turned onto his side, adjusting the weapons strapped to his body beneath his cloak so they didn’t dig in. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, bringing his body back under his command.
There was no way for her to run with Reman’s men outside and him in here with her. She was safe … for tonight. Who knew what tomorrow would bring.
He pressed his hand against the wall. Even though the bathing chamber separated them, it made him feel closer.
****
With her ear pressed against the wall, she listened intently for any sound, but silence echoed through the space. The thick stone walls and privacy screens on the windows muted most of the noise from the neighbors and outside. That was usually a benefit, but now it left her on edge. Men were outside watching.
Was Zaxe asleep or awake? For such a huge man, he moved like a wraith. Gingerly, she eased back down onto her bed, resting her head on her pillow. The only concession she’d made for the night was removing her short, sturdy boots and cloak. No way was she stripping out of her clothing with Zaxe such a short distance away.
It was hot and sticky, and she wanted a whirl in the gel cleansing unit, but she wasn’t about to get naked, not tonight. Not with her body still humming with pleasure, leaving her hot and restless. And it was all his fault. Why had he kissed her again? Why had she allowed it?
Gripping her hands in her hair, she yanked on her braids. The sharp sting of her scalp did little to ground her. She could still feel the gentle glide of his fingers along her cheek and jaw. His hands were so big and rough, but he touched her as though she was precious. Special.
“Get over it,” she muttered. Rolling to her side, she glared at the opposite wall. On edge, she wanted to pace, but that was impossible. When she usually got this way, she’d drag a pallet up to the roof and watch the night sky.
Not happening with Baraj and Reman’s men watching the place. A shudder ran through her. Baraj was a killer with a reputation. She’d managed to avoid all contact with him up until tonight. Now she was in his sights.
A lone tear rolled down her cheek. She angrily dashed it away. Crying never did any good. Planning and action were her only options. It was something she was good at, skills she’d cultivated her entire life.
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, which was covered in reflective stars she’d painstakingly painted there several years back for nights when she couldn’t get outside to see the real ones.
The plan was simple. Guide Zaxe to the Edowan Dessert, find the outcasts and her father, rescue her brother—whether he wanted it or not—and return home. She ignored the sick sensation in her stomach. Helldrick wouldn’t survive.
“Not my problem.” No, hers was keeping herself and Esau alive when they got back here. If Helldrick had anything of value, she was taking it. It wasn’t stealing. The bastard owed them, and she needed any cash or valuables she could lay her hands on to try to placate Reman.
Zaxe would go back to wherever he’d come from. Where that was, she had no idea. He’d shared little about himself. It was all about the mission.
That should tell her something. She pressed one hand to her stomach and the other to her chest. Zaxe was single-minded and focused. Traits she admired. Some would accuse her of being the same.
They were too much alike, too emotionally closed off and self-contained to allow another to get under their skin, to become a part of their life. Esau was different. She’d helped him be born into the world, cared for him when he was an infant, even though she’d only been a child. Her heart had still been open then, searching for someone to love who would love her back.
Fantasies and dreams didn’t put food on the table or a roof over her head, but a part of her yearned to have a man’s arms around her, to feel his breath on his neck, his weight against her back as they shared whispered secrets in the middle of the night.
For the first time, the man had a face.
If he’d been pushy or demanding, she could have easily dismissed him, but he was the ultimate hunter, luring her with undivided attention and small acts of