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

It seemed a fair exchange. A life for a life. Future for past.


On the way back to Paradisus Station—one day later


If everything had gone to plan, they wouldn’t be silently piloting the shuttle backto Paradisus. Anicka would be recovering in the room Ares had built for just that purpose, and Ares would finally, finally, be resting. Dr. Iara had been on his case for two years, assuring him the pain would fade if he stopped pushing himself so hard. But soon he’d either be dead or have nothing to do with his life except sit around and think of Anicka. If everything had gone to plan, rushing off to intercept Mariel before she left the space station would have been a righteous quest. Now the whole affair felt utterly hollow. In all his years with STRIKE and all the years before that, Ares had never been so completely disheartened over any mission.


Chapter 44