Frowning, I bite the inside of my cheek and look around. Not a paper or pen in sight. With another deep breath, I reach for his hand. The look on his face makes me nervous, as if he doesn't want me touching him. As fast as the frown came, it's gone and he's sticking his hands through the bars.
"Go ahead," he encourages with a nod. I study his features for a moment though. Helooksvisibly angry, and I feel hesitation. "You may touch me, Firefly."
An odd sort of eagerness makes my heart jitter. Unable to stop myself even if I wanted to, I grab his large hand in my smaller one. I swallow the sharp intake of breath that squeezes my lungs.
Transferring the top of his hand to my left palm, I glance up at Riot. I've never seen his face so relaxed or his eyes so curious.It makes me want to learn more. He seems to enjoy physical touch. If I need to hold his hand so he stops flipping out about my full tummy, then I'll consider it.
With my right pointer finger, I begin to trace the letters of my name onto his warm palm.So warm...
V."V?" he whispers, and I nod.
I."I," Riot guesses confidently.
V."V."
I."I."
A."A."
N."N," he breathes.
Nodding happily, I drop his hand and smile up at him. When I do, he looks starstruck which makes me wonder if I've had yet to show him Iamcapable of happiness.
"Nice to meet you, Vivian." The way he says my name for the first time sends tingles down my bare arms and warmth to my already heated cheeks.Jeez, am I embarrassed?
All the negative emotions that overrode my system mere minutes ago feel light years away. How can this one man bring me so much peace and emotion all within five minutes?
Alphas are powerful creatures. When they want to, some may be all-consuming, using their presence and scent to manipulate. I don't think that's what's happening here.
I have no idea why I feel so intertwined with Riot sometimes. While it scares me to no end, at least I'm following the lead of someone who's strong and capable in this situation.
"Well, isn't this sweet?"
Jumping, I cower away from the disturbance. How did I not notice the guard watching us? Absently, I hear Riot curse and try to reach for the bread he put on my side. With my scrambling to stand and face the asshole head on, I knock it further away from him.
Tsking, the horrible man doesn't waste any time in unlocking my cell. My breathing picks up and for once I look at Riot. Will he know what I should do? I didn't do anything this time. I didn't. I didn't do anything wrong!
His eyes are wide and his mouth drops open to yell, but right before he can grab me to pull me closer to him, the guard is on me. Dragging me away by my hair as he snarls about rules and punishments. I kick and hit.
Riot looks ready to fight, so I should too. Right? Gosh, I hope so because I don't think I can sit here willingly as I'm being hurt for something I didn't do.
"If you were good, I'd feed you. But you're not. You're a greedy bitch who needs to be put in her place."
Stumbling behind the alpha, I have no choice but to follow him out of the cell.Out.I don't want out without Riot!Frantically looking back, tears spring to my eyes at the visual of him trying to get to me. When has anyone else cared other than my mates?
"NO!" Riot roars. He tries to fit himself through the bars but he's just too wide. And I'm already gone.
Thirty
Jarek
Idon’t know how much more I can take. The harder I try to reach her, the easier it is to gain access. That doesn't mean by any stretch of the imagination that it'seasy.
Fucking hell, it's the hardest, most awful thing I have ever experienced. I've never fought and tried so hard to immerse myself in the bond like Vivie does daily. Now I'm being sucked into our shared subconscious and becoming way more intertwined than I ever have in the past.
I was content to know our bond ran so deep our mate could basically live in it. Now, as my ability expands, I'm fucking horrified.
Of course I can imagine and see the beauty of what thiscouldbe, but holy fucking shit I feel like I'mdying. I may not be able toseewhat Vivie does in the bond, but I'm wondering if I might feelmorethan she does.
