two men disappeared, and she sank down on one of the narrow benches that appeared to be the only place to sit. Lord, what had she gotten herself into? A new planet, an isolated location, and not one, but two undeniably sexy cyborgs.

But in spite of all the challenges ahead, she still felt more at ease than she ever had in Richard’s luxurious apartment. Yes, the place was a disaster, but a good cleaning would make a huge difference and she’d never had fine surroundings. And her new husband… The big scarred cyborg should have scared her, but instead, she felt oddly safe with him. Safe—and aroused.

She pushed that thought aside as the baby kicked. How ridiculous to be thinking about sex at a time like this.

The two men reappeared before she had gotten much further in her thoughts, each of them carrying a huge stack of containers with no apparent difficulty. Jonah looked at her and swore. “Fuck. You need a real chair.”

“I’m fine,” she said smiling at him, even though her back was already protesting the narrow bench.

He ignored her. “B-669, go pull one of the seats out of a rover. It’ll do for now.”

“Thank you, Jonah. But I think it would be good for me to get up and walk around a little.”

She started to climb to her feet but the awkward weight of her stomach threw her off balance. Before she could collapse ungracefully back down on the bench, Jonah had his hand under her arm and held her steady with effortless strength. He was close enough that she could catch his scent, dark and almost smoky, and she felt her body respond. She started to sway towards him, but as soon as she was on her feet, he stepped back.

“All right now?”

“I’m fine, thank you.” She wanted to say something else, to find some way to bridge this awkwardness between them. “Jonah—”

“I brought the seat from the mining buggy,” Bill said eagerly as he rushed back into the room with a big padded chair. “It has a spring-loaded base.”

“Put it over there by the window so she can see out,” Jonah ordered, then looked at her. “That is, if you’d like it there.”

“That would be perfect.”

He gave an abrupt nod and began opening some long boxes. Bill brought in a few more and then joined him in opening additional boxes. Despite her desire to move around, she soon found that her feet hurt as well as her back and settled into the new chair with a sigh of relief. The springy base allowed her to rock a little and she soon found herself watching the men instead of looking out the window. They worked together within easy, almost silent precision, obviously the results of many years together, as they began to assemble the pieces of what was clearly a bed. A very large bed. Her mouth dropped open as Bill fastened a pillar to one corner of the frame and she realized he was building a canopy bed. The pillar was intricately carved, as was the rest of the frame.

Jonah, too, rocked back on his heels to study the bed.

“Where the hell did you get this?”

Bill became very busy inspecting a joint he had just put together.

“It was for sale in town,” he said vaguely.

“One of the settlers had the money to pay to have this shipped? Then sold it?” He scowled at the younger man. “Only place I know that would have something like this is Madam Cherry’s.”

“I’ll just go get those last boxes,” Bill said as he jumped up, but Jonah’s hand on his arm brought him to a rapid halt, and he sighed. “Oh, all right. I knew they would be anything appropriate in the general store, so I went and asked Cherry.”

“You bought my wife a bed from a whorehouse?”

A small part of Daisy was unexpectedly thrilled to hear Jonah refer to her as his wife, but it was quickly overridden by outrage. She glared at Jonah.

“And how do you know what a bed from this Madam whoever’s place looks like?”

“He doesn’t,” Bill protested, but red touched his cheekbones. He was such a poor liar that she would have been amused if she weren’t so angry. The thought of her new husband—of either of them—cavorting with another woman, a woman who wasn’t big and pregnant, caused a surge of unreasonable anger.

“He most certainly does.” She pushed herself to her feet and put her hands on her hips. “Just like you knew where to go to get it. Why don’t both of you just go back to this friend of yours and leave me alone?”

Wetness trickled down her cheek and she realized to her horror that she was crying. The long journey, the uncertain circumstances, and the never-ending surprises of the afternoon finally caught up with her. She swayed dizzily as more tears followed. She heard Jonah curse and a moment later he lifted her into his arms. Her feeble attempt to push him away was completely ignored. He checked her pulse, then scowled at Bill.

“Did you feed her?”

“I didn’t even think about it,” Bill said, his expression contrite.

“I’m not hungry.” She knew she sounded childish and petulant, but she didn’t have the energy for anything else. Jonah’s arms were warm and strong as they wrapped around her body and despite her annoyance, she nestled a little closer, tucking her head under his chin. She felt him tense, but she ignored it. He had picked her up; now he could just hold her.

“What food did you bring from town?”

Bill had been staring at her in Jonah’s arms, an odd expression on his face, and he jerked at the question.

“Food?”

“Yes, you young idiot. You said you bought food. Did you bring soup or something like that?”

“I don’t know. I just told the shopkeeper to put in whatever he thought a lady would like. I’ll go look.”

He rushed over to one of the boxes and Jonah took one step towards her chair.

“Don’t you put me there,” she muttered. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your lady friend.”

He moved closer to the chair anyway but before she could protest, he spun around and sat down with her in his lap. Hmm. This is kind of nice, she thought as she nestled closer, then realized that she was snuggling against a very large erection. Her eyes flew to his, but he turned his head away so all she could see was the human side of his profile.

“Not going to apologize. Not going to apologize for knowing Cherry, either.” At the reminder, she tried to wiggle out of his arms, but he held her easily in place. “You called her my friend and I reckon that’s what she is—but that’s all she is. A friend. I go talk to her sometimes when we’re in town.”

“A friend?” she repeated skeptically.

She wanted to believe him, she really did, but how many times had Richard come home smelling of perfume and said it was because he had hugged a friend? But then, in the end, when it had all gone so horribly wrong, he hadn’t bothered to hide the truth.

“Men get bored with a single woman,” he said. “Especially when she’s an ignorant little girl.”

“You said you liked the fact that I was innocent,” she had whispered.

He had shrugged. “Maybe the novelty wore off.”

“Then let me go.”

“Never. You belong to me now.”

The memory made her shudder, and Jonah’s arms loosened.

“Not keeping you here.”

There was that look in his eyes again, as if he expected her to reject him. He really didn’t have anything in common with Richard’s smooth arrogance and, with a little sigh, she relaxed back against him, deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt. She only hoped she wasn’t being a fool a second time.

Chapter Six

A short time later, Bill brought over the steaming bowl of soup. It smelled wonderful and her stomach growled. Jonah snorted.

“Not hungry, eh?”

She expected him to let her up, but instead, he readjusted her in his lap and began spooning soup into her mouth, carefully testing the temperature first.

“You don’t have to feed me.”

He ignored her and presented her with another spoonful.

“Why do I get the feeling that you don’t pay any attention to anything you don’t want to hear?”

Bill, hovering over the two of them, started to laugh.

“She’s got you pegged there, Sarge.”

A slight smile twisted Jonah’s lips but again he didn’t respond. She stopped protesting. There was something oddly comforting about this, about being cradled in Jonah’s arms while he cared for her. She curved an arm around her stomach. Soon enough, she would have someone else to care for in the same way.

When she finished eating, she slumped back against him. A full stomach on top of her exhaustion soon had her eyelids drooping. She was vaguely aware of Bill continuing to assemble the bed, but it wasn’t until Jonah stood up with her in his arms and carried her in that direction that she realized he had finished. Her eyes widened. In addition to the elaborate carving on the frame, the bed was now covered with pale pink sheets, while filmy drapes hung from the frame. It was impossibly feminine and out of place in the primitive dome, but it also looked incredibly welcoming.

As Jonah started to put her down, the baby kicked right over her bladder and she put a hand on his arm.

“I need to use the facilities.”

He and Bill exchanged a doubtful glance, then frowned in the direction of the small bathroom.

“We haven’t been as good about housekeeping as we should have been,” Bill said, tugging his ear. “Can you wait a few minutes while I tidy up?”

“You’d better be quick.”

He scurried off, leaving her still cradled in Jonah’s arms.

“You can put me down now,” she said, even though she was still enjoying the novel experience of being cared for this way.

“Not bothering me.”

“Jonah, I’m pregnant. I’m not an invalid.”

He didn’t respond and she huffed, poking his extremely hard chest with one finger.

“Remember what I said about you ignoring things you don’t want to hear?”

At that, he looked down at her, an unexpected flash of humor in those dark, intense eyes.

“Didn’t disagree with you.”

She couldn’t resist smiling up at him, even though she shook her head.

“Men.”

The humor vanished. “We’re not men. The government took that away from us a long time ago.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You still have emotions, feelings. You’re still human.”

He might not like to share those feelings, but every single one of his actions since she had arrived had proven that there was a deeply caring individual behind that stoic mask.

His jaw tightened and he looked away, truly ignoring her this time, and for the first time, she felt a distance between them, despite their physical proximity.

Bill popped back out of the bathroom. “I did the best I could, but I’m afraid the water is going to be cold. I’ll start the heater now.”

“You don’t use hot water?” She stared at him in appalled horror. All of the water on Mars was reclaimed from the subdural ice. It must be barely above freezing.

Jonah set her gently on her feet. “Cyborgs don’t care about the temperature.”

As soon as he was sure she had found her balance, he let go of her and stalked out of the dome.

“What did I say?”

Bill shook his head. “He thinks being a cyborg is a punishment. He’s never forgiven himself for what happened to us.”

She wanted to ask more, but Bill’s face had assumed the same stern mask. And she really did need to use the facilities.

To her surprise, the bathroom unit, while small, was almost spotless. She attended to the necessities, shivering as she hurried to wash under the icy water. When she emerged, Bill had drawn back the covers on the big bed. She thought about changing but she was too tired to do more than sit down on the edge of the bed. She didn’t even protest when Bill carefully removed her boots. Rolling over on her side, she wedged one pillow under her stomach, another one under her shoulder, and was asleep before he finished pulling the curtains closed.

As soon as he could tell from Daisy’s breathing that she was asleep, B-669 decided to go find his partner. He hated to leave her alone, but it was time to face the music.

As he expected, the Sarge was perched on one of the boulders at the edge of their site looking out over the valley far below. They both had a tendency to do that, to seek comfort in the knowledge that they were not chained in a lab, not packed into the transport ship with the other cyborgs, not subject to human control, but in charge of their own destinies. Sarge’s horse was standing next to him, also looking out over the valley. Not a real horse, of course, but one of the robotic constructions modeled on the legendary animals. The horses served as transportation, defense, and, he had come to realize, companions.

He joined them, sitting in silence as he waited for the older man to speak.

“Why did you do it?” Jonah asked at last.

“Because you’re not getting any better.”

“Better?” A harsh laugh. “Fucking government made me damn near indestructible. How much better am I going to get?”

“I don’t mean physically.”

“Just spit it out, boy.”

“Sarge, you’re alive. I’m alive, because you saved me.”

“Saved you? So you could be turned into a damn machine?”

“Why don’t you believe me when I tell you that I’ve accepted that? That I’m okay with it?”

“How can you be?” The words were tortured.

“Because I am alive. Because I get to be part of settling a new planet. Because I get to do it with the best man I’ve ever known.” He nudged his partner with his elbow.

“You’re a fool, boy. You should hate me.”

“Well, I don’t, and you’re just going to have to accept that. And that’s why I sent for Daisy. Maybe she can help you learn to enjoy living again.”

“Not the one for her.”

“Yes, you are. I don’t know what she’s been through, but she needs someone to take care of her. Also, I think she needs to feel safe and I think you do that for her.”

“Me?”

The obvious shock on the Sarge’s face made him grin.

“Yes, you. She seemed pretty happy when you were holding her.”

For a second, Jonah’s face relaxed, then he shook his head.

“She needs someone like you. Young, good-looking, unreasonably cheerful.”

A bolt of longing shot through him at the words. He would give anything to have Daisy as his wife. But the Sarge needed her so much more than he did, and he suspected that she needed him just as much. It also hadn’t escaped his notice that she viewed him with a certain amount of suspicion. He forced a smile.

“Nah. Pretty sure you’re more her type.” He stood up, slapping the other man’s back. “Guess she likes them big and ugly.”

Jonah’s horse nudged him hard and he almost stumbled, swearing at the big machine. Perhaps not surprisingly, Jonah had chosen a horse with a defect. A series of deep scratches covered the left half of his body, and his left eye was clouded.

“You know I didn’t mean it, Storm.”

“Storm?” Jonah raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged. “The women seem to like it when the horses have names. I’m calling mine Galahad.”

“Typical,” the Sarge snorted and returned to gazing out over the valley.

But as B-669 started to walk back to the habitat, he saw Jonah reach up and pat the horse’s nose, and his enhanced hearing heard him murmur the new name.

When he entered the dome, he could already tell the difference Daisy’s presence had made. It was more than just the hint of her delicate floral scent and her quiet breathing—he could feel the life she had brought to their habitat. He quietly approached the bed to close a gap in the curtains so she would be undisturbed. She was curled up in a small bundle on the far edge of the big bed, looking both desirable and vulnerable, and an unexpected ache appeared in his chest. Jonah did need her, more than he would ever acknowledge, but he felt the same sense of longing.

Resolutely closing the curtain and turning away, he surveyed the rest of the dome. He hadn’t realized until he had seen it through her eyes just how unwelcoming it must appear. There wasn’t much he could do to make it more comfortable, at least not tonight, but he could clean.

Moving quietly around the space, he tidied away as much of their clutter as he could before sweeping and wiping down every surface. By the time Jonah entered, everything was as spotless as he could make it.

“She asleep?”

“Yeah. I was just trying to organize the place a little.”

“I see that.” Jonah shook his head. “No place for a woman.”

He looked him directly in the eye. “It can be.”

“Better off in town.” But despite his words, Jonah’s eyes were focused on the ridiculous pink bed.

“You told her she could stay. And she doesn’t want to be in town—she didn’t even want to stop there to make any purchases.”

Jonah ran his finger across the scars beneath his eye in a familiar gesture. “Not like any woman I ever knew. Reckon she’s in trouble?”

“I’m sure of it. But hopefully she left it behind on Earth. Maybe you can get her to tell you what happened.”

Jonah snorted. “Not the kind to encourage confidence.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. You knew the secrets of every man in our squad. Dammit, don’t do that, don’t turn away from me. It wasn’t your fault. We were outnumbered and outgunned.”

Jonah’s shoulders relaxed, just a fraction, and B-669 heaved a silent sigh of relief. Normally even the mention of what had happened could be enough to drive Jonah into the mine for days at a time. Maybe Daisy was already making a difference. He cleared his throat.

“I didn’t think this all the way through—”

“You think?”

“—but I should’ve picked up another living module. Do you want me to rest in the mines tonight?”

While he was cleaning, he had placed Jonah’s bunk right next to the big bed and moved his all the way over next to the airlock, but it still wouldn’t allow for much privacy.

“Don’t be ridiculous. This is your place just as much as it’s mine.”

“But you’re married now. You deserve privacy.”

“Not going to be doing anything that requires privacy,” Jonah said firmly.

He opened his mouth to argue—he had seen the way Jonah looked at Daisy, not to mention his all too obvious arousal—but he decided to let it drop. Jonah was going to have to work through this on his own.

“Agree you didn’t think it through, but if she’s staying, we need to make her comfortable.” Jonah looked around the dome uncertainly. “What does a woman need?”

He shrugged just as uncertainly. “I don’t know. I should’ve asked Madam Cherry.”

“What were you doing there anyway? You know it’s not allowed.”

Although a number of Cherry’s girls were perfectly happy to service the cyborgs, there were too many human males who didn’t trust them. She had forbidden the cyborgs to visit the establishment during working hours in order to prevent trouble.

“I went to ask her about the bed. That’s all.”

“You sure?”

“You know she doesn’t take customers. And she’s too old for me anyway.”

Jonah snorted. “You’d be damn lucky to have her. Course, she ever heard you say that, you’d be damn lucky to be walking.”

“And you and she really never—”

“That’s what I said. I’m not lying—to either one of you.”

“Your new wife sure didn’t like the idea, did she?”

A slow smile spread across Jonah’s lips. “No, she didn’t. She’s a feisty little thing, isn’t she?”

Both of them turned to look at the bed, and something unspoken hung in the air between them for a long moment before Jonah sighed.

“Gonna go pack up some ore and get it ready for shipment. Be back later.” He headed for the door, then paused with his back to B-669. “You look after her, you hear?”

He was gone before B-669 could answer.

Chapter Seven

When J-817 let himself back into the dome, long after midnight, everything was quiet. He caught the quick flash of Billy’s eyes in his direction before the younger man closed them again and resumed a rest position. There was no movement from behind the pink curtains, but he was only too conscious of the woman they concealed. The irony of the situation didn’t escape him. His idealistic young recruit had brought him the perfect woman—for himself. Billy was the one who deserved a young, beautiful, fertile bride, not him.

Even knowing that, he wanted her. Fuck, how he wanted her. But she was not for him.

He wondered if there was any way to transfer the marriage to Billy, even though every instinct he had immediately protested the idea. From the moment he saw those big green eyes looking up at him with that combination of defiance and vulnerability, only one thought had run through his head.

Mine.

He shook his head, trying to push the thought away, and headed for the sanitary unit to wash away the dirt of the mines. He stripped quickly and stepped under the flow of water, noting approvingly the increase in temperature. It would be much more suitable for Daisy. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had taken a hot shower and the unfamiliar warmth seeped into his bones. Yes, she would enjoy this. His mind conjured up the image of her standing beneath the spray, wet and naked, her skin flushed from the heat, and his body responded, his cock going instantly hard. He gave it a rough stroke, remembering how it felt to be pressed against the soft curves of her luscious ass.

If she was here right now, he would fill his hands with those tempting cheeks, lifting her up into his arms before sliding her down over his aching shaft. He shuddered and his grip tightened. A few hard strokes and he was on the verge of climax when the door opened and Daisy’s startled eyes met his. Her gaze dropped to his cock as she gave a soft gasp, her mouth opening in a perfect little circle, and nothing on Earth or Mars could have stopped him from coming. He exploded in long, shuddering jets as she watched. Then a tide of pink swept from her face down over her chest. She quickly stepped back and closed the door with an incoherent apology.

Fuck! Even though his knees were still weak from the force of his climax, guilt filled him. She should not have seen that. Why the fuck hadn’t Billy stopped her?

He stepped quickly under the moisture extractor to remove the water from his skin then wrapped a towel around his waist. When he emerged, Daisy was perched on the edge of her bed intently studying her hands.

“Free now,” he said gruffly, and she scurried past him with a muttered thank you, still not meeting his eyes.

As soon as the door closed behind her, he strode over to Billy’s bunk and flipped it over. The young cyborg had been pretending to be asleep and ended up sprawled on the floor as he glared up at him.

“What did you do that for?”

“Know why. Why didn’t you tell her I was in there?”

Billy tried to look innocent. “I was half-asleep. I didn’t realize what she was doing until it was too late.” He winked, his usual easygoing nature restored. “I didn’t realize she was going to get that much of a show.”

“Probably scared the hell out of her.”

“She didn’t look scared to me.” Billy inhaled. “It doesn’t smell like it either.”

J-817 followed suit and realized what he had already unconsciously noted. The sweet scent of her arousal perfumed the air. Although he would have sworn he had nothing left, his cock stiffened. Fuck. Resisting her was not going to be easy. But he had to do it. He wasn’t a fit husband for anyone.

The door to the sanitary unit slid open and they both looked over. Daisy slipped out, not looking in their direction, climbed into bed, and firmly pulled the curtains closed. He scowled at Billy, but the other man only grinned at him and lifted his head as if scenting the air. The sweet scent of her arousal hadn’t lessened.

He started to stalk out of the habitat but reconsidered. He didn’t want her to think that she had driven him away. And part of him wanted to stay, wanted to be close to her, wanted to know she was safe. Turning his back on Billy, he returned to his own bunk. He listened as Billy put his bed back in order but once the other man settled down, he found himself concentrating on Daisy. He could hear the soft rustle of her movements as she shifted position and heard her quiet sigh. His cock ached, tormented by her closeness, but in spite of that, as he finally drifted off to sleep, he smiled.

Daisy stared into the darkness above her bed and tried her best to think of something—anything—other than the sight of a naked Jonah. Lord, he was magnificent. He had looked even bigger in the small bathroom, with broad shoulders and a wide chest covered with a fine dusting of hair that trailed down to that outsized cock. The memory of his hand grasping it, the intensity of his eyes burning into hers as he shuddered and came started a throbbing ache between her legs. She had read that women in their third trimester experienced an increase in desire, but she had scoffed at the idea—until now.

Her hand curved around her stomach in the darkness. Nothing about this pregnancy had been expected. She had always been meticulous about birth control and hadn’t even considered that she might be pregnant when she missed her first two periods. She had assumed it was stress, first from the attempt to escape from Richard and then from the journey itself. Once she began to suspect, she had been too afraid to ask the ship’s doctor to confirm her condition. Not only was she scared that word might somehow find its way back to Richard, but she wasn’t sure if her condition would make her ineligible to settle on Mars. Instead, she had researched pregnancy on her computer, trying to make sure she was doing everything possible to ensure the baby’s health.

She hadn’t started to show until well into her fourth month and she could almost have believed she had been mistaken despite the other signs. But then she had woken up one morning and, almost overnight, her baby bump had doubled in size. Fortunately, she had been able to purchase some of the limited supply of fabric in the ship’s store with the generous allowance that Jonah—that Bill had provided. She had made herself some oversized dresses and a baggy jacket to wear over them in an attempt to disguise her increasing girth. But she had still been terrified of anyone finding out and spent as much time as possible in her cabin. Not that she had any real desire to mingle with the other passengers. Not only were the vast majority of them men, but they too were a possible source of information if Richard tracked her down. He might not bother to come after her—hopefully, he was no longer even in a position to do so—but if he knew that he had fathered a child…

She shivered, and not from desire this time. But then she heard the sound of a body shifting from the darkness beyond her curtains and her tension eased. Jonah was here with her, and even after the brief time she had known him, she believed down to her soul that he would never let anything happen to her or her child. A second movement followed, from further away this time, and she smiled as she thought of Bill. He might be more handsome and charming than she entirely trusted, but so far he had proven himself both kind-hearted and well-meaning, if impulsive. With two men equipped with the strength and skills of a cyborg to watch over her, she and her baby were as safe as they could be in this harsh new world. She tucked her cheek down into the pillows and went peacefully back to sleep.

The peaceful feeling lasted until she awoke the next morning, pushed back the curtains, and found Jonah sitting on one of the narrow benches watching her. The memory of the previous night sprang to mind and she blushed.

“No need to color up,” he rumbled in that deep voice that made her clit throb. “Small space. Things happen.”

“Um, yes. I suppose they do. But I’ll make sure I knock next time so I don’t disturb you.”

“Didn’t disturb me.”

His eyes glinted, humor mixed with the lingering heat in them. Trying to avoid the dark eyes studying her so intently, she looked around the rest of the dome but Bill was nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Bill?”

“Went to talk to a friend.” His lips twisted. “To find out what a female needs.”

“A female? Another woman from Earth?”

“Yep. Also married to one of us.” He was watching her carefully.

“I thought you said it wasn’t legal.”

He shrugged and stood up and her throat went dry as his muscles rippled and he suddenly seemed much larger. Her nipples tightened and she automatically crossed her arms over her chest, hoping he wouldn’t notice, but the pressure of her arms across her chest just added to the ache.

“You cold?”

“No, not at all. I just…”

He let her flounder for a minute then took pity on her and changed the subject. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“I usually just ate a protein bar on the ship, once I could keep a meal down.”

He frowned. “Still feeling sick?”

“No.” She shook her head and gave him a sheepish smile. “It went away just like the articles said it would. Now I’m hungry all the time.”

“Go get cleaned up. I’ll make you something.”

Self-consciously, she raised her hand to her head, suddenly aware that her hair was in tangled knots and she was still wearing the previous day’s outfit, now a wrinkled disaster. “I guess I am a bit of a mess.”

“Not possible.” His eyes were all heat this time. “But you’ll feel better afterwards. Go on now.”

He nodded firmly in the direction of the bathroom before turning to the kitchen counter, but the unexpected compliment put a smile on her face as she went to attend to her morning routine.

He was right; she did feel better when she emerged just in time to see him putting a plate on the table. She gave him a grateful smile as she sat down, then her eyes widened. In addition to bacon-flavored protein strips, the plate contained what looked like real eggs and actual bread.

“Are these eggs? Do you have chickens?” She hadn’t seen an enclosure the previous day.

“Nah. The boy picked up some real food while he was in town.” His eyes sharpened. “You want some chickens?”

“I don’t know. I read about them on the ship—I read everything I could get my hands on about life here—and it seems like they’re working out well as part of the habitats. They provide eggs and eventually meat, plus they live off plants from the hydroponic gardens and in turn supply fertilizer for the plants.” She looked around again. “You don’t have a greenhouse?”

“Not really necessary for us. Hell, we don’t even need the dome, but it’s convenient.” He shrugged. “Now eat before it gets cold.”

She took a forkful of eggs and groaned with pleasure. “Oh, these are so good.”

When he didn’t respond, she looked up to find him watching her hungrily, but it wasn’t her plate he was eyeing. She licked her lips nervously, and his eyes grew even darker as he followed the path of her tongue.

“Do you want some?” she asked innocently.

“Not hungry for food.”

“What are you hungry for, Jonah?” Gathering her courage, she leaned across the table towards him. “We are husband and wife. Now that we’re alone, maybe we should get to know each other a little better…”

He shoved back from the table so quickly that his bench toppled over and she jumped, a startled gasp escaping her lips. He froze and then his face shuttered.

“Don’t worry. Won’t hold you to that.”

He turned and stomped out of the dome while she stared after him in dismay. She started to push her plate away, no longer hungry, but then the baby kicked as if to remind her that she needed to eat. She sighed and picked up her fork again. It really was delicious; she just wished he was here to share it with her.

When she was finished, she carefully washed the plate, then placed it in the rack designed to capture any drips. Now what? One of them must have cleaned up while she slept, she realized guiltily as she looked around. Everything had been swept and dusted, and the rest of the containers Bill had brought in were neatly stacked to one side. There wasn’t much else to do but maybe she could try finding a place for the contents…

She was struggling to open the third container when Jonah stalked back in.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Startled and annoyed, this time she didn’t flinch but put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

“Putting things away. Or at least I would be if there was anywhere to put anything.” The small shelves in the kitchen area had filled up quickly and assorted items covered the kitchen table.

“You need to be careful in your condition,” he growled, and her annoyance vanished as she realized he had yelled out of concern for her.

“I’m fine. Just trying to make the place a little more… homey.”

He looked around, rubbing the scars under his eye thoughtfully. “Reckon it could use some help. Wait there—and don’t pick up anything else.”

She frowned after him as he disappeared through the airlock, but he returned soon after with some additional shelves. Together the two of them unpacked and organized the rest of the supplies. Well, mostly him. If he had his way, he would have done everything while she sat there and directed him, but she refused to be treated like an invalid. Instead, she assisted him as much as he would permit.

Their bodies frequently brushed against each other as they worked and she became increasingly aware of his presence, of his heat, of his dark smoky scent. As she reached for one of the last boxes, she stumbled and he caught her, catching her against his body. She could feel his erection against her hip as she looked up at him. He had automatically turned the human side of his face to her, and she reached up and put a hand on his metallic cheek, gently turning his face towards her.

“I was startled, not scared. I do want to know you better.”

She deliberately licked her lips and his eyes heated. His body tensed and, for a moment, she was afraid that he would pull away again. But with a groan that seemed to come from deep within, he bent his head and kissed her.

No, kiss was too mild a word.

He devoured her, forcing her lips apart and plunging into her mouth as if he was starving. Her knees weakened and he growled against her lips and pulled her closer, fitting the soft swell of her stomach against his hard frame. She clung to him, equally as desperate for his touch as he cupped her breast, working the swollen, sensitive flesh with a demanding hand.

“Look what I got. Clint and Jo insisted—”

Bill’s cheerful voice took a moment to penetrate her pleasured daze, but Jonah reacted immediately, tucking her behind him and supporting her with one arm as her knees wobbled. A gust of cool air made her realize that the top of her dress gaped open, her breasts bare and her nipples like ripe berries against her pale skin. She hadn’t even noticed Jonah had unfastened her dress. Blushing, she closed the fabric again before peeping around his big body to see Bill staring at them in dismay.

“Oh, shit. I’m sorry…”

He started to back away, then looked down at his hands in confusion as a series of soft cheeps erupted, and she realized he was carrying a small box of chicks. “I’ll just get their carrier.”

“You brought chicks!”

With an excited gasp, she slipped past Jonah and rushed over to examine the fluffy little creatures. She picked one up, delighting in the soft down, and looked back at Jonah to share her pleasure. He was staring at the two of them, his face unreadable. She started to bring the chick to him, but he brushed past her with a muttered word and disappeared through the airlock.

J-817 fled to the darkness of the mineshaft, bowing his head against the rock once he was safely out of sight. What the fuck was he thinking? When he had been helping Daisy that morning, the two of them had worked together so easily that he allowed himself to be seduced by the idea that perhaps they could actually make it work. That he could be a good husband.

And what had happened? At the first opportunity, he had practically assaulted her. Rather than treat her with the delicacy she deserved, he had attacked her, ravishing her mouth, yanking her dress open. It wasn’t until he had been forced to raise his head that he had seen her mouth, seen how red and swollen it was from his kiss. Fuck. He had been on the verge of taking her right there against the wall of the dome. If they hadn’t been interrupted…

Daisy was much too sweet and soft, too delicate for someone like him. She needed someone like Billy, someone who would bring her presents and make her smile, someone who would treat her as gently as she deserved to be treated. This marriage has to be in name only, he reminded himself.

Chapter Eight

Daisy’s reaction to seeing Jonah in the shower had an effect that B-669 hadn’t anticipated. As he had righted his bunk, he had to suppress his own wave of desire. Although he knew that Daisy had been reacting to Jonah, the scent of her arousal had affected him just as much. The knowledge that she was so close, sleeping all alone in the big bed, tormented him. Every time she moved in her sleep or made a soft noise, his body reacted. She was for Jonah, not for him; he kept reminding himself, but that knowledge didn’t help during the long sleepless night.

As soon as the sky began to pale, he slipped out of his bunk and headed outside. He was not entirely surprised when Jonah followed him.

Together they walked to the overlook and stood silently as the sun rose, sending a warm orange glow over the barren landscape.

“I thought I would head back to town, get some more supplies and another dome,” he said at last. “I really didn’t think about the fact that she might not want to share the habitat with her husband and another man.”

“Long trip in the rover,” Jonah said noncommittally. “Even longer if you’re hauling a trailer.”

“Well, I sure as hell don’t want to sleep in the mine from now on.”

Jonah snorted. “Doubt she’d let you. Too softhearted.”

“Which means I need to go to town.”

“Do you know what a woman wants? What she needs to feel at home? What a baby needs?”

“Hell no. Do you?”

Another snort. “Reckon we need some advice before you go haring off to town. Go see Clint. His woman can probably help. Then we can make a plan.”

“You always did like a plan, Sarge.” He grinned as he said it, but the words hung in the air between them and he realized just how long it had been since Jonah had cared enough about anything to make one.

It was a good sign that his own desperate plan was succeeding, but why did it leave him feeling so hollow? He had wanted to bring Jonah back to life, to see him take some joy in his existence, to have some hope for the future, but he had never considered that he wouldn’t be a part of that future.

“Maybe I should talk to Clint about getting a ranger job.” Once the initial terraforming efforts were complete, most of the cyborgs had taken jobs as rangers—a job that frequently involved long, remote patrols. He had been afraid that such a position would leave Jonah even more isolated and suggested the mining claim instead.

“Why the hell would you do that?” Jonah scowled at him. “This mine was your idea. Partners, you said.”

“I know, but things have changed. You’re a married man now.” He tried for his usual grin, but somehow, he suspected that neither one of them was fooled.

Jonah rubbed the scars beneath his eye.

“Partners,” he said firmly. “Don’t you forget it.”

Warmth crept over him despite the frigid air and this time his grin was a lot more sincere. There was still a place for him here.

He clapped the older man on the back and whistled for Galahad. The big red stallion came trotting eagerly over from the shelter they had constructed on one side of the clearing. Jonah’s horse followed more sedately but nudged Galahad aside so that he could take the dominant position next to the two men, and B-669 had to hide his smile. It was amazing how much the mechanical animals took on the personalities of their riders.

“I’ll be going then.” He hesitated. “Watch over her.”

“Of course.” Jonah scowled at him. “Safe enough with me.”

“I know she is. She knows it too.”

Without waiting for a response, he mounted Galahad and rode off down the mountainside. The sun was fully above the horizon now, illuminating the layers of color in the rocks, giving the harsh landscape a severe beauty. He took a deep breath, the air too thin for full human lungs but more than enough for his altered biology. His nanites processed the limited amount of oxygen quickly and efficiently, and he was filled with an unexpected sense of wellbeing. Jonah still wanted him as his partner, and even though he wasn’t Daisy’s husband, he would still get to be around her, to see her sweet smiles and help make a home for her.

It was enough. It would have to be enough.

As he approached Clint and Jo’s small homestead, he took note of the improvements they had made. In addition to the main living dome and a transport shed, there was an attached module for a hydroponic garden and another for a chicken house. Hmm, he hadn’t considered the possibility of raising their own food before but it would make more sense than having to make frequent trips to town to ensure some variety in Daisy’s diet.

Big Red, Clint’s horse, was meandering around next to the habitat and he dismounted and sent Galahad off to join him. The horses picked up nutrients from the Martian soil in addition to absorbing energy from the sun and looked almost as if they were grazing.

Clint met him at the outer door of the airlock, and B-669 blinked in surprise. A powerfully built man with broad shoulders and a harsh face, the main indications that Clint was a cyborg were the glowing red cybernetic organs that had replaced his eyes. For as long as B-669 had known him, he had kept them hidden behind dark glasses. This morning, his face was bare, his hair tousled, and despite the fact that he was presently scowling at B-669, he looked more at peace than he had ever seen him.

“What the hell are you doing here so early?” Clint snapped.

“I wanted to talk to you. To you and Jo.”

“It’s a bad time. Come back later.”

“Now stop that,” Jo scolded, stepping out to join her husband. A tiny woman with a cap of curly dark hair—equally as tousled—she grinned at B-669 from behind her breathing mask. “Come on in, Bill.”

“Your timing sucks,” Clint muttered as he reluctantly stepped aside, keeping his voice low enough that only cyborg senses could detect his words.

“That’s my specialty.” He grinned as he followed Jo through the airlock and into the cozy living quarters.

“Would you like some tea?” she asked.

“I don’t need anything. Thank you,” he added hastily.

Jo put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. “I swear, all of you are alike. I didn’t ask if you needed some. I asked if you wanted some. It’s okay to want things.”

Her words caught him by surprise, but he recognized the truth in them. Between the trauma of the transformation and the harsh conditions on Mars, most of them had learned to forget about human wants, human pleasures.

“Then yes. Yes, I would like a cup.”

She beamed at him and Clint growled, stepping between them.

“Stop that.” Jo’s small hand pushed at the big cyborg to absolutely no effect. “He’s your friend. Now go and sit down.”

To his shock, Clint just shook his head at her and obeyed, gesturing B-669 to a chair by the window.

“Why are you here?”

“Sarge—J-817—has a wife now.”

“A wife?” Jo squealed from the small kitchen area.

“A legal one?” Clint frowned at him.

“Well, kind of. The ceremony was performed on Earth by proxy before she came, and the papers were filed there.”

“Where no one could check on his status?” Clint raised an eyebrow.

“Exactly.” B-669 grinned at him.

“Interesting. I hadn’t thought of doing that.”

“It isn’t necessary,” Jo said firmly as she joined them, handing them both a mug of tea. “You’re my husband and we don’t need papers to prove it.”

Clint tugged her down on his lap and smiled at her, his face softer than B-669 had ever seen it. “And you’re my wife. But I must admit I wished the government acknowledged it.”

“They should,” B-669 agreed. “Why are we still letting them set the rules and control our lives when they’re millions of miles away?”

“Mars still needs governing. It needs law and order,” Clint said sternly.

“Sure—but we’re the ones providing that. Maybe we should provide our own government too. One that includes humans and cyborgs.”

“I don’t see it happening as long as we’re dependent on Earth.”

“But how much longer will that last? And don’t forget, we have things they want as well. Mining is profitable because there’s a huge market for the minerals back to Earth—even though the government takes a hefty chunk of the profits.”

Clint frowned thoughtfully down at his tea, and B-669 let the subject drop, content to have planted the idea.

“But as I was saying, now that she’s here, we realized we don’t know a lot about making a woman comfortable.”

“We?” Clint asked and B-669 felt his cheeks darken.

“I meant, he doesn’t.”

The other man gave him a thoughtful look. “Gotta say I’m surprised he sent for a wife. Always struck me that he was too busy thinking about the past to consider the future.”

The heat in his face intensified. “I might have had something to do with it.”

“You sent a wife for him and didn’t tell him?” Jo leaned forward, her eyes wide.

His attempt at a casual shrug fell flat. “He needed something—someone—different to jolt him out of the past.”

Jo clapped her hands and laughed, her dark eyes dancing. “A wife is certainly different. What’s her name? What’s she like?”

“Her name is Daisy. She’s not much bigger than you, Jo, but she’s got enough courage for someone twice her size. She’s got red hair and green eyes and the prettiest smile you’ve ever seen—” He stopped abruptly as he realized they were both staring at him.

“She sounds wonderful,” Jo said after a short pause. “Can I meet her?”

“I think she’d love to meet you eventually, but she’s a little… skittish around people right now.” It hadn’t escaped his notice how she had hidden behind her mask back at the ship and how quickly she had wanted to leave town.

“She in trouble?” Clint asked.

“I think so, but hopefully she left it behind on Earth. I think there’s a man in her past—a bad man.” He took a breath, trying to decide if he should fill them in on the rest of the story, but it wasn’t something they would be able to hide forever. “She’s pregnant.”

“That’s wonderful,” Jo said immediately, then her brows drew together. “At least, I think it is. Do you know anything about giving birth on Mars?”

“Just that it’s never been done. The Sarge has already started reading up on it.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. But that means she’s going to need baby things. You know, blankets, clothes, diapers. She needs to make sure she’s eating properly and getting exercise.” She wound to a halt, frowning at him. “The main thing is that she needs to feel safe and comfortable.”

“She says the Sarge makes her feel safe.”

Clint barked a laugh. “I can see that. He’s a tough old bastard.”

Jo jumped up. “Let me see what I have that you can take back with you. I have some extra tea, and we can spare a pillow, and oh, I know! What about a few chicks? I have some extra now that Hattie gave me some laying hens. Or maybe I should give you one of those…”

“Sweetness, I’m not going to let you give away everything you own,” Clint said firmly.

“It’s fine, Jo, really. I’m going to town for supplies. I just wanted some advice on what to get.”

“I’ll make a list,” she promised, then sat back down on Clint’s lap to do so.

When she handed him the list—a very long list—he grinned ruefully at her. “I can’t bring everything in New Arcadia back to the claim.”

She laughed. “I put a star by the most important items.”

Over his protests, she still insisted on giving him a box of presents and a sealed carrying case with four new chicks.

“The instructions are in the box. I understand if she doesn’t want visitors, but I’d love to meet her when she’s ready.”

“Thank you, Jo. I’ll let her know.”

He said his goodbyes and Clint walked him out.

“This Daisy of yours sounds like a very interesting woman.”

“She’s not my Daisy,” he said quickly, ignoring the pang in his chest.

Clint shot him a quick glance. “Must have taken a pretty penny to arrange to get her here.”

“It was worth it. I can see the change in the Sarge already.”

“How’s that going to work? The three of you, living together?”

“I offered to move out but he wouldn’t hear of it.”

“Of course he wouldn’t. You two are a team. I’ve never seen anyone closer.” Clint scuffed thoughtfully at the ground with his boot. “You know, you were right before. This isn’t Earth.”

B-669 grinned as he climbed on Galahad. “That’s for sure.”

“But that means that things don’t have to be the same here. Maybe a marriage doesn’t just have to be one woman and one man…”

The surge of longing that went through him was so strong that he had to force himself to smile casually. “Are you looking to expand?”

“Hell, no. Josephine is all mine. But then again, I haven’t had a long, close relationship with another man.” The other man raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sure Daisy expects a traditional marriage,” he said stiffly.

“Maybe so. But take it from an old married man: never assume you know what a woman thinks.” Clint slapped his leg and stepped back. “Let us know if you need any more help.”

“Thanks, Clint. I appreciate it.”

Two husbands? As he headed back to the claim, he thought about the two workers coming to claim the skinny woman.

They hadn’t seemed concerned about traditional expectations. But he also remembered Daisy’s shock. And even if she would consider the idea, what about Jonah? Surely, he would never consider it. He resolved to put the matter out of his mind—and spent the rest of the journey thinking about it.

But then he walked in on Jonah and Daisy kissing, saw her flushed, glowing face, and saw Jonah instinctively place himself in front of her, and he knew it would never happen.

Chapter Nine

Daisy watched in dismay as Jonah left her with Bill and the chicks and vanished. Had he been disgusted by her enthusiasm? Richard had never appreciated her shy efforts to encourage him in the early days of their relationship. Women should wait until the man approached them, he had informed her. But Jonah had seemed to enjoy her responsiveness—right up until Bill interrupted them and then he had looked horrified.

“I’m sorry,” Bill said again, drawing her attention away from the door. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

The worried frown looked out of place on his usually cheerful face, and she managed to give him a reassuring smile.

“Don’t be silly. This is your home as well.”

“Is it?” he muttered beneath his breath but she caught the words.

“Yes, it is,” she said firmly.

The idea of another man sharing a home with her and her new husband had seemed odd but even in the short time she had known Jonah and Bill, she could see the deep bond between them. And her distrust of Bill had completely disappeared. She was suddenly conscious that she was right up against his side as she examined the chicks—his warm, firm side. His fresh spicy scent teased her, so different from Jonah’s. Would he kiss differently too? The thought increased the ache between her legs that had started with Jonah’s kiss, and she blushed.

Lord, what was she thinking? To turn so easily from one man to another.

Under the pretense of straightening her dress, she stepped away from him just as he moved back, looking uncomfortable. Great. Now she had two men thinking she was a slut. Determined to ignore the tension, she pasted a bright smile on her face.

“How do I take care of the chicks?”

“I’m not really sure but Jo included instructions.”

“Jo?”

“She’s Clint’s wife. He’s one of us. She sent some other things for you as well.”

“That was sweet of her.”

“Jo’s great.” He grinned, looking more relaxed, and she ignored a pang of what felt far too much like jealousy. “She’d like to meet you. When you feel up to it, of course.”

Part of her was curious about meeting another woman married to a cyborg, but she was still getting used to being with Jonah and Bill. And… she still preferred to keep her presence hidden.

“Maybe. But not right now. Why don’t you get those instructions and we’ll see what we need to do?”

He nodded and disappeared briefly before returning with a box of presents from Jo. Her eyes unexpectedly filled with tears and alarm swept over his face.

“Don’t worry,” she sniffed. “Just hormones. This was very thoughtful of her.”

“I’m glad it makes you happy,” he said seriously, the usual teasing note absent from his voice. But when she shot him a curious glance, his attention was on the contents of the box. “I’ll be going to town tomorrow to get some additional things. Jo made a list for me, but if there’s anything you want…?”

She shrugged helplessly. “I don’t need anything for myself, but I wish I was more prepared for the baby. I’m not sure what’s available up here.”

The familiar fear flickered through her mind, despite her attempts to suppress it. None of the reading she had done on the ship had covered giving birth on Mars. She was going to be the first woman to give birth here and the idea terrified her. As she has done so many times before, she pushed it aside and concentrated on the things she could control.

“Maybe you could find some fabric so I could do some more sewing? I used the fabric I bought on the ship—thank you for that, by the way—to make a few things but I’m sure I’ll need more. If you could find some, that would be great. And maybe not in white?” she added ruefully. That was the only color the ship had in stock.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he promised, then turned his attention to the instructions.

Once they had the chicks’ new home assembled, he made her a sandwich and then left to work in the mines with Jonah. She fixed a cup of the tea that Jo had sent and wandered over to the chair, settling down with a sigh as she sipped. Even though neither man let her do much, the day had been more strenuous than she expected. Pale Martian sunlight streamed through the window and her eyes gradually closed.

She dreamed of Jonah. Dreamed of him kissing her as he had done earlier but not stopping this time, of him carrying her to the bed and stripping her naked. He looked down at her and he was naked too, big and hard and tempting. But then Bill was there as well, equally naked and tempting, and in her dream, she reached for both of them. She woke up with her nipples aching, her clit throbbing, and a confused maelstrom of emotions swirling through her mind.

Firmly pushing them aside, she rose to her feet and went to prepare dinner for her men.

The meal was a success. Both of them were shocked and pleased that she had cooked for them, even though Jonah scolded her for working too hard. Bill just grinned and thanked her. He kept the conversation going during dinner, telling stories about the early days on Mars. She suspected that he greatly understated the hardships they had endured, but she was caught up in their adventures nonetheless. Jonah said little but even he grinned a few times as Bill’s tales became more outrageous. Several times she caught him watching her, his eyes hungry, but he always looked away.

After dinner, he firmly insisted on cleaning up while she brought out the last of her fabric and started on a small gown.

Bill sat and watched, apparently fascinated. “Are you having a girl?”

“I don’t know. Why—oh, you mean because it’s a gown? That’s because I have no idea how it will fit.” She smiled at him, hoping that her panic didn’t show. “This is all guesswork.”

Apparently, she wasn’t entirely successful, because he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. “It’s going to be fine, sweetheart.”

Jonah came up behind her and put a big comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Daisy.”

Their touch helped soothe her fears, sending a current of warmth through her body, and she managed a more genuine smile.

“Thank you both. It really helps to know I’m not alone.”

Bill’s eyes flicked up to Jonah’s hand on her shoulder and he abruptly stood up.

“I’m going to go check on the horses.”

Her disappointment at Bill’s hasty departure was replaced by confusion. “Did he say horses?”

“Mechanical horses. Good transportation under these conditions. Much faster than the rovers and more agile.”

She remembered reading something about them now, but it had been very vague. “Do they look like real Earth horses?”

“Not real. Made out of metal.”

Did he realize he was stroking his scars again?

“Just because something is made out of metal doesn’t make it not real,” she said firmly. “Will you show me?”

“In the morning,” he promised as his face relaxed.

His hand still rested on her shoulder, and he was so big and so close… An electric current seemed to flow between them in the quiet room. Her pulse began to beat a rapid tattoo and she felt that throbbing ache reappear between her legs. His nostrils widened and he started to lean over, then abruptly straightened up and stepped back.

“I need to work on the extractor.”

She frowned in confusion, then remembered the machine that had been spread all over the floor when she first arrived.

“Is that what you were working on when I got here?”

“Yeah. I’ll take it out to the mineshaft.”

“Don’t be silly. This is a working claim, right?” When he hesitated, she added. “Please, Jonah. I don’t like being alone at night.”

“All right. I’ll clean up after.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

She smiled at him again, and this time he did bend down and brush a brief—much too brief—kiss across her lips before moving away. Suppressing a sigh, she went back to her sewing. Bill came back a short time later and together the two men began reassembling the machine. She spent as much time watching them as she did the small garment in her hands. Just like the previous day, she noticed how well they worked together, Jonah leading the way but listening to Bill’s suggestions.

Not surprisingly, Jonah didn’t have much to say but Bill seemed more comfortable tonight. He kept up an almost continuous stream of words, but Jonah didn’t seem bothered by the other man’s verbosity. He looked relaxed, an occasional grin twisting his lips, and the affection between the two men was clearly apparent. She couldn’t allow her presence to break that bond, she decided.

When she snipped off the last thread and stood up, putting a hand to her aching back, both men looked at her, identical hungry expressions on their faces. She tried to keep her expression serene, but she couldn’t lie to herself—she liked the way they looked at her, the way both of them looked at her.

“I’m going to get ready for bed,” she announced, heading for the small bathroom.

As she did, she noticed the positions of the bunks, Jonah’s right next to the big bed, Bill’s off against the far wall, and remembered her vow.

“Bill, why don’t you put your bunk on the other side of my bed?” she asked innocently. Knowing how protective they were, she added, “It makes me feel safe to know you’re both close.”

She whisked into the bathroom before they could respond but when she emerged Bill’s bunk had been moved. Both men were standing by the window watching her, and she could feel the energy rolling off of them.

Daisy bit her lip uncertainly. She had wanted to make them feel equal, but how equal? Where did it stop?

Walking over to them, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Bill gently on the lips, ignoring the tension she could feel running through his lean body. Jonah made an abortive sound, but she ignored it as she turned to him and tugged his head down. His body was just as tense. She brushed her lips against his as well but stroked her tongue teasingly across his lower lip. He was her husband, after all, and she felt a little more confident about her position. His hand came up and cupped the back of her head, and for a moment, she thought he would take the kiss further. The knowledge that Bill was right beside them only added to her excitement, but Jonah released her almost immediately.

Disappointed, she stepped back and smiled at them both. “Good night.”

As she walked back over to the bed, she knew they were watching her and the thought was unexpectedly arousing. She climbed in and pulled the curtains closed, but she was all too aware of the men on the other side. The kisses had backfired. Her own body was aching and demanding satisfaction. As she listened to them take their own turns in the bathroom and finally settle down to either side of her, her own frustration grew.

The increased desire which had roared to life the previous night was back in full force. Very quietly she slid her hands under the thin fabric of her nightgown and cupped her aching breasts, suppressing a moan of pleasure. If only it were Jonah’s hands touching her the way they had earlier, stroking her sensitive nipples. She brushed a thumb across a taut bud and had to bite down on her lip to keep from crying out. She kept working her nipple as she let her other hand drift down between her legs. Her fingers slid easily through the slick heat and her clit felt swollen and hot. Making slow circles around the small nub, she tried to keep quiet, but as her excitement increased, so did the speed of her breathing.

What if they could hear her panting? What if they came to check on her—each of them pulling back a curtain to see her writhing on the bed as she pleasured herself. If she was naked and helpless as she touched herself in front of them? The thought of both of them watching tipped her over into a sudden climax, a small cry escaping before she could control it, her body shuddering in the darkness. Her breathing gradually slowed as the tension drained from her body, leaving her limp but not totally satisfied.

She wished Jonah was here to tuck her against his big body, for Bill to snuggle against her.

Instead, she pulled her pillows closer and drifted off to sleep. Alone.

Chapter Ten

J-817 gripped his cock as he listened to Daisy touch herself. Did she realize that cyborgs had enhanced senses—that he could hear her, that he could scent her arousal? With each small movement and soft gasp she gave, his cock jerked, and frustration gnawed at him. He wanted to be the one touching her, the one making her pant with excitement. When he heard the wet glide of her finger between her legs, he stopped resisting temptation and matched his strokes to hers. Her pace increased and so did his. When he heard her breath escape in a soft cry as she came, he joined her, barely suppressing his own cry.

She seemed to settle down after that and he tried to sleep as well. It didn’t work. Every time she moved during the night, he was aware of it; when he heard her sigh, he had a hard time fighting the urge to go to her. Hard being the operative word, he thought grimly. He spent the night in a state of constant arousal and her small movements and soft sounds did nothing to ease the longing. Of course, a cyborg needed very little in terms of rest. He could go for weeks without more than a quick, temporary shutdown, but he still got up feeling restless and tired.

“I’m going to town,” Billy said as he joined him by the window, his eyes flicking to the big bed, the curtains still closed.

It wasn’t until after he had climaxed that he had realized Billy must have heard her as well, must have been just as aroused. Had he touched himself as he listened to her pleasure herself? He found the idea didn’t trouble him. If there was any man who he would trust with Daisy’s secrets, it was his partner.

“Got the list?” he asked, forcing his mind to more practical matters.

His partner rolled his eyes, but it was a force of habit to check that everything was done correctly.

“In addition to the greenhouse, I’m going to get a small living module,” Billy added, shooting him an unreadable look. “I’ll hook it up on the far side of the greenhouse.”

He wanted to protest, but maybe the younger man had been just as tormented as he had been the previous night. Maybe he preferred to remove himself from the situation and, if so, how could he stand in his way? He nodded abruptly.

“If you think best.”

A flash of something that could have been disappointment covered Billy’s face before he resorted to his usual grin.

“I’ll spend the night in town and head back tomorrow. You’ll be alone with your bride.”

Alone with Daisy. It was an intoxicating thought, too intoxicating. How could he keep his hands off of her if there was no one around to stop him?

Billy grabbed a few supplies and left. J-817 sat down in the chair by the window to wait for Daisy to wake up. He told himself he was just planning his day, but he knew he wanted to be there with her.

When she poked her head out of the curtains, her face flushed and sleepy, her hair in a wild tangle, he couldn’t resist going to her. Picking her up, he carried her back to the chair and let her snuggle sleepily against him. Fuck, she felt good—soft and warm and smelling of clean sheets and sexy woman.

“What time is it?” she yawned.

“Time doesn’t matter much out here. Sun’s up.”

She pushed his shoulder and rolled her eyes. “I can see that. Where’s Bill? Already working?”

Did she miss his partner, even though she seemed content resting in his arms?

“He went to town. Won’t be back until tomorrow.”

Her body went still, then she gave him a slow, seductive smile.

“I guess that means we’re alone.”

She was so close, so tempting. He started to lean down and felt a small punch against his ribs. What the hell? He pulled back and looked down in time to see the ripple across her abdomen. Very carefully, he placed his hand on her stomach. A moment later, he felt the same small punch. A broad smile spread across his face.

“He’s so strong.”

“He’s strong, all right. Especially at night when he’s aiming at my bladder.” Despite the disgruntled words, she smiled softly as she placed her hand over his. The touch rocketed through him. He wanted this—he wanted a wife and a child, a family—even though he knew he didn’t deserve it. He wished Billy were here too, but at the thought of his young partner, he remembered how he had failed him. The future she promised was not for him.

Forcing himself to ignore the hurt look on her face, he stood up and placed her gently on her feet. He should go to work and leave her alone, but instead…

“Get dressed while I make breakfast. Then you can meet the horses.”

Excitement replaced the sadness in her eyes. “That would be wonderful.”

A thought occurred to him after she had eaten, and the words came out before he could stop them. “Would you like to go for a ride as well?”

Her eyes lit up with pleasure. “Oh, yes.”

“Not sure that dress is going to work. Do you have any pants?”

“None that fit over my stomach,” she said ruefully, her face falling. “Does that mean I can’t go?”

He studied the long dress. She could pull it up but that would leave her legs exposed and the Martian air could cool rapidly. Still, there was a lot of fabric in the skirt…

“You have another one?”

“Another dress? Yes, I have a couple more but they’re all like this one.”

“Hold still.”

He went down on his haunches in front of her, then carefully extended the fingernail of his right forefinger into a short, deadly blade. He heard her breath catch, but she didn’t move as he carefully took a thin slice from the front of her dress and another from the back, forming a split skirt. After dividing the pieces he had cut off into long strips, he tied each side of the skirt around her legs to form makeshift pants. The first tie went around her ankle, the next at her knee. He had to force himself to concentrate on his task and not on the soft skin brushing against his fingers.

As he reached the last ties, around her upper thighs, he couldn’t resist trailing his fingers slowly across her silky flesh as he brought the fabric together. His face was only inches away from her luscious little cunt and the sweet scent of her arousal washed over him. He wanted to spread her legs, to explore the delicate folds until she was panting and needy, to give her the pleasure she had given herself.

Standing up required every ounce of his self-control as his cock strained against his pants. Her eyes were huge and dark, pupils so dilated that only a thin ring of green remained, and her mouth looked pink and swollen. She started to sway towards him, but he abruptly turned away.

“That should work.”

He led the way to the airlock and she followed him silently, pulling on a small breathing mask and a thermal coat without a word. As soon as they were outside, the horses trotted towards them, Galahad in the lead and Storm following behind to keep a watchful eye on the situation.

“This is Galahad.”

The big red horse snuffled at her hair and neck, exploring her eagerly. J-817 went to bat him away but she laughed happily as she rubbed the horse’s nose.

“He’s got to be Bill’s horse. Aren’t you a handsome fella?”

The words cut at him. Of course she would prefer the handsome young horse. But then Storm stepped forward, nudging Galahad aside, and she turned to him with equal enthusiasm.

“Oh, my. I can tell you’re the leader of the herd.”

Storm didn’t start to explore her but held himself rigid until she put her hand on his neck, petting him with long soothing strokes as she looked at his scars.

“How did he get injured?”

“Dust storm. They were unloading the horses when the winds came and, in the confusion, they didn’t get the door shut completely. He was by the door and kept the storm away from the rest of the horses.”

“Such a brave horse,” she whispered, leaning her head into Storm’s neck.

Brave? That implied that Storm had decided to block the door, not simply been put in a position where he had no choice. At the time, he had still been too raw to think about what had happened, but now that Daisy said it, it seemed obvious.

“Yes, he’s very brave.”

Storm studied him from his good eye, then shook his head as if impatient with human slowness. Fuck. Now he was humanizing the damn horse.

His voice gruff, he said, “I’ll lift you up. Hold onto that ridge at the front of the saddle.”

“You’re getting on with me, right?” she asked anxiously.

He snorted. “Yeah. They only listen to their bonded rider.”

The gentle swell of her waist tantalized him as he carefully placed her on the horse and then leapt up behind her. He immediately realized he’d made a mistake. She was too close, the soft curve of her ass cradling his ever-present erection, and when he put his arms around her to hold her in place, he could feel the softness of her breasts and the warm, firm mound of her stomach. She settled back against him, either uncaring or not realizing the pressure she was putting on his cock. By the sweet smile she directed over her shoulder at him, she had no idea.

“Just a short ride,” he said firmly. He didn’t know how long he could last without touching her the way he wanted to. “Down the mountain, Storm.”

Daisy laughed and gave a little bounce as Storm obeyed, and he fought back a groan. Fuck, she was going to be the death of him.

He said very little as Storm walked slowly and carefully down the mountain. No doubt Billy would have had plenty to say but she didn’t seem to mind his silence. He watched her face as she studied the mountains with an awed expression.

“This is so different from being enclosed in the cabin of the rover. I feel like I’m part of the landscape,” she murmured, and he nodded. He had always preferred being on the back of his horse.

They emerged at last on the vast desert plain that stretched away for miles, barren of all life, and she shivered.

“You cold?” he asked immediately.

“No. It’s just kind of eerie. All this space with no one in it.”

“We’re in it.”

She laughed. “I guess we are, but that’s not what I meant. I think I prefer the mountains. Somehow it feels more sheltered up there.”

“You want to go back?”

“Not yet.” She twisted around so she could smile up at him over her shoulder, and he winced before he could prevent himself. “Is something wrong?”

He put his hands on her hips to move her forward, trying to relieve the pressure on his erection, and color suffused her cheeks as she realized what he was doing. But despite her flush, he caught the scent of her arousal. One of his fingers found a small opening in her makeshift pants and she shivered as his fingertip brushed against her thigh. He immediately started to pull away, but she put her hands over his.

“You can touch me.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“You’re my husband.”

For now. The words echoed in his head, but he didn’t have the strength to say them out loud. Instead, he teased the opening in the cloth, expanding it enough to add a second finger. Her skin was impossibly soft and he stroked it reverently, even as she parted her legs further to allow him more access. His fingers moved higher, whispering across her delicate folds and she gasped.

“That feels so good.”

“Better than your own hand?” he whispered and felt her still.

“You knew?”

“Our senses are enhanced. We can hear very well.”

“Both of you?”

She sounded shocked but he felt a sudden rush of warmth against his fingers.

“You like that idea.” It wasn’t a question.

“No! I mean, I shouldn’t.”

“Why not?” He moved higher, feeling the slickness he had heard last night.

“You’re my husband.”

“He’s my partner. I don’t mind.”

He heard the truth in his words, but he was too busy exploring her sweet little cunt to think about them. He probed the small entrance and it opened, engulfing him in liquid heat. Impossibly tight and yet she pressed into his hand, taking more of him as she squirmed restlessly.

“Is this what you want?”

“Yes,” she gasped.

He wanted to see her, wanted to strip her naked and worship her, but this wasn’t the place or the time. Instead, he forced the fabric further apart and reached through to tease the swollen pearl of her clit, even as he pressed his finger deeper into her tight little channel.

She cried out, arching against him, and came, fluttering in rhythmic pulses around his finger. Triumph roared through him, despite his own aching shaft. She was his.

Chapter Eleven

Daisy sagged back against Jonah as he lifted his hands with one last gentle caress. His arms came up to encircle her, holding her snug against his body. Contentment filled her. For the first time since she’d made that desperate trip to the transport ship, she felt completely happy. The baby kicked, gently for once, and she laughed. Even he was in a good mood.

“Thank you, Jonah.”

“No need to thank me.” His voice was strained, and she realized she could still feel the iron bar of his erection against her back.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking about you. Can I…”

She waved a hand and this time he laughed. When she looked back at him, he was smiling at her. It was the first time she had seen him truly smile and the transformation was breathtaking.

“Not the place,” he said firmly. “Home, Storm.”

The horse tossed his head but turned back to the mountains.

“Do you think he knew what we were doing?” she murmured.

“If he did, he’s thinking I’m a lucky man.” An almost imperceptible hesitation. “A lucky cyborg.”

“Man,” she repeated firmly. “And I’m the lucky one.”

His arms tightened around her but he remained silent for the rest of the trip. When they arrived back at the claim, he carefully helped her down and gave her some treats to feed Storm before following her back inside the habitat.

He hesitated by the doorway, looking unusually tentative. Was he upset with her? Had she behaved too wantonly? She couldn’t stand the silence.

“What is it, Jonah?”

“I need to work,” he said. “Don’t want to leave you, but…”

Was that all? She gave him a relieved smile.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be perfectly fine on my own. I only get nervous after dark.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

He showed her the communicator and how to use it to contact him if she needed him, gave her a quick kiss, and left. She smiled after him and hugged herself. Everything was working out so much better than she had expected. The baby fluttered and she put a hand on her stomach, but she refused to worry. Everything would be fine.

She half-expected Jonah to return for lunch but he remained absent for the rest of the day. She did a little more sewing, fussed over the chicks, took a long nap, cooked dinner, and tried not to feel abandoned. Just as she was starting to worry, he appeared at the door, looking tired, his face in a stern mask.

“There you are,” she said cheerfully. “Dinner is ready. Why don’t you go wash up?”

“Daisy, I—” He looked from her to the table she had set.

“You what?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom.

The meal could not have been called a success. He ate hungrily enough but said little and barely responded to her attempts at conversation. Where’s Bill when you need him, she thought despairingly. She suspected his cheerful presence would have done a lot to relieve the growing tension.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked finally, as Jonah silently cleared the table and started washing the dishes.

“You? Of course not.”

He seemed sincere and she tried to relax but as the evening wore on and he still remained distant, her own worries started to escalate. She couldn’t settle down. Even after she went to prepare for bed, her nerves were all on edge and she ended up pacing the room instead.

Jonah finally looked directly at her and frowned. “What is it, Daisy?”

“I don’t know. I’m just feeling kind of overwhelmed, I guess. I never expected any of this to happen. Mars. You. A year ago, I was working on a teaching degree, and now I’m here. I’m such a fool.”

“Not a fool,” he growled.

“No? I let a good-looking man turn my head. It took far too long for me to realize what a monster he really was.”

“Guessing you’re not the first.” He held up a hand as her face crumpled. “Just meant that I expect you’re not the first girl he preyed on.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better. Here I am. Pregnant. With his child. I’m not sure what frightens me more—giving birth or the thought that one day I’m going to look up and see him waiting for me.”

“We’ll never let him harm you,” he said gruffly.

“Thank you, Jonah. You—both of you—have been so kind to me.”

He looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the praise, and she gave in to a sudden impulse, hoping that she could break through the distance that had opened up between them.

“Would you—would you sleep with me? Not that we have to do anything,” she added quickly, afraid he would think she was pushing him. “I just don’t want to be alone tonight.”

He studied her, and for a moment she was afraid he was going to refuse, but then he nodded.

“Yeah. I can do that.”

She pulled back the covers and patted the mattress. “Then come to bed, Jonah.”

Fuck. Did she have any idea what she did to him? She looked so beautiful, so tempting, sitting there on the big bed, eyes wide with… anticipation? Don’t be a fool, he told himself. He had spent most of the day berating himself for taking advantage of her on the ride. His resolution to be a husband in name only had not gotten off to a good start.

He started to climb into the bed and she giggled, a joyful little noise.

“You might want to take off your boots first.”

“Yeah. Reckon so.”

He was as awkward as an untried boy. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he pulled off his boots, then after a slight hesitation, his belt and shirt. Her eyes widened again as she took in the sight of his naked chest.

“Want me to put my shirt back on?”

“Oh no.” She licked her lips and her gaze traveled over his chest with an almost palpable heat. “I like looking at you.”

“Not much to look at.”

“Why would you say that? You’re big and strong and—”

“No longer human.”

“I was going to say masculine. Women appreciate that, you know. Especially since I know you would only ever use your strength to protect me. You make me feel safe, Jonah.”

“I’m glad.”

She leaned forward, brushing a curious finger over the small silver bar through his nipple, and he had to bite back a groan.

“Why do you have this?”

“Got it a long time ago. Before.” His lips quirked at the memory. “Lost a bet.”

“And you’ve never taken it out?”

“Nah. Just one more part of me that’s metal.”

Before he could get lost in bitterness, she flicked it again, sending a shot of arousal straight to his cock.

“And it feels good when I do this?”

“Yeah.”

“What about this?”

She leaned forward and closed her mouth over his nipple, sucking gently before tugging lightly at the bar with her teeth.

“Daisy!”

She looked up at him, her expression innocent but her eyes dancing with mischief. “I think that’s a yes. Lean back and let me explore.”

He couldn’t resist that innocent, tempting look. At her urging, he lay back on the bed and she knelt next to him, exploring his flesh with greedy hands. Her stomach brushed against him and she bit her lip.

“Does that bother you?”

“Not at all.” He stroked the firm mound. “Makes you even more tempting.”

He moved higher, running a gentle finger along the sensitive underside of her breasts, and she pushed half-heartedly at his hand.

“I was going to explore you.”

The hunger that had been building all day swept over him, washing away his doubts. “My turn.”

He reversed their positions so that she was sprawled against the covers, her hair a fiery glow against the pale sheets. He bent down and kissed her, his need flaring, demanding her response, and she met him eagerly, her hands trying to tug him closer even as he moved away to travel down her body. He suckled hungrily at her breasts until she was writhing beneath him, then moved lower, spreading her legs in eager anticipation. Fuck, yes. Flushed and pink, already glistening with excitement. He grabbed her hips and pulled her up against his mouth as he feasted on her, probing her slick channel, sucking on her clit, sliding down to tease her tight bottom hole, devouring her with his mouth until she exploded in a long shuddering wave, her hands fisting in his hair.

He had his pants down and his cock pressed against her small entrance before he could restrain himself. The wet kiss of her flesh against the head of his cock made him shudder with anticipation as he rocked forward, but even as wet as she was, her body resisted. He looked down, and for the first time, he truly noticed the difference in their sizes, his cock looking huge and dark against her delicate little folds, already red and swollen from his mouth. His gaze traveled further up her body and to his horror, he saw the imprint of his hands on her hips, saw the marks of his mouth on her breasts and neck. What had he done? Once again, he had attacked her without considering her small size or her fragile condition.

He pulled himself away with a groan of despair.

“Jonah?” Her voice sounded dazed and no wonder. Had her hands in his hair been an attempt to push him away rather than pull him closer?

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, hastily pulling up his pants as he stood.

“Sorry for what? Where are you going?”

“Can’t be trusted. I’ll—”

He should leave her alone, stand guard outside in the dark, but he remembered her earlier request. Even if he had done little to justify her faith in him, he wouldn’t leave her alone.

“I’ll sleep in my bunk.” Afraid to even look at her face and see the accusation in her eyes, he pulled the curtains closed.

How could he have thought this would work? She needed someone gentle, someone like Billy. The two of them would be perfect for each other—he just had to make them realize it. Ignoring the desolate ache in his chest, he vowed to step aside.

Daisy stared at the closed curtains. What in the world just happened? One minute Jonah was sweeping her away with his passionate lovemaking, the next he had pulled away from her. She had seen the shocked look on his face when he stared down at her and her heart sank as her hand went to her stomach. Had that been the problem? Had he been unable to face the thought of making love to a very pregnant woman despite his earlier words of praise?

Desolation washed over her, but she refused to give in to it. He just needs time, she told herself. Tomorrow, she would talk to him.

Chapter Twelve

Several weeks later, Daisy slammed the first harvest from the hydroponic garden down on the kitchen table with a frustrated growl. Since the night after their ride, Jonah hadn’t come near her. He did everything he could to make her comfortable, fussed over her eating habits, and would have refused to let her do any work if she hadn’t put her foot down, but he hadn’t kissed her and he certainly hadn’t touched her. When she suggested another ride, he had actually paled and made some excuse about it not being a good idea in her condition. Her condition?

She put a protective hand over her ever-growing stomach, but she no longer believed that her pregnancy was the problem. It was only too obvious that Jonah still wanted her. He watched her constantly and she could see the erections he tried to hide. But he still avoided touching her and took every opportunity to leave her alone with Bill instead, even though the relationship between the two men seemed equally strained.

She had tried to talk to him but he managed to evade her questions, choosing to bury himself in work whenever he could. Her body ached with constant, frustrated desire.

Bill, of course, had not been giving her the silent treatment, but he seemed oddly distant as well. He was just as solicitous as Jonah, but he, too, had a tendency to disappear whenever she thought they were getting closer.

When he had returned from town with the components of the greenhouse, he also brought along a small living module. He’d added it on to the other side of the garden and moved into it. Even though he was only a short distance away, she found she missed his presence.

The chicks were housed in the greenhouse as well, growing more with every week. When she went to feed them, she debated with herself for a minute then knocked on Bill’s door.

“Yeah?”

When she slid the door open, he was lying on the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

“I said I’d get to the samples this afternoon,” he snapped without looking at her.

“What samples?”

He sat up so quickly he almost fell out of the bunk.

“Daisy! What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

His throat worked and he looked away from her.

“Where’s Jonah?”

“I don’t know. In the mines? Avoiding me as usual?”

“Yeah, well, he’s a fool,” Bill muttered, then winced. “Sorry. It’s been a… difficult month.”

She sighed and sank down on the bunk next to him, looking around the small module. Other than a heap of clothes against one wall, it was completely barren.

“Do you really prefer being in here?”

“Of course not.” He flushed. “I mean, yeah. You two need your privacy.”

She burst into tears. After a startled moment, he put his arm around her and pulled her against his side. She sagged against him and let herself cry. He felt so good, warm and strong, and her tears gradually died away. With a last hiccup, she managed to smile up at him.

He brushed his thumb across her cheeks, wiping her tears away, then suddenly bent his head and kissed her. His lips were gentle but she could feel his hunger and she responded instinctively, clinging to him as the kiss intensified. He came to his senses first, springing to his feet, and she almost burst into tears again. At least he didn’t immediately rush out of the room.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Shouldn’t you?” She scowled at him. “At least you want to kiss me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jonah doesn’t,” she admitted, the tears threatening to overwhelm her again.

“I don’t believe that. How could he not want you?”

Bill’s words were so obviously sincere that she managed a tremulous smile.

“But I still shouldn’t have kissed you,” he added.

“I wonder if that’s what he wants. Haven’t you noticed that he keeps leaving us alone together?”

An odd expression crossed his face. “I have. I thought he was just showing me that he trusted me.”

“Trusted you?”

“Not to make a move on his wife. A trust I just betrayed.”

She tilted her head, considering his theory. “I don’t think that’s it. But I wonder…”

“What?”

“I wonder if he thinks we should be together instead?”

The words hung in the room between them as she finally found the courage to say them out loud. Under other circumstances, she would have loved being married to Bill—but she wouldn’t abandon Jonah.

There was an answering longing on his face, but he shook his head. “I arranged for you to marry him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t think he deserves a wife.”

Bill sighed and returned to sit next to her. “Maybe not, but he wants you nonetheless.”

“He’s doing a good job of resisting it,” she muttered.

“Maybe you should try crying on him. It worked on me.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I know you didn’t, but there’s nothing like a crying woman to make a man feel protective.” He hugged her against his side. “I’ll find a way to leave you two alone. And if you should happen to think of something sad…”

A startled laugh escaped her lips. “You’re an evil man, Bill.”

“Nah. I just want two people I… care about to be happy.”

This time, she reached up and kissed him.

J-817 scowled at the rock wall of the mine. He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be in the increasingly cozy habitat with his wife and his partner. No doubt they were enjoying themselves just fine without him. A surge of jealousy rolled through him as he imagined Daisy giving Billy one of her sweet smiles, perhaps touching him with her soft little hand. It never seemed to bother him when the three of them were together but thinking about the two of them alone drove him crazy. He found himself snapping at Billy, even though the other man had done nothing to deserve it.

Fuck. What was wrong with him? He was the one who had decided that Billy would be a better husband. He was the one who left them together as often as he could, even though he had seen the hurt in Daisy’s eyes. The memory made him wince, but he forced himself to remember his marks on her skin.

Despite his ever-present guilt, when night fell, he couldn’t resist joining them for dinner.

Daisy gave him a welcoming smile, and it was all he could do not to snatch her into his arms. Instead, he just nodded and took his place next to her. Even with the tension thick in the air between the three of them, he was glad that he had decided to join them.

“The Judge called. He needs help,” Billy said, frowning at him across the table.

S-756, known as the Judge both for his official role and for his quick, decisive judgments, had recently acquired both a wife and daughter. The knowledge still shocked J-817. S-756 had been one of the cyborgs who hated humans the most, although his bitterness had never prevented him from rendering an impartial verdict.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“He thinks his family may be in danger,” Billy said grimly. “He wants some backup.”

“Of course.” He looked from his partner to Daisy, hating the idea of leaving them. “When does he need it?”

“He doesn’t know. He’s just preparing for trouble. Why don’t you ride down tomorrow and talk to him? Maybe we could switch off days.”

“Makes sense.”

“And Sarge, take your medical kit.”

The thought that his medical skills might be needed made him shudder. He hadn’t managed to save any of his men, not even Billy. Lately, he had spent his sleepless nights learning everything he could about delivering babies, even though he was determined that Daisy would have her child in town under the care of a real doctor.

“I’m out of practice,” he muttered.

“You keep up to date on all the latest techniques.” Billy grinned at his surprised look, seeming more like his usual self. “You didn’t think I knew, did you?”

He hadn’t realized that the younger man had noticed. Determined not to fail anyone who needed him again, he had tried to stay informed, even though there had been little use for his training. The process of becoming a cyborg had made them almost impervious to harm. They could be damaged, of course, but their bodies almost always healed. Only a direct shot to the brain or to the heart would prove fatal.

Despite his reluctance, when he rode out the next morning, he took his bag along. He had almost reached the Judge’s habitat when he heard shots. Storm raced ahead, reaching their destination in time for J-817 to see the Judge bending over a small figure, blood surrounding her tiny body.

He grabbed his bag and ran.

His heart thudded painfully against his chest despite the efforts of his nanites to balance his system, but he managed to keep his voice calm and reassuring. Even though terror flooded his system, he was able to mask the fear. His hands didn’t shake as his skills came rushing back. The child had already lost so much blood that he ordered the Judge to provide a transfusion—there was no time to check blood types and a cyborg’s blood would be free of any illness. When he finally closed the wound with a neat line of stitches, he knew she would live. He hadn’t failed this time. The relief that flooded through him was so intense that his knees sagged, and he excused himself before they noticed his weakness.

When he returned, the Judge and his wife were holding each other, taking comfort in each other’s presence, and the sight sent a surge of longing through him. This is what a marriage meant, he realized. Despite his attempts to encourage Daisy to turn to Billy, she was still his wife, and he was uneasily conscious of how little support he had been providing to her. He had made every effort to increase her physical comfort but he had been too afraid of giving in to his lust to even touch her, to offer her emotional comfort. That was going to change. If it wasn’t too late, if she still wanted him, he would be there for her, no matter how difficult it would be to restrain himself.

Chapter Thirteen

“Something wrong?” Jonah asked.

He had returned from his mission looking oddly thoughtful. Bill had managed to pry the story out of him and although Daisy was thankful that he had managed to save little Kami’s life, the idea of a deranged ex struck a little too close to home. Her nerves were a jangled mess, Bill had disappeared after hearing the tale, and Jonah had barely said a word since then.

Daisy could hear the worry in his voice now, but it didn’t ease her tension. She scowled at him and continued pacing around the dome. The room had changed so much over the past month. Jonah and Bill had done everything they could to make it a home for her and the baby. Between them, they had managed to rustle up a couch, create a bassinet, and even found a rug for the floor. But as much as she appreciated the changes, she would have been happier to have an empty dome and the Jonah who had held her in his arms and made her think everything was going to be all right.

“Are you in pain?” he asked.

“Yes!”

“What’s the matter?” He was on his feet immediately, stopping her in her tracks as he placed a warm hand over her stomach, probing gently. “Is it the baby?”

“No, it’s not the baby. Is that all you care about?” To her dismay, an angry tear rolled down her cheek. How ironic that anger rather than sadness had driven her to tears.

“Daisy. What’s wrong, baby?”

The endearment was too much and she burst into tears. With a soothing noise, he picked her up and carried her to her chair, sitting down with her in his lap, the way he had done the very first night. In spite of her upset, she couldn’t help but nestle against him as he rocked her soothingly.

When her tears finally subsided, she was afraid he would put her back on her feet, but he continued to hold her and she felt him bury his face in her hair. Had he missed this just as much? The thought made her scowl and she started to sit up.

“Tell me what’s going on.” It was the commanding voice that always made her melt, but she refused to give in.

“Nothing.”

“Daisy…”

“I’m just tired.”

“Why? Aren’t you sleeping?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m big and uncomfortable and frustrated,” she burst out.

“Frustrated?”

“Yes, frustrated!” She twisted around to look at him. “My breasts ache.”

His eyes darkened to the familiar stormy intensity as his gaze dropped to where her breasts threatened to spill over the top of her dress. He started to lift a hand, then let it drop, and she gave a growl of her own, grabbing it and pressing it against the needy flesh. They both groaned.

“That’s what I need, Jonah,” she whispered. “Someone to touch me and take away the ache.”

He squeezed the swollen mound and she arched against his hand, but he was already pulling back, his face haunted.

“I… I shouldn’t be doing this. Not the right man.”

“Not the right man? You’re my husband.”

“Too rough.” He shook his head, but his eyes were fastened on her chest. With an impatient sigh, she yanked down the top of her dress, revealing the pale mounds and dark swollen nipples. He reached for her again, without her urging this time, and closed his hand around her breast with a firm hand.

“Oh, yes. Like that.”

He squeezed, then tugged on her nipple. She cried out and he froze. She immediately reached out and put her hand over his.

“You’re not hurting me. I need this.” The lightbulb suddenly went off in her head. “Is that what this is about? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? You’re afraid of hurting me?”

“Did hurt you,” he muttered.

“What? You most certainly did not.”

His body had tensed but he was still kneading her breast with his big palm.

“Marked you,” he said, his voice tortured.

“Jonah, I’m a redhead. If you breathe on me, it’ll show. You never hurt me.” Her anger suddenly came roaring back. “Why the hell didn’t you talk to me?”

“You don’t need someone like me, Daisy. You need someone younger, better suited.”

“Like Bill?”

“Yes.”

“He kissed me yesterday.”

His body went still and when she snuck a look at him, his face was a harsh mask.

“Maybe that’s for the best.”

“Not if it means you won’t kiss me. I…” She forced herself to admit the truth. “I want to kiss both of you.”

To her relief, he didn’t look horrified. He looked thoughtful, even as his hand began moving on her breast again.

“You care for him.”

“Of course I do, but I… care for you too.” She put her hand on his face and stroked her fingers across his scars, the way he did so often. “I’m not going to give up on you.”

“Daisy,” he groaned, then kissed her.

His lips were tentative, almost shy, but she wanted the real Jonah back, the one who overwhelmed her with his hunger. She bit down on his lower lip and he growled, cupping her head and holding her in place for a ruthless—wonderful—assault on her mouth. When he lifted his head, she was breathless, panting, and glowing with happiness.

“I needed that,” she whispered, then put her hand on his face again. “Are you going to stop this time? Because I really don’t think I can stand it.”

“Are you sure you want me? That I’m not too rough for you?”

“I’ve never wanted anything more.”

He growled again and climbed to his feet, carrying her to the big bed as he flicked off the lights, leaving only the dim glow from the windows to illuminate the dome. He carefully placed her on the mattress, then followed her down, kissing her with renewed passion. When she was panting once more, his lips moved from her mouth to her neck, nibbling hungrily on the sensitive flesh as he unfastened the top of her gown. He raised his head to look as he cupped one plump breast in his big hand.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, feathering his thumb over her nipple and sending a shock of pleasure straight to her aching clit.

His body suddenly tensed, although he didn’t slow the firm stroke of his thumb. He tilted his head a fraction as if listening, then dropped his mouth to her ear.

“He’s watching,” he whispered so quietly she almost didn’t hear.

Her gaze flew over his head and she could see the faint outline of a man standing there in the darkness. Bill. The knowledge sent a frisson of excitement up her spine. Jonah’s hand paused, then he took a firmer grip on her nipple, rolling it between his thumb and finger.

“You don’t mind.” It wasn’t a question.

“No. Do you?”

He hesitated almost imperceptibly, then shook his head. “No.”

He shifted his position to one side, and she realized that he was making it easier for Bill to see her. Another shudder of excitement coursed through her body and she arched her back, thrusting her breast more fully into his hands. He tugged on her nipple, harder this time, almost on the edge of pain, and it was like a live wire straight to her swollen clit.

“Good girl,” he growled, then with one sudden move ripped open the rest of her gown, leaving her naked and exposed to both their gazes.

Abandoning her breast, he ran a reverent hand over the swell of her stomach and down between her thighs. Her legs parted automatically and a thick finger slid through the almost embarrassing wetness. Another approving growl before his mouth clamped down on a taut peak, shockingly warm and wet, just as he swept his finger across the exposed top of her clit. Her body convulsed as she came with a startled cry, her hands clutching Jonah’s shoulders as her eyes focused on where Bill was standing in the dark beyond the curtains.

Jonah continued to stroke and suck, sending her into a second and then a third wave of pleasure before he gentled his touch and eased her down. She collapsed back against the pillows, her body limp with satisfaction. A slight rustle reached her ears. She didn’t have to look to know that Bill was gone.

“Think you’ll be able to sleep now?” Jonah’s voice was gruff, but she ignored it and gave him a sleepy smile.

“Absolutely. Will you—will you stay with me?”

She knew him well enough now to know that his face closed down not because he was rejecting her but because he was wrestling with his own demons.

“I think I should talk to Billy.”

Did he even realize he had called the other man by his real name? She put a hand on his cheek and tugged him down to give him a gentle kiss.

“I think that’s an excellent idea. Thank you, Jonah.”

“I should be thanking you.”

“Maybe we should thank each other.” She grinned up at him.

His lips twisted, then he sat up, carefully arranging her in the position in which she liked to sleep, with a pillow against her stomach and another tucked under her neck. Her throat tightened at the realization of how well he knew her and how much he wanted to take care of her. As soon as he was sure she was comfortable, he dropped another kiss on her head and disappeared, closing the curtains completely behind him.

She had thought she would fall asleep immediately, and indeed her body was limp and relaxed, but her mind began to churn. Was it wrong she had enjoyed that so much? That the knowledge that Bill was watching added that extra touch of excitement? That she wanted to be with both of the men she… loved? A feeling of certainty washed over her.

I love them both. I want them both.

Somehow, they would make this work.

Chapter Fourteen

He found Billy where he knew he would, sitting on the boulder at the edge of the clearing looking out over the starlit desert. He sat down next to him and waited for the other man to talk.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” Billy said finally, his voice tortured. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“She’s your wife.”

“Is she?” The question had nagged at him. “She was married by proxy to someone she didn’t know. You used my name, but it was you she was marrying.”

“What do you mean? I got her for you. She was always meant for you.”

“But you love her too.” It wasn’t a question.

Billy groaned and dropped his head in his hands. “I can’t help it. I’m sorry. Even the separate living module isn’t enough. I need to leave.”

“No.” He couldn’t, wouldn’t, let his partner leave.

“If I stay, I’m afraid I’ll give in to temptation again.”

“Temptation?”

“I kissed her yesterday.”

“I know. She told me,” he said calmly.

Billy shot him a startled glance. “Aren’t you angry?”

“Anyone else, and I’d kill him with my bare hands.”

“Why not me?”

He sighed. “Because you’re my partner. Because she loves you, Billy.”

“She loves you too.”

“I know.” He had fought the knowledge for so long, but he couldn’t deny it anymore. As impossible as it was to believe, she did love him and, God help him, he loved her just as much.

“I still think I should leave.”

“No,” he repeated. “I think—I think maybe we should give this a chance.”

“What do you mean?”

“She liked that you were watching.”

“And you?”

“Didn’t mind,” he said gruffly.

“I don’t think I can just watch,” Billy admitted.

He waited, anticipating a surge of jealousy, but that wasn’t his immediate response. The thought of two sets of hands on her, two mouths, even two cocks… No, it wasn’t jealousy that he felt.

“Not asking you to. But it’s her choice, always her choice.”

“Of course,” Billy said at once. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah. I am.” He stood up and put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Come to bed when you’re ready.”

He made his way back inside, hesitated for just a minute, then stripped down and climbed into bed next to Daisy. She was half-asleep, but she gave him a sleepy smile.

“Did you talk to him?”

“He did,” Billy said cheerfully as he climbed into bed on the other side of Daisy. He looked at Jonah and shrugged. “I guess I was ready.”

Daisy woke up feeling warm and comfortable. Her head was pillowed on a firm, hard chest and more warmth blanketed her back. For a moment, she felt disoriented, but then she realized that her head was resting on Jonah’s chest and Bill was curled against her back. When he had joined them last night, she had wanted to explore the two of them but her exhaustion overcame her desire and she drifted off before he had done more than kiss her shoulder. This morning, however…

She trailed her hand slowly through the light dusting of hair on Jonah’s chest and flicked gently at the silver bar through his nipple. A big hand covered hers as he growled.

“Are you trying to start something, baby?”

She smiled up at him. “Maybe.” Then she jumped as another hand came around to cover her breasts. She looked over her shoulder and saw Bill grinning at her.

“You know how long I’ve wanted to do this?”

Her breath caught as he plucked gently at her sensitive nipples, and then she looked up at Jonah to see how he was reacting. His face was an unreadable mask, but his eyes were a different story. They blazed with heat as he watched his partner’s hands on her flesh.

A sudden spike of pleasure in her breasts, followed by a rush of slippery warmth, made her clutch Jonah’s arms.

Bill examined his dampened fingers, then licked one. “Milk. Does that hurt?”

“Oh no. But is that normal?” she asked Jonah.

He didn’t answer immediately, his eyes still fixed on the damp, rosy peaks, then he licked his lips.

“Normal,” he grunted, then pushed one of Bill’s hands aside, closed his mouth over her nipple, and sucked hard. Oh my God. His caresses last night had been amazing, but this felt like an electric pulse directly from her nipple to her clit. Bill teased the other nipple, the delicate touch contrasting with the hard pull, and a short, hard climax swept over her.

“I want you,” Jonah raised his head, his lips wet.

“Yes.” She reached for him, no thought of denial in her mind.

“Hold her,” he ordered Bill, tugging her around until she was resting against Bill’s chest, his hands cupping her breasts as Jonah spread her legs.

“So small,” he groaned as he ran a thick finger through her folds.

For a moment she was afraid that he would withdraw once again, but instead, he knelt in front of her and drew her legs up over his. The position left her completely open to him but didn’t place any pressure on her stomach. He fisted his cock in one big hand, but his massive shaft still looked huge in comparison. He leaned closer and she could no longer see but she could feel as he pressed slowly into her entrance. The stretch made her gasp, but Bill hummed soothingly in her ear even as he thrummed a distracting rhythm on her nipples.

Jonah’s face was fierce, his body rigid. He almost looked as if he were in pain, but she realized it was from the effort of holding himself in check. He pushed deeper and she balanced on the knife edge of pain and pleasure, her body overwhelmed by the massive intruder and the stretching fullness. Bill pinched lightly at her nipples, sending a shockwave of excitement straight to her pussy. Her channel tried to tighten but there was no room; Jonah filled her completely, and the knowledge sent her rolling into a second climax as her body shuddered helplessly. Jonah groaned as the increased wetness eased his way, as her walls milked his shaft, and he abandoned all restraint, burying himself to the root in a series of demanding thrusts. He gripped her hips as her body convulsed in wave after wave of pleasure and he cried out her name as she felt the heat of his seed filling her.

He bent over her, his breath coming in harsh pants, his eyes anxious as he examined her face. “Did I hurt you?”

She managed to raise a limp hand and touch his cheek. “Never,” she said honestly. The slight pinch of his body entering hers, the aching stretch as she opened for him, had only added to her excitement. She had never come so hard for so long.

“I told you that I wouldn’t only watch.” Bill’s voice was so harsh as to be almost unrecognizable and when she looked at him over her shoulder, his face was taut with strain as he focused on Jonah.

Jonah nodded. “Daisy’s choice.”

“Do you want me, Daisy?” Bill asked, his eyes bright with blue fire.

“Of course I do. I love you, Bill.” She felt Jonah tense and turned back to face him. “And you know I love you, Jonah. I have since the day we met.”

“Love you too, baby.” His voice was harsh, abrupt, but she had no doubt of his sincerity.

“Yeah, yeah,” Bill said impatiently. “We all knew that Sarge loved you, but what about me? Do you know I love you?”

Jonah snorted, but a sudden desire to cry made her smile tremulous as she looked at the handsome young face. “I never doubted that you love me, Bill.”

His charming grin appeared but she no longer had any fear that a monster lurked behind it. “Good. Because it’s my turn, and I intend to take my time.”

He was as good as his word, worshiping her mouth, her breasts, then lingering between her legs until she was quivering with excitement.

Jonah was there for all of it, taking whatever part of her body was left unattended with his greedy mouth and demanding hands. When Bill placed her on her hands and knees, her stomach supported by pillows, Jonah knelt in front of her, his massive cock in front of her face. She sucked on it greedily, desperate for relief as Bill resumed his teasing. The head of his cock slid between her legs until at last he pressed it against her swollen clit—and then it began to vibrate. She cried out around Jonah and heard him groan as Bill finally, finally entered her, still vibrating and setting each sensitive nerve on fire.

“I can’t… I can’t wait,” Bill gasped, and she felt him explode in long, heated pulses just as Jonah erupted too, his seed sliding down her throat in salty, delicious waves.

When he finally recovered his breath, Bill reluctantly withdrew from Daisy’s body. Her tight channel clung to him as if refusing to let him leave, and if it hadn’t been for the fact that she was so clearly exhausted, he would’ve been more than happy to take her again. Instead, he collapsed down next to her, smiling at the silky canopy overhead. That had been everything he had imagined and more.

But what of Jonah? He snuck a look at the other man.

The Sarge was up on one elbow, a possessive hand around Daisy’s stomach as he gazed down at her, his face softer than Bill had ever seen it. As if he felt Bill’s eyes, he looked up and they stared at each other for a second. Was Jonah going to regret what they had done? Was he going to retreat back into his self-imposed prison? Instead, the other man held his eyes for a long moment, then inclined his head. It was an acknowledgment, a thank you, no less sincere for being silent. He suspected that Jonah would never willingly discuss what had happened, but for the first time, he believed that his friend had found peace.

Daisy stretched and gave them both a contented smile. “It certainly took long enough, but it was definitely worth waiting for.”

“What makes you think we’re through?” Jonah grunted, then laughed when her eyes flew wide.

Bill hadn’t heard the Sarge laugh like that since before that final battle and his chest suddenly ached.

“I think I need some recovery time,” Daisy said sternly, even though her eyes danced.

“Expect I could convince you otherwise.” Jonah leaned over and licked a distended red nipple. She gasped and shoved halfheartedly at his head.

“I expect you could at that.”

“Nah, baby. I’m teasing. You need to rest.”

They fell into a contented silence and Bill amused himself by watching the expressions playing across Daisy’s expressive little face. He knew she was going to start asking questions before she opened her mouth.

“Jonah, were you always in the military?”

“Yeah. Although I originally wanted to be a doctor,” Jonah said softly, his eyes distant, and Bill had to suppress his shock. But then he realized that it made perfect sense. In spite of his fearsome appearance and commanding presence, at heart, the Sarge had always been a caretaker.

“Why didn’t you pursue it?” Daisy asked.

Jonah shrugged. “My folks were poor. No money for college, let alone medical school. Military offered me paramedic training. Seemed like a good alternative.”

“Mm. That’s nice. Now I have my own personal baby doctor.”

They both saw Jonah’s body start to tense but Daisy put a soothing hand on his chest. “I have complete confidence in you, Jonah.”

“Shouldn’t.”

“Yes, she should.” He reached across Daisy and put his hand next to hers. “No one could ever care more.”

Jonah sighed, and some of the tension seeped out of his body. Bill, too, breathed a silent sigh of relief. Thank God for Daisy.

Chapter Fifteen

Jonah relapsed into silence, but Daisy didn’t push him, reassured by the fact that he hadn’t tried to leave.

“What about you, Bill?” she asked. “What’s your story?”

“I grew up in one of the big government orphanages,” Bill said, staring up at the ceiling. “I was lucky though. I met my friend Wes when we were still kids. He was only six months older than me but he was always so much bigger, tougher. He acted like my big brother, always watching out for me.”

“What happened to him?”

“We knew we were going to join the military. Neither of us had the scores or the patience for college but we wanted to do something important. Like I said, he was six months older and you know how they are at those places. The minute you turn eighteen, you’re out the door. So he signed up and I was going to join him as soon as I was old enough. He died two weeks before my birthday.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she squeezed his hand, unable to find the words.

“I didn’t know that,” Jonah said. “You never mentioned it when you joined the squad.”

“I know. I didn’t want to talk about it.” Bill rolled over and looked at the other man across her body. “I always knew what I was getting into. If Wes—who was so much bigger and tougher than me—could get killed that quickly, I figured I wouldn’t last long. But I lived. Because of you. I can’t say that every day since then has been a blessing, but when I remember Wes, I’m grateful for all of them.”

Jonah looked at him, then ducked his head, and Daisy wondered if he had finally begun to accept the fact that Bill didn’t blame him for what happened. Bill nudged her, drawing her attention.

“Don’t you think it’s time you told us all your dark secrets?”

He kept his tone light but she could see the questions in his eyes.

“Maybe so.” She sighed and snuggled closer to Jonah, pulling Bill in behind her. “I wanted to be a teacher. I know it doesn’t sound very exciting, but I always liked showing the younger kids how to do things. It just felt right. I even got a scholarship, but it turned out that it only covered tuition.”

She shuddered as she remembered how desperate she had been when she realized. “There was an older girl from the orphanage who I kept in touch with after she left. She let me stay with her and got me a job working nights at a… well, I guess you could call it a men’s club.”

Jonah growled and she felt Bill tense.

“Not like that,” she hurried to clarify. “I wasn’t a dancer or anything. I just served drinks. And it was a nice place—very high-class. Everyone looked out for me.”

“But?” Bill prompted.

“This man came into the club one night. Tall, handsome, and… charming.” He had seemed so perfect, like the hero out of a book. “The other girls were all over him but then he ran into me. Literally. I was carrying a tray of drinks and they spilled all over him.” She had been mortified, but he had been so sweet about it.

“He came back the next night and the next. Eventually, I agreed to go out with him even though Mr. Tomlinson, the manager, tried to warn me. But he couldn’t give me any real reason and I was so blinded by all the attention that I didn’t listen to him.”

They were both still, waiting for her to continue, but neither one of them had relaxed.

“A month later, I moved in with him.” She stared up at the ceiling. “I had never had anyone pay that much attention to me. To want me that much.”

“He the one you’re running from?” Jonah asked.

“Yes.” Her hands started to shake but she forced herself to continue. “He was good to me, especially at first. He liked to give me jewelry and dress me up. It took me much too long to realize that he was treating me like a plaything, not a person. Even when I began to suspect he was seeing other women, he still put on a good act and I wasn’t sure—didn’t want to be sure. I finally started noticing things about him that bothered me, like how cruelly he dismissed anyone who wasn’t ‘the right kind.’ How he treated the people who didn’t matter to him. But I was a coward and I kept trying to ignore it. And then…”

“Tell us, sweetheart,” Bill urged.

“He decided to go on a camping trip.” The words sent a chill down her spine.

“Camping?” He frowned at her. “Where? There aren’t any wilderness areas left.”

“His family was very wealthy and they still owned property, deep in the Rockies. They had the most amazing house and they even had a small patch of uncut forest. The first night was wonderful.” How awed she had been by the hint of what the world must have looked like once upon a time.

“He brought some friends with him on the trip. I knew something was going on because they were all excited—and they weren’t the type to get excited—laughing, drinking too much. Then he told me they were going hunting and that I needed to stay in the lodge.”

“There’s nothing left to hunt,” Bill said, but Jonah was oddly still. Did he know where the story was headed?

“They weren’t hunting animals,” she said quietly, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I didn’t realize until I heard them talking the next morning. They were hunting people.”

Bill’s mouth dropped open. “People?”

“He paid someone to round up some of the people who slipped through the cracks—unimportant people, he said—and bring them to his forest.”

“That bastard!” Bill exclaimed, but Jonah only nodded, his face grim.

“What did you do?”

“When I realized, I was sick to my stomach. I told him I wanted to leave and he laughed in my face. We were in the middle of nowhere and I had no idea how to get out of the mountains, but I would have tried. I promise I would have tried if he hadn’t locked me up until it was time to come back.”

“I know, Daisy.” Jonah pulled her closer. “I know.”

“I tried to leave again when we got back to the city but he had a guard watching me all the time. He told me that I belonged to him, and he was the one who would decide when he was through with me. I was desperate. Even if I managed to get away from him, I just knew he had enough money and power to find me anywhere on Earth. When I saw the advertisement for the mail order bride program it seemed like a miracle.” She gave them both a misty smile. “Once I made the arrangements with Bill, I bribed the guard with the jewelry Richard had given me and snuck out just in time to sign the papers and catch the ship. The last thing I did before I boarded was send an anonymous tip to the police with all of the information I could remember about the hunt.”

Bill hugged her. “That’s our girl.”

“I don’t know if anyone will act on it—he has a lot of friends in very high places—but at least I tried. I sent the same message to the media as well.” She had to force the next words out of her. “But you know what this means, don’t you? He is the father of my child.”

“No, he’s not,” Jonah growled, putting his hand on her stomach. “This is my child—our child,” he added with a nod at Bill. “You never have to worry about that bastard again.”

As their bodies surrounded her with warmth, their words surrounded her with comfort and one of the fears that had haunted her since she found out she was pregnant finally drifted away.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

The three of them lay in comfortable silence for a few minutes, and then Jonah sighed and sat up.

“Need to check on the drill. It should be almost finished creating that new tunnel.”

“All right, all right,” Bill grumbled, starting to sit up.

“Nah. You stay here. Make sure Daisy eats a good breakfast.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Won’t need you until the rubble is cleared.” Jonah bent down and kissed her, a quick, hard kiss. “I’ll be back.”

A moment later, he was gone.

Chapter Sixteen

“Do you really think he’s okay with this?” Daisy asked Bill, her eyes fixed on the airlock door as it closed behind Jonah.

“Yeah, I do. Shocked the hell out of me, I have to admit.” He cleared his throat. “And you, Daisy? Are you sure? Because if you’re going to change your mind, I’d rather know now.”

His voice sounded so uncertain that she rolled over to study his face. He returned her look, his face defenseless, braced for her to hurt him, and her chest ached.

“Why do you think I would change my mind?”

“The Sarge… well, he’s pretty impressive. If you have him, why do you need me?” The last words were almost inaudible.

“Because you make me happy. You’re sweet and thoughtful and you make me laugh.” His face started to relax. “And it doesn’t hurt that you are very, very good in bed.”

He laughed, his usual cheerful self once more.

“I’m sure I’ll get even better with practice.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and she giggled. “But I promised to feed you, so get moving, woman.”

The playful swat to her bottom made her wiggle happily, and his eyes darkened before he shook his head. “You are far too tempting, sweetheart.”

He reluctantly pulled away and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching for his shirt. She admired the broad width of his shoulders, the lean muscles of his back leading down to a tight round bottom. Then she noticed the line on his right hip that separated his cybernetic leg from the rest of his body. Unlike Jonah, whose metallic skin faded almost seamlessly into his flesh, the line on Bill’s hip was both clearly demarcated and reddened. She reached forward and ran a gentle finger along the seam. Heat radiated from the place where his two aspects joined.

“Why is it so red?”

The muscles in his back tensed and he scrambled for his shirt, trying to cover the area.

“You don’t need to hide from me,” she said softly.

He turned to her—on his unwounded side—and attempted to flash her his usual carefree smile, but she knew him well enough by now to see the shadows in his eyes. She put her hand out and slowly lifted the shirt away. His muscles were like rigid iron, but he let her look. As she leaned closer, she could see the ragged edge where the two parts met, like a scar that hadn’t healed properly. And if he’d had the scar for eleven years, would it ever change?

She gently rubbed her thumb back and forth along the line, feeling the heat still radiating from his flesh.

“Does it hurt?”

He shrugged. “I’m used to it.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

He sighed, his face suddenly worn and older looking. “Cyborgs don’t process things exactly the same as humans. I’m always aware of it.” He put his hand down to cover hers. “It’s the heat I notice most.”

“Why is it hot?”

“My nanites. They’re always trying to heal the joint, and the healing process gives off heat. Ironic, isn’t it? I’m more aware of the effort to heal the wound than the wound itself.”

“You’ve never mentioned it.”

He shrugged. “How could I? The Sarge already blames himself enough.”

Her eyes filled with unexpected tears. She knew how it felt to conceal your suffering from others, to withstand so much in silence.

“I understand why you do that, but if you ever want to complain about it, you can always come and talk to me.”

“We’re supposed to be the ones taking care of you,” he protested, but she could tell that he was teasing.

She nudged his side. “You know it goes both ways.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Do you know why your scar is different? I thought most of the integrations were seamless.”

“I think it’s because of this.” He stood up so that she got a close-up look at his leg for the first time. Earlier she had been too distracted by the attention both men were paying to her. All she had been aware of was the cooler, firmer feel of his cybernetic leg compared to his other leg. Now she could see both legs clearly—the strong muscles of his human leg matched by an equally well-muscled right leg, covered in bronze metallic skin. His long, thick cock hung heavily between them, twitching at her gaze, but she refused to be distracted and examined his right leg more closely. From the thigh down, it looked like a normal leg, although obviously mechanical, but there was an odd rectangular bulge starting high on his hip with a series of long ridges running down the skin covering it.

“What is that?”

It was his turn to hesitate, running his hand up and down the area.

“The first cyborgs simply had any areas that had been fatally injured or destroyed replaced by cybernetic parts. Then they moved on to… enhancements. Cybernetic eyes that could see in a variety of spectrums, things like that. By the time Jonah and I came along, they were getting more ambitious. They wanted more than strength and speed and healing. They wanted weapons.” He looked off into the distance, his fingers still tracing the bulge on his hip. “You’ve seen Jonah’s hands…”

“You mean the claws?” She shivered at the thought of him having to use those deadly blades as weapons.

“Exactly. But they are still extensions of him. With me, they tried something different.”

He pressed against his thigh and suddenly, his leg opened and a frightening-looking weapon appeared in his hand.

“They put a gun in your body?” she asked, horrified.

“Yeah. Some scientist—well, more like some general—decided it was a good idea. But it’s not really part of me, and I think that’s why it never completely heals.”

He looked down at the weapon in his hand, then twirled around his finger and placed it back in his leg. His thigh immediately closed around it. No sign remained except for the rectangular patch and the harsh red line where his leg met the rest of his body.

“Bill,” she whispered, and she stood up and put her arms around him. For a moment, he held himself rigid.

“I don’t want your pity.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Keeping her arms around his waist, she leaned back so he could see her face and read the truth in her words. “I wasn’t attracted to you out of pity. I don’t come apart at your hands out of pity. I love you and I think you’re incredibly brave.”

He sighed and the tension finally disappeared as he gathered her close, clinging to her with almost desperate hands. When they finally parted, he bent down and kissed her softly.

“This is our little secret, okay? I don’t want the Sarge to know.”

She nodded slowly. Although she didn’t want any secrets between them, she didn’t want to add to the burden that Jonah was already carrying. But…

“What if his medical skills could help?”

“It’s not really his area of expertise, sweetheart.”

“Does he even know about the gun?”

“Yes, and he’s seen me practice.” He smiled at her startled look. “I might not like it, but it does have a purpose. It would be irresponsible not to know how to use it.”

As he stepped back and began pulling his pants on, another thought occurred to her.

“Wouldn’t the gun make you a good fit for a ranger position?”

“Yes, it would, and the government tried very hard to convince me to accept one.” He grinned, and she thought he’d probably thoroughly enjoyed turning them down.

“Why didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “A couple of reasons. I was tired of being told what to do and even though the Rangers have a lot of autonomy, they still report to the government.”

“And the other reason?”

“Jonah was never going to be a ranger. He didn’t want to be in charge of anyone again. I think he might’ve just wandered off into the desert somewhere, especially if he thought that I was okay without him. So I suggested the claim. We’re on our own but were not completely removed from what passes as civilization up here.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she agreed. As she turned away to get dressed, her eyes fell on the elaborate bed and a spark of jealousy reignited. “And it kept you within reach of the local whorehouse.”

“Sweetheart.” Bill turned her face back to his. “I never set foot in that place until I bought your bed.”

“Jonah did.” She knew it was petty, but she hated the idea that he had a woman there, even as a friend.

“And you should be grateful.”

She stared at him incredulously. “Grateful?”

“There were times when the Sarge would go really dark. I couldn’t always reach him. But I think talking to Cherry helped. Maybe it just reminded him that there was more to life than death and pain and guilt.”

“I know I’m being foolish.” She sighed and tried to let go of her doubts. “Neither of you even knew me.”

“But we were waiting for you.” He caught her hands, his eyes burning blue. “You’re exactly what we needed.”

This time she kissed him and a few minutes later, his pants went flying again

Jonah tried to concentrate on the new tunnel, but his thoughts were still on the habitat and on the pair he had left behind. Contentment filled him, a feeling so unusual that he automatically distrusted it, and yet… Billy was not only safe but happy. Despite his partner’s cheerful nature, Jonah knew he had been lonely and Daisy filled a gap in his life. And for himself? For so long, he had been down in the dark, so deep that he could no longer tell how far he had fallen. But even when he was resisting her, her presence had brought light into that darkness. And in caring for her, he had found that part of himself he lost on the battlefield all those years ago.

As he loaded the cart with loose stone to begin clearing the tunnel, images of the previous night played through his mind. Daisy’s head on his shoulder, Billy’s hopeful smile when he joined them, the three of them curled together behind the curtains. This was his new reality, and it was a good one. He was actually whistling when Billy finally came to join him.

“‘Bout time,” he said, but his voice lacked reproach.

“I was busy,” Billy protested, then winked at him.

“Hmm. Did you at least feed her?”

“Yes, Sarge. I took care of all her needs.”

Billy grinned, but Jonah could see the slight hint of doubt in his eyes. Was he expecting him to object? Did he object? He had deliberately left them alone together. He considered the matter, but while he regretted not being there to witness Daisy’s pleasure, he didn’t mind the thought of her in his partner’s arms. In fact, the images playing through his head made his cock jerk, but he forced his unruly body to behave.

“Hope you didn’t wear her out,” he said gruffly.

The doubt disappeared.

“Don’t worry. I tucked her in and told her to get some sleep. I figured she needed to rest up to handle you.”

He snorted. “Not that bad.”

“You mean you’re going to stay away from her?”

Impossible.

“Didn’t say that.”

“Then I stand by my statement—she needs her rest.” Billy must have seen the shadow cross his face because he elbowed him. “Because she wants you just as much.”

“Until she gets tired of me,” he muttered, doubt suddenly assailing him. He knew he could be a grumpy, demanding bastard.

Billy stared at him for a minute, then started to laugh.

“What’s so fucking funny?”

“She just had to reassure me that she intended to keep me around.”

A reluctant smile quirked his lips. “Fuck, we’re needy bastards. Maybe she’ll get tired of both of us.”

“Never. Even though my brain can hardly believe it, in my heart I know the truth. She loves us—both of us.”

“Yeah. She does.” The knowledge filled him with a quiet content. Only one worry pricked at his happiness: the upcoming birth. Everything about her pregnancy had been completely normal so far, but… “And she needs us both as well.”

Billy’s hand clasped his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Sarge. We’ll take care of her.”

Chapter Seventeen

The next few weeks flew by in a daze of domestic bliss for Daisy. Things weren’t entirely perfect; Jonah still had a tendency to retreat into stoic silence when he was worried, whereas Bill masked his concerns with a cheerful facade. But the fact that the men had such a long history with each other helped to overcome most problems and they had managed to adjust to the changes involved in forming a triad.

If only my back would stop aching, she thought ruefully, rubbing it again.

“Is something wrong?” Bill asked immediately. He had been sitting at the kitchen table, analyzing some rock samples, but he looked up every time she moved.

“Just my back.” She gave him her best attempt at a sultry smile. “Maybe someone needs to rub it for me.”

The ready heat flared in his bright blue eyes. “I would love to—but I did promise to take my turn in the mines this afternoon. You’d better ask Sarge. He’ll be with you then.”

She sighed. “You know I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself. You two can work together.”

“Not going to happen. You’re getting too close. In fact—”

He stopped abruptly, the color rising to his cheekbones.

“In fact what?”

“I think the Sarge should tell you,” he mumbled.

Her eyes narrowed. “I think you should tell me.”

The samples suddenly became very fascinating. “It’s nothing.”

“Bill, what are you trying so hard not to tell me?”

“We’re going to town,” Jonah’s deep voice rumbled from the doorway.

“What? No, we can’t!” A sudden, unreasoning panic swept through her. “What if someone sees me? Recognizes me? What if Richard finds out?”

Jonah picked her up and carried her to the big chair, ignoring her protests. He settled down with her on his lap and Bill kneeling behind her. The feel of their bodies surrounding hers had its usual soothing effect and her fear started to dissipate, although her reluctance did not.

“I don’t want to go to town,” she whispered.

“I know, Daisy, but I’ve never delivered a baby before. Even though I’ve read everything I can, it’s not the same as having experienced it.” He hesitated, then said slowly. “While I’m sure that everything will be fine, this will be the first birth on Mars. I would feel better if we were in a proper medical facility.”

A pang of terror hit her at the same time her back twinged. “You think something is going to go wrong, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t,” he said firmly. “But best to be prepared.”

“You know Sarge likes to be prepared,” Bill teased, rubbing her back comfortingly.

“I guess.” It was the logical option; she just hated to leave their cozy home and face a bunch of strangers she had no reason to trust. “But what about Richard?”

“He’s millions of miles away,” Bill said soothingly. “And from what you’ve said, he doesn’t sound like the type to be friends with common Martian settlers.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She managed to smile, trying to relax against Jonah. “When were you thinking of leaving?”

“Based on your calculations, you’re not due for two more weeks, but babies can come early. I think we should leave in the next few days.”

“If you insist.” She sighed and put a hand to her back, trying to relieve the pressure. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to the ride.”

“Does your back hurt?” he asked immediately.

“Afraid so. It’s been bothering me since last night.”

Jonah frowned. “Shouldn’t have touched you.”

“Oh, yes, you should. That’s the one thing that always makes me forget about how big I’m getting.” Despite the awkwardness of her increasing size, her men had proven very creative about making sure it didn’t interfere with her pleasure. Remarkably creative, she thought with a reminiscent smile, as the memory of the previous night caused her nipples to tighten.

“Do you need some more help forgetting?” Bill asked as his hands came around to cup her breasts. Jonah’s eyes darkened at the sight of his partner’s hands enclosing the swollen mounds.

“You should rest if you’re not feeling well,” he said, but his eyes were focused on where Bill was rolling her nipples, and she could feel his erection beneath her bottom.

“I’m sure it would help me sleep,” she gasped as Bill tugged a little harder and she felt the front of her dress dampen. Jonah’s cock jerked.

“You’ll stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon?” he asked, his voice strained.

“If you insist.”

“I do.” He lifted her carefully to her feet, waiting for Bill to brace her before he let go. “Go lie down. I’ll just—”

She took a step towards the bed and felt a gush of wetness down her leg. It took her confused brain a moment to realize what had happened.

“Jonah, I think you can forget about town—”

“We’re going,” he growled.

“—because my water just broke.” And she burst into tears.

Bill froze, his arm around Daisy. The baby was coming? Now? He shot a panicked look at the Sarge and saw an answering fear burning in his eyes before the other man’s face settled into a tranquil mask.

“Looks like you’re going to get your way after all, baby,” Jonah said calmly, his voice deep and soothing.

Daisy’s tears slowed, and he forced himself to push his own fears aside.

“You always do get what you want, don’t you?” he teased gently, lifting her into his arms.

Jonah was already stripping the blankets from the bed and covering the bottom sheet with towels. As soon as the bed was ready, Bill carried her to it, placing her in the center. When he started to pull back, she clung to him.

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, despite the terror racing through him. What if something went wrong?

“Sit behind her,” Jonah ordered. “It will be easier for her if she’s upright. You can hold her.”

He ignored his apprehension and obeyed. She needed him, so he would be there for her.

He had never admired his partner more than he did over the next few hours. Jonah never faltered, his face always serene, his voice always reassuring as he talked to Daisy.

Bill tried to emulate him but his nanites had to fight a constant battle to keep his pulse steady. Every time Daisy cried out, he cringed. How could she stand it? But she was almost as stoic as Jonah, a look of fierce determination on her face as she panted through the contractions. He was with her the entire time, and by the time the baby emerged, he almost felt as if he had been the one to give birth.

“We did it!”

Jonah’s breath caught as he looked down at the tiny figure in his hands. Their son, perfect in every way from his ten little toes to the tuft of red hair crowning his small head.

“It’s a boy,” he announced, a mysterious lump in his throat.

“Let me hold him,” Daisy demanded, holding out her arms.

He very carefully handed her the baby but he couldn’t bring himself to move away, settling down next to her on the bed. On her other side, Billy seemed just as fascinated, cautiously stroking the tiny arm.

“He’s so small.”

“He’s perfect,” Daisy said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The baby’s eyes had been open, seeming to study his surroundings, but all of a sudden, his face scrunched up and he gave a piteous cry.

“What’s wrong?” Billy asked, his voice panicky.

“I expect he’s hungry.” Daisy put him to her breast and the baby latched on almost immediately. She winced, then smiled at them. “I can’t believe it’s over. You were wonderful, Jonah.”

Thank God he had been able to hide his fear. “You did all the work.”

He leaned over and stroked their son’s cheek. The baby shot him a look and suckled harder. “Don’t worry, little one. I won’t take you away from your meal.”

“Have you decided on a name?” Billy asked.

To his surprise, she nodded. They had discussed it, of course, but she had never expressed a firm preference.

“I want to call him Brian.”

“Brian?” He didn’t remember that name coming up before. Was it someone in her past? He hoped that the sudden surge of jealousy didn’t show on his face.

Daisy’s hand came to his cheek and she slid her thumb across each of his scars in turn.

“Bixby.”

“Rabbit.”

“Ice Man.”

She looked back at the baby. “Brian. I thought it would be a nice way to remember them.”

The lump in his throat was almost too big for him to speak.

“It’s perfect.”

He put his arm around her, pulling her close, and clasped Billy’s shoulder. Billy’s hand came up to cover his and together the three of them watched their perfect son.

Chapter Eighteen

Daisy snuggled into her pillows with a sleepy smile, then realized that something was missing. There was no warm body curled against her back, no firm chest beneath her cheek. This was the first time that she remembered waking up alone since their first night together.

Her eyes popped open only to see a daylight glow illuminating the curtains. Had she slept all night? Why hadn’t Brian cried? He had never gone more than four hours without demanding to be fed. An irrational panic filled her as she struggled out of the covers only to have the curtain open and see Bill smiling down at her.

“I guess you’re awake. We hoped you would sleep a little longer.”

“Where’s Brian? Doesn’t he need to be fed?”

He laughed and pulled the curtain back further. Jonah was sitting in the big chair by the window, cradling their son with a bemused look on his face. His bare chest, the baby’s face, and most of the chair were covered with milk, but Brian was gurgling happily.

“What on earth happened?”

“Nothing,” Jonah grunted. “I fed the baby.”

“It looks like you fed the chair more than you fed our son.”

Bill laughed again. “We decided it was time to see if we could take on more of the parenting duties.”

At their suggestion, she had been expressing milk for the past week, but they had been unable to rig up a bottle that Brian would take.

“You made a bottle?”

“Not a very successful one, but it got the job done.”

“I’m not sure I agree,” she said dryly as she went to check on the baby. As soon as he heard her voice, he started to wave his chubby little arms and legs, bobbling his head around in an attempt to find her. “Come here, sweetie.”

As soon as she picked him up, he started rooting at her breasts and Jonah sighed.

“Maybe it didn’t work as well as I thought.”

“You kept him quiet long enough for me to get a nice long sleep. I count it a success.”

When she opened her gown and put Brian to her breast, he suckled happily but not as ravenously as usual. He lost interest quickly, drifting off to sleep in her arms. She settled him in his bassinet and returned to sit on the couch, looking up to find both men watching her, their eyes fixed on her still exposed breasts. A stray drop trickled from one rosy peak and Jonah licked his lips. Her body responded, a pleasant ache beginning between her legs. It had been far too long.

“What’s the date?” she asked.

Jonah frowned. “Why?”

“Because if I calculated correctly, it’s exactly five weeks.”

The heat flared in both men’s eyes. She had tried to tell them that a month was long enough to wait but Jonah had insisted on an additional week to make sure she had completely recovered. In truth, she had been too tired to think much about sex, but after the first long sleep she had since the baby was born, her body’s desires were making themselves known.

Jonah hesitated. “Have to take a shower.”

“Then hurry up, or we’ll start without you.”

He disappeared immediately, and she laughed and turned to Bill. For once, he wasn’t smiling. His eyes were fixed on her with almost painful intensity and she beckoned him closer until he was standing in front of her. She tugged on his shirt and trailed her fingers lightly along the edge of his pants, feeling the tension in the taut muscles. He snatched his shirt over his head, revealing his lean, sculpted body, and she hummed happily as she freed his erection.

Perfect. Long and hard with a drop of precum already glistening on the swollen head.

She curved her fingers slightly around his shaft, holding him in place as she tasted the shining drop. He groaned and buried his hand in her hair. She lapped delicately at the heated flesh, teasing him. Even though his hand tightened, he didn’t try and urge her on. He liked to draw out the pleasure.

A big hand tugged her away and Jonah was there, his massive body looming over her and his massive cock thrusting impatiently at her mouth. Jonah didn’t tease; he demanded, and as soon as she opened for him, he plunged deep. Her eyes watered as he reached the back of her throat, but she sucked greedily when he attempted to withdraw.

“Careful, baby,” he warned, but he stopped trying to pull away.

He was so big that her jaw ached but she loved this, loved feeling him tremble at her touch, loved knowing that this mountain of a man was helpless before her.

“My turn.” Bill shoved lightly on Jonah’s hip and Jonah let him push him aside. He kept his hand in her hair, urging her to take more of his partner, until Bill was groaning in protest. “Too fast.”

“No such thing,” Jonah growled but Bill pulled away.

“I want her pussy first.”

Jonah picked her up and spun her around as he sat down so that she was sitting on his lap facing away from him. Big fingers probed between her legs, delicate despite their size. He growled again as he slid a thick digit into her tight entrance. She could feel her wetness easing the way but he still felt impossibly large.

“Fuck, she’s tight. Take it slow,” he ordered.

“That’s my specialty,” Bill teased, his eyes bright with heat as they focused between her legs.

Did she look different? Had the baby changed her? A momentary flash of uncertainty was forgotten at his tortured groan. He fisted his long shaft in one hand and delicately traced it along her slit, sliding through her wetness and pressing lightly against her clit, sending a shudder of desire through her body.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Gently,” Jonah growled, even as he spread her legs further apart, opening her for Bill.

The head of Bill’s cock pressed against her but even as wet as she was, her body resisted. His teeth were clenched, his face a mask of what looked like pain as he slowly, so slowly, pushed inside her. She gasped, her hands flying out to clutch at Jonah’s arms where they surrounded her. He was breathing hard too, almost as hard as Bill, his eyes fixed on her pussy as it stretched around the other man’s shaft, but his hands were gentle on her thighs.

“All right, baby?”

She squirmed against his hands, adjusting to the intrusion as the stretching sensation rapidly turned to pleasure. Her hips flexed involuntarily and another inch slid into her. Jonah’s thumb stroked across the swollen pearl of her clit and her hesitation vanished. Her legs came up to encircle Bill’s hips, warm flesh on one side, cool metal on the other, as she tried to tug him closer, but he refused to yield to her impatience, instead making almost imperceptible advances so that she felt each thick inch as he slowly forced his way inside. They were both shaking by the time he had buried himself completely, Jonah’s big hands holding her thighs steady.

Bill leaned forward and kissed her, his hungry mouth at odds with his slow, meticulous withdrawal. Jonah left one hand on her thigh, his thumb still teasing her, as he brought his other hand up to cover her breasts, clamping down on her nipple with a firmness that sent an electric spark to the center of her desire. She felt her pussy flutter and suddenly Bill’s restraint was gone. He plunged forward, thrusting into her with mindless desperation. His hands were on her hips now, holding her in position for his thrusts as Jonah worked both breasts, squeezing and tugging with an almost painful pressure that only sent her soaring higher. Her climax roared through her, her channel convulsing helplessly, and a second later Bill cried out against her mouth as he bucked inside her, filling her with waves of heat.

She clung to him, to them, gasping for breath, but before she had a chance to recover, Jonah yanked her away from Bill, spun her around, and pulled her down hard over his cock as he too exploded. Even after taking Bill, Jonah’s massive girth forced her open, a hot iron bar that sent her shuddering into another climax.

She collapsed against his chest, still shaking, and felt Bill’s head against her back, his arms sliding around her waist as Jonah held them both. When she finally raised her head, she smiled at him, reaching back to hold Bill in place when he started to pull away.

“Brian’s usually good for a two-hour nap after his morning feeding. Are you up to another round?”

Jonah’s cock had barely diminished and at her words, she felt him thicken, felt him begin a low vibration deep inside her. Bill gently pulled her backwards until she was lying on Jonah’s knees, leaving her exposed to both their gazes. She could feel his hardness against her back.

“I think that’s a yes.” She laughed breathlessly, and then there was no more time for conversation.

Bill slipped quietly out of bed, leaving Daisy sleeping. We sure succeeded in wearing her out, he thought as he looked down at her flushed cheeks and swollen red mouth, her nipples equally red and swollen as they peeked out above the covers. Despite feeling a twinge of guilt, he wanted her again. He forced himself to turn away.

Brian was still sleeping peacefully, but he was no longer in his bassinet. Instead, Jonah had him tucked against his chest as he stared out the window of their home. Bill knew him too well not to recognize that something was wrong.

“What’s bothering you, Sarge?”

“I’m not a real doctor.”

“What are you talking about? You saved my life—”

“Not your leg,” he muttered, but Bill ignored him.

“You saved Kami’s life and you delivered a perfect, healthy baby.”

Jonah grunted noncommittally.

“I suspect you have something in mind. Why don’t you just spit it out?”

“Think we should go to town. Have Daisy and Brian checked out by a real doctor.”

“I don’t think it’s necessary, but if it makes you feel better…” He shrugged. “We could always use some more supplies.”

Jonah was still staring out the window, gently stroking the baby’s head.

“Not sure how to take him,” he admitted.

Bill grinned. “I got you, Sarge.”

He went to his former bedroom and retrieved the project he’d been working on whenever he had any free time.

“This should work,” he announced proudly.

Jonah raised an eyebrow. “That a chicken carrier?”

“Well, it started off that way,” he admitted. “But it’s perfect. It’s already designed to provide oxygen and it has plenty of space. I cushioned the sides and made sure that there wasn’t anything sharp that could injure him.”

“Very ingenious, Billy.” His lips quirked. “I wonder if Daisy will see it the same way.”

“See what the same way?” Daisy yawned as she joined them, looking tumbled and sleepy and completely fuckable. “Oh! It’s a baby carrier. That’s a wonderful idea. However did you get one?”

“I made it.”

He waited for her to ask how he had done it, but she was too busy cooing over the soft lining. Jonah started to open his mouth and he kicked him. The Sarge grunted, and when Daisy frowned at the pair of them, he met her gaze with limpid innocence.

“I suspect there’s something you’re not telling me but I’m not going to ask. Do you think we could go visit Sam and Addie now? You’ve told me so much about them. I can’t wait to meet them and Kami.”

“Yeah,” Jonah agreed, then passed the baby to Bill. “But I want to go further—I think we should go to town.”

They were both prepared for her to protest, but to his surprise, she actually nodded.

“You said there was a doctor there, didn’t you? I think I would like to have him examined. He seems to be doing everything that he should, but he’s very small. It’s probably a good idea to get another opinion.”

“Won’t be able to keep it a secret,” Jonah warned.

Daisy bit her lip. “His health is more important than my fears.”

Jonah’s warning reminded him of something else.

“Maybe I should stay here,” he said slowly.

Both of them stared at him.

“Why?” Jonah frowned.

“This isn’t exactly a conventional arrangement.”

“I don’t care about that,” Daisy said fiercely. “You’re my husbands, and I’m not ashamed of either one of you.”

“Partners, Billy,” Jonah said gruffly as he clasped his shoulder. “In everything. Remember?”

His unease vanished, replaced by a glow of warmth as he smiled at his mates. “Then I guess we’re all going to town.”

Chapter Nineteen

Despite her brave words, Daisy felt more anxious by the second as they started across the plain in the big rover. The visit to Sam and Addie had been a huge success—so much so that they had ended up spending the night. She had initially been intimidated by the pretty blonde’s laboratory and her scientific background, but the other woman was so warm and welcoming that she soon forgot her nerves.

Sam, too, was intimidating at first glance, with his face a stern mask and eyes that seemed to see every mistake she had ever made. But when he smiled at his wife or picked up his daughter, his face transformed, and she was soon equally comfortable with him.

Kami, their young daughter, was completely adorable, treating Jonah like a beloved uncle, and obviously fascinated by Bill. But Brian had been the big hit for her. Kami had hung over him intently, insisted on holding him, and generally acted like a doting big sister. She had quickly informed Sam that a baby brother would be just fine and wasn’t it time yet? Sam had laughed and Addie turned a delightful shade of pink, but Daisy noticed that her hand had gone to her stomach as she smiled at her husband. Was there another baby on the way? She didn’t pry but resolved to check with her new friend once they returned from town. They would be stopping by on their return to pick up the chickens.

“All right, baby?” Jonah said softly.

“A little nervous,” she admitted.

“About the doctor’s visit?”

She gave him a shaky grin. “That’s part of it. He seems so healthy, but he’s so small. What if something is wrong?”

“This is just a precaution.” He put his arm around her and drew her into the protection of his big body. “What’s the other part?”

“I guess I still worry about Richard, even though I know it’s foolish.”

He was silent for a moment, staring out the window.

“I don’t think we can keep this visit completely secret, but we can try to be as discreet as possible.” He hesitated. “But you might not like what I have in mind.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Could take you to Cherry’s.”

Bill was driving but he spun around to give Jonah an incredulous look. “You want to take our wife to a brothel?”

“No,” Jonah growled. “Want to take her to see Cherry. You know the doctor checks the girls regularly. No one will think twice about seeing him there.”

“That may not be such a bad idea.” Bill grinned at her. “Cherry won’t let you get nervous.”

“I’m not sure I want to meet your friend,” she snapped, unexpected jealousy gnawing at her.

Jonah pulled her closer. “I told you—she’s just a friend. You’re my wife. There’s no comparison. But she is trustworthy.” He gave her a sidelong look. “And I think you’ll like her.”

She sighed but nodded. It would make her feel better to keep everything as clandestine as possible.

When Cherry opened the door for them a few hours later, Daisy immediately regretted agreeing to Jonah’s scheme. The other woman was stunningly attractive, with a voluptuous body, silvery blonde curls arranged in an elegant updo, and a perfectly made-up face. She was wearing a clinging gown of shimmering silver and she looked like a movie star. Daisy felt small, young, and plain. It didn’t help that Brian had spit up all over her shoulder.

The last hour of the drive had been miserable. Brian started fussing and couldn’t be consoled by anything. Daisy had been too preoccupied with his misery to pay much attention to New Arcadia, other than getting a brief impression of a wide dirt street and a motley assortment of buildings under a big dome. Other than one gleaming white building, everything was covered in orange dust. Jonah had wrapped her and the baby in her big coat, then whisked them down the main street and behind a gaudily painted building to a small prefab. The fact that he so clearly knew his way to the woman’s private quarters didn’t escape her notice.

Nor did the delighted smile that crossed the other woman’s face when she saw Jonah. Before Daisy could suggest that the visit probably wasn’t a good idea after all, Jonah spoke.

“Cherry, this is our wife, Daisy. We were wondering—”

Cherry raised an eyebrow, but then she saw Brian and her face softened, her eyes turning misty. “A baby here on Mars? Oh, please, may I hold him?”

She was already reaching for him and Daisy reluctantly passed him over. “Be careful. The ride seems to have upset his—”

As she spoke, Brian spit up again, all over the other woman’s beautiful dress. Daisy gasped in dismay, but Cherry didn’t even flinch, snuggling the baby closer.

“He’s a little angel.”

“A messy little angel. I’m so sorry about your dress.”

Cherry waved it off with a grin. “Believe me, I’ve had much worse. But let’s get this little one cleaned up.” Surprisingly sharp blue eyes studied Daisy’s face. “And you too, if you’d like a chance to change.”

Seeming to take Daisy’s agreement for granted, she headed for the back of the house and Daisy trailed along behind her with a helpless look over her shoulder. Jonah nodded reassuringly at her as he led Bill into a sitting room. His familiarity with the place also didn’t escape her notice.

“Make yourselves at home, boys,” Cherry called as she led Daisy through a surprisingly restrained bedroom.

Given the woman’s elaborate outfit, she had expected something more extravagant than a simple white room with plain white furniture. The only signs of luxury were the number of pillows piled on the bed and the soft carpeting beneath her feet. The bathroom, on the other hand, was considerably more extravagant.

It, too, was all white, but there was a big shower, an enormous tub, and loads of built-in storage. Through another door, she could see a huge walk-in closet. The dome over the bathroom was composed of transparent panels, letting the pale Martian sunlight flood the room. A wall of plants between the tub and shower added the scent of growing things.

“Wow. I really like your tub.”

“Nice, isn’t it? It’s my favorite way to relax. I’m sure Jonah would get you one. He really enjoys it too.”

Daisy froze, her stomach rolling with nausea at the thought of Jonah sharing the big tub with this beautiful woman. Some friend. He’d lied to her.

Determined not to let the other woman see her pain, she lifted her chin and reached for Brian.

“I think this was a mistake. Please give me back my son.”

“What’s wrong?” The sharp blue eyes flicked from Daisy’s face to the tub and she sighed. “I’m sorry. I should have realized how that sounded. I just meant that when he came to visit, I would let him use it. Alone.”

Daisy bit her lip, not entirely sure she believed her, and a shadow crossed Cherry’s face as she drew herself up.

“I may run a brothel, but believe me, sex is the last thing I’m interested in. I ran into Jonah one day and he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I thought he needed a friend—and maybe I needed one too. But there’s never been anything sexual between us.”

“Why not?” The question popped out before she could stop it. “You’re beautiful, and he’s so big and handsome. Was it the scars?”

“Of course not. I’m not that shallow.” Cherry sighed again. “In my experience, sex only complicates matters. But I still enjoy a man’s company from time to time. And I’ll admit, I was curious about the cyborgs. I gave him whiskey and sympathy and the occasional use of my bathtub. But that’s all.”

She sighed, relief sweeping over her. “I’m sorry. I know this was all before I even met him and I have no reason to be jealous.”

“I like the fact that you are. He deserves someone who loves him that much.”

“I do.” She took a deep breath. “Both of them actually.”

Cherry arched an eyebrow but looked amused rather than shocked. “A little bit of a thing like you? I’m impressed.”

When Daisy blushed, Cherry laughed and changed the subject.

“Now let’s get both of you cleaned up.” Still carrying Brian, the other woman disappeared into the closet, emerging with a dark green dress with long sleeves and a low-cut neck. “Here, this should work.”

She eyed the dress doubtfully.

“I don’t think we’re exactly the same size.” Even with milk-engorged breasts, she couldn’t match Cherry’s abundant curves.

“Trust me. It will fit. Would you like to take a shower?” When Daisy hesitated, she smiled. “Sweetie, there’s nothing you have that I haven’t seen hundreds of times before, but I can leave if you prefer. Or I can stay here and give this little one a bath.”

She gave the enormous tub an alarmed glance. “It’s too big.”

“That’s why we have sinks.” Cherry draped several towels over one of the large sinks and began removing Brian’s clothes with swift efficiency.

“How do you know so much about babies?”

“In my… line of work, babies sometimes happen.” Sadness crossed her face.

“Even up here?” she asked, half hoping that there would be someone else.

Cherry shook her head. “Not yet, thank goodness. I insist that anyone who chooses to come here has a one-year birth control shot before they even leave Earth. I would have made it a five-year shot, but the government seemed to think that some of them might want to change their minds.”

“Did they?”

“Three of my girls have gotten married since they arrived. I suspect all three of them are thinking of starting a family as soon as they know it’s safe—oh, I’m sorry, Daisy. I know it’s hard being the first, but he’s absolutely perfect.”

Cherry tested the water and lowered Brian into the sink, carefully supporting him, and Daisy found herself envying the woman’s quiet confidence. She looked to the big shower and then to the woman laughing as Brian splashed her and shrugged. She really did want to wash off the effects of the journey. Knowing her face was bright red, she carefully kept her eyes averted as she stripped off her clothes and stepped under the water. Oh, that felt wonderful. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if her men were here with her. Maybe it was time to think about expanding their small bathroom.

When she pulled on the new dress, she had to admit that Cherry knew her stuff. The tight bodice supported her breasts and the small buttons would make it easy to open to feed Brian. Beneath the high waistband, the skirt floated down in a loose cloud to just above her knees. She gave a little twirl, letting the skirt spin out, relishing how pretty it made her feel.

Brian was now clean and dry, gurgling happily at her from his bed in a basket of towels. Cherry had disappeared into the closet a second time and Daisy gaped at her in shock when she returned. The elegant curls were gone, replaced by a single thick braid. Her face was scrubbed free of makeup and the glamorous gown had been replaced by a simple pair of pants and a white shirt. Nothing could disguise her impressive curves, but she looked far less imposing.

Cherry laughed. “I hope you realize I don’t look like that all the time. It’s just part of the job.”

“Do you like it?” Daisy blurted out.

“Being a madam, you mean?” Cherry shrugged. “It has its moments. When I found out that Earth Government was planning on establishing a brothel, I volunteered.”

“Why?”

“There was nothing for me on Earth anymore. And my… friend used to talk a lot about the possibilities on Mars. I knew that if I was in charge, the girls would be treated well. I also made sure that every one of them volunteered to come.”

Daisy hesitated, but Cherry didn’t seem to be offended by her questions. “Is this what you did? On Earth?”

“Not for a long time, but yes.” Her face darkened momentarily. “It wasn’t a path I would have chosen, but you don’t get everything you want in life. I made the best of it.”

Daisy decided she really liked this woman.

“I’m glad you were here for Jonah.”

A faint hint of color touched those high cheekbones. “I hope it helped him. I know he helped me.”

It was hard to imagine this beautiful, self-possessed woman needing anything, but if anyone could help her, she had no doubt that Jonah was that person.

“I’m glad,” she said sincerely.

“Now let’s get back before they come looking for you.” She leaned down and picked up Brian, snuggling him against her shoulder. “He’s an angel. You’re very lucky.”

“I know,” Daisy whispered as she followed the other woman out of the room.

Chapter Twenty

Jonah sprawled out in his usual chair and tried not to worry. He liked Cherry. What’s more, he trusted her, but it still didn’t make it any easier to know that she was back there alone with his woman and his child.

“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Billy said, smirking at him.

“Shut up.”

“I’m sure they’re bonding over how awesome you are.”

He picked up one of Cherry’s many pillows and threw it, smacking Billy in the ear, but his partner only gave him an unrepentant grin.

“Now, boys. Making yourselves at home doesn’t extend to pillow fights.”

Cherry appeared in the doorway, holding Brian in her arms. He briefly noticed that she was wearing her casual clothes, but when Daisy stepped through behind her, the other woman was the furthest thing from his mind. Their wife was wearing a dark green dress that cut low across her breasts and left her curvy legs and dimpled knees bare. All of the blood in his body rushed to his cock as she met his eyes with a shy smile.

“Cherry loaned me a dress. Do you like it?”

She twirled and the dress floated up to reveal pale thighs. His fingers gripped the armrests so tightly he could hear the fabric tear.

“Nice,” he managed, his voice hoarse.

Her face fell and he could have kicked himself. Fortunately, Billy stepped into the breach.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

“Really?” Rose tinted her cheeks and he cursed his inability to come up with the right words.

“Really,” Billy said firmly. “And Sarge likes it so much he’s about to rip the arms off that chair.”

Her startled gaze flew to his, then a delighted smile spread across her face. She danced over to him and perched herself on his knee.

“In case you wanted a closer look,” she purred in his ear.

He glanced down at the pale swell of her breasts in the low-cut dress, rising gently with her breathing, felt her soft curves nestled against him, and was half a second away from taking her right then.

“As delighted as I am to see you, Jonah, and to meet Daisy and little Brian here, is there a reason for this visit?” Cherry’s pleasant voice interrupted his wayward thoughts.

“Doctor,” he grunted, trying to pull his attention away from his desire for the woman in his arms.

“Jonah,” Daisy sighed.

“What my inarticulate partner is trying to say is that we think it would be a good idea to have Dr. Kildar check out Daisy and Brian.” Billy’s smile had disappeared and he felt Daisy tense. “Everything seems to be fine, but it is the first Martian birth.”

“And he’s so small,” Daisy burst out.

“You’re not very big yourself,” Cherry said calmly, looking down at the baby in her arms. “I told you I’ve been around quite a few babies and he’s well within the normal range.”

He felt Daisy sag with the relief and threw Cherry a grateful look.

“But I’m a firm believer in checkups. You should see Dr. Kildar while you’re here. He’s very nice—all my girls like him.” Her eyes twinkled. “But that might be because he’s also quite good-looking.”

He growled and to his surprise, Billy echoed him. He hadn’t expected his partner to be as jealous. Then again, considering the precious woman he held in his arms, he shouldn’t be surprised.

“We’re trying to be discreet,” he said. “Figured no one would notice the doctor coming here.”

Cherry’s eyes sharpened but she didn’t question him. “Probably not. He’s in and out most days. Should I call him?”

“Yes, please,” Daisy said. “The sooner, the better. Then I can stop worrying.”

Cherry made the call, then offered them refreshments while they waited. She and Billy were soon bantering back and forth, but he was content to hold Daisy in his arms and listen. She was unusually quiet as well.

“You all right, baby?” he said softly.

“Yes. A little nervous, I guess, but Cherry made me feel better.”

“Has a knack for it,” he agreed. There was a serenity to the other woman—the kind that came from knowing you could make it through hard times—that had helped him during some of his darkest periods.

She twisted around to look up at him. “I’m glad you’re friends with her, Jonah. I’m sorry I was jealous.”

“Don’t mind you being jealous. But I’m all yours.”

“I know.” She kissed him softly just as someone knocked on the door.

Billy went to answer it, his face grim and his hand hovering over his leg. Did he even realize how often he did that? He knew his partner hated the hidden gun, but he seemed to find comfort in his presence. Because guns are more reliable than people, a faint, bitter voice reminded him, but for once he was able to push it aside.

When Billy reappeared with the doctor, he heard Daisy catch her breath and he realized that Cherry had understated the matter. Probably in his mid-thirties, only a few years older than Billy, Dr. Kildar looked like a video model. Blond hair curled back from a tanned, handsome face as he flashed white teeth in a charming smile.

He started to growl, then realized that Daisy was trembling and clutching his wrist.

“What’s the matter?”

“He’s very handsome,” she whispered, but she sounded terrified rather than admiring.

Any jealousy he might have felt evaporated in the face of her fear. He remembered a comment that Billy had made when she first came to them—that she didn’t trust handsome men—and remembered her story about the father of her baby.

“What matters is that he’s a good doctor. You can trust him.”

“You won’t leave me, will you?”

“Course not. Do you want both of us?”

“Yes.”

While he had been reassuring Daisy, Billy had been briefing the doctor.

“A baby? That’s marvelous,” Dr. Kildar said. “I know many of the settlers are anxious to have children.”

“This is Brian,” Cherry said, carrying their son over while Billy hovered behind, a bundle of nervous energy.

“What a fine young man.” The doctor inspected Brian carefully. “He looks very healthy, but I would like to do a full checkup.”

“That’s why we’re here.” He stood up and put Daisy on her feet, keeping her tucked against his side as they approached the doctor.

“Good, good. It’s always best to do regular checks. Can we go to my office?”

“Prefer not to.”

Dr. Kildar shot him a quick look but nodded. “Fine. I have my bag. Cherry, can we use your room?”

“Of course. This way.”

Cherry led the way and they all followed her. The doctor raised an eyebrow. “The usual procedure is for only the mother and father to attend.”

“We’re both the fathers,” he growled, even as Billy took a step back.

“I see.” Dr. Kildar’s face settled into a smooth, professional mask as he bent over Brian. He examined his limbs, checked his eyes, and removed his diaper to check his hips and scrotum. The baby bore it all with his usual good nature until the doctor placed the scanner against his chest and then he immediately protested. Loudly.

“What’s wrong?” Daisy cried.

“It’s a little cold, I’m afraid.” The doctor flashed his white smile at her, and she stepped back against Jonah. “I’ll warm it up a little and try again.”

The next time went more smoothly, and the man gave a satisfied nod. “Everything looks fine. He’s well within the standard protocols for a child his age.”

“Oh, thank God.” Daisy burst into relieved tears as she buried her head against him.

“However, I do recommend that we give him the normal inoculations. The two of you don’t carry anything, of course,” he nodded at Jonah and Bill, “but I can’t say as much for the rest of the population.”

The thought of a needle in Brian’s delicate little body made him feel unexpectedly queasy, but he knew the man was correct. In the end, Bill was the one who held the baby while the doctor administered the shot and the rest of them flinched. Brian was shocked into silence, then burst into outraged wails.

Daisy lifted the baby into her arms and rocked him soothingly.

“It should help to feed him,” Dr. Kildar said. “I assume you’re breastfeeding?”

“Yes, of course.” She started to unbutton her dress and he growled. She shook her head at him. “Jonah, it’s a perfectly natural thing to do.”

Cherry laughed and handed her a scarf. “Here. This will protect Jonah’s delicate sensibilities.”

Daisy rolled her eyes but draped the scarf over her shoulder as she started feeding Brian.

“Apparently, you have some hesitation about revealing the baby’s birth?” Dr. Kildar asked. “I will, of course, keep your identities confidential, but I would very much appreciate your permission to report the information. A number of my patients have been considering childbirth and this will be most encouraging.”

“Daisy?” he asked.

Her teeth worried her lip for a minute, but then she nodded. “As long as you keep my name out of it, it’s fine.”

“And now that we know that the baby’s doing well, how are you feeling, my dear?”

“I’m fine—”

“I want you to scan her,” he interrupted. “I’ve done a basic check, but I would feel better if you took a look as well.”

“I’d be happy to examine her. But that kind of procedure is definitely not a family occasion,” Dr. Kildar said firmly.

“Not leaving her,” he growled, and Billy stepped up next to him, frowning just as hard.

Cherry sighed. “Look, boys. While I can appreciate a little masculine posturing as much as the next woman, I don’t think this is the time. How about if I stay and both of you wait in the other room? Would that be all right with you, Daisy?”

“You won’t leave me, Cherry?”

“I’ll be here every minute and if the doctor puts one hand wrong, I’ll have your men back in here quicker than you can say malpractice.”

“Okay then.” Daisy gently detached a sleepy Brian and handed him to Jonah. “Look after him.”

“You sure, baby?” he asked softly.

“I’m fine.” Her pale face contradicted her words, but she didn’t hesitate. “Cherry will be with me.”

With a warning glare at the doctor, he and Billy returned to the living room. The next fifteen minutes dragged interminably and he walked the floor with Brian long after the baby had fallen asleep, doing his best not to think about another man touching their woman, no matter the reason.

“Sit down, Sarge.”

“Rather walk.”

Billy sighed but Jonah noticed that he kept his head tilted towards the bedroom as well.

Daisy finally danced back into the room, her face wreathed with smiles. “He says I’m fine. I’m so relieved.”

“That’s wonderful,” Billy said as he hugged her.

Jonah closed his eyes as a wave of relief washed over him, setting his last fears at rest. Everything would be all right now.

Richard Carrington glared at the cool blonde across the desk from him. Serena Gatling, Managing Director of GenCon Martian Operations, was not the type of woman he was used to encountering. She didn’t seem impressed by either his anger or his looks. Not that those looks were quite the same anymore—which was one of the reasons he wanted to give in to his rage.

“We had an arrangement! You failed to live up to your end of the deal,” he snarled.

“On the contrary. You agreed to undergo the experimental treatment in order to have more freedom on the planet surface.”

“I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

“Hence the word experimental,” she said calmly.

Was that disdain on that perfect face? His hands itched to smack her down, but she had power in this place and he still needed her cooperation.

“I paid GenCon a giant pile of fucking credits. I expected to get what I paid for.”

“And I assure you that you got exactly that. I’m sorry if you didn’t realize all of the ramifications.”

Despite her words, she obviously didn’t care, and that incensed him even more. He threw back his chair, taking a certain amount of pleasure in the ease with which it went flying across the floor, and paced to the window. This godforsaken planet was even more desolate than he had expected. The official “town” consisted of little more than ramshackle bars and stores, none of them with anything to appeal to his more refined tastes.

Two cyborgs strode up the wide street beneath him and his scowl deepened. Supposedly GenCon had enhanced the process that created the fucking machines, but even though the two were obviously not human, they seemed more at home on Mars than he did. A small figure was almost hidden between the two, but they paused when a gust of air blew off his—no, her—hat, revealing a cloud of red hair. The familiar fury started to boil.

The woman looked like fucking Daisy, the reason behind his current situation.

One of the cyborgs returned the hat and she laughed up at him as he watched in shock. It was her. No wonder he hadn’t been able to find her on Earth. That fucking bitch. But then she opened her coat and he caught a glimpse of a small figure cradled against her side.

A child. His child.

The heat of his anger burned away, replaced by icy determination. She was going to pay.

“I have something to attend to,” he snapped at Serena. “But I’ll be back. And you will make good on GenCon’s promises to me.”

As he strode out of her office, his heart beat faster for the first time since the fucking operation. They had taken everything else from him, but they couldn’t take this. He was going hunting.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Who’s a good boy?” Daisy cooed as she settled Brian in his carrier. He gurgled up at her and her heart welled with love. Fortunately, neither the vaccination nor the trip home had upset him and he was his usual happy self. “Why don’t you take a little nap while Mama makes the bed?”

She placed the carrier on the table so he could still see her as she moved around the dome. As she was pulling up the sheets, she heard the airlock open. Bill must have decided to come back for lunch after all. He was working the mine today while Jonah had gone off to check on Kami.

“Couldn’t stay away?” she laughed as she turned to the door and froze.

Richard was standing there, although it took a minute for her shocked brain to realize that it was him. He looked… different. His former good looks had been replaced by an almost mechanical perfection. His skin was an unnatural white, all signs of humanity removed, his face frozen in a neutral smile. His mouth barely moved as he spoke, but his eyes blazed with hatred.

“No, I couldn’t. Not after what you did.” He laughed bitterly, but his face remained fixed in the same unchanging expression. “I take it you weren’t expecting me.”

Her lips felt numb. “How?”

“How did I get to Mars? By spending a lot of credits, both mine and my company’s.” He snarled, the sound even more unnerving coming from behind that frozen smile. “Good thing I had a source at the police office who tipped me off in time to grab as much as I could. Fucking GenCon took most of it to make me like this.”

“P-police?” Did he know?

“Don’t look so fucking innocent. I know you reported me. Earth Government was going to make an example of me—of me—because of a few worthless vagrants.”

The initial shock was wearing off, replaced by terror. Did he know about Brian? She desperately wanted to check on the baby, but she didn’t want to draw Richard’s attention to him if he didn’t know. She took a cautious step towards Richard, trying to place herself between him and the baby. A gun appeared in his hand with astonishing speed.

“Don’t move. And don’t think I don’t know about my son. Did you think you were going to keep him away from me?”

“Y-you don’t want him,” she whispered.

“Oh, yes, I do. He’s the only son I’m ever going to have now. GenCon didn’t tell me that all my fucking parts wouldn’t work after their fucking procedure.”

He approached the table, waving the gun again when she instinctively stepped forward.

“Doesn’t look like much, does he? Fucking red hair, too.”

She bit back the automatic impulse to defend her son. “You see? You don’t want him.”

“I suspect he’ll be very useful to me.” He poked at the carrier, nodding as the cover came up. “How convenient for transporting him.”

“Convenient?” Her lips were going numb again and she swayed dizzily as he picked up the carrier. “What are you doing?”

“I’m taking my son with me.”

“No! Take me instead. I’ll go with you. I’ll do anything you say. Just please leave the baby alone.”

“Take you?” he snarled. “After you betrayed me? Drove me to this fucking planet?” His eyes raked over her. “Even your body isn’t of any use to me anymore thanks to that fucking company.”

“P-please, Richard.” She took another step forward and he raised the gun.

“I won’t hesitate to shoot, you little bitch. I thought about it, you know, riding out here. Thought about shooting you. But I think this is better. Now you’ll have to live with the knowledge that I have my son and you don’t. He’ll never even know about you.”

“He needs me!” she said desperately. “I’m still breastfeeding him.”

He shrugged. “He’ll learn to eat something else.”

“You can’t do this.”

“I can and I will. I told you on Earth, Daisy. I’m one of the people who matter. I can do whatever the hell I want.”

He turned and disappeared through the door, moving with unnatural speed. She flung herself after him, making it outside in time to hear the roar of an engine and see him speeding off on some type of ATV, Brian’s carrier perched on the front like some type of macabre trophy.

“No!”

She raced after him but only made it halfway across the clearing before she started to pant. Her breathing mask. In her panic, she had forgotten to pull one on. Sobbing, she abandoned the useless pursuit and headed back to the habitat.

She barely made it, falling inside the airlock and hitting the door closure with the last of her strength. Her knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor, the world spinning around her in a dark haze. As the airlock filled with oxygen, her senses began to return and she forced herself to her feet, waiting impatiently for the inner door to activate. She had to get to the communicator.

In her panic, it took her three tries before she could reach Bill. The sound of his cheerful voice almost made her burst into tears.

“Bill, he’s taken Brian.” She could barely get the words out.

“What?! Who? I’m on my way.” His shock was immediately replaced by fierce determination. She could hear him running, even though his voice remained hard and steady. “Take a deep breath and try and tell me what happened.”

“It’s Richard. He’s here… was here. Took Brian.” Her breath was coming in short gasps and she started to feel dizzy again.

“Daisy, slow your breathing,” Bill ordered, and she did her best to obey.

“Jonah. I have to tell Jonah.”

“Call him. Do you know which way Richard went?”

“No.” Tears threatened to overwhelm her. “Down the mountain. He was moving so fast and it’s such a big planet.”

“We’ll find him,” Bill said, his voice firm. “Tell Jonah we’ll meet him at Sam’s. Grab your coat and mask and release Galahad. I’m almost there.”

“Richard… He wasn’t wearing a mask.” The realization suddenly hit her. “And he moved so fast, like a cyborg. I think he had something done to him.”

“Tell Jonah. Have him tell Sam. Go on now.”

The sound of his voice had been like a lifeline she realized as he disconnected and panic started to overwhelm her again, but she took a deep breath and called Jonah.

Their conversation was even shorter, but she took comfort in his absolute assurance that they would recover their son.

“Tell Billy we’ll meet him at the base of the mountain,” he ordered, his voice reassuringly calm. “Don’t worry, Daisy. We’ll get him back. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispered as she disconnected.

Another tear rolled down her cheek, but she dashed it away with an impatient hand. She needed to be ready for Bill.

Galahad pranced in circles as she released him, obviously picking up on her distress. He reared twice as they crossed the clearing, tossing his head, his nostrils flaring.

“You know he was here, don’t you?” He pawed impatiently at the track as she caught onto his mane. “Not yet. Bill’s coming.”

She understood his impatience. Her own pulse was like a drumbeat in her ears, urging her to hurry. All she could do was stare at the mine, hoping that Bill would appear. Galahad lifted a hoof, putting it down in the exact same position. Now that he had calmed, she thought of another way to be ready.

“Will you let me mount you? But no rearing, or I’ll fall.”

The horse’s ears quivered, then he folded his front legs under him so that the saddle was in easy reach.

“Thank you.”

She climbed on his back and he rose smoothly to his feet. He seemed a lot taller from up here and she clung nervously to the saddle, hoping he’d understood the part about not rearing.

“Come on, Bill,” she muttered, her eyes fixed on the mine shaft. Galahad lifted a hoof again, once, twice, then Bill was there, racing towards them from the dark entrance. He flung himself up behind her and Galahad took off immediately, rocketing down the mountain road. She couldn’t suppress a gasp as they skidded around a corner, perilously close to the sheer drop.

“I won’t let you fall.” Bill’s arms were a tight band around her waist.

“I know. Don’t slow down on my account.”

Her fear of falling was nothing compared to the terror of losing their son.

When they reached the desert below, Jonah was waiting for them, Sam next to him on a big black horse. Galahad didn’t even pause, and the two other horses fell into step next to him.

“You said Richard was changed?” Jonah asked. Despite the speed at which they were moving, she could hear him clearly.

“Yes. He looked like a robot, but the kind you see on television, not human like all of you. He didn’t need a breathing mask and I know he couldn’t move that fast before.”

“GenCon,” Sam said grimly. “I guess they decided not to wait for Addie to finish her experiments.”

“He said he gave them most of his credits.”

Sam nodded. “From what I know of the company, that would be enough to convince them.”

“Do you think they’ll help us?” Her throat closed with terror. “He could be anywhere.”

Bill’s arms tightened around her.

“We’ll find him, sweetheart.”

“If anyone knows, it’ll be Serena,” Sam said.

Jonah frowned at him. “Serena?”

“Serena Gatling. She’s the managing director for GenCon here on Mars.”

“I heard she’s a ruthless bitch,” Bill interjected.

“She is, but there’s more to her than that. And I think she has a soft spot where children are concerned.” Sam hesitated. “Kami likes her, and I trust my daughter’s opinion.”

“We’ll start there,” Jonah agreed. “When we get to town, Billy, take Daisy to Cherry’s, then meet us at GenCon.”

“I want to come with you,” she protested.

“Baby, we can move faster without you. Can you trust that we’ll do everything we can to find Brian?”

As much as she wanted to protest, she knew he was right. She nodded reluctantly.

“Good girl. Then that’s the plan.”

“Yes, Jonah.”

“Billy, hold onto Daisy,” Jonah ordered. “Time to see what these horses can really do.”

Bill bent forward over Galahad’s neck, enclosing her securely between his body and the horse’s metal frame. Jonah yelled and all three horses leapt forward. She thought they had been going fast before but now they were almost flying across the plain. The landscape rushed by in an orange blur and she had to close her eyes to keep from getting dizzy, but it never occurred to her to protest. She simply clenched her hands in the flexible tubing that made up Galahad’s mane and hung on.

They slowed only slightly when they reached New Arcadia. Jonah and Sam headed down the main street while Bill detoured to the brothel. He swung her down, pausing only long enough to make sure she found her balance.

“I have to—”

“Go,” she urged. “I’ll be fine.”

“I love you.” The words floated behind him as he raced off and she hurried around the main building to Cherry’s small unit, banging on the door with an urgent fist.

“This had better be important—” Cherry’s words cut off as she took in Daisy’s appearance. “What’s the matter, child?”

“He took the baby! He took Brian!” she cried.

The other woman paled. “Who did?”

“His father. He’s an evil man, Cherry. They have to find him.”

Tears threatened but she refused to let them fall, afraid that if she started she would never stop. She had to be strong for her child, for her men.

“Someone took a child?” A male voice interrupted and she looked up to find a man, no, a cyborg, standing at the entrance to the bedroom. He was shirtless and she could see the golden metallic skin covering the left side of his chest. She suddenly realized that Cherry was only wrapped in a silk dressing gown, her hair tumbling down around her shoulders.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she mumbled.

“Don’t be silly,” Cherry said impatiently as she pulled Daisy inside. “This is far more important than a little… recreational sex.”

Did the cyborg look hurt? Before she could decide, he vanished, returning a minute later wearing a black shirt with a gold star on his chest. A ranger.

“Where are they starting the search?” he demanded.

“At GenCon. Richard has been… altered, and we think they’re responsible.”

“I’ll find them there.” He picked up his hat and swept Cherry a mocking bow. “No doubt you can find someone else to entertain you.”

The door closed behind him with a silence that was twice as loud as a slam.

“Well, that didn’t go the way I expected,” Cherry said ruefully.

“I’m really sorry.”

“No, it was for the best.” Sorrow filled those blue eyes. “You can’t resurrect the past.”

“He’s someone you knew from before?”

“He’s my husband,” Cherry admitted. “But that doesn’t matter now. What happened?”

“My past came back to life. In the worst possible way.”

“You poor child.” Cherry enclosed her in a comforting hug and Daisy let herself sag against the other woman. “Let me make you some tea, and you can tell me what happened while we wait to hear from your men.”

“What if they can’t find him?” she whispered.

“You don’t for one minute think that Jonah is going to let anybody keep him from his son, do you? And young Billy is just as determined.” A brief flash of longing crossed her face. “And I know for a fact that Wyatt never gives up. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“I know.” She managed a shaky smile. “And Sam is with them too.”

“Well, there you go. I can’t believe anybody can take on the Judge and come out on top. Now let’s get some tea into you while you tell me all about it.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jonah gave Bill a quick glance as he caught up with the other men. His partner’s face was pale but determined. Two big security guards tried to block their passage, but he slung one across the entrance hall while Billy did the same with the other. Sam didn’t even pause, heading for the grand staircase that swept up on one side of the central atrium. In the distance, he heard the sound of yelling and running feet but he ignored them, following the others up the stairs.

“Daisy?” he asked.

“With Cherry.”

“Good.” She’d be safe there and he trusted the other woman to look after her.

At the top of the stairs, they followed Sam to the right, knocking down two more guards before they reached a set of wide double doors. They burst into a large, richly appointed office that would have looked more at home on Earth than Mars. The only occupant was a woman seated behind a big desk—an icy blond wearing an expensive outfit, not a hair out of place. She raised an eyebrow, seemingly undisturbed by three large cyborgs invading her office.

“Judge. Gentlemen. What can I do for you?’

“Where is he, Serena?” Sam snapped.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be a little more specific.”

“That slimy bastard who doesn’t need a mask. Not a cyborg.” Sam leaned over her desk threateningly, but she didn’t flinch. “I know you were responsible. Addie’s formula isn’t ready.”

She lifted a slender shoulder. “We didn’t need it. He had a lung transplant so we could introduce the nanites that way.”

“Then he is a cyborg.”

“Not exactly. It’s an interesting legal point and the lawyers are currently arguing about it back on Earth. But his legal status doesn’t really matter up here…”

“He’s a fucking criminal,” Jonah snarled, moving up next to Sam, Billy at his shoulder.

Her composed expression didn’t change. “Since he was willing to be the first to receive the procedure, I assumed he had a… troubled past.”

“Did you even bother to find out what that past consisted of?” Sam asked.

“Some trouble with a woman, I believe.” She raised an eyebrow. “Nothing violent.”

“Nothing violent?” Jonah yelled. “He was hunting down homeless people. For sport.”

For the first time, Serena’s calm demeanor seemed to crack. “That is… unfortunate. But I’m sure he won’t be a problem on Mars.”

“Won’t he?” Billy’s hands gripped the desk so tightly that the wood splintered. “That bastard stole our son.”

The color drained from her already pale complexion.

“He did what?” she whispered.

“You heard him,” he snapped. “He stole our son. He’s only six weeks old. Where would he take him?”

“The new city,” she said immediately. “He has a villa there.”

Reaching into her desk, she pulled out a small black box and handed it to Sam. “Electronic key fob. It will let you through the gate and into any house in the complex. Do you want me to alert security?”

“No. I don’t want to take any chances on him harming the baby. It would be better to surprise him.”

She nodded, her cheeks still white. “I’ll tell them to keep out of your way, but you’d better hurry. Those places aren’t designed for unaltered humans.”

Fear made his blood turn to ice, despite the nanites racing through his system, trying to keep him calm. Billy’s hand gripped his arm.

“We’ll find him, Sarge.”

“I know.”

As Bill raced back down the stairs with the others, a fourth cyborg joined them.

“I heard,” he said briefly. “What’s the plan?”

“This is W-246, my replacement,” Sam said as they reached the lobby.

They found their horses waiting, forming a rough semicircle around the base of the stairs and warding off anyone who approached with outflung hooves. W-246 gave them an amazed glance.

“What are they doing?”

“Anything they can to help.” Sam vaulted into the saddle. “Get your horse and meet us at the south end of town. We’re heading for a secret GenCon complex.”

“You’re gonna have to explain why you didn’t tell me about that one!” W-246 yelled over his shoulder as he took off around the side of the building.

The rest of them were already on the move. Bill had already decided he wasn’t going to wait for the fourth man but to his surprise, W-246 was only a few seconds behind them.

“Always ready.” The new cyborg flashed a quick grin before his face turned serious. “Let’s get this bastard.”

They headed south, skirting the boundary of Morgan and Hattie’s claim.

“Where are we going?” he called as they raced along a towering rocky escarpment.

“One of GenCon’s little secrets,” Sam muttered, skidding to a stop before a smooth wall of stone and pointing the key fob at it.

“Why are we—”

The rockface began to open, revealing a long, twisted tunnel carved out of the natural stone. The only sign of human intervention was the flat, wide floor. As soon as the rock slid aside far enough for them to enter, they urged their horses inside. The pounding hooves echoed through the tunnel until they emerged on a platform overlooking a wide cavern. Below them lay the beginnings of a vast city.

Under other circumstances, he would have been shocked and curious but now all he could do was look at the number of buildings below in despair. There were too many; they would need more men to search them all. Before he could suggest calling for assistance, Galahad threw up his head, his nostrils flaring and charged down the wide road. Without waiting for instructions, the other horses fell in with the young stallion.

“Reckon he knows where he’s going?” Sam asked.

“Daisy said she thought he sensed that bastard’s presence. He was kicking out the stall when she went to get him.”

“Good enough for me.”

The city was laid out on a grid, wide streets edged with an astonishing array of plants separating big white buildings set in their own parklike surroundings.

“What the fuck is this place?” W-246 whistled.

Right now, he didn’t care. All he cared about was getting his son back.

Storm suddenly came to halt, stepping in front of Galahad and blocking the path.

“That one over there,” Jonah said softly before Bill could protest. “The lights are on.”

The villa was set at the farthest edge of the city, perched at the wide cavern opening and looking out over the vast crater below. With one accord, they dismounted and the Sarge flung his medical bag over his shoulder, ignoring Bill’s horrified look.

“Sam, you take the back,” Jonah ordered. “W-246, you and Billy watch the sides. I’ll go in the front.”

“We’ll go in the front,” he corrected. “Together.”

He saw Jonah about to protest, saw his finger brush his scars, but then they all heard the thin, exhausted cry of an unhappy baby and there was no more discussion.

Jonah kicked in the front door, Bill close behind him, while the other two headed around back. The cry sounded again, followed by a man swearing, and they took off at a run, following the weak cries through several large, ornate rooms to an open terrace overlooking the crater. A man was standing next to the wall, staring down at the carrier.

This was Richard? He suddenly understood what Daisy had meant about him looking like a robot. He was unnaturally white, his face rigid and his movements stiff, but at their appearance, he lifted the carrier with cyborg-like speed and held it over the wall.

“Stop right there.”

Bill froze, afraid to even breathe.

“So you’re my replacements,” the man snarled. “Hardly a step up. In fact, I’d definitely say Daisy is moving down the evolutionary ladder. Fucking machines.”

“Don’t exactly look human yourself,” Jonah growled. “Give us our son.”

“Your son? I’m the one who fucked the little bitch. He’s my son.”

Bill’s gaze went red and he made an abortive movement before he caught Jonah’s signal. The bastard was deliberately goading them. Instead of heading towards him, he took a small step to the side just as Jonah did the same thing in the other direction. The further apart they were, the easier it would be for one of them to distract him and the other to attack.

“You can drop those guns,” Richard ordered. When they hesitated, he shook the carrier.

Bill unfastened his holster and let it drop as Jonah did the same. Hopefully, the son of a bitch would now think that they were defenseless. His hand dropped to his leg and, at Jonah’s signal, he took another quick step to the side.

“And quit moving,” Richard snapped.

“Only one way out of this,” Jonah said calmly. “Give us the child and we’ll let you live.”

“I’m not stupid enough to fall for that.”

“I give you my word.”

Bill swallowed his instinctive protest. If Jonah gave his word, he would keep it, and this man needed to die. But Richard only laughed.

“I don’t trust anyone’s word.”

“Because you know your own can’t be trusted.”

“Whatever.” Brian wailed again and Richard gave the carrier an impatient shake. “Does this kid ever shut up?”

“He’s hungry.”

Each time Jonah spoke, Bill took another step to the right. He had a clear shot now, but the man was still dangling the carrier over the precipice below.

“I guess I should have brought the bitch with me after all.”

“I brought some formula for him,” Jonah offered.

“Let me see,” Richard demanded.

Jonah started to open his duster and Richard leaned forward, bringing the carrier back over the terrace. Jonah signaled with his other hand and Bill drew the weapon out of his leg holster. He didn’t hesitate, aiming right between the man’s eyes. He saw his head explode, saw him topple backwards over the wall, saw the carrier start tumbling to the ground, but then Jonah was there, sliding across the terrace to brace the carrier just as it hit the ground. He heard a small snap just as Jonah seized it. Sam and W-246 came racing out of the villa.

“Where is he?”

“Down there.” Jonah gestured with his head, too busy examining their son to look up. Bill joined him, equally frantic. The baby was still squalling, his face red and wrinkled, but he appeared uninjured.

“He looks okay.”

Brian’s cries were quieting now.

“Do I need to go after him?” W-246 asked. “If he does have cyborg enhancements, he might have lived.”

“It was a kill shot,” he said, too worried about their son to explain. “He didn’t survive.”

The ranger cast a puzzled glance at their guns, still discarded on the ground, but before he could question them, Jonah interrupted, his voice frantic.

“He’s not getting enough air. I didn’t reach the carrier in time. It’s cracked. We have to get him to somewhere that has oxygen.”

Horror spread through Jonah as he remembered their frantic run through the building. There were no airlocks, no enclosed spaces. He’d failed again.

Billy met his eyes, his face equally horrified. “This place isn’t designed for that.”

His hands hovered over the latch to the small dome, fear paralyzing him. “Maybe I can breathe for him, into him.”

“Give him a transfusion,” Sam said urgently.

“He needs oxygen, not blood,” he snapped.

“We don’t have oxygen. Your blood is his only hope. Do it,” Sam ordered, but Jonah was already retrieving an IV line and bending over the small body, searching for a tiny vein.

There was no time for finesse. He jabbed the other end into his wrist and began feeding the blood into their son a drop at a time. For a moment, there was no change, but then the baby’s skin began to lose the blue tint, his chest rose and fell normally, and his eyes fluttered open. A moment later, he started to cry.

Thank God. Billy knelt next to him as he gathered their son close, rocking him soothingly as Brian wailed his protest.

“What the fuck just happened? The transfusion?” he asked.

“Yes,” Sam said grimly. “From a cyborg to a live subject.”

“Kami?” he guessed.

“Yes. I found out that she’d been taking her mask off and almost had a heart attack. But she doesn’t need it.”

“Now, isn’t that interesting?” a cool voice drawled from behind them.

He whirled to find Serena standing there, a pensive expression on her face. Her gaze flicked to the baby and softened slightly. “I’m glad you found him in time.”

“Only just. And your client is dead.”

She shrugged. “Unfortunate, but he had already paid in full.”

“Maybe next time you’ll be more careful in choosing your clients.”

“I have no say in the matter.” Was that a trace of bitterness in her voice? “Headquarters sends them to me. They would be very interested in this development.”

“You can’t tell them.”

An eyebrow went up. “Can’t?”

“You know what they would do,” Sam said grimly. “And Serena, so far, we only know it works on children. Do you want GenCon experimenting on children?”

“No.” Her voice was soft, her face shadowed, but a moment later she assumed her usual composure. Icy blue eyes traveled over the four of them, completely unfazed at being alone with four cyborgs who could break her with one hand. “Perhaps it would be best to keep this confidential. For now.”

He growled at the implied threat and her lips twisted in a smug smile.

“Just remember that one favor deserves another. I may have reason to call in this marker. Good day, gentlemen.”

“Why do I feel like we just made a deal with the devil?” Billy asked.

“I don’t know,” Sam said, staring after the woman. “I hate GenCon and I don’t like her, but I think she has a twisted sense of honor. I believe she’ll keep our secret.”

He looked down at his son, now sleeping peacefully in his arms. “Quite a secret. Did you mean what you said? That it only works for children?”

“I don’t know. I wanted to give Addie my blood, but she refused. She’s afraid of what would happen to us if word got out. And she believes that she’ll be able to solve the issues with the nanites eventually.”

“I want Daisy to have a transfusion,” Billy blurted out. “She should have the choice, at least.”

Sam sighed. “I understand how you feel. We’ve been talking about it and I think all of the women should know that it may be possible. We should get together.”

“Later,” he said firmly. “Right now, we need to get this little one home to his mother.”

As they exited the villa, he heard the thunder of hooves and looked up to see more cyborgs entering the cavern.

“I think Cherry called in the cavalry.”

“I’m not surprised she likes to make an entrance,” W-246 muttered, nodding to where Cherry was seated in front of Morgan. Daisy was riding in front of Clint, and even though he knew and trusted the man, he hated seeing her there. At the sight of them, she kicked her small heels against Big Red’s sides and, to his surprise, the horse jumped forward.

“Put Brian back in the carrier,” he said quickly. “This isn’t the time.”

Billy nodded and had the baby secured just as Daisy raced up, almost falling down from the horse before he caught her.

“Is he all right?” she asked frantically, patting at the carrier with desperate hands.

“He’s fine, baby. Just tired and hungry.”

She burst into relieved tears and Billy put his arm around her. Jonah drew them both close as the other cyborgs surrounded them. Their family. A family much bigger and much better than he had ever hoped for. He looked at his son, his woman, his partner, his friends, and smiled. “Let’s go home.”

Epilogue

A week later…

“And he’s really fine?” Jo asked, studying the baby cradled in Daisy’s arms.

Jonah nodded, looking around the small gathering. Sam, Morgan, Clint, and their wives had assembled in Cherry’s living room, along with W-246, to discuss the events of the previous week. He frowned at the new cyborg, noticing that Cherry stood on the other side of the room, as far away from him as possible, before returning to the subject at hand.

“Yes. Two children, two successes.”

“I don’t think I’d call that a statistically significant sample,” Addie said. She smiled at her husband, then looked at the other men. “I know all of you worry about us and you want us to be safe, but we don’t know what would happen with an older subject.”

Jonah met Billy’s eyes and saw his own conflict reflected there. Mars was dangerous for humans and they both wanted to protect Daisy, but she had already been the first to give birth. They didn’t want her to be the first to be subject to an unknown experiment as well.

“I know what it’s like to be on the surface without a mask,” Hattie said quietly. “But I survived. I have Morgan to protect me. I don’t need nanites in my blood.”

Clint looked torn, but he nodded. “I agree. Unless Addie thinks it’s safe, I don’t think we should try giving our wives our blood.”

“Fine with me,” Jo said, shuddering. “I hate needles anyway.”

“So we’re agreed?” Sam asked. Every head nodded, and he sighed. “Then on to our next topic. What are we going to do about GenCon?”

“Is there anything we can do about them?” Hattie looked unusually grim. She and Morgan had had their own struggle with the company over the land along the edge of their claim. “The really wealthy families back on Earth can get away with almost anything, but even they went along with GenCon when they were persecuting me. I can’t imagine how much power they must have.”

“On Earth, perhaps, but they don’t have the same foothold up here,” Morgan said, patting her hand.

“Not yet, but only because the government keeps them in check.” Sam rubbed his chin. “And they use us to do it. If GenCon creates their own type of cyborgs—more like Richard—what will happen?”

“And I assure you, that is what they intend.” The cool voice swept across the room like a Martian breeze and they turned to find Serena standing in the doorway. As always, she looked perfectly composed, but Jonah saw her fingers flexing.

“What are you doing here?” Hattie demanded.

Serena moved into the room, her heels clicking lightly against the floor.

“I find myself in a somewhat… unpleasant situation.”

“How unfortunate,” Cherry said dryly.

“I agree.” Her fingers twitched again. “GenCon has promised me something I want. Something I would do almost anything to get.” Her eyes drifted over them, pausing on Brian, asleep in Daisy’s arms. “Almost anything.”

“So why are you here, Serena?” Addie asked softly.

“Because I find that there are lines that even I am not willing to cross. I have a suggestion.”

“What is it?” Billy demanded.

“Declare your independence. Form your own government. Then you will be in a position to monitor GenCon’s activities.” She lifted a shoulder. “They will, of course, attempt to bypass that oversight, but I suspect that you will prove more up to the challenge than they realize.”

Sam studied her face. “What about you?”

“I will be a citizen of Mars. I know I can’t return to Earth. But I will continue to work for GenCon. And unless they cross that line again, I will do whatever they tell me to do,” she said softly.

“Will you keep us informed?”

“Perhaps.” Another betraying flick of her fingers. “But do not rely on me.”

She inclined her head, the way an ancient queen might have acknowledged her courtiers, then turned and left, her steps perfectly composed.

“Fuck,” W-246 said, staring after her. “That’s one hell of a woman.”

“No doubt,” Cherry said, her voice as icy as Serena’s. “But do we believe her?”

“I do,” Addie said. “She stopped Derrick from hurting Kami. I think that’s her line—hurting children.”

“She doesn’t seem worried about adults,” Hattie muttered.

“Perhaps she thinks they should take care of themselves. I suspect she’s had a lot of practice with that.”

“I like the idea of a new government,” he said. “Billy has been hinting at it for months now.”

His partner grinned. “Makes sense to me.”

Morgan nodded. “So what next?”

“Get the word out.” Sam rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “And not just to the other cyborgs. We need to talk to the settlers and the workers. They need to be part of this too.”

“The rangers patrol most of the settled parts of the planet.” W-246 grinned. “We can sprinkle a little rebellion into our lectures on not behaving like idiots.”

“I can have my girls spread the word,” Cherry said with a wink. “They can be very… persuasive.”

“Don’t forget the scientists,” Addie added, elbowing Sam. “You don’t want to mess with us.”

They all laughed and Sam stood up. “We’ll put together a plan, but first, isn’t there another reason we’re here? I reckon this young man is ready.”

Billy’s face flushed but he nodded. “I think it’s time.”

Jonah kept his own face composed, but he was just as ready. Papers signed back on Earth were one thing; this was another. An actual ceremony to unite the three of them and claim Daisy as their own.

“Come on then,” Sam said. “Let’s marry you—all of you.”

Cherry had closed her establishment for the night in honor of the wedding. Earlier that day, she had taken Daisy on a tour of the building. Her eyes widened as she took in the elaborate decor—paneled walls, deep carpet, everything richly carved and covered with gilt.

“Where did all this come from?”

“Earth Government,” Cherry said with a grin.

“Really? They paid for all this?”

“They most certainly did.” She winked at Daisy. “They were the ones who came up with the idea. I just enhanced it a little bit.”

“But why did they even come up with the idea?”

“They assumed, quite logically, that a man in an isolated environment a long way from home would be happier with some type of… comfort.”

“I’m not sure I would have used the word comfort,” she said, still examining the elaborate surroundings. “Where should we do the ceremony?”

Cherry’s face lit up with mischief.

“I have just the place.”

Now as Daisy stood waiting impatiently for the ceremony to begin, she had to agree that Cherry had been right. There was a greenhouse attached to the back of the building, but unlike every other greenhouse she had seen, instead of being filled with food plants, the hydroponic trays were filled with flowers, their lush fragrance and bright colors transforming the space into a tropical oasis. She ignored the fact that when Cherry had first shown her the room, there had been an ornate bed in the center. It had been replaced by a white carpet leading to the two men waiting for her at the far end.

“It’s time,” Cherry whispered, and music began playing from hidden speakers. “Go ahead, Kami.”

Kami darted happily down the aisle, tossing flower petals with more haste than elegance but she was so obviously enjoying herself that Daisy had to muffle a laugh. Then it was her turn.

Even though Clint had offered, she had decided to walk down the aisle alone. Her knees suddenly felt shaky and she hesitated to make the first step.

“Take your time,” Cherry whispered, putting a comforting hand on her back. “They’ll wait.”

They would, wouldn’t they? These two men would do anything for her. She looked down the aisle and saw them watching her, so different in every way but watching her with identical expressions of love. Her nerves vanished as quickly as they had appeared. With a joyous heart, she headed for her future.

After the ceremony, they all gathered in one of the extravagant reception rooms. Cherry had provided an impressively diverse array of food and drink and their friends laughed and feasted and toasted them. It was a wonderful occasion, but she was already impatient for it to be over. Desire thrummed through her body with a low, insistent beat. Jonah and Bill seemed to feel the same way. One or both of them was constantly at her side, their hands on her back, their heat against her sides, even the scent of them building her desire.

“Enough of this,” Jonah finally growled, and he stalked off to find Cherry. The other woman was going to watch Brian for them so they could have an uninterrupted wedding night.

Bill put his arm around her as they watched, bending down to whisper in her ear. “I can’t wait to be inside your sweet little cunt, my wife.”

She couldn’t suppress a pleasurable shiver but sent him a mischievous glance. “We’ll see how things turn out. I have something else in mind.”

His eyes blazed and he drew her closer. She went to him willingly, but Cherry appeared at her side and caught her hand first.

“Come with me, little Daisy.”

“But—” she gave the men a helpless look.

“You’ll see them again in a minute. I’m just going to help you get ready before I take the baby.”

Daisy sighed and obediently followed her up the stairs and down a long corridor into an enormous room with an even more enormous bed. Like Cherry’s bedroom, it was all white, but there the resemblance ended. This room was a frothy confection of white lace and silk, an extravagant, over-the-top bouquet of a room perfect for a wedding night.

“Plenty of room for three,” Cherry said cheerfully as she led the way into an attached bathroom with a massive shower and a huge tub and handed her an outfit. “Here.”

Her mouth fell open. “I can’t wear that. I just had a baby.”

“Which just makes you lusher and more beautiful,” Cherry said firmly. “I guarantee your husbands are going to love it.”

“Are you sure?”

Cherry laughed. “Trust me, sweetie. If there’s one thing I know, it’s what men like.”

From the look on their faces when Jonah and Bill joined her a few minutes later, Cherry was right.

“Do you like it?” she asked anxiously.

Dark emerald green lace barely covered her breasts, leaving her nipples exposed. The dark color accentuated her pale skin and gave it a soft glow. Sheer green silk descended to the floor from underneath the lacy cups, but it opened down the front to reveal her pale stomach and the matching strip of emerald lace encircling her hips.

Jonah didn’t bother to answer, sliding an arm around her waist and tugging her into his arms for a long, demanding kiss before spinning her around to receive Bill’s equally enthusiastic kiss. They felt so right surrounding her like this, one at her front and the other pressed against her back, confirming her decision.

She stepped back just enough that she could see both of their beloved faces. Each of them still had an arm around her waist.

“Tonight, I want both of you.”

“You have both of us,” Bill said.

“I know.” She smiled softly, even as her pulse raced. “I mean I want both of you at the same time.”

She felt the tension in their touch, saw the hunger flashing in their eyes, and knew how much they wanted this. As much as they loved her, they loved each other as well, and she was the bridge between them.

“Are you sure?” Jonah growled.

“Yes,” she said firmly.

“Take her to the bed,” he ordered, and Bill lifted her into his arms, carrying her with exquisite delicacy to the enormous bed and placing her carefully in the center.

“You look like a princess.”

“A hero deserves a princess.”

He ducked his head. “I’m no hero.”

“Yes, you are. Both of you. You’re my heroes. Our son’s heroes.”

“Then it’s time for a reward.” Jonah appeared to her left, huge, naked, a mountain of a man with a mountain of a cock.

“Wait for me,” Bill laughed as he stripped out of his clothes. Tall, lean, and handsome, sculpted like an ancient statue, his cock as perfectly proportioned as the rest of his body. The two could not have been more different but both of them were a perfect fit for her. She opened her arms to them.

With an unspoken agreement, they bent over her, each of them cupping a breast. She would have known them anywhere, even with her eyes closed. Jonah’s mouth, hard and demanding, drawing her deep, while Bill teased with quick swipes of his tongue and small, tempting sucks.

“Delicious,” Jonah murmured as he licked up the milky drops that responded to his suckling.

His hand slid between her legs, parting the delicate folds so Bill could tease her already swollen clit. She writhed against their hands and felt a thick digit probing at her entrance, before sliding inside with a shocking fullness. Jonah. The sudden intrusion just as he clamped down on her nipple threw her into a rapid climax, Bill strumming lightly across the top of her clit to prolong the pleasure.

Jonah’s finger withdrew and slid lower to probe her bottom hole. She relaxed into his touch, breathing out as he slowly entered her body.

“Good girl. Just relax.”

He worked her gently while Bill focused on her clit, teasing the needy flesh and keeping her on the edge of climax but not letting her go over. He was an expert at this. Jonah was always too demanding to wait, but Bill liked to draw out her pleasure as long as possible.

A second finger made her gasp at the burning stretch, but it soon morphed into pleasure as Bill increased his pace. A third finger, and her overwhelmed body shuddered into another climax. Before she had a chance to catch her breath, Bill lifted her up over Jonah, now reclining on the bed, and lowered her onto his huge cock. She gasped and came again, clinging helplessly to Jonah’s shoulders. He reached up to cup her breasts with his big hands, tugging at her nipples and distracting her while Bill spread her cheeks. The icy coolness of lube sent a shock wave of pleasure to her already overwhelmed system as he spread it inside her.

“Just relax,” he murmured, and she felt the broad head of his cock against her sensitive bottom hole. He pushed gently and she felt her body stretching, trying to accommodate the intruder. Her breath came in rapid pants and Jonah pulled her down against his body, stroking her back in long, soothing caresses. The position opened her even more and she heard Bill’s breath hitch in his throat.

“So beautiful. I can see your sweet little ass stretching, see you taking me.”

His hips flexed and he was inside. All three of them groaned.

“All right, sweetheart?”

“So full,” she panted, waiting for her body to adjust.

Bill curved his hand around her hip and found her clit, pressing against it as he pushed deeper inside her. Oh my God. The sensations washed over her. The cold tingle of the lube, the burning heat of their cocks, the intense pleasure of the hand against her clit, and the fullness that bordered on pain.

“She’s so tight. I… I can’t—” Bill’s voice sounded hoarse, drugged, as his hips snapped forward and she felt him fill her completely. The shock to her already overloaded system sent her soaring into an explosive climax, her vision sheeting white as she convulsed helplessly, unable to move because she was wedged beneath their bodies.

Neither of them moved although she could feel the tension holding them in place as she began to recover. The shock had faded, leaving only the stretching fullness and the aching pleasure.

“All right, baby?” Jonah asked, his voice hoarse.

She wiggled experimentally, and once again all three of them groaned.

“If you keep doing that, I won’t have any control at all,” Bill said, his hands biting into her hips.

She raised her head enough to look into Jonah’s eyes, dark with passion. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and, very deliberately, she thrust back against Bill. She heard him growl, then he slowly withdrew, sending a shiver of delicious pleasure down her spine before he thrust back in, and now Jonah was thrusting too, pushing in when Bill withdrew and pulling back as he entered. All she could do was cling to Jonah as their pace increased. Another climax rolled over her and this one didn’t end, sending wave after wave of shuddering pleasure through her body. Bill’s hands clamped down even tighter, and she heard him gasp, felt his cock jerk deep inside her, sending pulse after pulse of hot seed into her dark channel, heard Jonah growl and thrust deep, sending a flood of heat into her body as she came and came and came until the world went dark.

Jonah felt Daisy shudder, felt her snug little cunt clamp down on him, even tighter now with Bill filling her also. She milked him in long shuddering pulses and he was helpless to resist. Fire raced down his spine as his balls tightened and his body erupted in jet after jet of hot seed, leaving him drained and limp. Daisy had collapsed against his chest and Billy followed her down. Curly red hair against his chest and cropped red hair against his shoulder. He put a hand on both their heads, filled with a boundless contentment. These two people, plus the baby waiting for them, meant more to him than he would ever have the words to express.

He hadn’t failed after all.

He had found a new life and more importantly he had brought happiness to the people that he cared about the most.

“I love you,” he murmured.

Both of them raised their heads. Daisy’s eyes were soft as she reached up and caressed his cheek, running her thumb softly across his scars.

“I love you too.”

Billy groaned. “I do too, but if Daisy keeps moving like that, you can forget about the mushy stuff.”

Jonah felt Billy’s cock flex through the thin membrane separating them, and his body responded. Daisy’s eyes widened and he laughed joyously.

“We’re not through with you yet, wife.”

“Good,” she said as she reached up to kiss him. “Because I’m never going to be through with the two of you.”

“I’m holding you to that,” he growled, and abandoned himself to happiness.

Author’s Note

Thank you so much for reading A Few Cyborgs More! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it – I loved exploring the relationship between Jonah and Bill and I think Daisy is perfect for both of them.

Whether you enjoyed the story or not, it would mean the world to me if you left an honest review on Amazon – reviews are one of the best ways to help other readers find my books!

As always, I have to thank my readers! This is a difficult time for many of us and I hope that my books provide at least a small way to relax. I know that your support and encouragement make such a difference in my life. As always, a special thanks to my beta readers – Janet S and Nancy V. Your thoughts and comments are always so helpful!

What’s up next? As you may have guessed, there is a lot of history between Cherry and Wyatt – a history that he doesn’t remember! And of course, GenCon is becoming more threatening…

Click here to pre-order The Magnificent Cyborg on Amazon!

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Other Titles

Cyborgs on Mars

High Plains Cyborg

The Good, the Bad, and the Cyborg

A Fistful of Cyborg

A Few Cyborgs More

The Magnificent Cyborg

The Alien Invasion Series

Alien Selection

Alien Conquest

Alien Prisoner

Alien Breeder

Alien Alliance

Alien Hope

Cosmic Fairy Tales

Jackie and the Giant

The Treasured by the Alien Series

with Bex McLynn

Mama and the Alien Warrior

A Son for the Alien Warrior

The Alien Abduction Series

Anna and the Alien

Beth and the Barbarian

Cam and the Conqueror

Deb and the Demon

Ella and the Emperor

Faith and the Fighter

Greta and the Gargoyle

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Other Titles