Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“I know the cuisine and ingredients and how to make them into something familiar—I hope,” he told her.
“Well, now I’m really intrigued.” She smiled across the table at him—a genuine smile, that actually reached her beautiful brown eyes. “I’ve really enjoyed today, you know,” she added. “I’ve never had a, uh, client take me out like this.” She made a face. “They mostly just want to hear me sing while they suck my toes.”
“While they what?” Davrik frowned.
“Oh, sorry.” She looked abashed. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Well…because the number one rule around here is never talk about another client in front of your current client,” she explained. “So I shouldn’t have said anything at all.”
“No, please…” Davrik reached across the table and put a hand over hers. “Please, I want to hear anything you want to tell me. And if some other male has hurt or abused you, just point him out to me,” he added, a low protective growl creeping into his voice.
“No, no—you don’t have to do that—you don’t have to try and avenge me or anything,” she protested quickly. “Honestly, I haven’t been here that long—the toe sucking is the worst thing I’ve had to put up with so far.”
“Really?” Davrik felt a tiny, hopeful spark of relief. “I was afraid…I mean, considering the kind of place this is—”
“If you really want to know about my other clients, I’ll tell you,” she said candidly. “Most of them just want me to sing or hum to them. I mean, some of the requests are pretty bizarre, but I haven’t had to do anything really, er, sexual yet.”
Davrik felt a full-fledged burst of relief this time, which he couldn’t keep off his face.
“Goddess be praised!” he muttered. “I’m so fucking thankful you were spared, baby girl.”
Sonya frowned.
“Why do you care so much? If you’re hoping I’m a virgin, I’m sorry to tell you I’m not.”
“No, no—it has nothing to do with wanting to be ‘first’ to stake a claim on your body or anything ridiculous like that,” Davrik tried to explain. “I’m just grateful you haven’t been abused or molested or hurt.”
“Well, give it time,” she said dryly. “After all, look where we are.” She nodded around the opulent dining room with its thick carpets, immaculate white linen, and shimmering chandeliers. “Not a single girl here is free to leave at the end of the night. And I’m not free either,” she added. “I’m stuck here until the clients get tired of me or I lose my voice or get too old to look good singing in the lounge, I guess.”
She sounded so unhappy that Davrik’s heart ached for her. He wished he could promise her freedom—he wanted to swear that he would take her away from all this and she would never have to service another client again. But he hadn’t yet worked out how to go about that.
He could ask the Sluggorn manager about buying her again, but last time the male had been extremely resistant to the idea. Perhaps he could be talked into it, for the right amount of money. In the meantime, Davrik just wanted to enjoy spending time with this new Sonya, who he was already having protective and possessive feelings for.
“I’m just glad none of the males you’ve been forced to spend time yet have hurt you,” he told her.
“There was one guy…” she began, and then trailed off.
Davrik felt a possessive growl rise in his throat.
“Who was it? Did he hurt you?” he demanded.
“No. He just…watched me. Just looked at me. But it was the way he looked at me—like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to eat me or…or fuck me. Pardon my language,” she added but Davrik could tell whoever she was talking about had really shaken her up.
“Who was it?” he asked again, frowning. “Who made you so uncomfortable, baby girl?”
“That awful Trollox who was staring at me in the lounge yesterday,” Sonya admitted. “’Sir Grox’ is what we’re supposed to call him. He…he made me take off all my clothes and…and show myself to him.” Her voice had dropped almost to a whisper and there was a haunted, hunted look in her lovely brown eyes that squeezed his heart and made his protective instincts rage at the same time.
“That bastard is never getting anywhere near you again, baby girl,” he promised. “Never!”
But Sonya shook her head sadly.
“You can’t say that. You’ve only got me for a week and after that, I’m afraid he’s going to want me again. And there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you—least of all that fucking Trollox,” Davrik insisted. He could feel the Rage building in him—the protective fury all Kindred males feel when their female is threatened. “You have to trust me, Sonya. I’m never going to let anyone hurt you again. I swear it.”