Page 33 of Shae’s Bounty
“It’s expected that we’ll be using all of our energy in the coming days,” Volethos explains, taking a bite of some sort of biscuit that he loaded up sandwich-style. “The cart has a built-in cooler, so we don’t have to worry about anything going bad if we can’t eat it all at once.”
I nearly choke on my bite. “Just so we’re clear, we’re just here for looks. We’re not really going to be fucking other people.”
Volethos quirks an eyebrow. “Aren’t we?”
“Well,I’m not,”I huff as I busy myself with cutting something I think is meat. “You can do whatever, with whoever, you please. So long as you leave me out of it.”
His eyes narrow and he leans across his plate, “I’m not going to keep explaining how this works.”
“I know, I know. There will have to be touching.” I roll my eyes, “I mean, nosex.”
Volethos sets down the sandwich that was halfway to his mouth and leans across to look at me. “Shae, I’m not sure what exactly you think this little trip is going to entail. Let me make it perfectly clear for you. Youwillallow me to touch you—” His voice is soft but firm and deadly serious.
I try to look away, but he reaches out and cups his hand under my chin. When I try to pull out of his grip, he only tightens his hold. “—in any way, and anywhere, that I deem necessary.”
The knife I’m holding falls from my suddenly numb fingers, clattering to the plate. Very slowly, his thumb strokes my cheek, and he slowly shifts his hand so his palm is cupping the side of my face.
“I will not ask your permission,” he continues, and his eyes glint mischievously. “There will be times when others will watch while I touch you. But I promise you I won’t fuck you.” He slides his hand free of my face, and I jerk back. “Not until you beg me to.”
I snort, rubbing my cheek where I can still feel his fingers. “That’s not going to happen.”
His gives me an amused look and lifts his sandwich from his plate. I can’t help watching how he parts his lips as he takes a bite. Something about the way his jaw works as he chews has me squirming in my seat.
Jesus, what is wrong with me? And what’s wrong with him? This isn’t the same Volethos I’ve grown used to being around.
After he swallows his bite, he reaches across his plate to where he’s poured a glass of wine and lifts it to his lips.
My eyes narrow. “We’ll see about that.”
* * *
Since being abducted,I’ve become used to being jarred awake, forcing my brain to come online as quickly as possible because I have no idea what is going to greet me.
But this morning is different.
This morning I wake slowly, wrapped in warmth. My gut tells me I’m safe, surrounded by pillowy softness. My head is resting on a solid warmth. My mind is fuzzy, not quite ready to fully wake and greet whatever the day will bring. I’m more comfortable than I ever remember being, and I start to drift back to sleep when a puff of warm air brushes against the side of my cheek.
My eyes snap open, and it takes a moment for my vision to adjust.
The room that greets me is unfamiliar, but when I look up, I find a familiar face tilted toward me. Volethos’s eyes are closed in sleep, and his breath puffs out from between his lips with each exhale. Something catches the light and my attention from the corner of my eye. That’s when I realize my head is pillowed on his chest—his bare chest, crisscrossed with old scars—and my body is pressed tightly to his side with my arm draped across his stomach. The shine that caught my attention was from the small golden bars pierced through both of his dusky nipples.
Oh shit!
I swear I remember tucking myself into the huge bed alone last night. Volethos must have slid in after I fell asleep.
Looking around, I can see he is lying prone on the opposite side of the bed than I climbed into last night. Which means…
I feel my blood pulse in my cheeks.
Jesus Christ, which means I’m the one who snuggled up tight with him.When did I become a stage five clinger?
Holding my breath, I slowly start to ease myself away from him, only to have his arm suddenly wrap around my waist, pulling me right back against his side.
“Going somewhere?” his deep voice rumbles.
“I didn’t mean to—” the apology dies when he rolls into me, pressing his hips and something else, something big andhard, into my side.
“Look, buddy,” I warn him. My hands go to his chest, my palms right over his pierced nipples, trying to put some distance between us, despite the arm circling my waist. “I wasn’t intentionally giving you the wrong idea.”