Chapter 32
Arush of air fills my lungs, and I gasp from having held my breath. I wipe the water from my eyes and focus to see Crew leaning against the bathroom sink.
His arms are crossed, his black wings unfolded, making the bathroom feel cramped, and concern is painted on his handsome face.
“You are panicking,” he says, his brows tense.
Fuck.
“I can feel you, little angel.” He steps closer. “I can feel the anxiety swirling in my own veins.”
Tears begin to swell in my eyes once more, and I keep my stare on him.
“Is it Lowell?” He falls to his knees beside the tub. “Or is it me?”
I reach over the bath, placing my hand against his cheek. “It’s everything.”
His face nuzzles into my touch as he closes his eyes. I focus briefly on our bond and feel Crew. I sense his steady heartbeat, the blood rushing through his veins, and his chest falling and expanding with ease—not an ounce of hesitation flows through him.
“This is going to work,” he says, opening his moonlit eyes.
A tear rolls down my wet cheek, and he wipes it away.
“And if it doesn’t?” I reply.
“Then we will leave,” he says. “We will go somewhere far away where they have no idea who we are or where we’ve come from. The first sign of something not going as planned, Mara, I will get you out of here.”
I nod.
“Do you believe me?” he asks, and I swear for a second, he’s afraid of my response.
“Had you asked me a few weeks ago, I would have laughed in your face. Crew, the heir to the Jade Order, is asking me to trust him.” I chuckle. “How hilarious.”
His expression turns to stone.
“But you’ve defended me when I should have been shoved in the dirt. You tried time and time again, and I was awful. I trust you, because even though you kept the Voids from me, I never gave you the chance to tell me.”
Relief washes over his hardened features as he leans forward to kiss my forehead.
“I trust you, Crew. I’ll work with you. And from now on, we are a team. Don’t keep things from me, and I won’t keep anything from you.”
“You got it,” he says.
I remove my hand from his face and stand up, letting the water rain down around my bare body. With him still kneeling, I’m completely exposed before him, and his jaw tenses.
I watch as his breath hitches, and I can’t help but smile at how caught off guard he is as I step out of the bath.
I wrap a towel around myself and wipe my hands across the foggy mirror.
Being nude has never been an issue for me, and I replay his reaction in my mind from seeing me naked, inches from his face.
I glance in the mirror at myself, and watch as the water slowly rolls down, tracing my collarbones. Crew appears in the reflection, towering over me with a hunger in his eyes that sends a thrill straight between my thighs.
I tilt my neck to the side as he leans down, kissing and licking the skin between my neck and ear. His lips travel toward my shoulder, then down to my shoulder blades, and I tense.
He stops, returning his gaze to me in the mirror.
“What?” he asks, furrowing his brow.
I hesitate to answer, but my back is still heavily damaged, and although no pain remains, the scars do.
“My back isn’t completely healed,” I say. “I’ll have the scars forever.”
I watch as his gaze lowers, focusing directly on my shoulder blades where the scarring is the worst. His finger slowly touches the rough skin, sending a shock through me.
“He hurt you,” Crew rasps, studying my back.
“Worse than he ever has,” I respond, letting another tear fall.
Crew moves deliberately, ensuring he touches every scar before his lips replace his finger. He kisses each mark before standing over me once more.
“They make me feel ugly.”
Crew spins me around before another thought can cross my mind. I face him, and he tilts my chin up with his finger, forcing my gaze to land on his.
He leans closer, pressing his lips to mine. “They are a reminder of your strength, blood slinger. They should remind you of what keeps you going and of your own beauty. You are a force. Let people see them and the pain you have endured.”
I attempt to avert my gaze, but he stops me.
“You are miles past beautiful. Your scars make you who you are, Mara, and why would I ever want any less of you?”
My lips find his again, and I’m filled with desire from the taste of Crew. My towel drops, and he pulls my body closer to his. His hands travel down, cupping my ass, and it drives me wild. Lust fills my veins, and I hear a groan leave his lips.
Crew begins to pull back, but not before biting my lower lip. I yelp, and he chuckles as he sucks a drop of my blood into his mouth. A surge of power sends silver sparks into his eyes, and he pulls away, savoring the taste of me.
“You are irresistible,” he says against my mouth.
My core throbs as he leans down to pick up my towel. Crew kisses my thigh, my stomach, my chest, and my collarbone before wrapping it back around my trembling body.
He picks up my necklace from the vanity and places it around my neck.
“This piece is striking,” he says, as the clasps hook together.
I study the jewel as if I've never seen it before. “My dad gave it to me.”
“It’s not like anything I’ve seen,” he says, tracing his fingers along the chain against my neck.
“It makes me feel close to him,” I pause. “And it somehow makes me feel safe.”
He leans forward, kissing my neck. “Then don’t take it off. It suits you.”
I lean into his touch, and he carefully positions the jewel between my breasts.
“I’ll meet you in here shortly, and I plan to get rid of Damien first thing in the morning, even if I have to kill him.”
I chuckle. “Poor Damien.”
Crew slips out of the bathroom.
I hear Damien’s voice echo through the house, yelling at Crew about something. Crew responds sharply and starts arguing. I crack open the bathroom door and hurry to close the nearby bedroom door. I might not be modest, but I’d rather Damien didn’t see me naked. I’d never hear the end of it.
“Good night, angel,” I hear Damien call from the other room, accompanied by the sound of another beer opening.
Crew sighs, “Why are you here, dude?”
I laugh and sift through the unpacked clothes, smiling when I see the silk pajamas Damien kindly packed for me, as if he knew this moment would come. The soft gray looks perfect against my skin, and I slip into the cropped camisole before pulling up the lacy bottoms.
I turn off the light and slip into bed, praying sleep doesn’t find me before I can tease Crew with my pajamas. My breathing steadies, and wrapped in the cool sheets, my eyes grow heavy as the exhaustion finally hits me.
Not only did I get little sleep the night before, but giving Crew that much of my lifeforce has made me feel weak. He said he gave it all, and it really does feel that way.
My thoughts begin to swirl about the last few nights, and it becomes nearly impossible to keep my heavy eyes open any longer.
A curiosity grows within me, and I want to understand how this bond works.
I focus on Crew—his face, body, and soul—and pray for him to come closer to me.
Something inside me rattles, and I can feel his heart rate increase as if my hand were on his chest.
Let’s see if this works.
I send a pulse down the bond, telling him to come to bed, as I need him near me now. It’s a new feeling, but I somehow know exactly how to do it, like it’s ingrained in my system. As the seconds pass by, I send vibration after vibration down the golden chain that leads straight to Crew’s soul.
Within minutes, I hear the door crack open.
A rustling sound excites me as I hear his pants slip to the ground with a thud. He quickly moves into the bathroom, and I hear the water of the sink turn on and off as he washes the blood off his face and body.
A bit later, Crew steps back into the bedroom.
“Should I sleep on the floor?” he says, in the darkness.
“No.” I roll over.
Crew glances toward the window. “Outside then?”
“I was able to find a kennel in town for you,” I respond. “It’s in the corner.”
“Oh, how amazing for me.” His laugh fills the space, but he still pauses.
“Get in the damn bed, Bannermin.”
“I was concerned for a second that I’d have to share the loveseat with Damien.” Crew smiles.
Crew’s weight fills the space behind me as he crawls under the sheets and moves closer to me. His bare chest presses against my back, and I push my ass backward into his hips.
“That didn’t take long,” I whisper.
“You’re hard to ignore.” He nuzzles into the back of me. “Surely you don’t still think I’m an idiot.”
“You are a man. I’ll always think you’re a little stupid.”
He laughs wildly and pulls me closer.
I move my ass against his briefs, and a deep, rough groan reverberates around me.
His hand takes its time exploring my body, starting at my thighs and slowly trailing up my ass and back before wrapping around my waist. He shifts his own hips, and my breath hitches as I feel his incredibly hard dick against me.
Crew’s hand continues up as he grasps my breast, using his thumb to flick my hard nipple.
I flinch, and he hums. I feel him pull back as he lifts the sheets to examine my matching set. I continue to stare at the wall ahead.
“What the hell are these?” he asks, his hand moving back over my hips.
I turn over slightly. “Damien packed this for me.”
Crew hums, and he presses his lips to mine. “Remind me to thank him later.”
He pulls back, and I lick his lips. “Can do.”
“Also, for future reference,” Crew's voice deepens. “I never want to hear another man’s name come out of your mouth while you’re in bed with me. Especially with your ass pressed against my dick.”
I begin to turn back to my side, but Crew stops me, kissing me again.
“He’s leaving in the morning.”
“I figured,” I respond.
“And you are mine,” he rumbles.