I could never be safe here.
The reminder strengthened my resolve. I kept my eyes closed, kept my breathing even, kept my blade hidden, as I listened to him putter about the room, banking the fire and pulling off his boots. The mattress dipped as he joined me on the bed.
He’d said I was safe, but still he planned on tupping me? I braced myself for his foul touch.
Interestingly, in that moment, I remembered the feel of his lips against mine on the beach. I’d stabbed him, and he’d kissed me. Was that an orcish tradition? In my world, a man kissed a woman he wanted to tup in order to soften her up.
I pressed my father’s blade against the inside of my forearm and vowed he’d not find me an easy enemy to rape.
With a grunt, the Stormseeker rolled over, reaching for me. Before I could react, his arm was around my waist, and he was pulling me toward him, clearly planning on sleeping like that.
Nay! I needed to actnow!
With a wordless cry, I rolled. Not away from him, buttoward. I flicked the knife away from my skin as I straddled him, and before he could react, I leaned forward, the edge of the blade pressed against the vein in his throat.
We froze, neither breathing.
His hands were on my waist, spanning my flanks. I knew I had the leverage and weapon, but he could so easily break me, even in this position.
In the darkness, I saw his tusks gleam as he grinned.
“I should have kenned better than to assume ye’d let yer guard down, wee wildcat.”
“I amnota wildcat.”
Feeling bold, I braced my free hand against his chest and leaned my weight against the blade threateningly. Unfortunately, the movement also shifted me further down his body until my thighs straddled his hips, and I could feel his belt—he hadn’t removed his kilt for bed—against my arse.
“Fierce, independent,” he murmured, “and ye have claws.”
Mayhap Iwasa wildcat.
“I told ye I would escape.”
“There’s nae one keeping ye here, Rowena?—”
“I am in your home! Your world!”
In the light of the full moon coming in through the window, something like regret flashed across his face.
“Aye, and ye’ll no’ be able to return for another month.”
Before I could answer, he flexed his hips, and a hardness pressed against my arse. My eyes widened as I realized what that hardness was, and how his body had reacted to me straddling him.
“Which means,” he murmured, “I have a month to convince ye to stay.”
Convince me towhat?
I was so shocked by his words, I drew back slightly.Convinceme? Was I not his enemy, his captive? And why would hewantme to?—
Unfortunately, I’d let down my guard, and when he lifted me from him, I didn’t have the leverage needed to plunge my blade into his throat…if I even wanted to. I was too confused by his words, his casual ease.
But he still moved faster than any warrior I’d met before. Between one heartbeat and the next, I was lying on the mattress once more, both my wrists pinned above my head, and he was wrenching the knife from my grip.
I kicked at him, and he pinned my legs between his, moving atop me. The moment he covered me, I stopped breathing.
He washard,and yet…
Our noses were inches apart. I was breathing the same air he was. Unconsciously, my gaze dropped to his lips—to thosetusks—and I remembered the way they’d felt pressed against me.
