“I’m excited,” he growled, and yeah, his excited face looked a lot like his pissed off face. What did it say about me that that fact excitedme?
“I have to finish some things here,” he said, his eyes flicking off screen. “Will you be alright until tonight?”
“Alright?” I asked. “What do you mean?”
His scowl deepened, and I didn’t think it was from excitement. “You’re crying, Cora.”
“Not anymore,” I said, dashing away any remaining tears. “I’m fine.”
“You’ll tell me what upset you tonight,” he said. “Message me if you think of anything you want or need.”
“Okay,” I said, noticing a smear of something on his shirt. “Wait. Are you bleeding?”
He looked down at himself, plucking at the material. “No. I’m not.”
“Yiri, that’s blood, isn’t it?” The color was a little off, but what else could it be?
He met my gaze and held it. “I am not bleeding,Aneah. Don’t worry about it. I’ll clean up before our call. Are you going to be good for me today?”
I nibbled at one of my cuticles, notworriedabout the blood on his shirt, but wondering if it was unhealthy that Iwasn’t. “Yeah,” I said, absently.
“Hmm,” he said, his tone a tiny bit playful. “That doesn’t sound like something my good little wife would say.”
I huffed a quiet laugh. “Yes, sir,” I said.
“Much better,Aneah.”
CHAPTER 12
YIRI
“Aneah?”Nerus asked when we left our weapons supplier with a new understanding and several broken bones. Word had gotten back to me that he was still working with some of Masoh’s old crew behind my back. Not anymore. If I paid him another visit, he wouldn’t survive it, and I’d need a new weapons guy.
“Keep it to yourself,” I said.
“You don’t have to tell me,” Nerus said. “Just surprised I don’t know her name, yet.”
“You’ll know it when I’m ready.”
My second grinned as we boarded my cruiser and I set course for Zacal’s home in Covara.
“Where did you find her?” he asked.
I glanced at him sideways. “You know I hate it when you get chatty.”
“She must be ugly if you’re so ashamed, then,” he goaded me. I knew what he was doing, and yet he still got his desired effect. I couldn’t let him slander my mate.
“She’s fucking gorgeous,” I growled. “Her name is Cora. I found her on BMM of all fucking places, and if you say one fucking thing about it I’ll cut out your tongue.”
He raised his hands in peace, smiling broadly. “Can’t wait to meet her.”
I couldn’t wait either. To have her here, to finally know how myIbarchosen mate smelled, tasted, and felt in my arms. How quickly would she invite me to mate with her? The rapport we had been building between us gave me daring to hope it would be soon. SomeIbaranmates hardly wait for introductions, but Cora wasn’t daernir. She might not understand the way her body and soul would be drawn to mine once she was here. Would it scare her?Fuck,it might scare me. I felt it already, galaxies away from her.
She would ask for it quickly. Wouldn’t she? Should… should I even wait?
I shook my head at myself. A female’s consent to mate, herinvitation, was sacred.
I had to wait.
