The metallic hum of the spaceship’s engines vibrated beneath MC’s feet as she stood by the observation window, watching streaks of lightning carve through the planet’s violent atmosphere. The mission had been simple—retrieve classified data from an abandoned research facility—but the moment Caleb had gone radio silent, her heart had sunk.

Now, as the docking bay doors hissed open, revealing a figure clad in a sleek black uniform with gold embellishments, her breath caught. He was here.

Caleb stepped forward, rainwater dripping from his gloves as he unfastened his coat. His silver hair was damp, strands clinging to his forehead, but his crimson eyes gleamed with amusement. “Missed me, sweetheart?”

MC didn’t answer. She strode toward him, fists clenched. “You were gone for six hours. No communication. No signal. I thought—”

Before she could finish, he pulled her into his arms, the cool scent of ozone and gunmetal surrounding her. “I’m here now,” he murmured, voice unusually soft. His grip tightened, as if reassuring himself she was real.

MC melted into his embrace, burying her face in the fabric of his uniform. The adrenaline, the fear, all of it dissolved into the warmth of his touch.

She pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, her fingers brushing over the golden chain draped across his chest. “You’re reckless,” she whispered. “One day, you might not come back.”

Caleb smirked, but there was something vulnerable in his expression. He reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Then I guess you’ll have to keep waiting for me.”