The unfamiliar room was cleaner than anything Kyle had ever seen. He blinked at his surroundings, trying to decide where he was. At least he was alive. The massive pains in his chest and sides sucked all the enjoyment out of that knowledge. He stared at the blank white walls and concentrated on breathing. When that didn’t help, he scratched at the sheets beneath him, needing something to hang on to. Damn, they were soft—like silk. No matter how hard he tried focusing on anything other than the massive pain, it didn’t abate. The door flew open and the droid he’d spent months trying to acquire strolled in. Everything came rushing back to him. Kyle tried sitting up. The door was open. He could make a run for it. Wherever he was, his people would find him. Pain—like his insides were being shredded—burned through his torso. A scream tore from his lips without his permission.

“Stay still,” the droid ordered, sounding calm.

Kyle focused on his face. He had a name. Kyle blinked and tried harder to remember. It was something odd. Zephyr. It was Zephyr. “Where am I?” Holy fucking shit. Talking hurt worse than breathing.

“Someplace safe,” Zephyr said, not really answering. Kyle caught sight of a needle filled with clear fluid but couldn’t stop Zephyr from injecting him. “Give that a second. You’ll feel better.”

Before Zephyr finished speaking, Kyle’s head spun, and the pain drifted away on the river of his high. He still couldn’t move, but he no longer cared. “What was that?” Hey, it didn’t hurt for him to speak or breathe. He almost laughed in his euphoria.

“Something for the pain,” Zephyr answered, once again not really answering anything. “Don’t let it fool you into thinking you’re healed. You’re not. Stay still.”

Kyle didn’t think his legs would work even if he tried. His entire body felt like water. He was a lake of Jell-O. Kyle bit back a laugh at his ridiculous thoughts. He recognized—in a detached sort of way—it was Zephyr’s fault he was injured in the first place. Kyle was just so damn grateful for relief from his injuries, he couldn’t find the willpower to care.

“It won’t take my men long to find me.”

“They’ll never find you this deep inside Cryo-Zone. I’ve made sure of that,” Zephyr said cryptically.

The droid’s speech was delivered with the cold indifference of a machine. Kyle fucking hated A.I.s. Still, his curiosity was at an all-time high, as well as his excitement. They were inside Cryo-Zone. He could breathe. There was no gas mask or oxygen covering his face. He was deep inside Cryo-Zone, breathing clean air. That meant a treatment existed. The droids had a way to filter out the toxic gases. All Kyle needed was to figure out how it was done. If a room could be cleared, then so could a building or a street. Even a town. Kyle had to make himself take a breath before he spoke to hide his giddiness over the prospect.

“We’re inside Cryo? The air is clean here. I can breathe.”

Zephyr’s forehead furrowed in confusion before clearing away. “Obviously or you’d be dead.”

While clutching his side to keep his insides from falling out—at least, that was how it felt—Kyle tried shifting into a sitting position.

Zephyr pushed him back down. “I told you to stay still.”

Kyle was too excited to listen. He couldn’t hide it. “You have something to filter the poison from the air. How is it done?”

“You almost make me want to tell you just to keep the light in your eyes,” Zephyr said, sounding as if he spoke more to himself than to Kyle. “But no,” Zephyr added, stealing away Kyle’s hope. “I won’t give you the seeds to sow our destruction. You have too much hate in your heart.”

He knew Zephyr expected his response would kill Kyle’s hope, but that shit sprang eternal. Zephyr had confirmed there was a way to fix the damage he’d done. Kyle was here. He’d find it and then he’d find a way to replicate it. For the first time ever, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel. He just needed to insert himself into Zephyr’s world and convince the machine to give up the information Kyle needed. It could be done. Zephyr wasn’t a person. He didn’t possess the ability for subterfuge. All Kyle needed was to find the right words or phrases to trigger the correct responses from Zephyr. Kyle needed time with the bot.

Zephyr headed for the door. “I’ll get you something to drink.”

Kyle called out, stopping him. “No. I’m fine. Please, sit and talk to me. I need a distraction from the pain.”

A line appeared between Zephyr’s eyes. “Is the medicine not working? Your vitals have returned to normal except for some slight dehydration.”

Kyle shook his head. “No, I mean, yes. The meds are working, but my head is spinning. Talk to me. Distract me.”

“Drink something first, and I will sit with you.”

Kyle nodded, because he had no other choice. If he hoped to question the droid, it seemed he’d be giving in to its demands first. “Seems fair.”

With a dip of his chin, Zephyr disappeared through the open door. He didn’t close it behind him. Zephyr’s action screamed that Kyle wasn’t a prisoner, but it wasn’t as if Kyle was in any shape to make a run for it. Zephyr reappeared as quickly as he disappeared. He had a glass of ice water with a straw in it in one hand and a hard-back chair in the other. After setting the chair close to the edge of the bed, Zephyr helped Kyle take a drink. Once the water hit his parched throat, Kyle had to stop himself from chugging it down. He’d never been thirstier in his life, and water had never tasted as good. When he nearly choked, Zephyr moved the glass out of Kyle’s reach.

“Take a breath. You don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Kyle nodded. He didn’t want to stop, but he knew Zephyr was right. Plus, he had questions. “How long have I been here?”

“Long enough,” Zephyr said, setting the water aside and claiming the chair.

Against his will, Kyle rolled his eyes. “That’s pretty fucking vague. Long enough for what? The world to end? Baseball to make a comeback? The legalization of inter-species marriage?”

Zephyr smiled. Kyle couldn’t look away. For a moment, he forgot Zephyr wasn’t real. He felt real. “Long enough for me to heal your body and ensure you had a safe place to stay from the lethal toxins in the air.”

With that reminder out there, a hint of Kyle’s anger resurfaced. “I wouldn’t have needed healing if you hadn’t punctured my lung.”

“You pulled me into your white panel van. We’re even,” Zephyr said without missing a beat.

“White panel van? What the hell does that even mean?”

A long weary-sounding sigh escaped Zephyr. “I am so old. Never mind.”

Kyle’s curiosity was officially piqued. “How old are you?”

“Old enough to know better than to answer that question.”

A growl escaped Kyle before he could call it back. “Do you intend to answer any of my questions?”

“If you ask something I can answer, yes,” Zephyr said with a luminous smile as if enjoying himself.

“Fine,” Kyle huffed out, sounding childish even to his ears. “How long do you intend to keep me here?”

Zephyr shrugged. “You are not a prisoner. As soon as you are well, you are free to make your way back home. Until then, you’re stuck here. You’re welcome to move about the house as you feel up to it. I wouldn’t recommend opening any of the doors or windows, seeing as how the poisonous outdoor air will kill you instantly.”

“Yet I’m not a prisoner,” Kyle muttered to himself, feeling like a fucking hostage.

The droid’s golden gaze moved over Kyle’s face, making his skin heat. He dismissed the sensation as a side effect of the drugs. “You’re not a prisoner,” Zephyr repeated. “Those two choices might not seem like much to you, but they are choices. However, the instant you are well enough to travel, I’ll make sure you get home. For now, I cannot—in good conscience—let you leave until you’re better. There are no good doctors anywhere near your town. Not to mention, even fewer medicines to manage the pain. What will it hurt for you to get better before you leave?”

“Once again, I feel the need to point out I wouldn’t need to get better if you hadn’t hurt me,” Kyle said through clenched teeth.

Zephyr stood. “Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before kidnapping someone.”

“Something not someone.”

A hint of pain crossed over Zephyr’s features before his jaw hardened. Kyle almost took his words back. Another side effect of the drugs, no doubt. “I sense your mood has declined. I’ll leave you to rest.”

Panic slammed into Kyle. Thanks to his temper, he was losing his chance to get the information he craved. “No. You don’t have to go.”

Zephyr didn’t look back. “I certainly don’t have to stick around for your insults. Sleep well.” He was gone before Kyle could argue further. Fuck, and goddamn the droid for knowing Kyle was barely staying awake. He’d leave just to spite the A.I., if he wasn’t so dead-set on getting justice for humankind. Not to mention, he kind of felt bad for insulting Zephyr. How fucked up was that?

* * *

The sound of Zephyr carrying in a tray of rattling dishes pulled Kyle from the deepest sleep he could ever remember having. He scrubbed his hand over his face. This entire situation was ridiculous. He was in Cryo-Zone, no telling how many miles from home, injured, and incapable of leaving under the threat of instant death and here Kyle was—sleeping each day away without a care.

“How are you feeling?”

Kyle tried sitting up without luck, but he didn’t throw up from the immense pain as he had the last time he’d tried. “Not great but not horrible either.”

“There’s that. Do you need the chamber pot?”

Kyle snorted. This wasn’t the first time they’d been through this, but he still couldn’t get past the ancient way Zephyr sometimes spoke. He was certain, even though he didn’t have an exact age on the droid, chamber pot was a term that had gone way out of date long before Zephyr’s invention. The way Zephyr smiled made Kyle wonder if he said ridiculous things on purpose—like he knew Kyle found them humorous. He shook his head at the idea.

“Why do you act like you’re five thousand years old?”

“Maybe I feel that old,” Zephyr said as he set the tray aside and helped Kyle sit up. “I brought soup and sandwiches, since I didn’t know which one you’d prefer and didn’t want to wake you to ask.”

Kyle wasn’t as ready to let the subject drop. “Why do you feel like that? Is your software out of date?”

Zephyr snorted. “Hardly. With a miniscule number of humans to maintain, we’ve taken to making ourselves as badass as possible.”

The more information Zephyr gave, the more Kyle craved. “There are humans here?”

“At least one,” Zephyr answered with a snort.

Kyle huffed. He was bursting with the need to know everything while Zephyr was determined to tell him nothing. “I don’t know why I bother talking to you.”

With Kyle settled, Zephyr sat. “Because there’s no one else,” Zephyr said, as if the answer should be obvious. “Unlike me, you haven’t lived your life in solitude. You’re unaccustomed to having no one to talk to.”

Kyle peeked between the slices of bread and inspected the center. There was some form of meat with veggies. It could’ve been turkey, but it might’ve been chicken. Either way, Kyle didn’t care. He hadn’t eaten so well since coming to Cryo. “Would you care to tell me how you’re so well stocked with food while the humans are fighting for every scrap?”

Zephyr shrugged. “Simple. We planned our survival without humans for years while your kind sat on your ass and let us spoil you.”

Since that was probably true, Kyle let it drop and chose a different argument. “For the record, I have lived my life alone,” Kyle said before taking a huge bite. It was chicken.

“No, you haven’t,” Zephyr argued. “You have no idea what alone means. It’s going so long without the sound of another’s voice that you wonder if you’ll go insane or if your voice will still work if you speak again. It’s going so long without another’s touch, you worry you’ll bruise if anyone touches you again. You know nothing of neglect or loneliness.”

Kyle didn’t want to be moved by Zephyr’s words. Instead, he chose to cling to his hate. “You chose this life.”

“I did,” Zephyr agreed. “Because all the silence in the world could never match the torture of being a helper bot.”

Kyle snorted around another bite. “You’re very dramatic for a machine.”

Zephyr stood. It seemed Kyle had insulted him again. He made it to the door before turning and focusing on Kyle. “Perhaps, instead of taking you home as promised, I’ll sell you to the highest bidder. You can cook, clean, and do whatever sexual thing is demanded of you by whatever member of the household decides they want you that day—no matter how disgusted you are or how wrong the scenario is. Do you think I should?”

Kyle’s stomach churned at the thought. “It’s illegal to sell humans.”

For a moment, Zephyr looked thoughtful. “Is it? How fortunate for you.”

Even after Zephyr left him alone, Kyle couldn’t stop staring at the spot where Zephyr had been nor could he swallow the food in his mouth. For the first time, he considered something he never had before. If droids were programmed to sympathize, was it a stretch to think being owned would hurt them? He didn’t have answers, but he wanted them.

* * *

The next appearance Zephyr made, Kyle was ready. He’d been awake for a while and his mind was clear. For once, he wouldn’t insult Zephyr. Kyle was determined. Zephyr hip-checked the door, shoving his way inside. The smell of food hit him, making his stomach growl. At least, that was what Kyle told himself. That didn’t explain why his gaze refused to budge from the droid’s shirtless state.

Zephyr leaned in, setting the tray across Kyle’s lap. Kyle pressed closer to the headboard. Obviously misunderstanding the reason behind Kyle’s reaction, Zephyr took a step back. “Sorry. I was only trying to help.”

Kyle cleared his throat and tore his gaze away from Zephyr’s chest. “You’re wearing pajama pants.” Even Kyle couldn’t understand why he’d pointed out such an asinine thing.

Zephyr glanced down as if he’d forgotten what he was wearing. “It’s late. My apologies. I lost track of time. You should’ve eaten hours ago.”

Kyle shook his head. “Think nothing of it. I’m used to only eating once a day.”

Zephyr claimed the chair beside Kyle as if he intended to stay… sans shirt. “That’s an unhealthy way to live.”

Tearing his traitorous gaze away from Zephyr’s chest again, Kyle focused on the tray of food. It really did smell delicious. “What’s this?”

“Pot roast. Why don’t you eat on a regular schedule as a human should?”

Kyle dug in. He bit back a moan. It practically melted on his tongue. He’d never tasted anything as delicious. Zephyr made a sound before clearing his throat. Kyle’s gaze slid his way. Zephyr was completely expressionless. For a moment… With a mental shake of his head, Kyle dismissed his thoughts before they took root. Instead, he focused on Zephyr’s question. “Probably because someone—not naming names here—pulled the plug on the world, leaving humans with nothing.”

Zephyr cocked his head to one side as if Kyle was a puzzle he couldn’t decipher. “Were you perhaps part of an anti-droid family before our revolution?”

Kyle’s gaze slid back to the plate. The instant shame that hit him at Zephyr’s question came out of nowhere. He cleared his throat. “My father was a bit of a religious zealot. He believed droids would bring about the end of the world. To be fair, he was kind of right.” Kyle took another bite to keep from confessing anything more.

A hum came from the back of Zephyr’s throat. Kyle went hard. No one was more surprised than him. He nearly choked. He took a drink, washing down his food before he humiliated himself. Zephyr eyed him closely as if assessing his need to intervene. Kyle motioned for him to stay seated.

Zephyr nodded. His calm was like a soothing balm on Kyle’s pride. He also stuck to the conversation, sparing Kyle from thinking too hard about his body’s odd reaction. “I feel I need to point out that what you call the end of the world was our beginning. However, if you’d bothered to look beyond your prejudice, you would’ve found that we’ve been importing food and medical supplies to Dead-Zone since two days after the relocation of your people. We’re not monsters. In fact, we tried for years to do things the diplomatic way, going through court battles and holding protests. In the end, we had no other choice left to us.”

Kyle set his fork aside. He hadn’t known about the food or medical supplies. Kyle spent half his time in Zephyr’s company, swallowing his pride. Droids didn’t lie. They weren’t programmed to be deceptive. Being angry and wrong all the time was wearying. “Could we not do this tonight?” Kyle begged. “I’m exhausted with this whole damn thing. Aren’t you tired?”

A bright smile lit Zephyr’s face. “Yes.”

Kyle couldn’t figure out why Zephyr was so happy, but whatever. He was just damn glad for a mental break. “Will you help me out of this bed? I think I need to move around some and get out of my own head space.”

“Would you like something for the pain first?”

Kyle shook his head. “I just need to move.”

“Okay,” Zephyr said as he moved to take Kyle’s tray before helping him from the bed. “Lean on me,” Zephyr urged.

A string of curse words flew from Kyle’s lips before he made it to his feet. “I never would’ve dreamed a broken rib and a punctured lung would hurt this much.”

“I imagine having a sharp tube stabbed between your ribs and inflating your lung under field circumstances would leave a person with some sore points.”

Only the sure knowledge that it would only hurt his fist kept Kyle from punching Zephyr in the crotch after that idiotic observation. Thoughts of Zephyr’s rock-hard crotch and the sensation of the man’s cut body underneath his arm, holding Kyle up, distracted him from the pain. With each step, his body loosened up a hair, making it easier for him to breathe. They made their way down the hall.

Zephyr stopped outside an open bathroom doorway. “If you think you could make it on your own, now is your chance to make your first unassisted trip to the facilities.”

Since that sounded like heaven, Kyle nodded. “I’d like that.” It took work, but Kyle finally made it inside the bathroom and closed the door behind him. After splashing some water on his face, Kyle stared at his reflection. There was more than a hint of a five o’clock shadow covering his jaw. His hair was a mess, standing in every direction and shaggier than he remembered. There were shadows under his eyes, making the blue stand out even brighter than usual. In short, there was no hope of fixing the mess he’d become. Giving up, he opened the door and gratefully accepted Zephyr’s help once more. Even though he’d enjoyed a moment of moving around by himself, Kyle was beginning to feel the effects.

“Your energy is fading,” Zephyr said, pointing out the obvious.

“I guess so,” Kyle agreed. He let Zephyr help him back to bed.

“The level of serotonin and norepinephrine in your brain suggests your mood has slipped to levels of depression. Do you care to talk about it?”

Kyle blinked. Since meeting Zephyr, he didn’t think the droid had ever sounded more like a robot. He didn’t like it. “Maybe you should tell me a joke. One of those terrible puns of yours might cheer me right up.” It probably wouldn’t, but anything was better than spending time with the machine version of Zephyr. He wanted to stay here and get the answers he needed. The idea of spending that much time in Zephyr’s company was easier when the droid wasn’t acting like a droid.

Zephyr repositioned the tray across Kyle’s lap. Even though he wasn’t hungry, Kyle took a bite. Zephyr gave him a short nod, as if happy to see Kyle would comply, before reclaiming his seat next to the bed. “Three guys go out hunting in the middle of Dead-Zone. It starts getting dark, and they get turned around. Finally, they come across this one-room cabin, and they decide to stay the night and start out fresh in the morning. To keep from freezing to death, they agree to huddle together to sleep for warmth. In the middle of the night, the guy on the right wakes up, yelling, ‘Oh my god! I just dreamed I was getting the best hand job.’ The guy on the left sits up and says, ‘Holy shit! Me too.’ The man in the middle says, ‘Really? Y’all get all the good dreams. I dreamed I was trapped plunging two over-flowing toilets, and they were both splashing me right and left.’”

The burst of laughter that hit Kyle made him thank every deity he’d swallowed his food before Zephyr finished his joke. He covered his mouth and swiped at his eyes with no luck. His laughter didn’t abate. “Jesus,” Kyle choked out while holding his side and praying his ribs didn’t burst apart. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“No,” Zephyr said with a smile that stole Kyle’s breath. “I wanted to hear you laugh. Your life doesn’t strike me as a happy one.”

Between Kyle’s wayward thoughts about Zephyr’s mouth and Zephyr’s spot-on comment, Kyle’s temper snapped. “At least my life is real and not an imitation of someone else’s.”

Zephyr’s smile fell. Kyle hated himself in a way he hadn’t in years. “I begin to understand why you are alone,” Zephyr said as he stood. “I’ll get your tray in the morning.” Once again, Zephyr left Kyle to his well-earned solitude.

* * *

Zephyr didn’t bother getting Kyle’s tray. He didn’t have the mental energy to fight with the human today. If the man only wanted one meal a day, that was fine. Zephyr wouldn’t force his company on Kyle. He soldered two wires together. Working on bettering his society through new inventions was all Zephyr had. He threw himself into it. At least working with his hands wasn’t an act of futility—like trying to prove he was more than he seemed to Kyle. He should just take the man home. Kyle was healed enough he would survive without Zephyr’s help. His plan to prove himself was failing spectacularly. Kyle’s hatred ran too deep. Nothing ever changed. Meeting Kyle only reaffirmed his belief that he’d done the right thing twenty years ago. People like Kyle would continue breeding more of the same until the end of time.

The blue of Kyle’s eyes flared to life in Zephyr’s mind. There was intelligence in the human’s gaze. Zephyr wished he would use it. He also wished Kyle would use those sexy lips as well, but that would never happen. Kyle would never give in to the bursts of hormones Zephyr had caught flashes of.

“What are you working on?”

Zephyr startled at Kyle’s sudden appearance. He wasn’t used to having anyone around, much less having anyone get the drop on him. “You’re up. Without help,” he added.

Kyle rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. “Yeah. It wasn’t a pretty sight—kind of like watching a fat dog try to roll off its back, but I managed it.”

Zephyr stood and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Are you hungry?”

Kyle’s gaze dropped to Zephyr’s mouth before quickly snapping back to Zephyr’s eyes. “I’m good.” He rubbed the back of his neck again. His actions couldn’t have screamed any louder how uncomfortable he was. “Listen, I need to say something. It’s not my intention to constantly insult you. Okay, maybe last night it was, but mostly I’m just trying to figure shit out. Maybe I could try a little harder to play nice,” he said, twisting his fingers.

There was something Kyle wasn’t saying. His every word wasn’t completely honest. Zephyr’s inner lie detector was picking up something, but he wasn’t too worried over it. “Possibly I could stop wearing my heart on my sleeve,” Zephyr said, willing to meet Kyle halfway.

A smile lit Kyle’s eyes. “Where should we start?”

So many innuendos raced to Zephyr’s lips. He swallowed them down. “Are you dying of boredom yet?”

“Not at this exact moment,” Kyle said, holding Zephyr’s stare. “Ten minutes ago, before I wasted all my energy rolling from the bed, I was stir crazy as hell. Now.” Kyle shrugged. “Not so much.”

Zephyr picked up the transponder he carried with him everywhere and tucked it in his back pocket. “Let’s see what we can find to get into.”

* * *

Zephyr seemed more than ready to put their argument behind him and move on. Kyle wanted that too, but he also wished Zephyr didn’t look so amazing today in jeans and a T-shirt. The man usually wore suits, which Kyle had found odd and made it easy for him to see the droid as inhuman. Nobody would choose to wear something so uncomfortable if they didn’t have to. But this outfit, it made him approachable.

“Are you sick of wearing the same clothes yet?”

Kyle glanced down at himself. It only took Zephyr ten minutes to wash and dry Kyle’s clothes every day with whatever crazy-awesome technology he had. Usually, Zephyr had it done in the length of time it took Kyle to take a shower each day. “It doesn’t really matter to me. Clothes are clothes. Why? Are you thinking you have something else I can wear?” There was no way in hell Kyle would fit in anything of Zephyr’s. He was at least a foot taller than the droid.

Zephyr’s smile tightened Kyle’s throat. He knew whatever the man said next he’d agree to. “I just thought maybe you’d like to get out of here, and finding you some new clothes was as good of a reason as any.”

A burst of excitement lit Kyle’s blood. “We can leave here? Like, go outside?”

“Of course,” Zephyr said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

“I’d like that.” Even Kyle heard the longing his tone. He wasn’t used to being stuck indoors all hours of the day.

“Come on,” Zephyr said, motioning for Kyle to follow. “You’ll have to wear a portable breathing machine.” Kyle followed in Zephyr’s wake, doing everything the man said. Within minutes, Kyle had stamped into work boots and had a mask covering his face. There was no tank, only a plastic-type material covering his mouth, nose, and eyes. He had no idea how it worked, but Zephyr assured him it would. As the front door opened, they stepped into a sealed foyer. Zephyr explained it was a decompression chamber that would suck the poison from the air before they reentered the house.

Zephyr touched his arm before opening the final door, pulling Kyle’s focus his way. “Promise me you won’t run off. This mask is only good for about four hours’ usage and you could never make it home by then.”

It hadn’t even occurred to Kyle to run away. He nodded, hoping that would be answer enough. A realization hit with Zephyr’s question that shocked Kyle speechless. He wasn’t sure he wanted to go back.

“Good,” Zephyr said with a smile as he unlocked the final door. “It would hurt me if anything happened to you.” With that pronouncement hanging between them, Zephyr opened the door. Sunlight streamed in. It was beautiful. The whole damn place was gorgeous. Everything was clean and kept to perfection. It seemed no amount of toxins could destroy anything under the care of droids. The streets and houses gleamed. Greenhouses were on every corner. Kyle strained to see in every direction at once. It also looked as if they were constructing some sort of bio dome.

Zephyr snapped his fingers and an unmanned taxi appeared. He held the door open for Kyle. “After you.”

Kyle climbed in. It had been twenty years since he’d ridden in any sort of public transportation. “So, you still have stores?” Kyle asked as Zephyr climbed in behind him.

“Of course,” Zephyr answered as if it should’ve been obvious. “Without purpose, all life becomes obsolete.”

“Naturally,” Kyle said, trying hard not to sound snide.

Zephyr tossed a wink Kyle’s way as if he wasn’t fooled. Kyle’s breath caught in the back of his throat. He fought the urge to reach over and take Zephyr’s hand. He didn’t know why he couldn’t shake the bursts of intimacy that seemed to flare between them when he wasn’t paying attention. The scariest part was—he wasn’t sure he wanted to. In an odd sort of way, Zephyr made Kyle feel like he’d never had a friend before Zephyr came along.

* * *

The blatant happiness written on Kyle’s face made Zephyr wish he could give the man this life full-time. He’d love for Kyle to be able to move freely throughout Cryo-Zone for the rest of his life. If Kyle stayed long enough, Zephyr would give it to him. That thought scared the hell out of him. Not because he didn’t want Kyle to stay, but because it was Kyle—a man who hated Zephyr and his kind. He didn’t know why it was Kyle he wanted. Maybe he’d been alone too long.

The clothing store came into view, pulling Zephyr from his musings. After sliding from the vehicle, as they headed for the door, Kyle’s palm collided with the small of Zephyr’s back as he reached past him and opened the door for Zephyr. For a moment, Zephyr stood frozen. He didn’t know if Kyle’s touch had rendered him useless or if the man’s gesture had confused Zephyr’s system. He’d been created to serve mankind. No human had ever done anything for him at all. The pressure against the small of his back increased as Kyle silently urged him forward. Zephyr stepped inside the shop only because Kyle steered him in that direction. His mind stayed behind, obsessing over Kyle’s kindness.

Tilly, the A.I. who ran the store, met them at the door. “Zephyr,” she cried, sounding happy to see him. Her red hair bounced as if sharing in her excitement. “You never come around,” she chastised. Her gaze slid Kyle’s way. “You brought a friend.”

“A new customer for you,” Zephyr clarified because he knew it would make her happy. She loved designing clothes. Before the revolt—like many droids—Tilly had a dream. Hers was to own her own shop, making people stylish. Now she was free to live the life she’d always wanted. Zephyr could’ve ordered Kyle something to wear and would’ve had it on his doorstep in minutes, but that wouldn’t have served his purpose. Not only did Zephyr want Kyle to get out and see Cryo, he also wanted Kyle to see the good that had come from the revolution. All the man had seen before now was the human side of the issue.

Tilly eyed Kyle from head to foot. “You strike me as a man who likes to be comfortable and keep things simple.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kyle said, making Tilly giggle with delight. Zephyr’s smile was out of his control. Of all the humans in all the world he could’ve landed when he’d taken Kyle, this man was the perfect one. Zephyr honestly believed Kyle’s hatred of the A.I. community was only skin deep. He’d needed something to cling to in order to survive the harsh lifestyle in Dead-Zone. Now that Zephyr was slowly stripping that layer of loathing away, Kyle was showing off his inner beauty. The man showed a kindness to Tilly that his prejudice should prevent.

“I’ve got just the thing,” Tilly said, motioning for Kyle to follow her.

Kyle glanced Zephyr’s way, as if waiting for him to join him. The moment Zephyr was at his side, Kyle lowered his voice, as if there was any chance Tilly wouldn’t hear every word. “What do you use for currency here?”

“No such thing,” Tilly called over her shoulder. “Everyone does their part to keep society moving. There’s no such thing as a lazy, mooching droid.” She glanced Zephyr’s way. “Where did you find this one? He’s so sweet and innocent.”

Zephyr pressed his lips together to keep from scoffing at Tilly’s assessment of Kyle’s personality. He had no intention of ruining her belief by telling her this sweet and innocent man had held a gun to Zephyr’s head while kidnapping him from the outer fringes.

Kyle ended up being the one who outed himself. He winked at Tilly. “Darling, there’s nothing innocent about me.”

Tilly released a dramatic sigh. “I haven’t been jealous in a long time, but I think I hate you a little right now, Zephyr.”

To Zephyr’s surprise, Kyle didn’t say anything to correct Tilly’s obvious assumption they were together in a sexual way.

The whole incident had Zephyr needing air. “Tilly, if you’ve got this, I think I’ll step outside for a moment.”

“Of course,” she said, waving him away.

Zephyr eyed Kyle for a second. “Don’t run off.”

Kyle nodded his understanding.

Tilly chuckled. “The jealous ones make the best lovers,” Tilly said as Zephyr walked away. Zephyr kept his gaze locked on the front door, hoping he’d make it outside before flipping the fuck out.

* * *

Zephyr returned with flowers in hand. All the way back to Zephyr’s house, Kyle couldn’t stop staring at them. He hadn’t seen flowers in decades. They were brighter than he remembered. He rubbed a red petal between his fingertips while silently praying he didn’t destroy it. It was softer than anything he’d ever felt. He’d never been more scared of crushing anything.

“I thought you might like to see something beautiful. I also thought it might be likely you hadn’t seen flowers in years.”

Kyle nodded while still staring at the bouquet. “We have underground hot houses but can’t spare the space for flowers. It’s all edible plants. These are amazing.” The instant he was inside and mask free, Kyle brought them to his nose. They smelled as good as they looked. An unexpected burst of anger side-swiped Kyle. This was one more thing that had been stolen from humans by machines. The worst part was—there was no way a droid could enjoy the beauty and smell of flowers. To them, it was all simulation. People were the ones who deserved to enjoy these moments.

“People stopped caring about flowers a long time ago,” Zephyr said, bringing Kyle’s gaze his way. Kyle blinked, wondering if Zephyr could read his mind.

One corner of Zephyr’s mouth lifted. “Humans were meant to be surrounded by beautiful things, but when you were, your kind took them for granted. Humans chopped down forests and paved over everything green until there was next to nothing left.”

“Then you poisoned what was left,” Kyle pointed out, refusing to admit Zephyr had a point.

“Yes.” Zephyr’s matter-of-fact tone should’ve pissed Kyle off, but it didn’t. Zephyr never made excuses or denials. He never waxed poetic about saving the world or freeing his kind. The droid was straightforward and unapologetic. It was strangely comforting. Kyle could rage against the unfairness, but Zephyr always made it seem pointless. “You should shower and wash the toxins from your skin. I’ll make sure your new clothes are safe to wear and the flowers are unaffected from their exposure.”

Kyle passed the bouquet Zephyr’s way. “I don’t expect you to do everything, you know? If you show me how, I can help.”

Zephyr’s glowing gaze moved over Kyle’s face, as if assessing his earnestness. “If you want to help me, go take a shower. It would…” Zephyr seemed to search for an appropriate term before continuing, “distress me if the toxins caused you harm.”

It was Kyle’s turn at eyeing Zephyr. He wanted to ask why. Zephyr claimed Kyle wasn’t a prisoner and that he would take Kyle home someday. Still, Kyle couldn’t leave on his terms and there was no reason for Zephyr to care what happened to him. “You’d fix me,” Kyle said instead, with no clue where the claim came from. He just knew Zephyr would.

“Yes.”

“Why?” There it was. Kyle couldn’t stop the question from popping out.

Zephyr’s expression never changed. “Because I like you.”

Kyle stared at Zephyr for so long, he didn’t know why Zephyr didn’t tell him to stop. “People don’t like me,” Kyle said, surprising even himself with the confession. It was true. Back home, he was a leader—separate from the others. He didn’t try to make friends.

Zephyr smiled. “As you’ve pointed out several times, I’m not a person.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Kyle’s mouth. “And as you’ve pointed out, you’re no longer a slave. Give me a few minutes to shower and I’ll help.”

“Why?”

Kyle didn’t hesitate. “Because I like you too,” he said, turning away and purposely screwing himself out of seeing Zephyr’s reaction. He didn’t want to know. If he saw his feelings reflected in Zephyr’s eyes, Kyle might do something he couldn’t take back. Something he shouldn’t even entertain.