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He narrows his eyes, but I don’t see the same conviction in them that was there this morning. I won’t have him feeling sorry for me! He rakes his hand through his hair and lets out a growl that pierces my heart. I fantasied about him riding in and rescuing me until I realised I needed to do it myself. I’d dreamed about that growl.
Acton touches his shoulder and jerks his head to the room. Gold hesitates, staring at me, searching for something on my face, then he turns on his heel and leaves. He takes the tension with him, and I deflate, leaning against the wall.
“Thanks. I’m sorry.” I say stiffly.
“Come with me. I want to show you something.”
He takes my hand like nothing happened. Like I didn’t just order him to release me. Like he wasn’t just forced to obey me.
I study our linked fingers while we walk, feeling more fatigued than ever. I’m too tired, and I don’t understand this at all.
“You don’t sleep well, do you?”
I jerk out of my thoughts. “Not really.”
“Eating?”
“I eat when I remember.”
He grunts. “Your pack doesn’t take care of you?”
I sigh. I hate this lie. It’s starting to really bite me in the ass. Maybe I should just tell them, but if they get mad, I have nowhere to go, and living with hostile, angry alphas isn’t fun, I know that from experience. I shudder. No, I’ll wait and then tell them. When the time is right.
“No, I took care of them.”
He grunts again, but this time, I can feel the disapproval in the air around us.
“I don’t, I didn’t.” I stop, trying to think of how to word this. “I’m not scared of you. It’s just new places that bring back the dreams.”
He halts, and I jerk to a stop with him. “You don’t find me scary? Frightening? Intimidating?” He says the words with humour, and I find myself feeling incredibly stupid. I scrape my hair behind my ears and mutter under my breath while my brain races to save me from this humiliation.
I could lie here, but I don’t want to. I swallow hard. “I find you attractive. I feel safe with you. I feel drawn to you. No fear. Not intimidating. Not frightening. At all.” And that is the truth.
Acton smiles, and it transforms him. He turns and tugs me up a flight of stairs until we get to a bedroom. He opens it and pulls me inside and closes the door again.
I look around, my nerves fluttering uneasily. “Is this your bedroom?”
“Yes.” He tugs me to the closed door where there are three locks fitted. “Until you feel safe, until you feel comfortable, this room is yours.”
I gape at him. “I can’t, it’s your room.”
“You just said you feel safe with me. My scent is here. This is the only room with locks. No one will enter without your permission, and you have peace of mind.”
“But where will you sleep?” The stupidity of that question makes me wince.
He smiles and taps the tip of my nose. “Have a shower. Your clothes will be here when you get out, and you can get some sleep.”
He lets my hand go and turns away. Tears burn my eyes, but when he gets to the door, I rush over and grab his arm. He turns, and I throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He lifts me up, easily, as if I weigh nothing, and holds me while I get myself together. I inhale his scent, and then when I’m ready; I pull back, only to press my lips to his.
His kiss mirrors mine in that we’re both tentative, restrained, both of us holding back. Until I scrape my teeth over his bottom lip. Acton lets out a moan and tenses. I open my eyes and find him watching me. He groans and grips my ass harder, pulling me up against him. I gasp and move my mouth against his. I feel safe and small in his arms, delicate.
Long minutes pass before he finally pulls away. He lets me slide down his body until I’m on my feet again.
“You don’t have to thank me.” He sounds wary.
I blink at him, astonished. “That wasn’t a thank you. That was finally finding the courage to do something that I wanted to.”
He frowns and then slowly smiles again. “Hmm. Well, in that case.” He grips the back of my head, shuffles closer, leaning over me, and kisses me again. Soft, lingering, sweet kisses that I never would have expected from him.
