Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Oh, J’are…” It seemed clear that he was remembering more and more of his experience in the Yonnite jail and it was obvious the memories weren’t pretty. Imani didn’t know what to say. “If…if you want to talk about it, I’m here,” she told him gently, washing away the last of the blood. “And I’m ready to listen.”
“Thanks. But some things are better left forgotten.”
“Well…”
Imani didn’t want to push—he would talk if he wanted to in his own time. She cleared her throat.
“Um…since you’re all healed, I’m going to get dressed. And then I guess we have to figure out someplace to go until our court date—which unfortunately, isn’t for hours.” She sighed. “Someplace public too—that might be safer in case Lady Zangelo’s murderer gets any ideas about trying to kill us again.”
J’are frowned.
“What about the public anti-grav pool?”
“The what?” Imani frowned.
“It’s a place Mother Hownow used to take me when I was younger—mainly because she didn’t want the trouble and expense of dealing with having an anti-grav pool of her own,” J’are explained. “There’s a place to eat where bodyslaves and Mistresses are allowed to dine together, too.”
“That sounds perfect.” Imani smiled. “Do you know the way to get to it?”
“It’s not far from here at all,” J’are told her. “Let’s both get dressed and I’ll show you.”
“Okay.” Imani looked at her watch. “We’d better hurry, though—we have to get out before they throw us out.”
“We’ll make it,” J’are promised. “Come on—let’s get going.”
Twenty-Two
J’are cursed himself for a fool as they packed their things and left the Luxx. He had to stop feeling the way he did for Imani—had to force his feral side to understand she wasn’t his female after all.
It was all a mistake, he told himself. She didn’t come to Claim me on purpose. She was just trying to get me to calm down so she could get me out of jail.
What about the kiss they had shared that morning, though? Gods, her lips were so soft and sweet! And what about the memories that kept popping up from last night? Had she really held his shaft in her hand and stroked him until he came? It seemed like a dream but maybe not—the other memories he’d had seemed to be true.
Especially the ones from the hole. He winced as flashes of the innumerable fights for his life in the dark passed across his mind’s eye. Gods, how had he not died down there?
You didn’t die because you were waiting for her—dreaming of her, whispered a little voice in his head. Her smooth brown skin, her big dark eyes, her luscious curves…
J’are pushed the thought away. Surely it wasn’t true—he couldn’t have been dream-sharing with Imani while he was down in the hole. She wasn’t meant for him—wasn’t the female the Goddess had chosen to Claim him. He had to get over his desire for her since it was clear she wanted to keep a professional distance between them.
I have to leave her alone—respect her wishes, he told himself firmly. But deep inside, the feral part of him was growling, insisting that the little female was his and his alone and that soon he would bond her to him and fill her womb with his seed…
No! J’are shook his head. He would never hurt Imani that way—never do something she didn’t want him to do or take what she was unwilling to give. Even in his feral state, he wasn’t the kind of male to engage in rape. He would never breed Imani and bond her to him—never.
But what if you smell the Willingness on her—what if you smell her heat? whispered that little voice in his head. What if she wants it?
She doesn’t, J’are told himself firmly. She said so and I’m going to abide by her wishes.
And that was that—he was certain of it.
Twenty-Three
The public anti-grav pool reminded Imani of visiting the YMCA with her mom when she and her brother were little. Her mother had taken them both there for swimming lessons and then, after they learned to swim, she’d taken them just to play and have fun.
There was a long white counter at the front where you checked in and paid and rented a locker for your things. This was also the first place on Yonnie Six where Imani had seen any children. They were all little girls, there with their Mistress mothers or nannybots, and they ran, screaming and laughing, down the echoing corridors inside.
As J’are had told her, the anti-grav pool was located in a tall, white building not far from the Luxx. He explained that the pool itself took up several stories in the middle, with the ground floor devoted to a sprawling restaurant, while the top floors were private spas.
Imani was hungry by the time they got seated and she was glad that J’are was allowed to sit with her. As he explained it, this was one of the few restaurants in the city of Opulex where this wasn’t frowned on.