Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
I frown at her. “What do you mean?”
“Would you like some tea, Mah-dee?” she mocks. “Perhaps some leather for more clothes?”
Oh. That. “I’m not encouraging them! I don’t know what’s changed for them to suddenly start paying attention to me.”
“It is because you smile now. Before you scowled at everyone and threw things. Now you smile, and now they notice you.” Her look becomes sly. “They do not realize the reason why you smile, I imagine.”
I can feel my cheeks heating. Yeah, I know why I’m smiling now. It’s because I’m getting laid. Actually, it’s more than that. It’s Hassen’s company. It’s that I’ve found someone that really understands me and my situation. I don’t feel so abandoned. I feel like I have a partner in crime now. “Well, I want them to leave me alone. How do I do that?”
“You resonate,” she says in a dry voice.
“Well aren’t you just a big bundle of help?”
“No.”
“Sarcasm.”
She shrugs and cuddles the little girl in her arms close. “Then take a pleasure-mate.”
Argh. These people are so frustrating. I’m about to complain about how irritating I find all of this attention when I see a dark figure appear in the snow in the distance. My heart races and I feel an excited flutter in my belly. Hassen. He’s waiting for me.
But then a second figure appears, and my excited flutter dies. Oh. Not Hassen. It must be Lila and her group returning. I’m excited to see my sister again, but at the same time, I feel a niggle of dread. While she’s been gone, I’ve been hitting it with the guy that kidnapped her.
That’s going to be hell to try and explain.
I worry that I should feel guilty. What Hassen did was wrong, but now that I know him better, I don’t hate him. I’m not happy with his actions in the past, but I’ve also behaved like a jerk myself. I was kind of an asshole when we woke up, and I’ve continued to be an asshole up until recently. Heck, Marlene won’t come out of her cave when I’m around, and Stacy still cringes like I’m going to throw something at her again. I get annoyed with their reactions to me, especially now that the guys are all acting like I suddenly became hot shit overnight. I shouldn’t be judged by how I acted when I was stressed out and afraid…and I wonder that I’ve been judging Hassen all along.
After all, one reason why I hold him at arm’s length when it comes to our relationship is because of my sister. Because I don’t want Lila to be disappointed in me. I’m all mixed up and I’m not sure how to handle things.
I wait at the entrance, hugging my cloak close to my body as the party moves closer. A few others trickle out of the cave and move out to greet them, but I hang back. I hate that I feel like I don’t know how to be around my own sister anymore. I watch as she comes into view, her hair pulled into a braid, her face ruddy with cold. She’s smiling broadly and has a large pack on her back, and she makes gestures with her hands as she scans the people emerging, looking for someone. Looking for me.
And then I feel like an asshole, because it’s my baby sister. I love her. I step forward and raise a hand so she can see me, and Lila’s face lights up with pleasure. I feel my anxiety abate and I wade out into the snow to greet her.
There you are, she signs as she approaches. I was wondering if you were hiding!
I make it to Lila’s side and hug her close, ignoring Rokan. I squeeze her tightly, and she looks good. She smells like sweat and furs, but she looks great. I pull back and smile at her, then sign, I didn’t want to crowd you.
You’re allowed. She reaches for my hand and squeezes it, then signs, You look great, by the way. How is everything?
I’m good. I missed you. I realize that it’s true. I’ve been keeping myself occupied with hunting—and Hassen—but now that my sister’s back, it feels like a missing piece has slid back into place. For all that we’re struggling to find our way here on this planet, she’s still my best friend and my family. I need her.
But you look good, she tells me, and reaches for the straps on her pack, glancing at her mate. I’m exhausted.
Oh shit. I’m an asshole. She’s walked for days now and has a bag full of fruit—that can’t be light. I rush forward, signing, Let me help.
Both Rokan and I pry the pack off of Lila’s back, and my sister stretches, then puts a hand to her back and grimaces. I need to work out more.