“What are you doing? Why didn’t you answer the door?” he chastises while pulling me up to my feet with one hand and balancing a heavy plate in the other. My mouth waters the minute the aroma hits my nose, and I’ll admit, the thought of answering him isn’t even close to what’s on my mind.
As a matter of fact, the only thing I’m thinking about is climbing up his body and snatching the dish to see how much I can shove in my mouth before he backhands me and if it would be worth it. Long seconds pass without another word spoken, and I realize he’s staring down at me with a strange look on his face while I’m ogling the food. He must think I’m a savage.
I step back and run my knuckle under my lip, just in case I really was drooling, but I can’t force my eyes from the plate. I think I see meat of some kind. That must be what that deliciousodor is. My father would occasionally have meat, but he never shared, not even with his sons.
“Little flower,” Ziv says softly, and I chance a look at him. If he makes me watch him eat it and offers to let me lick his fingers as my father tried to get me to do, I would do it. “When was the last time you ate?” His head tilts to the side with the question. I’m picking up his cues, and I think that means he’s really interested in the answer.
I tell him the truth. “I don’t remember.”
“Today?” he prompts, and I shake my head. “Yesterday?”
I shake my head again but decide to come up with something because I have a feeling he won’t stop asking until he’s satisfied. “I had some berries.”
His eyebrows furrow so deeply, I know the answer bothered him, probably because I wasn’t specific enough. “Two days ago.” When his nostrils flare at my answer, I add, “And some bread.” It’s a lie, but just a small one.
He slowly lowers his arm, bringing the plate closer to me. I’m tempted to snatch it from his hand, but I know better than to steal, especially from someone bigger and stronger than me. “Go sit down.” The words rumble from deep within his chest. I cross my ankles and bend my knees, then drop directly to the floor near his feet.
“Get up!” He hauls me back up before I can get my feet under me again. I’m going to get whiplash if he doesn’t stop jerking me around. Unlike the last time he helped me up, he doesn’t release me as quickly. Instead, he lowers his head until our faces are level. The snarl on his lips has me pulling my head back as far as I can get in a bid to create some space between us.
“Sorry,” I blurt out. I want to avert my eyes, but I can’t seem to look away from him. It’s as if my brain insists on knowing when the attack will come.
He ignores my apology. “Which village did you come from?”
“Rale,” I supply immediately.
Ziv eases back slowly and releases my arm. I drop down on my heels, not even realizing I lifted onto my toes to ease his hold. “Go sit on the bed.” He lowers his eyes from my face, and I skitter away to do as I’m told, sitting on the very edge of the bed. By the time I look up, his back is to me, and my stomach sinks in disappointment. He isn’t going to share the food. I take solace in knowing I won’t have to watch him eat. My father took great pleasure in that particular torture.
After only a short moment, Ziv faces me again. My eyes drop to the plate, expecting it to be empty, but it’s not. In fact, it doesn’t look like he ate any of the food. Hope rekindles in my gut that I try to quash, but as he extends his hand while approaching, I lose the battle. When the heavy dish hits my thighs, I have to force myself not to cover it with my hands or grab the thick white bone sticking out of the meat and shove it into my mouth.
“Eat, little flower,” Ziv intones somberly. My hand twitches, but I keep my eyes on the large male in front of me. This could be some sort of a trap, but I’m too desperate, too hungry not to risk it. I finally drop my gaze to the food and spy the largest piece of meat available. My mouth waters as I fist the white bone just as I imagined and extend it toward Ziv. My arm actually trembles a little under the weight, or maybe I’m just that anxious.
“It’s safe.” He misunderstands my offer, assuming I want him to test it.
I shake my head. “I would rather die happily with a full belly than worry about poison. Don’t you want some?”
Ziv crouches, placing his elbows on his knees, and evaluates me with a critical eye. “You would share, even though you’re clearly starving?” His head is tilted again.
“Considering I wouldn’t have it if you didn’t give it to me…” I leave my reply open-ended and hope my proposal speaks foritself. I know there are ways to earn favor, and they are not above me.
Ziv leans forward, his razor-sharp canines bared, and takes a bite of the meat still in my grip while his eyes are locked on mine. My stomach does this weird flip-flop, causing me to squeeze my thighs together for some reason. I wasn’t expecting him to do that or my reaction to it. Heat crawls up my neck, and I would bet my cheeks are red.
I push the meat toward him again, hoping he’ll take it this time, but he just licks the corner of his mouth and chews slowly as he savors the bite. “Eat the rest.” He nods his head at the meat still in my grip.
I tear off my first bite, almost managing to sink my teeth into the same spot he bit. Thick juices spill down my chin, but I don’t care as the meat melts in my mouth. “Oh gods, that… What is this?” I whisper in awe while still chewing. I’ve never tasted anything so decadent in my life.
“Beef.” His brow is furrowed again, but I don’t waste time examining him, nor do I waste another drop of the succulent juices when I finish off the beef so there isn’t even a morsel left on the bone.
The plate is still heaped with food, but I know if I eat another bite, I could risk making myself sick. Even now, I can feel the weight of the food heavy in my belly.
As I’m staring mournfully down at the plate, Ziv reaches out, and I flinch back. His silver eyes swirl so quickly, I almost get dizzy at the sight. He inches forward slowly until his thumb swipes under my bottom lip, then he pulls away. My tongue makes a natural path along the same one he took before I start to use my sleeve to clean my face better, but I stop in my tracks when he sucks the same thumb he used into his mouth. My belly flops again, but this time, when the flush hits my cheeks, I understand why it’s happening. I only pray he doesn’t notice.
I make a point of looking down at my lap to avoid his gaze. It’s not hard to understand why I would develop a crush on Ziv. One look at him is all it would take for most, but the fact that he gave me food and has been nice catapults him to near godhood, not to mention I’m pretty sure he actually is a fallen deity of some kind. The sting of embarrassment overrides the fascination warming my belly.
As if he can sense my unease, Ziv rises to his feet and creates some much needed space between us, even though the room is too small and he is too large for anyone to ever truly escape his presence. He starts backing toward the door, and a strange sense of nervousness combined with acceptance fills me. I’m not looking forward to being locked in the room, but at least I’ll be alone.
“When I leave, you need to lock the door,” he instructs.
I peer around him, looking at the handle. “How?” I ask, placing the plate on the bed so I can rise.
