Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
J’orn had started to turn away—maybe he thought she wasn’t going to answer. But when her front door slid open, he turned back, his face lighting with hope for a moment.
“Kara,” he rumbled, looking down at her. “How are you? I brought your things,” he added, nodding at the carry-all cube in one hand.
“Oh, thank you.” She nodded at him. “Er, do you want to come in?”
He hesitated.
“That depends…do you want me to come in?”
Kara nodded. Just looking at him was doing crazy things to her pulse.
“Yes,” she said, because he was still hovering in the doorway, as though he was afraid to believe her. “Yes, I definitely want you to come in.”
“Okay.” He stepped inside her suite and the door slid shut behind him.
“Come on—have a seat on the couch,” Kara invited. “I’ll get us something to drink.”
She had to get away for a minute—her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was shaking her whole body! This was the first time she’d seen him since she’d admitted her feelings for him—admitted that she was falling in love with him.
But wait—who had she admitted that to? She frowned as she poured some water into a couple of glasses. She’d had enough wine and mind-altering substances to last for several lifetimes, thank you very much, so water it was.
She couldn’t remember who she’d admitted her feelings to, other than herself, but they were definitely there. But of course, she still wasn’t sure how J’orn felt now. Their encounter in the brothel might have changed everything. He might not want her anymore, now that he’d had her. Or he might have lost respect for her—a lot of human guys were like that. The minute they got what they wanted, the woman they’d been pursuing was suddenly a “slut.”
Kara didn’t think J’orn would feel like that—the Kindred were much more honorable than human men, after all. But she couldn’t be one hundred percent sure. The question was, how could she find out? She supposed she’d just have to wing it and hope for the best.
“Here you go,” she said, coming back into the living area and giving J’orn the glass of water. He was sitting on one end of the couch and she settled on the other end, beside him but with some space between them.
“Thank you.” He drank the water, downing it in one long swallow, and then set the glass on the side table. He seemed uncertain of himself, Kara thought—which was pretty much how she felt as well.
“Er…how was your trip back?” she asked lamely.
“Fine.” He nodded and cleared his throat. “The ones who hurt you have been punished—I wanted you to know that.”
“Oh…thank you,” Kara said faintly.
“You’re welcome.” He nodded and then seemed to be searching for other topics to talk about. “Why do you have a breeding chair in your living area?” he asked, nodding at the black glider the Twin Kindred had delivered earlier.
“I’m sorry—a what?” Kara frowned. “Is that what it’s called?”
J’orn nodded.
“Yes, but why do you have one?”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “It was delivered by accident, I think. I’m going to ask some of my neighbors if they ordered it because I certainly didn’t.”
“Oh.” He nodded and then blurted out, “Kara, I’m so sorry I hurt you!”
“What? What do you mean?” She shook her head. “You saved me—back at the brothel.”
“Not before I took you—much too hard. Not before I bruised you.” He closed his eyes briefly, a look of regret coming over his face.
“J’orn, no…please don’t feel like that.” Kara leaned across the couch and put a hand on his. “I don’t feel like you hurt me,” she told him. “You helped me. I heard those horrible people at the brothel talking. If you hadn’t…done what you did, I could have died.”
J’orn shook his head.
“I lost control with you—I wanted you so badly I couldn’t hold myself back. I’m so fucking sorry for that,” he said hoarsely.
“But I’m fine—really!” Kara protested. “I mean, physically anyway. Mentally and emotionally I think it’s going to take a little time to get over. I’m certainly going to have a really hard time trusting people from now on,” she added grimly, thinking of Gaela and Nono. “But none of that is your fault.”
“Can I look at you?” he asked. “I mean, look at the place where I hurt you? I just…I need to see how bad it is.”
Wordlessly, Kara rose and went to stand in front of him. Though he was seated on the couch and she was standing, they were still almost eye-to-eye.
She untied the sash to her white robe and let it fall to her feet. Then she raised the nightgown and let him see.
J’orn sucked in a breath when he saw the finger-shaped bruises branding her hips.
“Gods,” he muttered in a low voice. “Look what I did to you! I’m so fucking sorry, Kara!”