“Who were those men?” Kim asks. I feel her fingers curling into my chest fur, scratching lightly, and it is almost as if she is trying to comfort me as well. When I hesitate, she continues. “You can tell me. I’ve dealt with some bad shit in my life.”
And she continues to scratch my chest as I pet her head.
It occurs to me that we are comforting each other, and the thought makes me smile. Do I trust her? Or do I keep my secrets? Perhaps the answer is somewhere in the middle. “A bounty hunter,” I confess. “I think he might be trouble.”
“Should we call Bethiah?” Kim asks.
Bethiah. Of course. One bounty hunter can get rid of another. I laugh, squeezing Kim against my chest with relief. “You are the smartest female ever, you know that?”
27
KIM
Nassakth contacts Bethiah while I get ready for bed. We’d discussed what we’d ask her to do—since she clearly needs explicit instructions—and decided that we’d ask for information and nothing more. For now. We can always decide what needs to be done later, and I don’t like the thought of getting deeper into things than we already are.
I’m still not entirely sure what’s going on, but if Nassakth thinks that the bounty hunter on the doorstep is trouble, I’m willing to believe him. They’re either looking to cause trouble or they might be after his fortune. It’s clear to me that Nassakth is one of the wealthiest people on this planet, and he had a reputation before settling down. Maybe someone found out about that reputation and wants to blackmail him.
I’m a little worried because I feel like we’re settling in to each other and developing a friendship, and I don’t want anything to happen to that bond.
Friendship. I think about just how disappointed he was when I brought it up. My cheeks flush and I splash water on my face to cool it. I consider my hair, pulled back into a high bun to keep it off my face. Normally I sleep with it in two loose braids, but it makes my face look round and childish. I detangle it with his odd comb, then leave it loose around my shoulders and study my reflection.
Oh god, is that a gray hair? I lean into the mirror, horrified. It is. Shit. I immediately pluck it out, wincing as it rips from my scalp, and then I feel stupid.
Our lives could be in danger and here I am worried I’m going to look old to Nassakth? It’s so shallow of me. I slip one of Nassakth’s extra tunics over my head to sleep in, since my clothes are wrinkled and slightly smelly after two days straight. It hangs on me like a dress, the collar practically gaping to my ribs, and I artfully adjust it, tugging on the back hem so I’m not all cleavage.
Then I climb into the bed and wait for Nassakth to update me on Bethiah. I sit cross-legged in the center, tugging the hem of his tunic over my knees, and try to distract myself with thinking of storylines for my book. Maybe…maybe they’re stuck somewhere and there’s only one bed. Maybe it’s snowy outside and they’re forced to share warmth. Maybe—
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. “Kim?”
“Come in.”
Nassakth pokes his head in and his gaze lingers on the tunic I borrowed. There’s a hungry flash in his eyes that makes me feel…things. Things I don’t hate.
“Is this okay?” I ask, and there’s a husky note in my voice as I touch the collar. “My clothes were getting kind of ripe.”
“Of course. Anything I have is yours.” He remains in the doorway. “We will get more clothes for you tomorrow. And we will go by your farm and set up the perimeters. And we will start your weapon training.”
I have a million questions to ask, like how the call with Bethiah went. If she knows anything about the mysterious bounty hunter. If there’s something going on that I should be aware of. But it all flies out of my mind the moment he mentions the weapon training. I feel a prickle of fear go up my spine. “Am I…in danger?”
“Never.” His vehement response makes me feel better.
“Did marrying me get you in trouble with someone? Do you need to bail out?” I chew on the inside of my cheek for a moment, because even though it’s only been about two days, I already feel a little less guarded and ten times safer than I did while alone on my farm. “Because if you do, I understand.”
“We are staying married,” Nassakth says stubbornly from the doorway. “I made a vow to you and that has not changed. Our mating will cause no problems. I do not think he is here for that.”
“Then what is he here for?”
His feline face is impassive. “I do not know.”
I can’t tell if he genuinely has no idea or if he’s lying to me. I study his face, worried, and then nod. “Did Bethiah agree to hunt down the information on what’s going on?” When he grunts in agreement, I add, “I can help pay for her services.”
“You will do no such thing. It is taken care of.” Nassakth studies me for a moment longer, and then inclines his head. “Good night to you, Kim. Sleep well.”
“Night.”
I watch him leave, shutting the door behind him. “Lights,” I murmur, and they dim, then wink out and the room is left in darkness. I’m alone in the massive bed. I curl my legs under the tunic to work as a blanket. It’s not that I’m cold, exactly. I just feel…a little frightened and very alone now that the lights are out. What did the bounty hunter want? What’s the piece of the puzzle that I’m missing?
Minutes pass. I’m tired, but I can’t find it in me to close my eyes and sleep. My brain won’t shut off. I keep thinking about the bounty hunter. About Bethiah. About Nassakth. About his smile when we played Slapjack yesterday. How caring he’s been. How good it felt to wake up next to him and feel so protected, sheltered and secure.
I climb out of bed and head for the door. All is silent on the other side. I crack it open and peek out, and the lights are off in the rest of the house. I cross my arms under my breasts and tiptoe on the cool floors, heading into the living area. Sure enough, Nassakth is lying flat on his back on one of the rugs, his eyes closed. He looks more like he’s going to meditate than sleep. It doesn’t look comfortable.
I take a small step forward. The sound of my feet on the tile must make a slight noise, because he immediately jumps up, fur bristling. His eyes shine in the darkness. He’s alert, his claws unsheathed, teeth bared, and my eyes go wide as I freeze.
The moment he realizes it’s me, he relaxes, his shoulders slumping. His claws retract as he lowers his arms. “Kim.”
“I thought you said we weren’t in danger,” I accuse.
“We are not. But you should not sneak up on a gladiator at any time in your life.” He rakes a hand through his mane, smoothing it down, and offers me a wry smile. “Even an old one like me.”
“Oh shut up. You’re not old.” I think of the gray hair I plucked out earlier today. He’s gray all over but I don’t think he’s old. Not in the slightest.
“Can you not sleep?” he asks, changing the subject. Nassakth’s eyes are still shining in the darkness. Instead of unnerving, I find it kind of…cute.
I shake my head. “I can’t sleep in that big bed by myself. I know this is a big ask, but will you come sleep with me? Just as friends of course.” I hastily add the last part, just in case he thinks I’m asking for more this early.