“Woah. You’re tall.” She gasped. Greyson let out a startled sound and grabbed his daughter.
“Dory, you can’t just say things like that it’s rude.” He chastised, kneeling in front of her. Dory just peaked around her father to continue to stare at the embarrassed Jacy.
“Why, Daddy, it’s true?” Jacy’s face lit up in a bright red and he curled in on himself.
“It’s still rude, say you’re sorry.”
“I am very sorry, Mr. Tree-man.” She said, her father sighed and facepalmed.
“Close enough,” Greyson mumbled, standing up.
“My name’s Jacy, it means 'pale moon' in my native language. But you can call me Moony.”
“That’s cool! My name is Dorthea, but my Daddy calls me Dory. Like the fish!” She skipped over to Moony and pressed her side against his. She came up to his hip. “You’re like ten feet tall!”
“Close, but I’m only six foot six.”
“What’s it like to be tall? I’m really short so Daddy has to put me on his shoulders all the time, so I can see.”
“What’s it like to be short? My sister has to bend over and grab me things from the bottom shelf.”
“Okay enough with the hight questions. Dory, you gonna show up to every practice?” Sunny asked, eyes intense. Dory straightened up and matched her expression.
“Yes, ma’am. Every practice.” She promised.
“So this means you’ll take the job?” Grayson asked,
“I’ll take it. When do I start?” Dory squealed and both Altan and Katie rubbed their ears.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She grabbed Sunny’s waist and hugged with all her might.
“Easy there, killer, don’t break my money maker.”
The ride home was full of noise as Katie and Sunny jabbered about everything they could think of, Moony inputting occasionally. Sasha had run off under the guise she needed to shop more and said she had a ride. Altan answered questions posed to him with short sentences, instead of losing himself to thoughts of Sunny and their conversation before they were interrupted. What was she going to say?
Katie was dropped off at Rhys house and Altan idled in the driveway until he was sure she was inside before heading home.
Moony and Sunny were still taking, more like arguing over whether or not drinking half a bottle of five-hour energy would give you 3.5 hours of energy or five hours of half-assed energy when they made their way inside. Moony headed to his room, leaving Altan alone with his fuming sister.
“How can he think you’d get 3.5 hours of energy when the bottle clearly states: ‘five hours of energy?’ So by that, you’d only get half of the amount of energy but for the same length of time! He makes no sense sometimes.” She huffed and launched herself face-first onto the couch.
“I don’t know, Sunny.” Altan absently remarked, more focused on putting his keys back on the side table than her words.
“Ugh.” She groaned into the throw pillow. He thought he heard something about dumb men but he wasn’t sure.
“Sunny-love, if you are going to insult me at least do it where I can defend myself.” She only flopped her legs down in a huff. “Did you have fun today?”
“Yeah, I like Katie. She’s a cutie.”
“I like her too.”
“Altan?” He spun slowly and tilted his head.
“I’m sorry if having us here inconveniences you.” He scoffed and his cold yellow gaze pinned her against the couch where she sat as he prowled across the room.
Her pulse jumped unsteadily and she bowed her head, curling up to be smaller. She felt rather than saw him crouch in front of her. His hands when they cupped her face were so hot she flinched and regretted it when he growled.
He dropped to his knees, nuzzling against her neck, then rested his body, now taut as iron, against hers, trapping her between him and the fabric. He put his hands on the couch, one to each side of her, and then quit moving. His breath was hot on her neck. She sat as still as she could, terrified of doing anything that might break his control. But there was something about him that kept her from being truly scared, something that insisted he wouldn't hurt her. That he never would hurt her.
“If you knew even a moment of my life before you came you would not ask me such a thing.” He whispered, nose grazing the curve of her throat.
“Why? Why do you like me so much?” She mumbled, hand hesitantly going into his hair, she liked to do that it seemed.
“Because, you, dear heart, calm me.” He leaned back on his haunches, an uncomfortable position, but one he’d stay in if it meant he could smell her rain and blossom scent forever. “I got you something.” He held out his gift, an unmistakable smartphone case. Her eyes locked on it and he could sense her pulling away.
“You can't just buy my favor Altan, this little mate bond thing you say we have? It isn’t going to make me bow at your feet.” He frowned but then a lazy smirk grew upon his lips.
“But, Sháńdíín, didn't you wonder what it would be like to kiss me? Well, my dear, I will not give up until I get my wish and you get yours.” He said her name like a prayer and kissed her heated cheek long and slow.
“What is your wish?” She asked defiance lit her honeyed eyes up like a pyre.
“For your scent to be on my skin, your bubble gum hair fanned across my pillow, your screams of ecstasy, your children, you. Till death do us part, then fifty more years after that.” He said it with utter abandon, he would settle for nothing less than everything she had to offer, and what was left after that too. She was his in every way he was already claimed by her.
“So this is war then.”
“Oh yes, dear Sol, this is war.” He declared. And at that moment he could think of no better battles to fight in.
He had never lost a war yet.
~~~~~
Sorry this was split up so much, it was a really long chapter and Tapas only allows 15,000 words per chapter.
Comments (0)
See all