“Just one tampon? I don’t think they sell them individually outside of a bathroom vending machine, and I can’t even tell you the last time I saw one of those.” Leticia still finds the energy to make a joke.
“Alright, well, then at least a box, but we should have some on hand at the house for human visitors, so maybe you can show mewhat you need as a start. Then I’ll take you back to the city, and maybe we’ll have an answer.” I stop myself from spewing a whole plan about helping her pack and getting to see her room in person.
Take her home and never let her leave.My wolf amps up the inner rampaging thoughts of how we’ll do everything we can to keep Leticia forever.
“I’d like that.” She squeezes my hand again. “Thank you for not freaking out about my dad. It means a lot that you trust me. I promise I’m keeping the secret no matter what.”
“I believe in you,” I answer because I know she means that.
I know she means that she’ll try, and even if I don’t believe she’d make it through a round of serious questioning and interrogation, that doesn’t change how I feel about her. I believe she intends to keep wolf shifters a secret. I believe she doesn’t want to tell her dad anything about our family business. But more than that, I don’t expect Gregorio D’Medici to truly push his daughter hard enough to come close to breaking her.
What the Italians don’t see in Leticia is exactly what makes me love her.
29
LETICIA
FUCK UTERUSES
“Wait,are you telling me that wolf shifters don’t have periods?” I groan, rolling to my side in bed, the hot water bottle clutched to my abdomen and phone in hand so I can keep video calling with Royal. Per usual, my cramps have completely halted all work that needs to be done.
“Yeah, they go through what we call heat instead. It’s kinda just like in canines.” I think I can see his cheeks turning pink.
He’s sitting at his computer, the camera showing me a full view of his bedroom and a lot of his desk area, rather than just the camera from his phone.
Fair is fair since apparently he watches me through the camera in my bedroom. I still can’t believe I have a stalker, a hot stalker, and I’m okay with it. Maybe it’s because Royal seems so well-intentioned. But it’s hardly the weirdest thing that’s happened to me today.
“So, what you’re saying is... ?” I try to prompt more.
He shakes his head. “You don’t want to hear about it.”
“Let me be the judge of that.” I argue back. “I’m bleeding and in pain.”
Royal murmurs, and the microphone just barely picks it up. “Ditto.”
“You’re in pain?” I push and roll over to lie on my stomach. Theheat of the hot water bottle presses into my pelvis, and I sigh, feeling some relief from the terrible cramping.
“Yeah, so shifters also have super-fast healing, but that bullet wound is not cooperating.” He runs a hand down his face. “Do you want me to tell you about my wound or wolves in heat? Equally embarrassing topics, so you only get to pick one.”
“Wolves in heat. I’m weighing my options as to which is better.”
My back starts to ache from lying in such an odd position. I try to adjust by shoving my leg up a little bit to support my pelvis. It does nothing, and I go back to lying on my side.
“Weighing your options, sounds like you want to be a wolf. I think you should wait to see Antonella before you make that decision.” Royal clicks on something, furiously tapping the mouse with a lot of force.
“It doesn’t click better if you hit it harder.” I scold him.
“It makes me feel better to click it angrily. It’s like I’m telling the other person to fuck off.” He narrows his gaze at the computer screen. “I mean, seriously? Who tries to hold a meeting at five p.m.? Absolutely not.”
“Okay, so wolves in heat?” I hedge.
Royal leans back in his chair and looks up at the camera. “It’s like one big two-person orgy. It’s sex, sex, and more sex. It’s the only thing that gives the female partner relief, and it’s also the only time they’re fertile. So it’s either wear a condom or welcome a little ball of joy or two nine months later.”
He’s so callous about it that it takes me a second to realize my mouth is hanging open. “Oh. That’s...”
“Mmhmm.” Royal looks away from the camera, and this time, I’m positive his cheeks are bright pink with a full flush.
“But it’s only twice a year that it happens? Because I could see that being not so bad in the scheme of things.” I roll onto my back and instantly regret it, turning back to my side.
