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Sebastian leaned back with a grin. “The escape is always the best part.”
Mal’ik didn’t reply. There was no part of anything that was happening that was even remotely good enough to be called “the best.”
Except, perhaps, what Oliver had said.
Maybe Sebastian could smell him through Tesh’s nose, or maybe he just had a spy’s uncanny ability to read minds, but he jerked his head back toward the main compartment behind the cockpit.
“I’ve got it from here. I’m the only one of us who knows where headquarters is anyway.” He waved his hand. “We’ve got a few hours. And I promise I won’t do any more rolls.”
Mal’ik pressed his lips together and nodded. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Sebastian shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
Mal’ik was out of his seat before Sebastian finished, moving as though magnetized back to where he knew Oliver was, following the faint scent of sunshine.
Oliver sat strapped into the seat across from the door, and he looked up when Mal’ik stepped into the compartment with him. His eyes were tight, and his lower lip glistened just slightly from being worried by his teeth. Mal’ik slid the door between them and the cockpit closed and hesitated.
Oliver sat up and put his hands in his lap. “I’m sorry.”
Mal’ik’s heart dropped like a stone.
Oliver shook his head. “I’m sorry I forced myself on you like this. It was the most selfish way to try to stop being selfish. I want you to know I don’t have any expectations of what our relationship will be going forward. I don’t expect you to love me—”
“Of course I love you, Oliver.” Mal’ik’s muscles loosened with relief, and he crossed the room swiftly to kneel in front of the human. He smelled the fear and anxiety rolling off him and cocked his head. “Is that what you’re worried about? That I don’t return your feelings?”
Oliver’s cheeks reddened. “Well. Yes? I did just declare my feelings rather dramatically, and we’ve never talked about a relationship, and we haven’t known each other that long, and I’m not really the most loveable person, so…yes.”
Mal’ik smiled and threaded his fingers into Oliver’s soft blond hair. “I love you, Oliver.”
He pulled on the back of Oliver’s neck and felt all the tension drain out of the human. He slotted his lips over Oliver’s and kissed him deeply. Maybe they hadn’t known each other very long, but Mal’ik had been alive for a very long time, and he’d never had anything like this.
“I love you, Oliver.” Oliver let out a little mewling sound that yanked on Mal’ik’s heartstrings and shot down to his groin. He kissed him again. “I love you, Oliver.”
Oliver pulled back with a little laugh that had some of the wetness of a sob. “That’s a relief, I guess.”
Mal’ik sat back on his haunches and smiled up at the human, his heart feeling too full. He kept his hand on Oliver’s knee and massaged it with his thumb. “You’re really sure about this? What you’re doing?”
Oliver smiled and took Mal’ik’s hand in both of his own. “I am. But even if I wasn’t, it’s a little late to turn back now.”
“We could pretend we kidnapped you.”
Oliver shook his head. “Not with what’s on that data strip.”
“What’s on it.”
“All of my brother’s research.”
Mal’ik’s thumb froze on Oliver’s knee. “About the fear gas?”
“You know about it?” Oliver frowned. “You weren’t at the meeting.”
“Patrick told me. And Teav. It sounds awful.”
Oliver scowled. “And you still decided to be on the other side of it?” He waved his hand. “Sorry. Silly question. Of course you did. You’re far too good of a man, Mal’ik.”
Mal’ik chuckled. “Says the man who came after me.”
“Yes, well.” Oliver blushed again and ducked his head. “In any case, you can see why a kidnapping ruse wouldn’t work. I stole that information from my father’s private database on our family ship. The blueprints, the prototypes, the experiments, the results, all of it.”
