And also, maybe, to satisfy my own curiosity.
Flavor explodes across my tongue as I take a bite, causing me to moan in delight. Becausewow,that’s good. I quickly stuff more into my mouth and close my eyes, reveling in the taste of this delicious treat.
All too soon, it’s gone, and I instantly grab another.
Which is when I realize all three men are staring at me again.
Warmth creeps up my neck as I set the donut down in front of me. “Um.” I clear my throat. “These are good.”
They say nothing for a long moment, the tension around the table seeming to grow.
“I can’t decide if I prefer the growl or the moan,” Craze murmurs. “Both certainly have their appeals.”
My cheeks heat even more. “I… I did not mean to growl.” The moan, I can’t really take back. That donut thing is worthy of the moans.
“That’s all right, gorgeous. I didn’t mind your possessive growling. In fact, I rather enjoyed it.”
I narrow my gaze. “It wasnota possessive growl. It… it just sort of came out.” And I really don’t want to explain why, so I grasp at the first thing I can think of to slightly alter the subject. “Did you really need to slice her fingers off? You could have just told her to stop touching you.”
Okay, that came out a little possessive again.
Which isn’t what I meant at all.
He’s not mine. None of these men are. Hell, Ijustmet them.
Clearing my throat once more, I attempt to clarify by saying, “I mean?—”
“It was a possessive growl,” he interjects. “And yes, Ailsa, I did need to cut her fingers off. She touched something that belongs to my queen, which is highly fucking disrespectful and won’t be tolerated.”
I blink at him. “I… I have no idea how to respond to that.”
“There’s nothing to say to that,” he tells me. “I’m yours, Ailsa. Anyone who attempts to consider otherwise will meet a similar, if not worse, fate.”
I gape at him. He can’t be serious.
But if I say that aloud, he’ll tell me what he’s said the two or three times I’ve asked that before—not normally. Or something to that effect.
Because this male is insane.
Certifiably mad.
No wonder that redhead called him a mad fucking hatter.
“And besides,” he goes on while waving a flippant hand through the air, “she’s a black-widow shifter. Those fingers will grow back in a matter of hours, faster if she shifts. Honestly, I should have done worse. But I didn’t want to frighten you.”
“He’s right,” Krolic murmurs from beside me. “He should have done worse.”
Master Pillar puffs out a ring of smoke from the shadows, adding, “Yes.”
I have no idea how to respond to any of that.
So instead, I watch the smoke ring float away, then frown as it starts to circle our little table in the Tavern’s corner. Mist glitters around it, falling down to the floor to create a strange translucent barrier, one I reach out to poke with my finger.
Energy hums back in response, sending a jolt down my arm. I yank my hand back and look up to see the mist gathering over our heads as well.
“What…?” I trail off, a shiver traversing my spine. This magic feels hot. Intentional.Protective.
How do I even know that?I wonder, suddenly feeling lightheaded again.
