CHAPTER EIGHT
Five days later…
“Are you sure you want to go through with this, kid? I’ve got contacts, a new identity—the whole shebang. I could whisk you away to whatever part of the world you want to live in. Because, from what I can see, he barely lets you out of this house.” Butch struggled with his black bowtie. “That ain’t right. A woman needs to breathe fresh air, especially a woman like you. You love the outdoors.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not that bad.”
Yes, it was.
After my clothing spree the first day out in New City, a train had fucking fallen from the sky. It crashed a block away from us with debris and dust shot toward our bodies. If it hadn’t been for Alaric and Cass shielding my body on the ground, I would have been dead.
Because Cass did die that day.
A piece of metal flew right through his heart and embedded itself into Alaric’s shoulder. That had been a bloody and grueling day carrying a dead shifter fox into an alley until he could regenerate. Funny how the man had herded us away from another shop I was looking at…right where the train had dropped.
I had no doubt he knew he would die.
All that pain to save me.
After that?
I’d been stuck in Alaric’s damn home.
I’d met all of his friends.
But I was still stuck in his home.
There were no apologies given either.
The only reason I wasn’t pulling my hair out was that I understood—as much as I could. Alaric was immortal. He got one mate. Until we had sex, I could die.
And the day after he finds his mate, a train damn near kills her. So, yes, he was protective. And we were both waiting to have sex. As he had said, he didn’t want to rush it.
I guessed our wedding night might be different. It would be for me, anyway. I mean, it was ourwedding night.
Butch glared through the window where he could see Alaric talking with his best man, Rune Mason. He shook his head, complaining, “The wedding is even at his house. I see major issues in your future.”
I said patiently, “It will be fine. I’m not worried.”
“You should be,” he barked. “You two still act like strangers half the time.”
“We’re getting to know each other. Slowly.” I shrugged my shoulder, my white wedding dress swooshing as I moved. A blush stained my cheeks. “I…think it’s romantic. He seems to get that about me.”
He huffed, then grouched, “I guess he did pay off that other poor fellow who actually got the high bid. Mr. Wood wants you. There’s no disregarding that fact.”
I snorted, and leaned forward, whispering, “Hiswoodwants me.”
He waved two hands high in the air in exasperation. “Lord above, save me from the younger generation.”
I winked. “And he likes my humor.”
“That is a miracle.”
I punched his arm lightly. “Hey! Shut up. That’s not nice.”
We both noticed Alaric’s attention snap to the window where we stood—the closed window. He stood at least fifty feet away. His eyes narrowed, and his jaw tensed.
Butch snorted. “That man sure is fierce. He will make a good protector for you. No man—except for me—would cross him where you’re concerned.” He hummed and rubbed his chest. “You know, I’m liking him better and better.”
