And even if he didn’t feel a little bit like he was coming out of his skin, he wouldn’t have wanted to stop for a chat with Clark anyway.
He was a good kid, but Kaz had no idea what kind of man he’d turned into since he left Montague, and he had enough on his plate without bringing the town’s scrutiny on his head.
Kaz opened his mouth to say that whether his grandmother knew he was in town or not was none of his damn business, but caught himself just in time. Clark was a persistent son of a bitch. If he thought Frances needed to know, hewouldtell her.
So instead of answering the question, he fell back on the technique that got them the motel room from the old orc what felt like weeks ago.
Eyeing Clark, he held up one kohl-darkened hand and flatly explained, “Needed someplace secluded. Didn’t have time to tell anyone and I’m not looking for visitors.”
Clark’s eyes, a pale blue color the girls used to sigh over, fixed on Kaz’s claws. It took a moment for comprehension to dawn. “Oh.Oh!”A grin creased his cheeks. “Good for you! What’s their name? I bet they’re feisty. You’d crush a shrinking violet.”
Atria was, if nothing else,nota shrinking violet. That didn’t mean he was planning on telling Clark a single detail about her, though. Those details, even her name, belonged tohim.
Kaz moved to elbow past him. “She’s waiting for me, Clark.”
“C’mon, man! I’m happy for you. Let me guess — is she orcish? No, you don’t smell like you’ve had an orcish woman all over you recently.” He risked life and limb by leaning in close enough to give Kaz a hearty sniff. Only his impressive boldness kept his head on his shoulders.
Eyes gleaming, he said, “Oh, I know that smell. You’ve got witch on you, Kaz.”
Not enough.It was never enough. Atria could be imprinted in his skin and he’d still demand more.
Clark’s grin widened when Kaz wrenched the door open and thrust one booted foot inside. “You snatched her, didn’t you?”
Kaz shot him a dark look. “Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re antsy as shit and—” he craned his neck to peer into the back windows, where the bags of groceries were clearly visible “—looks like you’re ready to hole up for weeks. Folks only do that when they’ve got a pretty mate to entice.” He snorted. “And to keep from running.”
Kaz climbed into the driver’s seat and grabbed the door’s handle. Looking over his outstretched arm, he informed Clark, “She learned not to do that already.”
The orc whistled appreciatively and slapped one massive hand against the hood of the SUV. “You did snatch her!”
“Goodbye, Clark.”
Kaz closed the door, but not before he heard Clark mutter to himself, “Lucky bastard. I can’t evencatchmy witch.”
ChapterThirty-Three
The sun had setby the time he made it back to the homestead. Kaz worked quickly in the gathering dark, hauling bags to the door in several trips, before he punched in the code to disarm the security system.
A swell of anticipation swept a little bit of his anxiety aside as he opened the door. Finally, he was home with his mate. They didn’t have to leave, she would be safe, and they could both be comfortable as they planned their next steps. The man was satisfied, and the beast had begun to relax now that Atria was safely tucked away underground.
And when he stepped down the stairs, as many bags slung over his fingers as he could manage at once, he smelled her in the air. Something deep inside of him gave a sharp, almost painful tug.
Home.
Because he didn’t immediately see her, Kaz found himself calling out, “Princess?”
There was a beat of silence, then the soft sound of bare feet on the stone floor. Atria emerged from the hallway that led to the kitchen.
For a moment, he was struck by the sight of her in the home, her long hair loose around her back and her feet bare. For all the time they’d spent together over the last few days, Kaz had never seen her relaxed or in a homey setting. The motel certainly didn’t count. Seeing her now made that tugging feeling even more acute.
He was so distracted by that new, achy sensation that it took him a second to register her expression.
Atria scrubbed her forearm over her eyes as she padded across the living room. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in,” she said, voice thick with the nasally note of recently shed tears. “Here, let me take some of those.”
Kaz dropped the bags.
Blood roared in his ears so loudly that he barely heard her startled exclamation, nor the clatter of groceries spilling across the floor. He was in front of her in an instant. His boots framed her bare feet as he hunched over his mate, hands clasping the sides of her neck as he gently tilted her head back.
