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ChapterThirty-Four
SUNDAY
“Is this what it’s like in Novasgard?” I asked, annoyance coloring my tone.
Alek chuckled from his spot two steps behind me as we walked down the hall and toward my dorm. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Big bad Vikings shadowing their women? Giving them no space to breathe?”
He laughed again. “Definitely not. Our women carry axes and know how to use them. Strega, our jarl, would skin the man that tried to imply she couldn’t take care of herself. All the women would.”
I stopped so quickly he crashed into me, knocking me off balance. He reached to steady me, but I righted myself and jerked out of his hold, turning to face him, daggers in my stare. “Oh, I see.”
The amusement in his expression fled, telling me he instantly realized his misstep. “That’s not what I—”
“Isn’t it? You should quit while you’re ahead. You three think I haven’t figured out what you’re doing? God, it’s so obvious. You think I can’t handle myself, that I’ll hurt someone. You don’t trust me.”
My chest burned with embarrassment. I’d thought I was doing better. Gaining control. Even today in our session, Alek had told me how far I’d come. But if it wasn’t him acting as my shadow, it was Noah, or worse, Kingston.
“No, Sunday. You misunderstand. Even the strongest women need someone to watch their backs. It’s not about your control. It’s about your safety.”
“Safety? I’m safe here. I’m not sure how you missed it with as far up my ass as you’ve been lately, but I haven’t left the campus since the hunters snatched me and Moira.” I reached for the doorknob but stopped, sighing. “I just need some space to breathe. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I do.”
Apology flickered in his eyes, but I could already tell by the determined cast of his face that he had no intention of backing off. His next words confirmed it.
“Are you going out again tonight?”
With a frustrated huff, I whipped around, tearing my gaze from him. My long braid connected with the stubborn Viking’s broad chest, and for the briefest moment, I wished for his fist to catch me by my hair and tug me back against him. Instead, I entered the room and slammed the door before he could protest. Or piss me off further by trying some stupid alpha male maneuver like following me inside.
“Um. Hi?” Moira said from where she was perched on the edge of her bed.
“Men are stupid.”
“Truth.” She gave me a considering once-over and closed her book before setting it beside her. “I know why I think so. But what finally convinced you?”
“Them. All of them. They won’t leave me alone.”
“That’s what happens when you have a magic pussy.”
I dropped my jacket on my desk and peeled off my sweaty workout clothes to change into something more comfortable. “That would make sense if anyone other than Noah had access to it. But seeing as how even he’s pissing me off right now, he’s not getting it either. The only mannotannoying the shit out of me these days is a hot priest. So what’s your next excuse?”
Moira snickered. “Well, that was more information than I thought I’d be privy to. We’re going to circle back to the priest in a minute.” She stood and walked to the small cabinet where we kept a few bottles of wine, said a little spell under her breath, and the cork popped free. “This calls for some alcohol.”
“God, yes,” I groaned. “Seriously, Moira. It’s like I haven’t had a second to myself since the night with the hunters. And I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but having three sexy men breathing down my neck nearly every second of the day is not as fun as you might think. It’s infuriating. I swear to you, Kingston followed me straight into the bathroom this morning. It wasn’t until I shoved him back out on his ass that he finally stayed put. Like, what the actual fuck? Did he think I needed his help peeing? Or is he so desperate to get into my pants that he thought coming in with me would get him closer?”
A guilty look flickered in her eyes.
“Moira... I know that face. That’s the face of someone who needs to fess up.”
“Guilty as charged,” she admitted. “I may, uh, have something to do with your prison guards.”
“What? Why? You were there. I kicked ass.”
Pouring us both a glass of rich red wine, she motioned to my bed. “Sit down first.”
I held my hand out for one of the glasses. “How about you wine me first? Seems like I’m going to need it.” Once we both had our beverages, we settled on the bed, but she wouldn’t look at me. “Moira, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”
“Do you remember how I told you about my aunt Tabitha?”
