I can’t stop touching her, even now, my thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. I’m lucky this need to make her mine is not hitting me harder. It’s late May, which is the reason why I can remain sane. If this were the middle of winter, like Garlen was when he met Ellie, I’d need to be chained too. Keric was reasonable until that scent bomb hit.
But I’m still in control of myself and plan on staying that way. If I were to lose my mind and turn into an Irontree of old, I’d kidnap her, not caring about consent and possibly carry Sloane off into the mountains to find a cave where I could take her and fill her with my seed. I refuse to treat my female that way. Modern orcs do not kidnap.
I can let what is growing between us go slowly.
Sloane sighs and looks down at herself and changes the subject. “God, I must look like such a mess right now. No makeup, hair I just air-dried, wearing borrowed pajamas...” She gestures at herself with her free hand. “You probably think I look like a disaster.”
I stare at her. Is she serious? “You’re beautiful.”
“What?”
“You’re the most beautiful female I’ve ever met.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
I’m genuinely confused. “Of course I’m being serious. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because I—” She gestures again, more frantically this time. “Look at me, Jonus. I’m a mess. I have bruises everywhere. My hair is a disaster. I’m wearing Ellie’s old pajamas and I don’t have any of my own clothes and?—”
“You’re beautiful,” I repeat. “You’re the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen. And I wouldn’t change a single thing about you. Not one.”
Her eyes go glassy. Fuck, is she going to cry?
“No one’s ever said that to me before,” she whispers. “Not like that. Not like they meant it.”
“Then everyone else is blind.”
A tear spills down her cheek. She wipes it away quickly, embarrassed. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. That’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid. You are perfect. Exactly as you are.”
She laughs, wiping at her eyes. “Okay, you need to stop or I’m going to be crying all day.”
I reach up and brush a tear from her cheek with my thumb.
Her breath catches.
I find myself gazing at her perfect lips, wondering what it would feel like to press mine against hers and sweep my tongue inside. How would I make sure my tusks are not in the way? I could kiss her. I want to kiss her. I want to?—
The front door opens. Loki barks and jumps off the couch.
Aldar is back.
Chapter Eleven
Jonus
My cousin has everything I specified. Laptop, phone, portable router, VPN hardware, the whole setup. He also brought a shower chair, which was smart.
“I grabbed extra charging cables and a backup battery pack,” Aldar explains. “And Lucy suggested a few other things.” He pulls out a soft blanket, some snacks, a book. “She said Sloane might want creature comforts.”
Sloane’s face softens. “That’s really sweet of you two, to think of me like that. Oh, and actually, before I forget—” She shifts on the couch, looking uncomfortable. “Um, I need to order some other things for myself. I’m grateful for what you’ve gotten to me so far, but I feel bad continuing to borrow so much from Ellie. And I’m starting to think I might be here for a bit and since everything I own is in my apartment in DC and I can’t exactly go back there right now…”
“Make a list,” I tell her. “We’ll get whatever you need.”
“Oh, what I was trying to say, is that I can order what I need once the laptop is set up. Maybe I can have it sent next door, so no one will know?—”
“No.” The word comes out sharper than I intended. “You can’t deliver anything, even next door, or use your credit cards, or your bank account. Nothing tied to your name. That’s how Aldridge will find you.”
