Ivar's Escape (Assassins of Gravas #2) - N.J. Walters Page 0,50
her brother listening in. Instead, after she’d cleaned up and changed, she’d found herself back here.
She stays with me.
It didn’t mean anything. He’d been disoriented and hurt and she was familiar. Her stomach growled but she ignored it. She was too tense to eat.
What now?
It was the same question she’d asked herself a hundred times already and still had no answer.
“You’re thinking too loudly.” The sheets rustled as he turned to her and held out his hand. His eyes were clear and free of pain.
It took everything inside her not to grab his hand and hang on for dear life. She clenched her fingers in her lap until he finally lowered it. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” Her heart was jumping in her chest, her stomach fluttering.
“How long have I been out?” There was a subtle difference to him, a confidence he hadn’t had before.
“Better part of a day.”
His eyebrows shot up. “That long?”
“You needed the rest. They’ve given you treatments to speed healing. Two of your ribs were cracked. Several more showed signs of being previously cracked but healed.”
“That’s not a surprise.” When he pushed himself into a seated position, the sheet fell to his waist, exposing the broad expanse of his chest. His very bare chest. It seemed wider, his muscles more defined, which shouldn’t really be possible. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” She held up her arm. “It was just a blaster graze. Took a layer of skin. With the treatment, it’s already almost as good as new.” The only injury that would never heal was the one to her heart. It was time for her to take her leave. Ivar was safe and healing and on his way home to his family. “I should be going.”
“Did you mean it?”
She stood and tugged down her top. “I’ll let them know you’re awake. They’ll want to check you over. You’re probably hungry.” And she was babbling. Appalled, she jammed her lips together.
Compassion filled his handsome face. “Delphi.”
A shiver raced up her arms and down her torso, making her nipples hard. She loved the way he said her name.
“I really need to leave.” Before she weakened and threw herself in bed with him. But her feet were rooted to the floor.
He held out his hand once again. “Talk to me.”
How was it possible for a man to be so commanding from a medibed? She locked her weak knees and straightened her shoulders. “There’s nothing left to say. You’re safe. My job is done. My brother and I will be allowed to leave Gravas now.”
Her soul shriveled at the thought of leaving him, but it was the right thing, the only thing to do.
Once again, he lowered his hand. It was big and strong with several small scars. Such a capable hand, one that could fire a blaster and give huge pleasure to a woman. She flushed, her skin warming before going cold.
“Is that all I was? A job?”
She forced herself to shrug. “What else? You have your memories back now. You’ll be able to get back to your life and forget about this unfortunate incident.”
His lips firmed into a scowl and his hands fisted on top of the pristine white sheet covering his lap. “Is that what you intend to do?”
“Yes.” Liar! She’d never forget a single second of her time with him. Even though she’d tried to sound firm and decisive, it came out as more a whisper.
She had to get out of here before she caved. Turning abruptly, she marched to the door. Would he call or back or would he let her go? The silence was deafening. It was what she’d wanted, right? What needed to be.
He was a prince of Gravas. His world was filled with rules and responsibilities. She was an outsider. Good enough to rescue him. But to be with him? His family, his people would never accept her.
And she’d never put him in the position of having to choose.
Spear and her sister were different. As an assassin, Spear stood almost outside the societal structure of his planet. No one would question his choice of bride. They’d fear for their lives. And Sass looked enough like a Gravasian to blend.
With her dark skin, there was no way Delphi could do the same. She’d always be seen as different.
Lungs constricting, she put her hand on her chest. Why did the door seem so far away? Her vision narrowed. The lump in her throat was too big to swallow.
Every part of her ached. It