me, but take me himself.” Her voice had gone whisper soft. “C-call me her name during. Then, a-always so angry after.”
“Ah, Nayla, baby, you’re killing me.”
She sobbed harder. “That why I told you not touch me. I cursed. Talg—ˮ
“Do you like when I touch you?” His fingers teased the curve of her thighs, sending white-hot shivers straight to her woman center. Reminding her that she wasn’t with Talg now, but with Grif, who thought she was strong and brave and good. “Do you like when I lay my hands on you and work your sweet pussy, no anazi between us?”
Shame burned through her. “I-I…I should not.”
“Forget should. Do you like it?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “After so long, t-to feel is…different.” Wonderful. Amazing. Miraculous. “But Talg—”
“Fuck Talg. I’ll touch you whenever I want.”
Something inside her loosened. Ancients help her, but she liked hearing that. Even from her savage Other.
Her body shook harder.
“It’s okay, Nayla.” Gentle hands brushed her skin and then, before she could fully process what was happening, she was pulled up from the bench and wrapped in strong arms. Her captor’s solid chest an anchor during the storm.
“You did so well.” A warm hand cupped the back of her head, stroking her hair as she leaned against him. Comforting her, like she’d once done for Sharluff. “I know it hurt to say aloud, but you were brave, as always.”
Awed, broken, sore, and bleeding on the inside, she burrowed in closer. She’d thought her captor would use her weakness to hurt her. Instead, he soothed her.
Once her tears had slowed, he tipped her chin upward.
“Is that why you were at the Other camp?” Relentless as ever, he parried from a different angle, knocking her farther off balance. “Were you trying to prove yourself and please Talg while helping your pack?”
“Y-yes,” she admitted. It was easier to tell him now. “They starving. Send me to get food. If I please, I think…”
“You thought Talg would let you in. Let you take off the anazi.”
“Y-yes.” The single word emerged in rushed rasp. “W-we need get workers, too. Lost so many. Need help.”
“Why did you choose the women? Why them?”
“I…I heard what they called. Cunts. Sluts. Kafi. I—I called same many times.” Her voice broke. “Talg say bring back male Others, but I-I could not. Could not leave females to suffer when I had chance to give them faster, more honorable death.”
Strong hands stroked down her spine. “So you took them because you thought you were doing them a favor.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement, and the pride in his voice sent a whole new burn racing beneath her skin. “To do for them what no one had done for you.”
“Yes… No.” She could not pretend. Not with him. Not after hearing the respect in his tone. “Yes, I-I took them because I did not want see them rutted and used, but that…that was not the only reason. I...I can’t tell more though. I can’t.”
Even if Talg had been cruel to her for his own reasons, she couldn’t betray the pack. Even if a part of her wanted to please her captor for all the kind things he had said to her, she couldn’t risk their lives.
“Nayla.” Her name was a low, growled warning. “You won’t. That’s a big fucking difference from can’t.”
She shook her head.
He sighed and, lifting her easily, carried her back to the seat where he’d had her on his lap.
She didn’t bother to struggle. Being held close in his arms as his big muscles shifted and flexed against her skin felt too good.
They reached the chair. He settled her into his lap with ease. Only this time, he positioned her so that they were face-to-face, her legs spread wide over his thighs, her nose at his chin, her lips close to the corded muscles of his neck.
It was so private. So personal. A thousand times more intimate than being strapped down, his gaze inescapable as it bored into hers, his scent and body surrounding her, holding her.
“Talg is never going to let you in.” His hands cupped her cheeks as he stared down at her. “I know bullies like him. He’s never going to allow you to remove the anazi, either. No matter how many tests you pass. No matter how many punishments you endure. I know you want to protect your kind, but who is busy protecting you? You deserve so much more than he is ever going to give you.”
Her breathing hitched. “Y-you say such n-nice