When Zaeed emerged from the bedroom the next morning, Jessica was already awake; he could hear her messing around in the kitchen. Following the noise, he found her digging through the newly stocked fridge. She was dressed, barely, in a well-fitted white t-shirt and a criminally small pair of pink panties. She was bent over at the waist, riffling through the bottom shelf with her ass in the air.
Zaeed, still half erect from his morning wood, was now fully hard and his immediate instinct was to grab her by the waist and fuck her right into the fridge. That he was able to delay that impulse spoke highly of his restraint. He wasn't entirely clear on where they stood. She had offered her body in exchange for his skills, but they hadn't established any kind of ground rules or contract. Was this tit for tat or did he have free reign to indulge himself while she was under his roof? He wasn't sure, but he figured if she was going to walk around his kitchen flaunting her goods like that, she couldn't be surprised when he took advantage.
He decided to test the waters and let out a low whistle, "all those clothes you bought yesterday, and this is what you're wearing?"
She looked back over her shoulder and winked, "this is just for your benefit. I usually sleep naked." She went back to digging through the fridge. but Zaeed saw her put a little wiggle in her hips.
"Oh, that's it," he took two quick strides across the room and locked his arms around her waist. She squealed as he half-lifted, half-dragged her away, kicking the fridge door closed behind him. He dropped her in front of the kitchen island, pushing her down into the countertop. He held her by the back of her neck and ground his erection into her barely covered ass as he whispered in her ear, "you're a goddamn little tease, aren't you? Do you know what happens to a tease?"
"Is that supposed to scare me, old man?" she bit back and pushed her ass further into him.
Zaeed growled and grabbed her by her hair, forcing her to arch up toward him. With his other hand he reached between her thighs and dragged his fingers along her slit through those ridiculous panties, finding them already damp.
"What's this now?" he taunted, pushing his fingers in deeper, "seems like this little tease is looking to get fucked."
She opened her mouth to retort, but his fingers found their way to her clit, rubbing through the soft cotton, and she let out a stifled moan instead.
"You're all worked up," he said, "you've been thinking about this all morning, haven't you?"
"Oh, shut up and fuck me already," she said, wantonly rubbing herself against his calloused fingers.
"Pretty sure you're not the one making demands around here, sweetheart," he pulled his fingers back just long enough to slip his hand under the waistband of her panties, dragging the wetness from her core before returning to circle around her stiffening clit. His other hand released her hair, his arm moving around her chest instead to keep her in position. She whimpered a small complaint until he lowered his head, alternating between licking, kissing, and biting her neck and shoulders. She tilted her head to the left to give him better access and he indulged her, sinking his teeth into the soft skin as he slid one thick finger inside her. She let out a long moan and thrust her hips back harder. He bit back his own sound as he felt her clench around his finger and thought about how good she'd feel on his cock,
"Fuck, you've got a tight little cunt, girlie."
"It's Jessica," she panted out at him.
"Doesn't suit you," he stated simply before adding, "let's see if we can't stretch you out a bit," and he pushed a second finger alongside the first, thrusting slowly even as she tried to increase the pace. She groaned half in pleasure, half in frustration as he kept her pinned with his arm and legs and continued to work her open slow and steady.
He kept fucking her on his fingers and biting bruises into her back until her underwear were thoroughly soaked and her moans turned into whines. He released his hold on her torso and stepped back to peel the ruined garment down her legs. She leaned over the island again and spread her legs, giving him a perfect view of her now wet and swollen lips. He groaned, pulled toward her like a magnet. He rapidly unfastened his pants and grasped his hard length with fingers still coated in her slickness. He hesitated for one last second,
"You've got your implant, yeah?" he asked through gritted teeth.
"Yeah, you?" she asked, breathless.
"All good, sweetheart," he didn't need any more bastards running around the galaxy.
"Then, please," she reached back blindly, trying to pull him closer.
He was well past the point of being able to taunt her; with one hand on her spine, he lined himself up and pushed into her in one smooth thrust.
"Oh, fuck," she moaned, and Zaeed let out his own string of curses. She felt incredible and she looked even better. Laid out over his kitchen island, her skin was so soft and pale, her shoulders covered in tiny freckles and the marks from his teeth, her beautiful red hair tumbled over one side. Leaning back, he could watch her cunt stretch around him as he fucked her and goddamn if that wasn't his favourite sight. He smoothed his hands down her long back and over her waist before gripping his fingers into her hips, gaining purchase so he could drive into her harder and deeper.
He wasn't going to last long with this kind of stimulation. He reached around her again to tease at her wetness, "I want you to come for me. I wanna feel you squeezing down on my cock while you scream." Jessica whimpered as he assaulted her clit, rubbing and pinching as he slammed into her, and it was a good thing the island was bolted into the floor. He pushed her shoulders down into the counter and with the change of angle she started to wail. He gave her clit a couple of good tugs and she came screaming. Just like he wanted, her walls clamped down around him so tight it almost hurt, and with a few more thrusts he was spilling inside her with a long groan.
He stroked her back as they both came down from their high. He kissed her shoulder as he pulled out, then took a moment to admire the way she looked filled with his cum. He grabbed a kitchen towel to clean himself off with before tucking himself back in his pants. He gave Jessica a quick swat on the ass, "go hop in the shower and I'll start breakfast."
She looked back at him with a half-hearted glare that was hard to take seriously with her incredibly relaxed face. She pushed herself up on shaky legs before snatching her panties off the floor and heading for the bathroom.
Zaeed was starting to think this was the best decision he'd ever made.
~ ~ ~
After breakfast, Jessica was eager to start training, but Zaeed made her wait for a bit. He wanted to start her on some hand-to-hand basics, and he didn't fancy being vomited on if he flipped her too fast. He claimed one of the armchairs and went back to reading the novel he was working through back on Vatar, while she curled up on the couch and poked around the extranet on a datapad he lent her. Every ten minutes or so, he'd feel her staring at him impatiently and he'd do his best to ignore her and keep reading. After the fifth time, when she had started making puppy eyes at him, he gave in, "hop on the bloody treadmill then, get warmed up." She practically bounced off the couch.
He followed behind her and showed her the controls before grabbing a pair of dumbbells for himself, going through some reps while she ran. When he was on his second set of curls, he noticed her watching him again, "enjoying the show?"
"Not bad for an old man, I guess," she feigned indifference.
"Laugh it up while you can, Jessie, before this 'old man' kicks your arse."
Her gait stumbled and she almost fell before jumping off the treadmill. She looked at him with a queer expression on her face.
"What?" he asked.
She shook her head, "nothing. It's just been a long time since anyone's called me that." She poked at the controls, stopping the treadmill.
Zaeed set down his weights and watched, trying to get a read on her.
"I can call you something else, I just think it suits you better," he said honestly.
She gave a small laugh that didn't reach her eyes, "that's what Jo always said too."
"Jo?"
"My sister, Joanna," she kept her eyes down, fiddling with the settings, "she didn't make it off Mindoir."
"Hey. I'm sorry," Zaeed stood there feeling uncomfortable. He felt like he should put a hand on her shoulder or something, but he wasn't sure she would want that from him. "I can stick with Jessica."
"No," she replied quickly, "no, really. I prefer Jessie. It just caught me off guard." She finally looked up at him and he was once again startled by the intense green of her eyes, "it's nice to hear it again." She had the smallest hint of a smile at one corner of her lips.
"Jessie it is then," he nodded at her.
"Now get your sweet little ass over here and I'll show you how to throw a punch."
***
A week had passed since they arrived on Omega. Zaeed had kept up his end of the bargain so far and he was impressed with the progress Jessie had already made. He wasn't sure if it was a natural talent or if it was just her sheer enthusiasm and determination that was driving her. Her hand-to-hand skills were definitely improving, but it was shooting that excited her the most. It was ironic that she had so stubbornly refused to fire a gun back on Mindoir. She was already competent with most basic firearms, but it was when she picked up a sniper rifle that she truly excelled. She had a long way to go before she'd be able to out-shoot him, but she was such a natural that he expected she would eventually get there. Assuming she kept up with her training, that is.
It was late afternoon and they had recently returned from the range after a few hours of practice. Zaeed was tired, but Jessie was still buzzing with excitement from her practice with the rifle, so he set her to training on the punching bag while he read on the couch. Every so often he'd look up to check her form and offer corrections, but she could train on her own well enough by this point.
Jessie paused her workout to grab a glass of water from the kitchen, leaning over the counter while she sipped. Zaeed could feel her watching him once again and glanced up at her over his datapad.
"What are you reading?" she asked.
"It's a collection of stories from the First Contact War," he answered.
Jessie screwed up her nose, "war stories? Really?"
Zaeed shrugged, "I'm a simple man, I like what I like. Besides, there was no other war like it. It was the first time we saw actual aliens in the flesh. There we were, barely out of our system for the first time and suddenly we were fighting for our lives against goddamn talking dinosaurs. We didn't even have mass effect weapons yet; we were still shooting goddamn lead."
Jessie eyed him, "you fought in the war?"
"I'd already left the Alliance by that point, but yeah, I did some fighting. Freelanced a few missions as a specialist. Before the Alliance sent in the second fleet to retake Shanxi, there were a handful of us hired to scout ahead, do some reconnaissance, and take out some key players. Sniped my fair share of Turians in those last weeks. Hell of a time to be alive, I tell ya."
Jessie finished her water and left the glass in the sink, "I'll have to take your word for it. I was only three when the war started, I don't remember any of it."
Zaeed snorted and rolled his eyes, "kids."
She stuck her tongue out at him, "just how old are you anyway?"
"Forty-one, what's it to you?" he challenged her.
She moved around the counter, closer to him, "Geez, you're old enough to be my father, you perv."
"Excuse me?" he cocked an eyebrow at her, "I seem to remember it being you who initiated this little arrangement, sweetheart. Besides, I haven't heard any complaints so far, so if anything, you're the pervert here, screwing dirty old men."
Jessie just smirked at him and crawled into his lap, legs on either side of his, her loose exercise shorts bunching at the tops of her thighs. She draped her arms around his neck and looked at him with exaggerated innocence, "well since I've been such a naughty girl, I guess you'll have to spank me daddy."
Zaeed growled and grabbed her by the hips, dragging her down across his rapidly hardening cock, "I think you're right, little girl." He leaned forward to capture her mouth, and she quickly opened to him, all heat and tongue. His body was screaming at him to fuck her right then and there, but this little game of hers was too much fun to pass up.
Grabbing her firmly by the waist, Zaeed stood up just long enough to spin her sideways before dropping back down onto the couch with her, now belly-down over his lap. She gave a tiny squeak as she fell into place, her legs kicking indignantly. Zaeed gave her ass a quick warning slap, "hold still sweetheart, or I'll do a lot worse."
Jessie gave a little whine but stilled in his lap. "That's better," he said. Taking hold of the waistband of her shorts, he slowly pulled them down, along with her panties, leaving them to sit around her ankles. He gently ran his hand over the cheeks of her ass, warming the skin. Occasionally his fingers would trail down further, brushing near the apex of her thighs, but never quite touching the wet heat there. He kept up his teasing until he felt her squirm, just a little, trying to move her sex closer to his fingers, then he pulled back and brought his hand down swiftly, clapping against the tender skin.
She jumped and screamed, unprepared for the attack. "I told you to stay still," he said warningly.
"Fuck you!" she snapped back at him, and he immediately slapped her ass again. He hit harder this time, but she was more prepared and just let out a small gasp.
"Little girls shouldn't use such foul language," he admonished her with another slap.
She bit back any noise that time, "yeah? And what are you going to do about it, old man?"
Another hard smack fell across her ass, "I'm going to spank you until apologize properly," he warned her.
She just snorted at him.
Oh, he was going to enjoy this.
He slapped her ass three times in quick succession, getting little more than a grunt from her. Pausing his punishment, he smoothed his hands over her backside again, the skin now flushing a deep pink. He trailed lower once more, just brushing the edges of her cunt, before landing a stinging slap on her upper thigh. That one pulled a little gasp from her, so he pulled back and slapped the other thigh and she whimpered.
He alternated between spanking her ass and her thighs, testing different ways to let the hits land, seeing which made her react the most. He nudged her legs apart so he could slap the sensitive skin of her inner thighs and she whined at this and tried to squeeze her legs shut, but he held her firmly in place. He didn't fail to notice the wetness gathering there.
"Are you ready to apologize yet?" he tested.
She struggled, but stubbornly shook her head no.
"Suit yourself," he said, and brought his open palm down to slap her exposed pussylips. She screamed again and the sound went straight to his cock. He swung a second time and she let out a choked sound and tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes.
"How about now?" he asked. She froze, not quite defying him but still unwilling to give in. He brought back his hand one more time, and slapped her cunt squarely, making sure this time he caught her clit.
Jessie screeched and tried to claw her way off his lap, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please stop!" Zaeed pressed one hand into her lower back to still her and lifted her chin with the other. Her face was streaked with tears now, but her cunt was so wet it was leaving a damp patch on his pants.
"Apologize properly then," he shifted her off his lap so she was kneeling in front of him. She looked up at him with tousled hair, her lips quivering, and her eyes filled with tears. It stirred a part of him he hadn't even known existed.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," she whispered, and Zaeed had to bite his tongue to supress a moan of pure lust. He reached down a hand and caressed her cheek, wiping away the tears there.
"There's my good girl," he murmured and smoothed her hair back into place before trailing his hand down to her mouth. He brushed his thumb lightly over her bottom lip and her tongue darted out to taste it, so he pushed it in, letting her suck on it while her eyes drifted closed. When she released him, his hands moved to undo his belt, "do you want to show me how sorry you are?"
She nodded at him mutely, while he unfastened his pants, his cock aching in its confines. Once it was freed, she sat forward on her knees and placed tiny kisses over the head and down the shaft, so delicately he could feel her breath more than her lips. Moving back, she let her tongue trail along the length until she reached the small slit at the end, taking a drop of precum with her. She lapped at the underside of the head like a kitten, humming little noises to herself. Zaeed ran his fingers gently through her hair, petting her and praising her,
"That's a sweet girl, just like that darling." He was absolutely mesmerized watching her tiny movements. She barely touched him, but he was so painfully aroused that every touch burned like fire through his blood. When he couldn't stand it anymore, he gripped her by the back of the hair and very slowly pushed her mouth down over his cock. She began to move on her own, so he loosened his grip and went back to stroking her hair, "fuck, that's my girl. Look at you, you're doing so good."
She was squirming now, under his praise, pressing her thighs together trying to find some relief. She looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"What do you need, sweetheart? Do you need my cock?" he asked, stroking her cheek. She nodded, mouth still stuffed with his dick. "Ask nicely then."
She pulled back, catching her breath, and gazed up at him, "Please Daddy? Will you please fuck me?"
Fuck, she was going to be the death of him.
"How could I say no to you?" Zaeed pulled her up and lay her back onto the couch, quickly stripping off the last of her clothes and then removing his own. He took a moment just to look down at her, lying naked on his couch, flushed and breathing heavily. She was so fucking beautiful.
He moved over her then, kneeling between her legs. He grasped her right one under the knee and swung it over his shoulder, positioning the tip of his dick at her entrance. He rubbed his cockhead through her folds spreading her slick around, then thrusting over her clit a few times while she mewled. He leaned down to kiss her sweetly, and whispered, "good girl," as he slid into her agonizingly slowly.
She was making breathy little noises by the time he bottomed out with a moan. He pulled back and thrust again, taking his time, enjoying the way she whimpered under him. He kept up the languid pace even as her sounds grew desperate, until she started to beg, "please Daddy?"
"Please what, darling?"
"Please, I need to come. Please touch me."
Zaeed smiled down at her, "of course, sweetheart. You've been such a good girl."
He moved a hand between them to gently caress her clit, and she let out the sweetest cry and canted under him. It took only a few strokes for her to fall apart, moaning and clenching around him and pulling him over the edge behind her.
He had just enough sense left not to collapse on top of her; pulling her around to lie on top of him instead. The lay, boneless, for several minutes before Zaeed could manage any words, "that was…"
"Yeah…" Jessie breathed.
Zaeed chuckled and kissed the top of her head.
"Better than reading war stories?" she asked.
Zaeed laughed, "much better."
***
Zaeed and Jessie were on their way back from Tuhi district with their weekly groceries, winding through the long halls of Kima, their arms loaded with heavy bags. They were nearly back to the apartment when a loud, gravelly voice called out from behind them, "Zaeed? That you, you old bastard?" They turned to see a tall, grey-skinned Batarian emerging from one of the nearby apartment doors. Jessie was growing accustomed to seeing Batarians around Omega, but she still felt a hot pit grow in her stomach whenever she had to talk to one. Zaeed was scowling, but whether that was in response to this particular Batarian, or because he knew how much they bothered her, she wasn't sure. Zaeed's obvious displeasure did nothing to dissuade the Batarian from approaching.
"I thought that was you," the Batarian said as he grew closer, "haven't seen you around here in a while." He was speaking to Zaeed, but all four of his eyes were focused on Jessie with an interest that made her skin crawl.
"Ghath," Zaeed greeted him coldly, "been away on work."
Ghath gave him a noncommittal grunt, "you've always worked too hard Zaeed." He continued to stare at Jessie while he spoke, "aren't you going to introduce us?"
Zaeed was gritting his teeth by this point, "she's a friend of mine. Just staying for a few weeks."
Ghath let out a cruel laugh, his eyes roaming over her body, "a friend, of course!" he leaned in closer to Zaeed and added in a stage whisper, "how much per week? Maybe I'll take a turn when you're done with her."
Zaeed shifted his bags to one hand, grabbing Ghath by the collar of his shirt with the other, "you better watch your fucking mouth if you know what's good for you."
Letting go of his shirt, Zaeed shoved the Batarian back with a hard push to the chest. Ghath seemed to consider his response for a second before clearly deciding retreat was the safer option. With a dismissive wave of his hand and some muttered Batarian curses, he turned and walked away. Zaeed waited until he was fully out of sight before readjusting his hold on the groceries and turning back to Jessie.
"C'mon, let's get inside," he said.
Jessie's hands were shaking with a mixture of rage and fear as they entered the apartment, setting their bags down on the counter. Zaeed was watching her closely, "hey, you alright?"
"Fine," Jessie spat, pulling groceries out of the bags and tossing them on the counter.
"Don't let that idiot get to you, he doesn't have a fuckin' clue what he's talking about."
Jessie slammed down a carton of eggs, "I said I'm fine!"
Zaeed raised an eyebrow at her, "clearly." He carefully removed her hand from the eggs, opening the carton to check for damage, "guess we're having omelets for dinner," he muttered.
"I need to hit something," Jessie stated, and made for the punching bag, stripping off her shirt so she was down to her sports bra. She tore into the bag in a rage; her form was sloppy, but Zaeed let it go for the time being and focused on putting the groceries away.
Jessie was seething. She hated that Batarian. She hated the way he looked at her. She hated him just for being a Batarian. She hated him for seeing her for what she was. And she hated Zaeed. She hated him for getting her into this entire mess and she hated him for defending her, as if she needed his protection. Mostly, she hated herself. Hated herself for the things she had done to survive. Hated that her response to fear was still to freeze like a prey animal. Hated that she did need Zaeed to protect her.
She slammed her fists into the leather bag over and over, losing focus as she got angrier until she swung so wide her fist glanced off the bag, twisting slightly. She cursed and shook out her arm, rubbing at her wrist. She was too busy being pissed off to notice Zaeed's approach. He tried to take hold of her wrist, but she jerked back when he touched her.
"Calm down and let me see," he put his hand out and she glared at him before placing her wrist in his hand. He turned it over, and prodded with his fingers, then bent it forward and backward a few times, "it's fine."
She snapped her arm back, "I know it's fine!"
He was staring at her with that intense focus again, unsettling her. She felt like he was peeling back layers of her skin and examining all the pieces of her that even she hadn't seen. And he did it so fucking casually, like this was all so obvious.
"You're angry," he stated simply, "that's good. There's power in anger. Rage will keep you alive long after you should be dead, but only if you control it. Right now, it's controlling you. You think it's your fear that makes you freeze. It's not. It's your anger. You don't know where to put that anger, so you get stuck. Back in the hallway, who pissed you off?"
She stared at him, "what is this, some Asari mind-meld shit?"
"Just answer the fucking question," he grumbled.
"I was pissed at that fucking Batarian," she spat.
Zaeed just waited, arms crossed.
"And I was pissed at myself. Because I should have clocked him," she grit her teeth, "and because he was right."
Zaeed wasn't satisfied, "and?"
Jessie snapped, "and I was fucking pissed at you! I don't need my fucking john to defend my goddamn honour!" She shoved him back hard.
Zaeed just took the hit, "exactly. You're dividing your anger, weakening it. You need to focus it. Take all that rage and direct it at one target. Then use it to goddamn destroy them."
He stepped over onto the sparring mat, "c'mon girlie. Hit me."
Jessie glared at him but followed him to the mat, dropping into the stance he'd taught her.
"Hands up, c'mon. Keep your goddamn elbows in!" he yelled at her.
She threw a few jabs which he dodged easily. Before she could try again, he slapped her clean across the face.
"What the fuck?!" she shouted at him, stepping back.
"If you're gonna fight like a little girl, I'm gonna hit you like one," he sneered.
She charged at him with a screech, throwing one fist at his gut, the other aiming for his kidney. He blocked her again, laughing disdainfully, "is that really the best you've got? No wonder Arlo took you down so easy."
Jessie fumed, baring her teeth at him she charged, aiming for his waist to tackle him, but he ducked first and pulled her legs out from under her, dropping her to her back.
"Maybe you should just stick to whoring," he spat at her.
Jessie's blood ran cold, her boiling rage hardening into ice. She pushed herself back onto her feet and into her stance again and began to circle him. This time she waited and watched, like she would with her sniper rifle, lining up the perfect shot. She let Zaeed get a couple of hits in, and when she saw her opening, she struck, landing a clean shot to his jaw. He staggered back a step, and Jessie felt her anger morph into satisfaction.
Rubbing his jaw, Zaeed grinned, "that's more like it, Jessie," he moved back into position, "now try it again." They continued their match, trading blows until they were both sore and sweating. Zaeed was clearly the superior fighter, but every hit Jessie landed felt like a victory and she could see he was getting tired. Once more, he moved to take out her legs, but she was ready this time and as she fell, she wrapped her legs around his neck, pulling him down with her. She landed with the side of his face pressed low into her stomach, his heavy breath tickling the fine hairs on her belly.
She smirked down at him, "looks like I got you, old man."
"Nah," he huffed against her, "just enjoying the view." In a quick move, Zaeed pulled his knees under himself, grabbed Jessie by the waist, and hauled her forward into his lap. From there, he easily flipped her onto her stomach, breaking her hold and using his weight advantage to pin her under his bulk. She struggled under him, trying to get free, but he just laughed and pressed closer.
Leaning down, Zaeed nuzzled into her neck, inhaling deeply, "you smell good enough to eat," he rumbled in her ear. A shiver ran down her spine as he licked a path up the side of her neck, apparently unbothered by the sweat that had gathered there. When his tongue reached her ear, he nibbled on her earlobe before following his trail back down her neck, biting with increasing strength as he went. By the time he reached her shoulder, Jessie had the wild thought that he was being literal and would bite clean through her flesh. She gasped and bucked under him as his last bite nearly broke the skin, the pain sending confused messages between her head and her cunt. She sighed as he soothed the bitemarks with his tongue, licking the salt from her slick skin, before kissing his way down her spine.
When he reached her waist, he began to tug at the waistband of her leggings. At this point, his weight was unbalanced and she easily could have thrown him off her, but she no longer cared about besting him and he stripped her from the waist down in seconds. Once she was bare, the apartment air cool against her heated flesh, she fully expected — and honestly wanted — him to plunge into her and fuck her into the mat. So she was surprised when instead he grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her back again.
Zaeed resumed his exploration, kissing down her stomach, stopping to trace his tongue around her navel before continuing down. When he reached the small patch of hair above her sex, he hooked his arms under her thighs, pulling her knees up and further apart. He buried his nose in the hair and breathed her in with a groan.
Jessie looked down at him in confusion, "what are you doing?"
He looked back up at her, "what the hell's it look like I'm doing?"
She rolled her eyes at him, "yeah, but why?"
"Because I goddamn want to. Now would you shut the fuck up so I can get back to it?" he didn't wait for her response, delving his tongue into her wet slit.
Jessie twitched at the new sensation, jerking up onto her elbows so she could watch him. He was truly focused on his work, grey head buried between her legs as his tongue explored every fold of her. His broad hands gripped tight around her thighs, thick fingers dimpling the skin. He dipped lower and teased around her entrance before opening her with his tongue, licking into her with enthusiasm. Pulling back only slightly, he mumbled into her flesh, "goddamn you taste divine."
She flushed at his words, almost embarrassed by his praise, but also reveling in it. Then he worked his way up to her clit, and when he sucked that little patch of nerves into his mouth, she fell back down with a very undignified squeak. He hummed a little laugh into her clit, and she melted into the mat. He focused his attention there, occasionally dipping away to tease her, but always returning to make her moan again.
Jessie was lying back with her eyes closed, panting between moans; her hands scrambled at the mat trying to find a grip but failing. She settled on digging them into her own hair, arms above her head, the tugging helping to keep her grounded, while she felt she might float away.
When her breathing shallowed and her hips began to twitch, Zaeed released one leg and slid two fingers inside her with little resistance. Jessie moaned happily at the feeling of being filled and stretched while he continued to lick and suck at her bud. Her whole body was tingling and she felt like she was high, her head swimming with light and sensation. He fucked her roughly on his fingers, curling them up into her while he sucked hard on her clit, and she snapped.
She opened her mouth to scream, but only a tight gasp of air emerged. Her back lifted from the mat, rigid, as her vision whited out. She felt frozen in time as waves of electricity seemed to roll through her limbs, then she let out a long moan as a deep bliss settled through her bones and she collapsed.
Zaeed carefully pulled away, giving one last little nip at her thigh as he adjusted. Jessie didn't move or open her eyes, basking in her warm afterglow until he lay down beside her. She forced herself to roll to her side, reaching out for his waistband, but he batted her hand away, "I'm good," he said simply. She looked at him incredulously.
"What?" he asked.
She shook her head at him, "every time I think I've figured you out…"
He snorted, "hey, I've got depths you know."
Jessie gave half a laugh and flopped back down on the mat, staring at the ceiling, "God, I could go for a smoke."
Zaeed got up and walked over to the kitchen. He rummaged through a drawer for a second and came back with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, tossing them to her, "I mostly gave them up, but I always keep a pack for emergencies."
Jessie ripped open the package and pulled one out, lighting it up. She lay back and inhaled the thick smoke, enjoying the heat of it. As she exhaled, she watched the smoke being sucked through the apartment's ventilation system to be purified before recycling. She held out the cigarette in an offer and Zaeed accepted it from her fingers, taking a puff and letting his smoke swirl up to mingle with hers. They passed it back and forth between them, relaxing in the silence.
"No one's ever… done that before," Jessie eventually spoke.
Zaeed turned to look at her, "never?"
She kept her eyes on the ascending haze, "I was only sixteen when I left Mindoir. I'd fooled around a bit with this one guy, but nothing serious," she shrugged, "after that I wasn't really interested, not that there were many guys my age in Meerin. And it's not generally the kind of thing a man wastes time with when he's paying by the hour."
He just looked at her for a long minute, "so, when you started working," he paused too long, "you'd never had sex before?"
She stubbornly fixated on the ceiling tiles, she refused to bear witness to his pity. She shrugged again, affecting indifference, "people will pay a lot of credits to fuck a virgin."
She could hear him grinding his teeth.
She sighed, "look, I know it's gross, but it's not like I had a lot of options—"
"Hey!" he grabbed her hand, "don't you fucking apologize, not to anyone, especially not to me. You did what you needed to do to survive. It's not like being a mercenary is exactly a respectable career. Work is work."
Jessie turned away from him, swallowing around the lump in her throat. She took a steadying breath before reaching for her shirt and leggings, "you hungry?" she asked, slipping them back on, "I'll get started on those eggs."
She made for the kitchen, refusing to look behind her.
***
"Hey, it looks like they've got some new models in!" Jessie called to Zaeed, examining the guns available for testing while he signed them in. She, of course, was inspecting the newest Volkov sniper rifle but Zaeed headed straight for his favoured assault rifles. He turned over a Crossfire in his hands, checking the balance, before setting it down to look over the new Lancer, but that's when it caught his eye.
The newest in the Avenger series, the M8.
Zaeed ran his hand over the sleek curves; the design reminded him of a shark, cold and bloodthirsty. He picked it up and it felt right in his hands, like it had been custom made for him.
"Would you like a moment alone with her?" Jessie smirked at him.
"Quiet you," he muttered, "I just appreciate a fine weapon, is all."
With their weapons selected, they made for their lanes. Zaeed watched Jessie for a bit, as she tested out the Volkov. It'd been just over month since they arrived on Omega and Zaeed had developed a strange sort of pride in her accomplishments. She really was a natural with a sniper rifle. There was a graceful efficiency to her movements, and he loved watching her slip into her focus, only to emerge with a triumphant grin when she nailed her target.
There hadn't yet been any discussion of how long this arrangement would go on for. Jessie had said, back on the shuttle, that she didn't plan on staying on Omega long, but they had settled into a comfortable routine and she didn't seem to be in a rush to move on. Zaeed wouldn't admit it, but he wasn't particularly eager for her to leave either. There was, of course, the sex; having a gorgeous woman at his beck and call at any moment of the day was goddamn glorious, but there was more to it.
Zaeed had spent the majority of his life alone. He had left home when he was only sixteen and had been on his own since. Sure, a lot of that time was spent in barracks or crammed into quarters with a dozen other mercs, but it was always with a rotating crew. He had endless acquaintances but precious few people he would call friends. Now he found himself appreciating the comforts of a familiar face. Having someone around who would listen to his wild stories, or just to sit in silence with.
Part of him worried he was becoming complacent.
Leaving Jessie to her shooting, Zaeed moved back to his own lane to test the M8. It was every bit the weapon he had hoped it would be. The weight and balance were perfect for him, and the clips loaded so smoothly. The Avenger boasted surprisingly good accuracy without sacrificing power, and it could hold plenty of ammo. As he fired on target after target, he knew he had to get one of these for himself.
When they'd had their fill, the pair headed out, walking the path through the rows of shops that led to the rapid transit pickup. Zaeed was espousing the virtues of the M8 while Jessie just smiled at him indulgently.
"Oh hey," she stopped suddenly, "I forgot, I need to pick up a couple things at the market."
Zaeed raised an eyebrow at her, "what sort of things?"
"Just girl stuff," she brushed him off, "don't bother waiting for me, I'll catch up with you at h— back at the apartment."
She turned to leave without waiting for a response, so he just shrugged and continued on.
Passing by the liquor store, he decided to stop in and grab a bottle of his favourite Mount Milgrom. While he searched for his whiskey, Zaeed thought he should get something for Jessie. Maybe he could cook up something special for dinner and they could make a night of it.
When the hell did you get so goddamn domesticated Massani?
He shook off the thought and went to ask the Asari clerk to help him pick something out for her. He settled on a sweet Thessian wine the clerk claimed was very popular with younger women. With his bottles bagged up, Zaeed left the store intending to hunt down some steaks for dinner.
"Zaeed! Fancy running into you here," the familiar, gravelly voice sent an instant wave of irritation over him. He turned to face the Batarian.
"Ghath, still haven't learned how to take a fucking hint I see," Zaeed made no attempt to hide his distaste for the man.
Ghath held his hands up in a placating gesture, "hey now, I'm sorry if I offended your little friend the other day. I was just joking with you."
"This is your last warning Ghath. Stay away from my 'little friend' and stay the hell away from me unless you're feeling particularly desperate for a beating."
Ghath started to open his mouth again, but his eyes darted briefly over Zaeed's shoulder.
Zaeed caught the noise behind him a second too late.
He felt the razor sharp metal at his neck as an arm wrapped across his chest, pulling him into the piss-stinking alley beside the liquor store. While he could have easily broken free of the grip, he let himself be dragged along to avoid a slit throat; the blade was finely honed, and he could already feel a trickle of blood leaking down his neck. Ghath followed them into the dark alley and once they'd stopped moving, another man stepped out from the shadows.
"Hello Massani," the man spat at him.
"Holge," Zaeed answered, "took you long enough."
He assumed then, that it must be Witter behind him with the knife.
"It's a big galaxy, Zaeed, lots of places for you to crawl off to. I should have known better though; all the trash ends up on Omega." Holge sneered at him, "luckily our mutual friend here ran into you and let us know you were okay," he nodded toward Ghath, "we were all very worried when you disappeared— and then we found Arlo."
Holge pulled back his arm and slammed his fist into Zaeed's stomach. When he lurched forward from the hit, the blade dug deeper into his skin and his blood began to flow more freely.
"Did you really think I wouldn't hunt you down? Did you think you could get away with killing my brother?" Holge's voice grew louder, not that anyone passing by would care.
Zaeed just sniffed, straightening up, "figured I was doing you a favour, Arlo was a fucking twat."
Holge swung again, hitting him in the gut once more, but this time Zaeed recovered by slamming his head back as hard as could, the back of his skull cracking into Witter's nose. The knife gouged deeper in the process, but Witter lost his grip enough that Zaeed was able to break away. He swung the bag of booze up hard. Colliding with Holge's head, the bottles smashed, and Holge staggered backward. Zaeed had a brief moment of regret for the waste of good whiskey.
Spinning around, Zaeed slammed his fist into Witter's throat, and grabbed the knife that was swinging toward him out of his hand. Witter fell back gasping for air.
From the corner of his eye, Zaeed saw Ghath pulling a gun, and he threw the newly liberated blade with precision. It lodged in one of Ghath's lower eyes, and he twitched before falling to the ground.
Zaeed felt the pain before his mind could register the sound. He looked down to see the hole through his left shoulder, just before the blood started to gush out. Turning around, Zaeed saw Holge pressing his left hand over an oozing gash on his temple, his right hand was pointing his gun directly at Zaeed's head.
Fuck
Holge snarled at him through gritted teeth, "I should have taken your old ass out years ago, Massani."
The sharp repeating fire of an assault rifle echoed through the alley.
Holge slumped to the ground.
Jessie marched straight by him, M8 in hand.
How in the hell…
She walked to where Witter lay, half unconscious on the filthy ground, and fired multiple rounds into his head.
Zaeed fell back into the wall, pressing a hand into his shoulder wound with a grunt. Jessie snapped around like she'd forgotten he was there.
"Shit," she ran over to him, "are you okay?"
"I've had worse. I'll be fine," he tried to wave her off.
"Zaeed, you're bleeding out, you are not fine!" she pulled off her coat and wrapped it around his shoulder, using one sleeve to cover the gash on his neck.
"Hold pressure here," she placed his hand over the sleeve on his throat, and he obliged. She used her own hands to put pressure on his gunshot wound.
"Where's the nearest clinic?" she asked, as she started to maneuver them out of the alley.
"There's not one doctor on this shithole station I would trust. Just get me home, I've treated enough gunshot wounds in my time," he grumbled.
Jessie sighed, but didn't argue, and they walked as quickly as they could with the awkward positioning to the transit hub.
~ ~ ~
By the time they made it back to the apartment, Jessie's coat was soaked through with blood, but Zaeed was more worried about her going into shock than him. He'd been shot dozens of times and knew how to deal with it, as he kept trying to remind her. Jessie had killed a man before, yes, but she was likely already in shock at the time. Shooting two men in cold blood was different. It did funny things to your mind.
Shuffling into the bedroom, she laid him out on his bed and ran to fetch the med kit from the bathroom. Zaeed swallowed a small handful of painkillers and then talked her through the process, cutting off his shirt, cleaning the wounds, applying the medigel, getting the gauze in place, and bandaging everything properly. He could have done it himself, he had before, but he thought she needed something to focus on.
Once the medigel had started its work and everything was bandaged, Jessie took it upon herself to clean him up. She grabbed a bowl of hot water and a soft face cloth and carefully wiped away the drying blood from his chest before gently rolling him to one side so she could clean his back. The painkillers were starting to kick in, so Zaeed just relaxed and let her do her work. Once she'd cleaned the blood off him, she very carefully maneuvered him around so she could put a fresh sheet under him and get rid of the bloody one.
When she started anxiously fussing with the pillows, Zaeed grabbed her hand, "hey, it's fine, everything is fine. C'mere."
He gently tugged her hand, guiding her down to his uninjured side and getting her to settle up against him. She gingerly laid a hand on his chest, and he covered it with his own.
"What's going to happen when someone finds those bodies? Do we need to leave?" she sounded genuinely scared, so Zaeed tried not to laugh.
"No Jessie," he squeezed her hand, "no one on Omega is gonna blink twice about some bodies in an alley. None of them were exactly popular; I don't think they'll be missed. And if anyone does come sniffing around, I can handle them."
"But—"
He shushed her, "no buts, now stop your worrying," he blinked drowsily, "you just cuddle in here and get some sleep."
She didn't argue anymore. Pulling the blanket over them, she rested her head carefully against his arm and closed her eyes. Zaeed did the same and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
***
Zaeed wasn't sure how much time had passed when he woke up. Jessie was still asleep, curled up beside him. His shoulder was throbbing, so he carefully reached for the painkillers on the nightstand, taking care not to wake her in the process. Once he'd swallowed a couple of pills, he settled back into the blankets, turning to observe the woman sleeping in his bed.
She looked so much younger when she was sleeping. When she was awake, the strain of her relatively short life showed on her face, in her eyes; it made her seem older than she was. In sleep, it all faded away, and she looked so childlike that Zaeed felt a pang of guilt for agreeing to their arrangement, for taking advantage of her shitty situation. A situation that he was at least partially responsible for.
A few strands of her coppery hair had fallen across her face and Zaeed gently brushed them back behind her ear. She stirred lightly and opened her eyes, and he found himself entranced by their brilliance once again.
It only took a second for the worry to reappear on her face, "are you alright? How are you feeling?"
"Hush, I'm just fine," he soothed her, letting his hand rest against her cheek. She quieted, but the concern was still clear in her eyes. "Really," he promised, "my neck doesn't hurt at all, and the shoulder's just a bit stiff." The neck part was true at least, though he was downplaying the pain in his shoulder. The meds would kick in soon enough.
He stroked her cheek with his thumb, watching her relax under his touch. She really was so beautiful. Zaeed felt a familiar tightness in his chest that he tried to ignore.
"Hey," he started, "thanks for saving my arse back there. Not sure I would have made it if you hadn't shown up."
She smiled affectionately at him, "Nah, I'm pretty sure you're too stubborn to die, old man," her face grew more serious, "besides, I was only able to help because you helped me first, I would have been useless without your training."
Zaeed held her chin between his fingers, staring her straight in the eyes, "hey, do not sell yourself short. I just got you started, you're the one who worked her arse off to do better."
Jessie's cheeks reddened ever so slightly, "I know, I'm just trying to say— thank you."
There was the guilt again. After everything he had put her through, after taking advantage of her and using her body, here she was thanking him. That her life had been so brutal that she could see him as anything more than a monster was horrifying to him. If he had been any sort of decent man, he would have let her go the minute he got her away from Arlo that first night.
He wasn't a decent man.
But he was starting to think he wanted to be.
Jessie was watching him with a curious look on her face, she seemed almost conflicted. Zaeed wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but he also wasn't sure he wanted to know. Whatever decision she came to, she leaned in and cautiously pressed her lips to his, hesitant to put any pressure on his body. He responded more firmly, the meds were beginning to do their job and the throbbing pain had lessened to a dull ache.
Zaeed gently took her lower lip between his teeth, tugging lightly, biting just enough to elicit a small gasp from her. He took advantage of her open mouth to delve inside, sweeping with his tongue to caress against her own. Their kiss deepened as they moved into each other's bodies, drawing themselves as close together as they could, arms and legs tangling into each other in a desperate bid to become one.
Jessie's hands moved over Zaeed's bare chest and back, careful to avoid disturbing the bandages, but otherwise kneading into his flesh like she was trying to furrow beneath it. Zaeed groaned into her mouth, every touch of her hand burned through him until he felt like he would combust around her. He pulled, gasping, away from her kiss only so he could pull her shirt over her head, then bury himself in the tender stretch of her neck. He wanted to consume her; he could swallow her whole if it meant he would never be without her touch again.
Moving lower down her body, he kissed his way across the firm bones of her chest to reach the swell of her breasts, eliciting little cries from her as he bit into the sensitive skin. His lips found the tight peak of her nipple, sucking it into his mouth fiercely while his fingers teased her other breast. When he sank his teeth into the bud, she cried out his name, and it was the most perfect sound he had ever heard. His name would never sound right again if it wasn't spilling from her lips.
"Zaeed," she breathed again, desperate, like she was pleading for him. She pressed him down into the mattress, carefully avoiding his shoulder, before stripping his lower half as quickly as she could. As soon as she had succeeded, Jessie crept back over him, her mouth feasting on the scars across his stomach and chest, tongue probing like she could split them open again and crawl inside his skin.
Zaeed's fingers worked quickly to unfasten her pants, shoving them down as far as he could with her pinning him to the bed with her mouth. She broke away long enough to finish the job before they collided again, fully bared to each other. Their mouths clashed once more and Jessie's fingers splayed through his hair, nails digging into his scalp. She held onto him fiercely while her hips started to grind over his, pressing into him with abandon. His hands found her hips and he held onto to her with equal ferocity, as if she'd flee the second he relaxed his grip. He moved with her, sliding her wet heat over his cock until she started to beg.
"Please. Need you," she barely managed to choke out between kisses.
As if he would deny her anything.
With one hand, he lined himself up with her entrance, and she immediately sank down onto him with a sound of utter bliss. It didn't matter how many times they had done this before, Zaeed was still overwhelmed with the perfection of her body, the way she held him inside of her was pure ecstasy. He would desire nothing else in his life but this.
Hands still gripped into his hair, her lips refusing to leave his, she began to rock her body, pushing him deeper into her with each thrust. Bringing his knees up behind her, he worked to match her rhythm until they were moving in sync, groaning into each other's mouths as they rutted together.
They started out at a languid pace, trying to draw out their pleasure, but both were too needy, too desperate, and they rapidly increased their tempo. Their bodies slapped together, making sounds that were somehow both profane and divine, blending with their sighs and moans into a perfect chorus of arousal.
As their breaths came faster, Jessie finally pulled away from his lips, sitting up and leaning back slightly into his knees. She rolled her hips, pleasuring herself on his cock, while he caressed her thighs and took in the sight of her riding him in all her glory. They locked eyes and she moved a hand between her legs, running her fingers over the place where their bodies connected before moving to stroke her clit. Her other hand groped at her breast.
He thrust into her harder, her moans growing louder and her gasps coming faster. Her entire body seemed to tighten around him, and her head fell back slightly. Her eyelids were heavy, her eyes half closed, but she never looked away from him as she came, a long, low cry falling from her lips.
Zaeed was right behind her, her climax pulling his release from him. He could have happily died as he spilled inside her, his head swimming with the ecstasy of the moment.
She collapsed on top of him a satisfied moan, only just avoiding his wounded shoulder at the last second. They lay panting together, and Zaeed wrapped his arms around her possessively as he mumbled quietly into her ear,
"Goddamn Jessie, you're so beautiful. You're perfect."
He stroked her hair and held her against him, keeping her in place atop him until she wiggled her way down to lay beside him again. She curled up in the crook of his arm and he kissed her gently on the forehead. Between his release and the painkillers, sleep was descending over him quickly. Closing his eyes, Zaeed buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her.
"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," was the last thing he whispered to her.
~ ~ ~
When he awoke again, Zaeed felt like he'd been asleep for ages. Groggily, he reached out an arm for Jessie, but found that the bed was empty. He lay there for a while, half-asleep, until the need to urinate forced him up. Rising stiffly, he made the short walk to the bathroom to relieve himself.
After, he splashed some water on his face, helping to drive away the brain fog. He carefully pulled the bandage away from his neck. The skin was pink and a little puckered, but the cut had fully closed. Checking his shoulder, he saw the wound looked clean, but still had a way to go, so he covered it again, and left the bathroom.
Ducking his head into the living room, he didn't see any sign of Jessie. He walked back to the bedroom, thinking maybe she'd gotten back into bed while he was in the bathroom. No luck. He pulled on some pants and walked back out again.
"Jessie?" he called out. There was no response. She must have gone out to get coffee or something. Moving into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, he noticed something resting on the counter. It was the Avenger M8. In all the fuss yesterday, he had forgotten that she had shown up with it in the alley. He affectionately ran his hands over the weapon and wondered how she'd gotten a hold of it.
That was when he noticed the note lying pinned beneath the gun. He pulled the slip of paper out and unfolded it.
Thank you for everything.
To remember me by,
Jessie
He felt a sick, swooping heat low in his stomach.
She wouldn't—
He went to the closet.
All of her clothes were gone.
He went back to the bathroom.
All of her little bottles of cleansers and makeup were gone.
Her toothbrush was gone.
She was gone.
***
various personal items he'd brought along.
She froze when she saw the well-used Avenger series gun lying in its place of honour on his worktable. She hesitantly reached out a hand and trailed her fingers along the weapon, stopping when she reached the inscription on the stock.
"Did you really think I could ever forget you?" he asked quietly.
Jessie kept her eyes on the weapon that bore her name, "I'm sorry," she whispered, so quietly he almost missed it.
Zaeed took one step toward her, "I told you never to apologize to me."
She turned back to look at him, "I had to leave," she said fiercely, "if I hadn't left then, I never would have left at all. I couldn't spend my life on Omega. I had to make it to Earth, I had to start over. Somewhere where no one knew who I was, or what I had done."
"I know," he said, "you don't owe me any explanations."
"But none of it worked out anyway!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up, "everything in my life leads me back to violence, no matter what I do. And then I died, Zaeed. I was dead. Officially deceased. And somehow, they brought me back!"
Zaeed just watched her; he had no idea how he could possibly respond to that.
"And do you know what the first thing I thought about was, after everyone stopped shooting at me that is?"
She took a step toward him, now they were only a couple of feet apart,
"Some cranky old mercenary from Omega."
Jessie looked up at him with just a hint of a smile at one corner of her lips, but her eyes were sad — uncertain. Like, somehow, she wasn't sure if he'd still want her back.
Ridiculous.
Zaeed breached the last distance between them and pulled her fiercely into his arms. She tilted her head back and he claimed her lips with everything he had.
Mine. My Jessie.
She pushed him back into the wall behind him with ease. She had gotten stronger, he noted. One of her hands went to his exposed arm, gripping onto his tattooed skin like she thought he could disappear at any moment. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer to him, inhaling her, tasting her. Goddamn, he'd missed her.
As their kisses grew more desperate, her hands moved to his waist, trying to work out the latches of his armour without being able to see them. He released his grip on her hair to give her a hand, removing just enough pieces to be able to free himself from his pants while she quickly slid out of the lower half of her uniform.
He grabbed one of her bare legs behind the knee, pulling it up and around his waist. She moaned as their skin made contact. He reached for her other leg, and she followed his unspoken directions, hopping up so both her legs were wrapped around him. He turned and pressed her back into the wall, reaching between them to guide his cock into her slick heat.
It was hot, desperate, and quick.
They fucked like wild animals, grunting and biting each other. Forcing themselves together as hard as they could until they both were yelling out in climax. Zaeed would wonder later how soundproof this room was.
Momentarily sated, they stayed there together, panting, Jessie still pinned against the wall. Zaeed kissed her deeply, feeling suddenly overwhelmed with a barrage of emotions.
He carried her over and gently sat her down on his cot before stripping off the rest of his armour and clothes. Jessie removed the top half of her uniform and made room for him on the small bed. Zaeed lay down and she curled up beside him, just like they had been on their last night together. He pulled the blanket over their naked bodies.
She gazed curiously at his face, her fingers traced over the deep scar that curved around his now-cybernetic eye and down to his chin. The places where they had pieced his face back together.
"Story for another time, love," he told her, and carefully echoed the touch on her own scars, "and then you can tell me about these."
She nodded at him with a bittersweet smile, "we have a lot to catch up on."
"Lots of time for that now," he replied, gently stroking her hair.
Her smile broke, "you did hear the part about this being a suicide mission, didn't you?"
Zaeed held her face firmly, "no such thing when we're together. I've got your back and I won't let anything happen to you again, and as long as you're still here, I ain't going anywhere."
He could see the shine of tears gathering in her eyes, which she forcefully blinked back. Jessie pressed her lips to his again before rolling on top of him with a grin.
Zaeed ran his hands over her waist with a chuckle, "missed me, did you?"
"Think you can still keep up, old man?" she asked with a wicked grin, "wouldn't want you to throw your back out or something."
"Oh, I'll show you what this 'old man' can do," he said and flipped her onto her back with a snarl before pinning her with a kiss.
They had a lot of lost time to make up for, and he would do everything in his power to make sure they never lost another second.