“Yes,” I whispered.
“And it burned you? That was the time you were horribly burned as a child?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you escape?”
“I was scared. I was a child.” I shrugged. “I was obeying my mother. Take your pick.” I swallowed past my dry throat and squeezed my hands into fists. “I remember the pain so vividly. I kept healing and burning and healing and burning again and again. I recall the scent of my hair and flesh and the sight of my hands.” I shook my head to clear it and lifted my gaze to his. “Burning is the most brutal pain I've ever experienced.”
“Yes. I've been burned before,” he murmured. “It was when I was young, like you. I was healed, of course, but I suffered greatly until my parents were able to get me to a medical unit.”
“I thought Bleiten were impervious to fire?”
“Only in our battleforms and I had yet to come into mine.”
“What happened?”
“A tussle among boys.” He shrugged. “I fell into a fireplace and burned my arm. It was nothing but I still remember the pain. I would rather be run through than burned.”
“Run through with a dagger?” I teased, allowing a small smile to curve my lips.
He lifted a brow at me and grinned. “Especially if the dagger is being held by a beautiful woman.”
We stared at each other in silence. I forced myself to hold his gaze even when I wanted to look away. I didn't want to know about his childhood or feel a kinship for the little boy he'd once been. But I knew he'd sense it if I disassembled. I had to keep it as real as possible and so I let myself see him. And I let him see me look.
“Did you stay in the house until it burned down?” Braxis asked in a hushed tone.
I pulled back, processing the sudden return to sad memories. “I... no. My father—my adoptive father, Landry—he pulled me out. He risked himself to save me and then he raised me as his own.”
I rapidly blinked back a sudden rise of tears and looked away from him. A single tear escaped down my cheek and Braxis brushed it away with his thumb.
“Andnowyou cry?” He asked in bafflement. “When you speak about a man saving your life and giving you a home?”
I looked back at him as I swiped at my eyes. “They're not sad tears. They're tears of gratitude, love, and...” I shook my head. “Utter amazement at what a wonderful man he is and how fortunate I was to have him. My life would have been... well, it would have been lacking without Landry.”
“I understand,” he said softly. “I was raised by my parents but also my tribe. I was lucky too. I had a lot of people who cared for me.” He suddenly scowled and looked away. “I left most of them behind.”
“I'm sorry. I know how painful it is to be forced to leave the people you love.”
Yes, it was a well-timed barb and it hit its mark.
Braxis' jaw hardened and he swiveled his stare back to me. “We do what we must. Now, eat.” He pushed my chair back toward the table and then got up and went to sit across from me.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Come here,” Braxis' voice dropped to a sensual purr as he extended his hand to me.
We were back in Malik's old bedroom and it was finally time to get some rest. I had just emerged from the bathroom, where I'd gone to change into the thin cotton shift Braxis had given me to sleep in. He was in bed, lying on his side with the blankets draped across his waist.
I pulled back the blankets on the side opposite his and sat down, facing away from him to gather my courage. I felt him move behind me and turned before he could touch me. I didn't want to be dragged down beside him.
Braxis had indeed moved closer and was reaching for my arm when I turned toward him. He lowered his hand with a soft smile and drew the covers further back for me, far enough to show me that he had decided to sleep in the nude. My eyes were drawn immediately to the slightly tumescent piece of flesh resting on the mattress. It twitched under my stare and I instantly lifted my gaze to his. He was grinning at me.
“Be careful, pretty pixie, such looks will get you in trouble.”
“You said you wouldn't—”
“I won't,” he cut me off. “As long as you adhere to our agreement. Now, come here. I want your body pressed against mine while I sleep.”
