Raze poured a glass of whiskey and gulped it down. The way Affina had touched him had his body ready to explode. The feel of her finger on his skin had him so wound tight he felt like he was choking from the inside out.
Yes, they'd touched before. Many times. When she'd bound the wound on his shoulder. When they'd swam in the great lake. When they'd wrestled and sparred. Even when she'd held his hand under the stars. But none of the touching had ever felt that way before. Had never been that intimate. Like she'd been trying to find him beneath his skin.
Raze poured another glass and downed it as well. It had never been his place to think of her like anything other than a princess and he a slave meant to keep her safe. It had been his duty to be near her but not his rank to pursue her. That hadn't stopped him from falling in love with her. A young boy's crush. But now as a man... seeing her again, feeling her touch... It had his saber all riled up and ready to pounce.
"Razor?"
He whipped around. Affina stood wrapped in a soft white bath sheet, her hair dripping down her body. The bath towel stopped just where her legs began. Toned and tan, they ran for miles.
Dammit! He turned toward the counter so she couldn't see his growing interest.
Keep it together. Keep it together.
"I... uh... don't have any clean clothing."
He nodded. "Of course. I apologize. Let me get you something of mine and tomorrow we will get you some new clothes."
He turned, grateful for the distraction and walked into his bedroom. He stopped and stared at his bed for a moment. Why had he walked in there? Clothes! She needed clothes.
Raze headed to his dresser and pulled open the top drawer. He scanned his silk pajama bottoms and grabbed a pair of dark blue ones. Then he grabbed a white tank top and turned around. Affina stood in the doorway.
"These will be a bit big on you, but they'll work for tonight."
She smiled and took them. "Thank you."
Dropping her towel to the floor she set the clothes on the bed.
Razor adverted his eyes. "There's a bathroom over there if you want to..."
She pulled on the pajama bottoms, tied the waist and stopped. "I'm sorry. Does this offend you?"
He swallowed hard and fought for words, trying to keep his eyes trained in front of him.
"Offend? No, I... I'm not offended I just... uh..."
Out of the corner of his eye he caught her pulling his white tank top down. Her ripe buds peeked at him through the thin cotton top.
Her eyebrows furrowed and then she nodded. "I apologize. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just, since I've been on the run, so many things seemed to become unnecessary. Like modesty and running water. You can't believe the kinds of things you find don't matter anymore when your priority is staying alive from day to day."
The pain she'd been through cut him deep. Sadness etched into her features and the red splotches on her cheeks and under her eyes told him that she'd been crying.
His saber chuffed and paced, wanting to rub up against her and curl his body next to hers.
"I wish I could have been there with you. To protect you." The words came out without thinking.
"I'm glad you weren't. I'm glad my father saved you and sent you here."
The doorbell rang and she turned. His gaze traveled again to the scars on the back of her arm. He wondered if any of them had been for him.
They sat on the couch and Affina set the last empty container of Chinese food on the coffee table.
"I liked it," she said.
"After living on the run I supposed you'd like anything warm." He laughed.
"True, but I enjoyed the taste of this. All of it." She gestured to the ten empty containers and smiled. "Thank you for feeding me."
He loved watching her eat. He'd been on dates with women who ate nothing but salad or portions so tiny that he couldn't imagine they would fill a field mouse. Affina didn't have those issues. Between them, they'd eaten all the food and it was a sight that made him smile. When they were younger she used to take half of her food and save it for him, knowing that he was never given enough. If it hadn't been for her he'd have starved. He loved that he could now reciprocate for her.
They sat for a long silent minute staring at each other. "Can you tell me what happened the night you came here?"
Raze licked his lips. It'd been so long ago and yet he remembered every detail. "It was night. Late. I was sleeping and heard shouts coming from outside the palace. I looked out my window and saw the guard under attack. A large burly saber with teeth as long as I'd ever seen shifted into man form and ordered the others into the palace. I tried to get to you but they were everywhere. Searching for someone. Suddenly your father was in front of me. He grabbed me by the arm and took me to the throne room. He handed me a chest full of gold and jewels. He told me to find a place for us. I tried to protest. I wanted to fight but he pushed me through a secret door and ordered one of the guards to get me out of the palace. He secreted me away to a ship and handed me a cell phone and a business card. I took a ship to New York where I was met by the Night Shift. They took me to a place called Wolf River."
"Wolves?"
He nodded. "They're all Blood Born there, like us. They set me up and Logan the oldest son helped me form my company."
Affina ran her finger around the rim of her glass. "My father did the same to me. He shoved me on a helicopter and sent me away."
"What about you?" he asked. "What happened to you that night?"
She stared at her glass in silence for a moment. "I too was in my room when I heard the shouts. My mother threw my cloak around me and pushed me down the passage toward the throne room. I got there just as you must have left. My mother pushed me toward the secret passage but the door burst open before I could get inside. I saw him. That giant saber. He and his clan made their way toward us. He talked about retribution and how the throne was stolen from them. My mother-"
She stopped as tears flooded her eyes. "The giant saber killed her in front of us. He told my father that he was going to do the same to me. The last of the guard attacked the newcomers from behind. I'm still not sure how we made it out of the castle. It's all a blur. For days we hid in the caves near the snow leopards, knowing that the other clan wouldn't dare come into the Leopardlands. Stragglers made their way there to join us. Incus and his mate. Boramus. Medajon. Satia. Maybe a dozen more. But not you. I begged my father to wait to see if you'd show up but he insisted we leave. Now I know why."
Again Raze wondered why her father hadn't even told her he was alive. Had he not expected Raze to make it?
"And you've been running ever since?"
She nodded. "Until now."
Raze's saber yearned to go to her. To nuzzle and comfort her.
His phone buzzed on the table. It was Bethany. She'd called half a dozen times since he'd left the office but he hadn't answered. That was going to be a problem, he could feel it.
Affina looked at the phone. "Do you need to answer that?"
He picked it up and rejected the call. "It's not important. I'll get you a cell phone tomorrow. That way you can call me if you need me."
"But, I'll be with you. Why would I need to call you?"
"Well... yes, but I go to work and have meetings and other things and I'm sure that you don't want to just sit with me all day and watch me."
"What else would I do?"
Wow. What else would she do?
"What do American women usually do during their days?"
"Some have jobs and work and some are mothers and stay home with their children and some... shop."
"Shop?"
"Go out with friends, buy things, spend money. I have enough for you to spend whatever you want."
Her eyebrows pushed together. "Doesn't that get tiresome?"
He chuckled. "Apparently not for some women."
She shook her head. "How frivolous. Even as a princess I didn't spend my days like that. I studied and trained and learne
d how to be useful and resourceful. Except for playing the flute- which was a complete waste of time. But mother thought it was beautiful."
He had to agree. "We'll find you something to do, don't worry, but right now I think it's best if you get some sleep."
"I'm not tired yet."
He nodded. He wasn't either. What he wanted to feel her in his arms. To touch her face and feel her skin.
Stop! He had to stop.
Raze cleared his throat. "I have some work to get done before tomorrow. Would you like to watch television?"
"What kind of work do you do? You aren't a guard I take it."
"Real estate. I buy land and buildings and sell them or I put people in them who pay me rent."
"There are so many people here that I can hardly believe there is a space left that doesn't already belong to someone."
"That's because we're in the city. But there are still places further out that few people live in. Like back home."
"And people pay you to live in the buildings you own? Like this one? Do you own this one?"
"No," he said. "Not this one. The price I would have to pay to buy it I wouldn't make enough money to have it be worth the hassle."
She cocked her head to the side and stared at him for a long moment. "You've changed," she said. "You are no longer like the boy who grew at my side. You're more like my father now."
It didn't sound like a compliment.
"I've had to be," he said. "I've been alone a long time."
She touched his hand and then pulled it away quickly.
"Come on. I'll show you the television. It will help you learn more about Americans."
Raze walked Affina back to her room, pulled the remote from the nightstand drawer and pushed the button. Affina stared at the screen.
He handed her the remote. She looked at it and pushed the up arrow. The channel changed. She sat on her bed and pushed it again. And again. And again.
"Fascinating," she muttered.
He watched her flip through channels with the wonder of a child. Memories of her running through the tall grass with him as she stalked a rabbit, popped into his mind. He'd loved her even back then. So vibrant. So full of life. So free.
"I'm going to go work. You feel free to watch television as long as you want and when you get tired, you can sleep."
Affina continued to stare at the screen and nodded. Raze ruffled his hair and headed for the door. She was adjusting already.
"Razor?"
He turned.
"Thank you again."
The smile on her face made his heart stop. She was so breathtaking.
"You're welcome, Highness."
Raze walked toward his room. His spirit lifted in a way he'd not realized until that moment. Being near another saber, and Affina especially began to patch that hole inside him that had ached to be filled for over five years.
* * *
Affina sobbed into her hands.
Raze ran into her room in nothing but his pajama bottoms. "What's the matter?"
She looked up at him and swiped at her eyes. His hard muscular body tensed in the doorway. A light dusting of blond curls scattered across his chest and wound a trail between his rippling abs and disappeared under his waistband. Again her saber mewled and purred at the sight of him sending fluttering moths dancing in her stomach.
"That woman's spirit killed her children so she could be with them forever," she said.
He blinked several times. "What?"
She brushed the tears from her face. "How could she do that? It's so selfish."
Confusion etched his features as Razor's eyebrows knit together. He walked over, took the remote from her hand and pushed a button. He read the screen and then turned back to her.
"Fina, it's not real."
"I know that but it's still horrible."
He sat on her bed and turned off the television. "I don't understand a lot of things people here find entertaining."
She inhaled his musky cologne, making tingles jogging up her spine. He brushed a tear from her cheek with the pad of his thumb, sending goosebumps over her skin.
"Why aren't you asleep? It's two in the morning. You should be exhausted."
"You're not asleep."
"I told you. I was working."
"It's too quiet in here and I'm not used to sleeping alone anymore. Or on sheets and pillows. Father used to make me sleep between him and Incus. The rest of the clan surrounded us. But here..." She looked around. "The bed is so big. Will you lie down with me? The way we used to when we snuck out and counted the stars? Just for a little while?"
A flicker of anxiety mixed with something else crossed his face.
"You don't have to," she said quickly.
"No. It's fine." His tense body language told her it was anything but fine, but the loneliness that lodged in her breast made her willing to accept even the most begrudging of affections and companionship.
She scooted over and got under the covers. Razor lay next to her on top of the blankets. An awkward moment of silence passed between them and then he turned off the light.
She lay in the dark listening to the sound of his breathing. Shallow and short at first, but after a minute he relaxed and it evened out. She reached over and placed her palm on top of his.
"Do you remember the smell of the primroses in bloom?" she asked.
"Subtle, like berries on the vine," he said.
"Yes. Subtle in moderation. But I remember the time you brought me an entire valley's full and decorated my room with them."
"You'd said they were your favorite scent."
"But then the smell clung to every surface for so long I got sick to my stomach and could never go near them again."
He laughed. "I remember when a suitor from a different clan brought you a bouquet after that. You puked on his sandals."
She squeezed his hand. "I tried to explain but he was so mortified he stormed out before I could tell him that it wasn't him."
"What was his name?"
"Fanghorn."
"That's right. I wonder whatever happened to him."
Affina's chest squeezed. "He was one of the sabers who attacked the castle. He stood with the giant red-haired saber that killed my mother."
Razor fell silent for a moment. "I'm so sorry you went through that."
Guilt and pain swept over her. She rolled on her side and faced the window. "I think I'm tired now."
His warm palm ran down her back. "Sleep."
Affina stared out at the dark sky beyond. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of Razor's breathing and the heat of his body as it warmed her back. His presence soothed the ache inside her and made her saber purr.
Chapter Five
Razor awoke and tried to roll over but couldn't. He looked down to find Affina wrapped in his arms. Her deep ebony hair fanned out over his bare chest and her arm draped over his hips as if it was made to be there.
Every inch of her voluptuous body molded into his like they were one geometric shape. He relaxed into his pillow and inhaled her scent. His saber whined. He'd missed that smell. The one no soap could wash away and no perfume could mask. The one that was unmistakably her. Raw and powerful, it pulled him closer into her.
All the years apart. All the time in other beds. Other arms. Between other legs. None of it came close to affecting him the way just feeling the heat of her skin on his, did.
The phone rang in the front room and Affina stirred. A moment later the bell rang for his apartment.
Without thinking, Raze kissed her head. "I need to get the door."
She mumbled and he slid out from under her, the cool air making his skin goosebump.
"Raze?" a female voice called from the door.
Dammit. Raze ran from the room, closing the door behind him. Bethany stood by the elevator door, a smile planted on her face.
His saber bared its fangs.
Raze headed for the phone and answered it. "Hello?"
"Mr. Edge
, I'm so sorry to bother you but a Bethany Sanderson just bypassed the desk before we could stop her and headed up to your place."
Raze stared at Bethany. "Yes, I see that." He tried to keep the edge out of his voice.
"I am so sorry. We've sent security up-"
"That's not necessary."
"We will get you new key cards at once and make sure this never happens again."
"Please do." Raze hung up the phone, his gaze still on Bethany.
Her smile wavered and the scent of fear wafted off her, stinging his nose like bleach.
"I... I tried calling you but you didn't answer," she stammered. "You left the file on your desk and I thought you might need it." She walked forward and held out the file with a shaky hand.
Raze took the papers from her and set them on the counter. "How did you get in here?"
She licked her lips and produced a key. "You gave it to me the last time I was here."
He plucked the keycard from her fingers. "No. I did not."
Her shoulders slumped. "I just wanted to see you before you left. I thought we were getting along so well." She slid up to him and ran her palms up his chest. "I thought maybe-"
Alarm bells rang in his ears like gongs. He grabbed her wrists and stepped out of her grasp. "Bethany. We had fun. But the fun is over. I tried to let you down gently but I guess I was unclear. I apologize. It's not you, it's me. You did nothing wrong I assure you. You are a beautiful and smart woman. You're going to make some man very happy, but I am married to my business and my family obligations and could never satisfy you long term. I explained that to you when you said you wanted to start sleeping together. I let you know up front that I didn't want anything more than that. It's better that we end it now while we both have good memories of our time together, instead of when you hate me and see me as a selfish bastard."
The words rolled off his tongue as easily as if he was just thinking them up that moment instead of having practiced them a million times over in case something like this ever happened.
She looked up at him pleadingly, tears rimming her eyes. Raze fought the urge to hug her and instead put an arm around her shoulder and ushered her toward the elevator.
Tamed Under The Moon (Wolf River, ID. Book 4) Page 3
