Page 83 of Zirkov

“Fine, do that. And no more public sex!” Zirkov yelled as Konnitch turned down a side street.

“Public sex? I’m hanging out with the wrong alien.”

The way Zirkov spun toward her sent shivers down her back. “Easy. It was a joke. I don’t exactly get out much, and certainly not with married men. The last date I had was… I guess that was with you, if you can call that a date.”

He growled, then continued walking.

“Oh, so now you’re mad at me?” she said, chasing after him. “I’m sorry I left without you.”

“Your note said you didn’t want anyone else to get hurt. I’m notanyone else. I’m a trained warrior, the commander of GI7, and I’m responsible for you.”

“You’re not responsible for me.”

“The drekk I’m not. You’re my—”

“Your what? That’s twice you’ve stopped yourself. What am I to you, Zirkov? And don’t give me any bull about only being friends.”

“Do you care about me, Maggie?”

The question blindsided her. “Yes. Very much.”

“We don’t leave our people behind. You left me behind.”

“That saying is for when you leave someone in danger, Z. I left you in your own house, in your own damn bed, where you’d be safe.”

“Youleft.”

“Is that why your horns are all twisted up like a pretzel?”

He ran a hand along the top of one of his horns, where it had twisted. “Krike.”

“I screwed up, okay?”

“It’s not okay. You left without talking to me and without securing backup.”

“I’m a civilian, now, which means I don’t answer to anyone.”

“You’re so worried about proving yourself to everyone, you’re not seeing the danger you’re putting yourself in.”

“Not everyone. You!” The words spilled out before she could think through what she was saying, what she was admitting. She lowered her voice. “I want to prove myself toyou.”

“I’ve already acknowledged your skills. But you still don’t listen to me.”

She no longer had the luxury of keeping Zirkov out of her fight. She’d gone off on her own and now another slaver was dead, an og’dal they needed alive. He was right; they had to stick together to solve this.

Maggie reached up and caressed the base of one horn. “I want tomatterto you. As more than a colleague or friend.”

He gripped her wrists and drew them away from his horn. “You matter. Very much. It’s why I’m trying to keep you alive. Did you even think about the danger you were in?”

That hurt look on his face made her stomach flip. He really did care.

“I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly. I was still mad. I couldn’t sleep after our fight. And the image of the roses in the vase on my kitchen counter haunted me. Sort of like all those memories of… of being with you. But I couldn’t act on those, could I? You’d locked yourself away in your bedroom.”

“You shouted at me to not come out.”

“I know.” She shrugged. “I thought you’d come out after a few minutes.”

His eyes closed as her fingers ran over the bumps. “You are a confusing and difficult female, Magdalena.”

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