Chapter 11 #2
While we ate, I forgot all my troubles as Tane talked.
The subjects weren't about anything special.
Just the food and a few anecdotes. That didn't matter to me.
It was his voice I hooked into. Smooth and intelligent and in control.
I thought about what Malin had said. That his dad had emotional irrational episodes.
But so far it was only Malin who showed me an irrational side.
Except for the fact that Tane had bought me to give to his angry son, an act that obviously had not been well thought through by his own admission, he was a perfect host and a perfect gentleman.
Malin was more like Rohan. They would have made a good pair feeding off each other's snobbery and insecurity. Or maybe they would just eventually destroy each other.
“You seem deep in thought.”
I glanced up, realizing Tane had been talking and I hadn't heard a word he'd said for the last thirty seconds.
“I’m enjoying the dinner.” I quickly responded.
“I’m glad.”
Silence.
With my good hand, I lifted my water glass to my lips and drank which covered my awkwardness. A little.
“I'll be gone a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon. Maybe longer if I decide to check in on one of my offices. Just letting you know.”
I nodded.
“If you need anything, find Elias.”
“I'll be fine.”
“Good.”
I couldn’t help but be curious where he was going if not to his office—or offices. Did he see friends? He didn’t mention any and no one had dropped by. Only his son had been in and out. But a powerful alpha like himself would have many friends and acquaintances, business associates and partners.
My Internet research on him said he had two alpha fathers. No siblings. Maybe that was a stickler for him and why he wanted his son to settle. Maybe he missed having more family? I often wondered, growing up, what it would have been like to have a sibling. I had often wished for a brother.
Tane seemed disappointed when I got up to leave after finishing dinner. Quickly, he said, “Let’s check your hand before you go.”
“I can take care of it,” I said.
He frowned. “I’d like to make sure.”
I followed him into a huge bathroom off the kitchen. His hand was warm as he held mine and used his other hand to slowly unwrap the bandage. I couldn’t hold back a sudden shudder.
“Did that hurt?” he asked.
“No. I’m fine. I don’t know why my arm jerked like that.”
But I did know. Sort of. His touch. It was like a warmth that turned liquid and went through me all the way to my toes. Pleasurable. Also shocking because I didn’t feel things like that. Not with anyone.
Sure, Tane was handsome, but I couldn’t be attracted to him. Could I? Be honest, I told myself. Of course I could. He was older, but he was my type. I’d been feeling it. Thinking it. Lying to myself wasn’t going to work.
When the cut was revealed, it didn’t look as bad as I thought it would.
“Looks all right. Not infected,” Tane said, his quiet voice making something in my chest simmer. “Hold it still and I’ll get a new bandage.”
The cold countertop pressed against the back of my hand as Tane rummaged through a couple of drawers. When he returned with more bandages and salve, taking my hand in his palm again, I wanted to melt against him.
Startled at my own bold vulnerability, my body jerked again.
“It does hurt you, doesn’t it?” Tane asked.
“No. I’m just not used to—to, um, this.”
“This?”
I looked down, eyes almost closing. “Fussing.”
“Am I fussing?” His tone rose.
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Kirion, I take injury to anyone in my household seriously.”
“Thank you. I mean, thank you for everything. Really. I meant by the word fussing that back home no one cared. Not really.”
“I see.” His voice lowered again. His hand beneath mine moved slightly, making me hold my breath.
“The fact that you even act like you care is unusual to me,” I admitted.
He sighed while gently smoothing more cream around the wound. “This situation is not ideal. And I’m not acting. I do care, Kirion. I want to do what I can to make life easier for you now.”
“But—but why?”
“I acted on impulse. But after I brought you home, I did some reading on set omega law and decided I don’t agree with it. You being here has made me think more. I didn’t do right when I went to Rohan’s to see you, to bid on you.”
“So this is you trying to make up for your own actions? Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to bother.” I started to take my hand away before he could re-bandage it.
“You misunderstand,” he began, following my hand with his. “Here, let me finish.”
I stood still, confused by my feelings. I liked him. I also liked it that he felt guilty about buying me. It made me all warm inside. So why was I being grumpy?
He was gentle as he wrapped my hand again. I had time to think about my behavior. But I wasn’t good at being objective about myself. I had some life experience, but I’d also been spoiled and sheltered. I didn’t understand when people were being truthful. I had yet to learn much about trust.
It was a general insight I could ponder later. At the very least, I guessed I had good instincts.
When Tane let me go, I didn’t know what to do next. One minute I was grumpy and the next I wanted more attention. It would have been nice to talk to him. Hang out. But I didn’t know how to initiate that. Or if he would want that.
Chickening out, I said, “Thank you,” and walked out of the bathroom. I headed to my room. Tane didn’t follow.
As was becoming my habit, I sped past the second-floor landing while trying to be as silent as possible. Avoiding Malin was a priority. Luckily, he wasn’t around. Not for dinner and not now. He was leaving tonight so maybe he was preoccupied with packing and arrangements.
I practically ran to my room on the third floor.
As soon as I opened the door, I felt something was off. I paused at the threshold and saw some of my clothes strewn on the floor by the closet door. I didn’t have many and I’d hung them up. Lights I’d left on were now off. Also, my laptop was missing from the table closest to the door.
I sniffed the air. A lingering scent of alpha, not Tane, tingled my nose. It was faint, as if someone had been and gone.
Heart in my throat, I searched the entire room in case Malin was hiding.
He wasn’t. I finally found my laptop thrown on the rug by my bed.
It didn’t look damaged but that didn’t mean Malin hadn’t been lounging on my bed looking through it.
I had a password but any good hacker could probably bypass it.
I cleaned up the mess, then tried to relax on the bed and watch some TV. I couldn’t concentrate. Rain began to patter against the windows. Intermittent wind howls gave an eeriness to the atmosphere.
I had already locked my door but before I was ready to sleep, I put a chair up against the doorknob. It helped calm me. Even though Malin must’ve been gone by now, even with the chair propped against the door, I still slept restlessly.