“Thorn!”
“I make a lot of contracts, both behind your back and beside your back and also in front of your back.”
“Really?” She leveled her gaze.
“Making contracts is just part of being fae.”
“Okay, let me ask more directly.” She stepped closer until her scent invaded my nostrils, and my fingers itched to reach out and touch her face until she smiled again. “Have you been making contracts to keep dangerous men away from me?”
I rubbed the nape of my neck before nodding. “I may have done that a few times.”
“How many?”
“Hmm. That’s a good question.”
She growled, and her blue eyes burned with anger. “Thorn!”
“What?” I sighed, reaching out to grab her hands, but she pulled them away. “Wren, I lo—care a lot about you.” I paused, swallowing hard. “Hearing the things people say about you—or think about you—is torture. If I were to let someone walk after saying or thinking harm towards you and I didn’t stop them…” Anger pulsed through me.
Her gaze softened. “I know you make contracts daily, but if they pertain to me, do you think you can just start telling me?”
I nodded. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
“I’ll let you know from now on.”
Her lips curved up into a smile, and she reached out her hands. “Thank you.”
I put my hands in hers and pulled her into my chest, wrapping my arms around her cold frame and holding her tight. “Speaking of contracts…”
“No,” she groaned, and I chuckled.
“Don’t worry, I’m not offering you one... unless you’ve changed your mind?”
She shook her head, and her tail swished back and forth in irritation.
“You’re the cutest.”
She huffed, pulling her head back, and scowling at me as her ear twitched. “I’m dangerous.”
“Sure you are,” I agreed with her. “You’re also adorable.”
She pressed her lips into a thin line and narrowed her eyes at me. “You were saying something?”
“Right.” I smirked down at her, wanting to just lean down and kiss her, but I couldn’t do that. Not without a matebond. If I did, and it turned out she wasn’t my mate, I’d be crushed. “One of the contracts I made, I actually gave a couple of imps to my cousin.”
“The serial killer?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. She wants to meet you.”
“Uh.” She blinked, her lips parted open.
“Not to kill you, obviously.” I tapped her nose. “Just to meet you.”
“Why does she want to meet me?” She tilted her head.
“Because you’re important to me.”
