that told her exactly how much he loved her. His hands shook as angst darkened his gaze. “Is that why you’re pulling your contract from me?”
“What?” she breathed.
He nodded grimly. “Your agency called yesterday to tell me. They wanted me to pick another companion.” If she lived a thousand years, she’d never forget the deep-seated hurt in his handsome features.
Never in her life had she wanted blood the way she did right then. After what Anatole had told her about Talyn and this… “I’m not breaking the contract, Talyn. I went to them to ask about buying it back.”
He flinched and nodded. “It’s for the best. I understand.”
As he started to withdraw, she cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. “I wanted to buy it back so that I can stay with you. Forever. I love you, Talyn. Only you. They told me a few days ago that they had accepted another contract for me, and that they were the ones breaking this one. I told them that I refused to do it. And I only went there today to find out how much I’d need to buy my contract out.” She pulled her link from her pocket and handed it to him. “You can see the e-mails for yourself, and the timestamps on them.”
He scowled at her. “What are you saying?”
“What I started with. I. Love. You. Talyn. I don’t want another male. Ever.”
He winced. “Felicia, I can’t give you anything.”
Biting her lip, she searched for the words to make him understand that in this universe that hated him for things he couldn’t help, she loved him for what he was. “I don’t need things, Talyn. In spite of who my father is, I grew up with very little. For the most part, I was raised in one-room efficiencies. It’s why I know how to cook and take care of myself. Material objects don’t matter to me. They never have. But you do. You’re all that matters to me.”
Still, he shook his head as if he couldn’t fathom her words. Or her loyalty. He brushed his hand over her bruised cheek. “I can’t put you at this kind of risk. I can’t.”
“Talyn —”
“I’m stralen, Felicia.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “What?”
He reached up and pulled a contact out of his left eye and then his right. There underneath, the entire iris was bloodred. “It was temporary at first. I only had it for a few hours whenever we had sex. But after I came back from Onoria and you touched me again, it became permanent. It’s why I told you I had a headache the first time we slept together. I didn’t want you to feel obligated to me because of it. Now you understand… I have to keep you safe.”
Horror and happiness mixed inside her. It was what every Andarion female dreamed of having in her life. A stralen male who was hers, alone. One who would never stray.
That was the fairy tale.
But the reality was that he would die for her. Without hesitation. That he would be driven to protect her, no matter the cost to himself. He would never have a sense of self-preservation when she was threatened.
“Talyn —”
The intercom buzzed. She started to ignore it until she heard Aaron’s voice.
“I have an enforcer here to take Tara Felicia’s statement.”
Talyn cursed. “Show him up.” He rose to his feet. “I have to put the contacts back in. I’ll return in a second.”
No sooner had he gone than she covered her mouth with her hand as she remembered finding contact solution in her bathroom after he’d reported to the palace. She’d stupidly assumed it was his mother’s, and had even wondered why it was in their bathroom instead of the guest room.
Now she knew.
Stralen.
Everything had just become more complicated and at the same time clearer.
Like muddy water.
The lift pinged. Aaron led the enforcer off. Rising, she realized that she was still in her torn dress. Just as she started to excuse herself, Talyn returned with her bathrobe. He draped it around her and met her gaze.
Weird. With those contacts in place, there was no sign of his condition at all. It was shocking really that they concealed it so completely. Had he not told her, she’d have never known.
“Tara Orfanos,” the enforcer said with a slight bow. “I’m sorry to have to disturb you, but I’m sure you’d rather file your report here than come down to the station and do