Rook...you idiot.
My cheeks flamed.
If he trulyhadspent the last twenty years in here alone, I doubted he would have the social skills to see my embarrassment and deftly grant me another question.
Instead, he never looked away from me, rage building with every breath.
“Eh, you know...” I waved at him as if it was obvious. “Give me some self-respect so I don’t have to say it out loud.”
“Say what out loud?”
“Oh, come on, really?”
“Come on?” He scowled. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“I mean...”
Ugh, fine.
Sucking in a fortifying breath, I blurted, “You have to know what you look like?” I rolled my eyes, finding it far too easy to talk to him, despite the fact that each night he went hunting and each morning more bodies were dragged out.
“What Ilooklike?”
Okay, this had gone on long enough.
He hadn’t killed me yet. He’d actually saved me—somehow. I felt better than I had in ages. He’d come at the behest of his panther and for some inexplicable reason, I didn’t want this conversation to end, even though my heart pounded with nerves.
I was drawn to him despite myself.
Highly aware of him in every part of me.
Yes, he was a killer but...hadn’t that all been in self-defence?
“Alright, don’t murder me for this, but...” I inched closer to Whisper and scratched his scruff, hoping he would come to my rescue if my honesty backfired. “I would’ve remembered you if I’d ever seen an article about you because you’re gorgeous, okay?” My mouth ran away with me, my filter completely gone. “You’re not just gorgeous, you’re...” I blushed so hot, I could’ve roasted marshmallows on my cheeks. “Obscene. You’re the sort of beautiful that should come with a hundred hazard labels and a two-hour safety briefing. There. I said it. Happy?”
He stared for the longest moment before saying dryly, “Is this you trying to get me to have sex with you?”
My brain crashed back into the episode from before. “What? No. Obviously not. I—” Words skidded everywhere. “I-I was paying you a compliment.”
“It won’t work. I won’t sleep with you.”
“Did I ask you to?”
“Sounds like you just did.”
I fought the urge to rub away my shame induced goosebumps. “Well, you’re safe. I’m not looking for that.”
I didn’t dare tell him that I was one of the rare ones who hadn’t tumbled into bed with someone yet. I’d been a little too messed up, for a little too long, to attract a partner in that way.
In the art of seduction, I’d flunked well and truly.
“You’re not?” His eyebrows arched with such innocence, such shock, he made my heart patter. A question escaped me before I could censor. “Why...why does everyone want to get knocked up by you?”
His expression didn’t change, but something dark pooled behind his eyes.
I sighed, expecting him to refuse to answer me. After all, we were strangers and technically enemies, but then he lifted his hand and glanced at his wrist, bound with its black bandage. The centre glimmered wet, revealing he hadn’t stopped bleeding. “Because of this.”
“For your blood?” Suspicion iced my spine. “Why?”
