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“Mean bastards. Sharp teeth, hard to kill, foul meat.” He shrugged. “Teris is the sabertooth. He’d sooner start a fight than have a logical conversation, which is both his best and worst quality.”
I snorted, and Calian’s lips tilted up slightly. I finally reached him, and his hands wrapped around my hips, drawing me closer until I was nestled between his thighs. I felt tiny in his arms, and didn’t hate that feeling at all. “And what about you?” I asked him.
“What about me?”
“If I was asking them the same question about you, what would they tell me?”
He grimaced. “That I’m the obnoxious one, I suppose. In everyone’s business. Won’t leave the fuckers alone. Showing up with food, forcing them to get up and do shit when they want to be alone.”
Well, that didn’t sound obnoxious to me.
Not at fucking all.
“What kind of food?” I checked.
“Cake, usually. Who do you think told the bastards outside that they should bring treats when they wanted to convince the human women to talk to them?”
I snorted. “That was actually a great idea.”
“Thank you.” His lips curved up further. “What would your friends say about you, January?”
My humor died. “I don’t have friends. Friends are just people who pretend to like you until they’re ready to fuck you over.”
“I’m sorry.” Something about his gaze felt far too much like the pity I’d never wanted from any of the many people who had fucking pitied me throughout my life. “Are you ready for bed?”
I stepped out of his grip, and he released me, though I felt the reluctance in the way his touch lingered. “I want to be alone tonight. I need space to think. Time, too. Everything’s happened too fast since I got here.”
His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. “Space?”
“Yes, space.” I stared back at him, my eyes just as narrow as his. “I still haven’t agreed to be your wife, remember? You were probably hoping for sex, but you’re going to have to fucking deal with space instead.”
His eyes flashed silver. “Should I walk out the Stronghold’s doors, I’m going to have to fight the fae who believe you could’ve been theirs had they met you first.”
“Then you probably have a few friends out there, waiting to fight with you,” I shot back.
His silent glare was all the answer I needed.
“We just met, Lian. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. There’s more to a fucking relationship than sex, and we don’t even have a relationship. If I need to go out there and let them all sniff me so you don’t have to kill anyone, that’s fine, I’ll do it. But you don’t just get toassumethat we’re going to be together constantly now.”
His jaw clenched further. “Alright. I’ll spend the night making sure none of the bastards outside get in here, so you can have yourspace.”
I knew for a fact that the Stronghold had been built to keep the fae out—and I was fairly confident none of them would harm us. If they intended to do that, there would’ve been at least some sign.
But I didn’t say that.
I only jerked my head in a nod. “Fine.”
Calian stood stiffly, and my eyes followed him as he crossed the room.
His muscles were tense as he tugged the door open, and my teeth cut into my lip.
The door slammed behind him, and I released a heavy rush of air.
My chest fucking hurt, and I didn’t want to think about why.
I considered going out to the living room, to watch a movie with the other girls, but I didn’t want them to cheer me up. Something told me they would.
So instead, I locked the door and collapsed on the bed.
