Dancer dropped his hand to the injury she had on her biceps. “You okay?”
“Told you. Flesh wound. Throbs, but I can handle it.”
He smiled. “My toughmia.”
Those words came out slurred as Dancer slowly drifted off to sleep.
Pursing her lips, she left him to come check on Bastien. His gut tightened immediately at her approach. For more than one reason.
The last thing he wanted was to have an Andarion male’s female touching him. One thing he knew about their culture—they were insanely jealous and no one touched their women or children without permission.
So he tried to brush her aside.
Yet as with Dancer, she was insistent.
Bastien grimaced at her. “I’ve had worse from bar fights. Trust me. Beatings I can take.”
“You sure?”
Bastien nodded. “Hand me a cloth and I’m fine.”
She hesitated.
Glancing over to Dancer, he gave her a sardonic grin. “Sumi, I learned a long time ago, you don’t touch or get touched by an Andarion’s female. They get really hostile over it, and I’m not physically able to keep Hauk from killing me right now. So no offense, let’s maintain at least a five-foot no-touch zone. ’Kay?”
She scoffed as she handed him the foil package that held an antiseptic cloth. “He wouldn’t beat you, Bastien.”
Yeah, right. Definitely not worth the bet.
“Not gonna chance it. In case it’s escaped your notice, your male is a huge motherfucker. And I’ve had enough ass beating to tide me over for at least a month.… Maybe longer.”
Shaking her head at him, she went to check on Thia.
Bastien lay for hours in silence, pretending to sleep. It was easier than being awake and interacting with a family. Because the way they teased and fought reminded him of everything that was forever lost to him, and it cut in a way he hadn’t realized he’d been spared from. All this time, he’d cursed his Ravin status.
Right now, he was beginning to think it’d been a blessing. Over the years, he’d been focused on surviving. Finding food, and shelter. Making sure the perimeter was secured. He hadn’t thought much about anything else. Even the times when he allowed himself to wallow had been few and far between. Some new threat or necessity had always cropped up to pull his thoughts to immediate survival.
It was so much easier to live that way than face the extreme loneliness he felt when he was around others.
A part of him was tempted to stay behind and rot here, but he couldn’t do that. Not until he fulfilled the promise he’d made to his parents and siblings.
He wouldn’t die or rest until he’d paid Barnabas back everything that was owed to him.
Everything.
And in spite of his trying to feign sleep, Sumi, Thia, and Darice pulled him into their circle. Before he knew it, they were trading old stories like long-lost friends.
In fact, Bastien was in the middle of one about Fain when Dancer finally woke up.
The laughter died on Sumi’s face as her gaze met Hauk’s. She got up immediately and rushed to his side. “How do you feel?”
“Like a guy who made a pass at Thia and Nyk saw it.”
Laughing, Bastien grinned at Thia, who appeared less than pleased by his description. Obviously her father’s overprotectiveness was a source of great irritation.
Sumi rolled her eyes. “You have one heck of a shiner. Who was tall enough in that fight to hit your face?”
“He wasn’t. But the board in the bastard’s hands gave him reach.”
