Page 92 of Trove’s Purpose

He had completely destroyed her brain. He melted every single neuron and synapse in her skull and turned her into a helpless pile of goo. Even if she wanted to go chasing after him when he ran away from her, she didn’t have the strength to do so.

Trove was going through a lot mentally. Sex and pleasure were completely messed up in his brain. He hadn’t been able to look at her with desire and feel okay. So, he did the only thing he could think to do – he ran.

She understood that, but she still missed him. She wished he had been there to hold her through the night as she slowly put herself back together.

She wasn’t entirely sure she had done it correctly.

Chee had never craved sex before. She had never really craved another person. Sure, she had looked at attractive people and felt desire. Sure, she had wanted people. But she had never felt the fiendish urge to have sex like it was a drug her brain had become addicted to.

But that’s exactly what he had done to her. After melting her down to nothing, she had reformed into a sexual butterfly that wanted nothing as much as she wanted to feel his hands on her again.

The next morning, she woke up in the exact same spot she had fallen asleep. And she was sore. Every muscle in her body was yelling at her, demanding to know who she thought she was to put them all through the workout of their lives at the same time.

The bindings were no longer around her wrists though. And there was a big cup of water and a plate of food right next to her bed. And Trove was there, cleaning up the mess they had made.

He didn’t want her touching him sexually, but he didn’t mind other touches. He was the one who put her hands around his neck so he could pick her up and take her to the privy.

He ran. But he came back. And with surprising seriousness, he had taken care of her. There was nothing sexual about it. Just pure caring and devotion.

It broke her heart. And then that reformed her as well. It only made her crave him more.

But he was still running. He was treating her nicely, so sweetly, but he wasn’t ready to talk about what happened to his own body. So, she was going along with it as she walked around with him, watching as the other guys unloaded the massive painting.

They had not been able to get that thing into their landing shuttle. No matter how they turned or twisted it, short of breaking it into something like four pieces, they would never have been able to get it into the small vessel.

Instead, they contacted Rinnicks, and she hired a larger ship to meet them. They’d transferred the painting from their ship to that one. And now, after landing, they’d met it at Rinnicks building and were unloading it.

The female herself did not come all the way out to meet them. She would never let them think it was that important to her. But she also couldn’t rest the urge to at least meet them halfway. She must have really wanted the painting because she caught up to them in a large meeting room. The lift in her building wasn’t big enough to fit the painting, so they’d had to haul it up by hand, and that was too slow for her greed.

She was wearing a partially sheer, white dress that split at the front, coming together at a single point right over her pussy. It trailed behind her as she padded, barefoot and decadent, into the room. Her pipe was still in her hand, but she wasn’t at all focused on it as she beheld her precious painting.

“Look how beautiful,” she admired greedily as Rok and Vytln worked together to rest it against the wall. It was still in the glass and metal case that they’d found it in. Completely sealed and safe from all the elements, even the air.

“Go ahead and inspect it,” Tanin told her. “It’s in exactly the condition we found it in. And once you’re satisfied, bring us the cup.”

Rinnicks waved a hand at him, looking annoyed that he would dare speak while she was absorbed in staring at her painting in wonder.

Chee stood back, beside Trove, neither of them talking. Both of them just waiting. Rinnicks wouldn’t move any faster, so they could just stand by until she was satisfied.

“I’m sorry.”

Unprepared for him to speak, it took Chee a moment to understand what Trove just said. She turned, looking up at him, but he was focused on the painting, a consternated look on his face.

“Sorry?” She repeated as a question.

“For leaving you bound like that. It was grossly irresponsible of me.”

“Oh, yeah. That.” She looked at her wrists. There wasn’t a mark there any longer. There wasn’t even a bruise on her hand anymore. Trove had grabbed some cream from Goldie and applied it to both marks and they were gone already. “I’m okay.”

“But I’m not.” He shook his head and looked at her. “I never wanted to treat you so carelessly. And I won’t do so again. I give you my word on that.”

Chee smiled. “Thank you. I understand why you did, but thank you for apologizing.”

“You’re too nice to me. Be angry at me.”

“No.” She stuck her tongue out at him. Just a little bit, but it made him smile.

“You are a sassy little thing.”