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“All you could see were the chains,” she said. “How you wouldn’t just bind yourself to me, but to my family. And me to yours. Right?”
He nodded, wanting to reach for her hand again, feeling too chastised by her pulling away from him. He didn’t want her to do that. He wanted her to reach for him this time.
“Did you want me?” she asked, something vulnerable there that made him want to kiss her.
“Sometimes,” he admitted because it was the truth.
He hadn’t been in love. But she had been the closest thing he’d gotten back then to a girl he might’ve fallen in love with. If it hadn’t been so damn hard. If she hadn’t come with a ton of excess baggage. He’d pinched himself off from even contemplating falling for her. In fact, he wondered now if perhaps that hadn’t been the main reason for why their friendship went from daily hangouts, to barely saying hello in the school corridors.
She was still observing him, the glimmer having turned to a shadow, the corners of her mouth quirking slightly.
“Sometimes is better than never,” she admonished.
“Do you still want me?” he asked, hating that his voice had grown husky at the idea of having her pressed against him, pinned beneath him, speaking his name through her pleasure.
“I don’t know,” she said, eyes on his, something in them telling him to kiss her, but her body language was still asking him to stay away.
So, he held back.
“I really am tired,” she said, and that was that.
What could he say? How could he make her trust him? What was he supposed to tell his father?
“I’ll give you the bed, just for tonight,” he said. “Unless—”
“Thank you,” she interrupted, walking with him up to the door and closing it behind him once he’d exited.
He stood in the hallway for a drawn-out beat, staring at the wall.
He’d messed that up, hadn’t he? He’d thought he was being slick, calling her out on her lies, but she’d worked him like he was glass, and she was shaping him into whatever she desired. How had she done that? She’d managed to keep him from turning the heat up and demanding an answer out of her, even when he’d been determined she wouldn’t. He had to say; he was impressed. She’d even gotten him to behave like a gentleman, buying herself the night in privacy. No needling her once they were trying to go to sleep, no further questioning as they were getting ready for bed. Clean, simple, good night.
Damn.
This was the woman who was now his mate?
He tried to keep the smile down but failed.
She was fucking amazing.
He would have to earn her trust, and no matter what it took, he wouldn’t stop until he had.
Chapter 6 - Anna
Anna brought her cell phone out of the dress pocket it had been shoved into, switching it back on, watching as the messages began pouring in. Some were from friends and family wishing her a happy bonding night, but many were from a number that didn’t have a sender attached.
Nikolai.
She opened the first text, scrolled through the deluge of warnings and threats, reminders and encouragement, hands beginning to shake. At first from fear, and then from fury. He had sat in her line of sight and ruined her entire evening. Her entire day had been focused on what he was forcing her to do, and now he was even ruining what was meant to be a memorable night. It could’ve been. She’d felt it the second she realized that she couldn’t hide anything from Zeke. She’d wanted to run away, she’d managed to not tell him anything important, but now… all she could think about was his hand clasping hers in such a tight grip.
Was he worried for her?
He’s said he would never let anything happen to her. She’d believed him. The dragon in him had spoken to the dragon in her, and together, they’d roared, as if they were throwing their heads back and giving voice to the mating bond.
They hadn’t chosen each other, but for better or worse, they had chosen to accept what fate had prescribed them. That wasn’t insignificant.
She looked at the closed door through which Zeke had disappeared a handful of minutes ago.
He hadn’t even put up a fight, had given her the room without so much as a raised eyebrow.
