Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“And with good reason.” Luka stroked his fingers down her neck, tracing over the brand there. “How often do you need to feed?”
“Weekly, but I don’t need much of it each time. Lou was worried that I’d go through short periods where I’d be in the grip of a kind of bloodlust, but that’s never happened. Now that I have an anchor, it’s all but guaranteed that it never will.”
Which was yet another reason to be glad that she’d found her psi-mate, even if a part of Luka didn’t like that she was so closely bonded to another man. “Tobe was right in claiming that you being mine could endanger you. Those who are entrenched in the criminal underworld will consider you off limits—anchors and mates always are. But demons outside of this life won’t necessarily respect that, so precautions will be necessary. I take your safety very seriously. Something that can’t have escaped your attention.”
She squinted. “What you’re saying is that Konstantin will be my guard on a permanent basis.”
“Yes, and he won’t be following behind you anymore; he’ll be at your side. I have bodyguards as well,” Luka reminded her. “It’s par for the course when you’re a Prime, just as it is for those who are deeply involved with one.”
“But the clerics might try to hurt him again.”
“He’ll know to look out for them now. Though it’s sweet that you’d worry for him, it’s his risk to take—and he will willingly take it. He’s your bodyguard, not the other way around.”
Naomi let out a humph. “While I can’t deny that it’s better to take such precautions, I do worry that Konstantin will notice things he shouldn’t if he’s constantly around.”
“He’ll only be with you when you’re out and about. You’ll have privacy indoors, so he won’t pick up on things you’d prefer he didn’t.” On that subject . . . Luka offered her his hand. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
Curiosity glimmering in her eyes, she placed her palm in his. “Ooh, what exactly?”
He didn’t respond. He led her out of the room, down the hall, and into a spare bedroom that he’d recently emptied. It was spacious, with big windows that provided plenty of natural light. As she glanced around, he said, “I thought it would make a good art studio.”
Her gaze shot back to his, surprised. “I . . . An art studio?”
“You had to know that I’d want you to move in here.”
“I didn’t think you’d want me to do it right away.”
“You consented to being mine. I won’t live apart from my mate.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I realize that you’re used to living close to your family, but they’re not exactly hours away from here. They’re welcome to visit you any time.”
Her brow flicked up. “Imps are welcome here? Really?”
“If they mean something to you, yes. Just make them vow not to steal anything. I’d prefer not to have to separate them from their fingers and toes.”
Leaning back, she stared at him. “I can’t quite tell if you’re being serious about the latter.”
Luka pulled her flush against him. “I know this is a big step, and you may feel that things are moving very fast. But I’m asking you to do it anyway. I want you here with me, where you belong.” He swept a hand down her spine. “As a bonus, you’ll be safer here than at your own house.”
“First you want me to consent to having a permanent bodyguard, and now you want me to agree to move into your home.” She sniffed, haughty. “Anything else you want from me?”
“Not at the moment. But give it time.”
She snorted, her lips curling, and then nipped the tip of his ear—and not at all gently.
He rubbed at the small hurt, cursing in Russian.
“That’s what you get,” Naomi said with a prim little sniff. She cocked her head. “I’ve noticed that you speak Russian sometimes, though mostly only to curse or to whisper stuff when we’re doing the dirty. Are you fluent in it because your parents spoke the language around you or because you once lived in Russia?”
Many times he’d been asked that question. Few times had he answered it, and never with women who shared his bed—his defenses had risen up in reflex and slammed up a mental wall. That didn’t happen with Naomi; she wasn’t just anyone to him.
“I was born there,” he replied. “I spent some of my childhood there.”
She idly dragged her fingertips along his nape. “Why did your parents relocate?”
“Ugly intra-lair problems eventually resulted in it dividing three ways. That wasn’t enough to bring an end to those issues. The three lairs would cross each other in various ways, resulting in multiple deaths. My uncle had moved here years before; he invited my parents and some others to join the lair he’d integrated into. They accepted the invitation but soon after started their own lair, with my father as Prime—and crime boss.”