For two years, Ares Gallo has been ransacking the galaxy for the woman who meant everything to him. They trained together, killed together, loved together, but now, Anicka Dekker doesn't even know who he is. All she knows every time she meets the enigmatic, scarred stranger is that a part of her trusts him. An even larger part desires him. In any and every way she can have him. Ares wants his wife back. Despite the scars that have changed his appearance and the chronic pain that destroyed his career, he follows Anicka from planet to planet, finding her in seedy bars, stately palaces, and everywhere in between. Every time they have a few moments of pure bliss, his hope blooms that this time…things will be different. Then, STRIKE, the organization that wanted them dead, tears them apart, erasing Anicka's memories, and Ares has to start all over again. But even if she can't remember him, he's certain she'll recognize their bond. Sooner or later.

Across the Universe

“How long until all of this is going to be over?” He didn’t know the specifics of her assignment. He was strictly on a need-to-know basis, which meant Sheeryn could’ve been the first kill of a dozen or the first of forty. Nobody outside Circe’s circle knew how big her gang of pirates really was, though if STRIKE had enough intel to send Anicka to take them out, somebody was obviously fairly confident in their guess.


“If everything goes to plan, two more weeks. Three on the outside.” Anicka glanced at him again, the corner of her mouth lifting. “Why are we talking about work?”


“A vacation is not the same thing.”


“It’s been so long since I had one, I don’t think I know what those are.”


For a moment, her eyes clouded, haunted by some thought he had no access to. He wished he could take back what he’d said. The last thing he wanted was to drive her further away.


She surprised him by holding her hand out, palm up. “Lay down next to me.”


Chapter 18