Chapter 13 #2
“Yes,” I whisper and lick my lips.
His eyes roam my face, looking for a lie, only to find I’m not. At least that’s what I want to think as he curses softly. “Fuck me, you ain’t joking.”
“I don’t do well lying. I always get caught. I learned to always tell the truth a long time ago,” I blurt out.
The way he nods, taking in what I just said, with the way his grip tightens in both my hair and around my waist, causes me to gasp.
“I’d never lie to you, Peanut,” he finally says, shifting us to the bed.
Sitting down, he pulls me with him until I’m straddling his waist.
A small smirk plays on his lips as he massages the back of my head. “Glad I was the first to kiss you, Peanut. Being your mate, I don’t want to think that anyone else has ever had their hands on you.”
“No one has ever touched me.” I take a breath and glance away. “Not in the way you’ve touched me.”
“How has someone touched you?” Justice demands, his grip tightening slightly around my waist, adjusting me on his lap. The way he does this, I feel him even more, and my eyes widen at how big he feels.
“Um . . .” My mind goes blank and words leave me altogether.
“Not gonna fuck you yet, Annahi. You’re not ready for anything like that yet. We’ll work you up to it. What you need to get right now, though, is that you don’t ever put yourself down or think I don’t want anything to do with you. That was the best damn kiss I’ve ever had.”
“Really?” Okay, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“Yeah.” He smirks, his fingers in my hair loosen, and he brings his hand to palm my cheek.
“Then . . . ugh . . .” I trail off, not sure if I should ask him why he cursed and walked off.
“Then what?” he asks, losing his smirk and watching me closely.
“Why did you look ticked and walk away?” I know it sounds lame, but I can’t help it.
“I was pissed at being interrupted by the knock at the door.” Justice cocks one brow. “You didn’t hear Zavier knock?”
“Um . . .” I shake my head. “No.”
“Fuck me, you were so into me kissing you that you weren’t paying attention to anything else around.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I mean, the kiss was amazing. I really enjoyed him kissing me, and honestly, I wanted him to do it again.
“Well . . .” I trail off once more when he chuckles, only to blurt out, “we don’t know each other.”
Those five words sobered him right up, and the moment seemed to be lost. I thought he’d push me away. That he would toss me to the side. He doesn’t do either. Instead, he tightens his arm and strokes my cheek with his thumb.
“You’re right, Peanut, we don’t know near enough about each other. We’ll change that. But first, we need to address something.”
“What’s that?” I murmur the question, completely surprised by the fact he agreed with me.
“You goin’ back to work.”
“Oh,” I sigh and straighten. “I want to go back to work.”
“I get you want to,” Justice remarks, this time not seeming as annoyed as he looked just a bit ago.
“Now isn’t a good time, though. We’ve got shit goin’ down that needs attention that can’t be divided.
I need you safe here, where no one can get you.
If you’re out there, you’re vulnerable, and I can’t always be with you twenty-four-seven. ”
“I don’t expect you to be with me all the time, Justice.” I try to get off his lap, but his arm around me keeps me in place.
“That’s good, you don’t expect it, Annahi, but for now I need you close for my own peace of mind,” he explains, his expression stern and unwavering.
“You gotta understand, until we finish the mating process, I can’t let you be far from me.
I need you close, not just for my peace of mind, but my beast’s.
We gotta know you’re safe. Safe from the blood witches.
Safe from those who would take you away.
Safe from those who would use you against me. ”
“I don’t understand.” Now I was more confused than ever.
“When it comes to mates, to finish the process, there are certain things that need to be done besides just accepting it. You’re not ready for it.”
“Why do you think I’m not ready?” I huff, becoming annoyed. I don’t need everyone to make decisions for me.
“Because it happens when I’m inside you and considering you just got your first kiss, I know you ain’t ready for that yet. As you said yourself, we don’t know each other. I’m tryin’ to give you the chance to get to know me.”
“Well, what I do know about you is you’re broody and don’t like to talk that much about anything. You keep words simple. You also, when we’re not in the room, keep a hand on me at all times.”
“Broody?” Justice’s lip tilts up at the corner, and he shakes his head. “That’s a first. Usually, people simply call me an asshole.”
“Well, there’s that too.” I nod. “Regardless, don’t you think it’s something you should talk to me about? I am your mate. Shouldn’t I get a say as to when we . . . ugh . . . well . . . do the deed?”
Justice blinks at me, throws his head back, and bursts out laughing.
“Oh fuck, Peanut, you can’t even say the words.
Fuck me, it’s cute. You’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m gonna enjoy seeing you through it.
However, right now, you gotta know, I’m lookin’ out for you.
Not gonna do anything you ain’t ready for and trust me when I say I know you’re not. ”
“But—”
I find my words cut off when Justice kisses me.
This one is different from the first one, but still, it’s amazing.
I enjoy every second of it. I don’t think when it comes to this man kissing me, I’ll ever get enough.
My body is drawn to his and with what he shared.
Though it wasn’t anything about him. It was something, and it tugs at a part of me that’s never felt like anything other than a beating organ within my body.
For that matter, it’s like he’s sliding into a part of my soul.