Title: Captivated
Series: The Verge, Book Two
Author: A.C. Thomas
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 04/26/2021
Length: 73400
Genre: Science Fiction, LGBTQIA+, sci-fi, gay, nerd/linguist, space pirate, space travel/road trip, abduction/captive, twins, interracial, class difference, tattoos, body mods, humorous, opposites attract, outrageous flirting, sexual banter, undergarments, ribbon play
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Description
Dr. Theophrastus Campbell leads a comfortable life, along with his twin brother, buried in academia. His unique gift for obscure languages goes unnoticed as he teaches University students to conjugate Latin. Everything in his world is just as it should be; restrained, understated, boring. He would give anything to break away. In all his daydreams of adventure, Theo never expected it to arrive in the form of an outrageously attractive Outlier covered in intriguing tattoos. And Theo never thought the price he might pay for adventure would be his own freedom.
Captain Park Jun-Seo leads a dangerous life, running a Crew of misfits through Restricted space as he desperately searches for the key to completing his parents’ work. Work that could mean the difference between life and death for countless others. In all of his frantic searching, Jun never expected to find the key in the form of a beautiful professor with more brilliance than good sense. And he never thought the price he might pay for knowledge would be his own heart.
Stoic Jun and irrepressible Theo must work together to break the code before their time is up. Falling into bed together is effortless, but their growing connection wasn’t in the plan. Theo charms his way beneath Jun’s skin with every nonsensical move he makes. Jun must decide if he can make room in his harsh, goal-driven life for the unpredictable force of love. Theo begins their journey as a lighthearted adventure—until he cracks Jun’s tough facade to reveal the hero within. Theo must decide if he can risk his battered heart when Jun is risking everything.
In the lawless depths of space, can two captive hearts set each other free?
Captivated
A.C. Thomas © 2021
All Rights Reserved
“Sorry. For scaring you.”
Jun hovered in the doorway, reluctant to breach the threshold as he waited for Theo to get up. He had done enough breaching, already. Felt like the worst kind of brute. Considering that he used to get paid for roughing up his boss’s enemies, he should know how a brute felt.
Exhaustion molded the steel in his spine into brittle lines as he crossed his arms in an attempt to hold himself more tightly together.
Hold it together, Park.
He felt as if he was falling apart, like some Raider junk ship, razor-edged pieces flying off in all directions. Crumbling from within beneath pressure he wasn’t built to withstand.
Theo sat up on the bed, eyes wide with alarm and blazing red hair flying in every direction. He swiftly buttoned his jacket and felt around for something among the sheets without ever looking away from Jun.
Jun kept his gaze respectfully above Theo’s open collar, ignoring the slender throat on display. He had not earned the privilege of seeing things usually kept hidden. An Outlier he might be, but he was no stranger to Core conventions.
With sharp, quick movements, Theo righted his clothing and tied his cravat around his neck, freeing Jun’s gaze to wander as he spat out his response, emerald eyes on fire. “To which occasion do you refer? You do seem to expend an awful lot of energy on intimidation tactics. I would be hard-pressed to pinpoint exactly which you feel the need to apologize for.”
Oh, he knew exactly what Jun was referring to. The little shit.
Stars. He was magnificent.
Jun had not been this blindsided since he was fourteen, joining up with his first Crew only to discover they were a bunch of bloodthirsty bullies with no moral compass.
The feeling of self-betrayal was the same, even if the circumstances couldn’t be more different.
Jun didn’t have time for admiration, for the possibility of it developing into anything more. He didn’t have room in his life for more. Not now.
Certainly not with someone he had wronged so severely.
He kept his gaze steady and contrite, dragging each word out by sheer force of will, harsh and staccato and still only half as awkward as he felt. “Last night, on the bed. I didn’t mean to imply that I would—” He couldn’t even say the word, internally cursing himself for a coward. “—do that. I won’t. So. You don’t need to worry. About that.”
Great.
Very clear, well done, Captain. So commanding. That definitely made up for throwing an innocent man on the bed and pinning him down with your inappropriately invested dick.
He fought the urge to bury his face in his hands, maintaining his authoritative stance by a hair. The back of his neck burned with shame and humiliation he hoped his less-than-willing guest couldn’t see.
Theo scoffed as he yanked the lace at his collar and cuffs into place, his harsh movements against the delicate material only serving to underscore Jun’s guilt at his rough treatment the night before.
Although, Dr. Campbell was already proving to be significantly more substantial than he appeared at first glance. Partially because, at first glance, all Jun had found was astonishing beauty.
It wasn’t fair for him to be so gorgeous. Why couldn’t he have been a doddering old man with whiskers down to his elbows? It was nothing short of the universe punishing Jun for his misdeeds that Theo was made in the exact, bratty shape of his most embarrassing dreams.
Theo gave a disdainful sniff, every inch of him screaming his upper-crust Core background. Jun would know, having endured the same affectation from his Core-born parents for most of his life.
“I suppose,” Theo continued, “I ought to thank you for your chivalry, is that it? You want to assure me that while you are perfectly willing to hurt me, and you wish for me to remain in fear of you, my virtue shall remain intact. How magnanimous of you. Truly, sir, you are a gentleman of the highest order. My knight in shining armor.”
The gun at Jun’s side weighed more heavily in his holster beneath Theo’s accusing gaze. Jun struggled to come up with the words to reassure him that he would not come to harm at Jun’s hands. It was with the full, exhausting knowledge that it was too little, too late, that he finally responded, soft and low. “I won’t hurt you.”
“Really? Excellent.” Theo’s voice had gained an edge that left Jun metaphorically bleeding all over the grungy metal floor. “So I’ll just leave, then, shall I? Whenever I want?”
Panic surged, toppling Jun’s good intentions like a flimsy tower of sticks as he stepped into the room, resisting the urge to reach out and hold Theo in place. “No. You can’t leave.”
Jun had only just found him. Dr. Campbell, the key to the brick wall of code he’d been slamming his head against for over a year. He couldn’t allow him to slip through his guilty, bloodstained fingers, now.
In true, magnificent form, Theo pushed off the bed and stood facing Jun, arms akimbo.
Throughout his career, Jun had stared down heavily armed men twice Theo’s size who weren’t half as fearless. He tried to dampen the fire in his heart that Theo’s snappish tone had set ablaze.
“And precisely how do you intend to enforce my captivity without hurting me?” Theo demanded. “Tape me to another chair? Glue my shoes to the floor like the villain of a children’s story?”
In different circumstances, Jun would have him against the wall with his slender wrists pinned above his head, where he could show Dr. Campbell exactly what his insolence would earn him. Probably twice, before he was done for the night.
But the inestimable Dr. Theo Campbell was Jun’s captive, not his…anything else. He was a crucial component in Jun’s plans. Thousands of lives hinged upon his cooperation. Any attraction Jun might feel, however intense and unexpected, was a distraction he couldn’t afford. In these circumstances, Jun had to think with his head, not with his—
Circumstances being what they were, he kept a respectful distance, meeting Theo’s glare with one of his own, an expression that usually cowed all but the toughest members of his Crew. “I’ll do what I have to do.”
Bare, pink toes curled against the cold metal floor as Theo stalked closer, not in the least intimidated by Jun’s carefully cultivated scowl. “Yes, that’s just what a villain would say, isn’t it? Now, can you do an evil laugh for effect? I’d like to get the full experience.”
Three times. Twice, against the wall, and then once on the bed after Dr. Campbell was all wrung-out and needy.
Under different, less shitty circumstances.
But Jun didn’t have time for thoughts of long red hair and fiery eyes when every ounce of his exhausted focus must remain on his goal.
Or else, what was the point of all this? All of the sacrifice and loss, the compromised ethics, the kidnapping of an innocent academic. And all the other things that kept him awake during his rest cycle.
He had to remain firm, speak honestly and quietly, try not to intimidate while retaining his authority. “I have no intention of hurting you.”
Theo stepped a little closer, lifting his chin, elegant spine rigid with defiance. “I suppose you know what they say about good intentions? You will or you won’t; your intentions mean nothing. Either way, I’m leaving at the next opportunity, so I imagine you’ll have to decide.”
There was fear in the back of his eyes. Fear matched by the dread in Jun’s chest at the notion of losing him when Jun was finally so close to getting the answers he needed.
Jun fought against pleading. “No. You can’t.” He winced internally as panic echoed in his voice, low and sharp.
Theo strode purposefully toward the doorway Jun was blocking as if he had any idea where he was going. “I suppose we shall just have to wait and see precisely what I can and cannot do.”
Pressing one hand flat to Theo’s warm chest, Jun held him at arm’s length, palm sweaty against the lace of his cravat. In his exhaustion, Jun finally lost control, panic breaking through as he rasped, “People will die.”
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A.C. Thomas left the glamorous world of teaching preschool for the even more glamorous world of staying home with her toddler. Between the diaper changes and tea parties, she escapes into fantastical worlds, reading every romance available and even writing a few herself.
She devours books of every flavor—science fiction, historical, fantasy—but always with a touch of romance because she believes there is nothing more fantastical than the transformative power of love.
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