Hunted

Chapter 12 - Embarrassment and pizza

When we reached my room, I was lifted onto the bed and stared at it. The bed had been cleaned at some point, feathers moved, a new doona put over it. There was some kind of blue and tan cover, geometric shapes across the soft cotton, and tan sheets to match it. I shoved Nick back, trying to, pulling the sheets over myself. As much as I liked it on some level I had said to him that he couldn't do it again. We couldn't do it again. This 'letting him touch me all over the house' was sending the wrong message.

I lay there and stared at the wall. I was embarrassed about how it'd gone. And I'd injured myself. I had been trying so hard to hide that panic from the Pack, so afraid that they'd throw me out for being dangerous, and instead they'd changed my sheets, treated my shoulder and Nick was more or less attempting to tuck me into bed. A soft growl made him back off a bit but he just sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a book over from the desk- clearly intending on staying put whether I liked it or not.

This attention was too much though. What about Antonio and Clayton? No one had mentioned them. Also, what was this about a Russian on the phone? Pav? I wasn't sure what was going on anymore.

“What about your dad?”

Nick glanced up. “I'll go ask and get some lunch for us.” He was gone then and giving me a few precious minutes alone but when Nick came back it was with only with a tray of food. Jeremy was busy and no one else could tell him any news. He lay beside me in bed on top of the cover, very careful not to jostle the shoulder, the tray of food put between us so we could both eat.

"Thanks." I muttered afterwards, tummy a little bloated with food, shutting my eyes. I was kind of exhausted now. However much it bothered me that he was still hanging around and that I couldn't seem to bring myself to tell him off... I had to admit. Some part of me was glad he wasn't letting me shove him back.

"For what?"

"Staying there with me."

Nick didn't answer, just moved the tray, and slid closer to my side. His hand moved to stroke my hair, fingers brushing through the tangles, smoothing it out. We lay there quietly, side by side, the sound of wind outside filling our ears.

"Did they rape you?" The question was soft. Tense. Nick's eyes weren't looking at me for once but at some wall behind me.

I tensed, which made him tense, his jaw clenching. The part of me that wanted to reject him, force him away, wanted to fight him. Yell. Ask him how it could be his business anyway. But I didn't want to fight. I just wanted to lie here with this comforting presence and get over the morning. "No."

Nick blinked and sighed. A low drawn out sigh. "Good."

"He wanted to save that training for after I accepted a collar.” He'd talked about innocence and how he was going to break it. Had he thought I was a virgin? I didn't know. "Or when twelve months were up. Whichever came first."

"If I see you with so much as a necklace that isn't given to you by this Pack, I'll destroy it." Nick muttered, reaching up to trace my neck with his fingers. "No one touches you now.”

"I don't understand though. How did he get the idea I was innocent?" Maybe I'd forgotten Nick and told him that. But no... "He got me because I was like that. All his girls were."

Nick didn't answer, just continued to stroke my neck and hair, breathing slightly faster than normal. The topic must have angered him but he didn't say anything for a while. When he did, he sounded strained. "Did you tell anyone?"

"It's not something I told people. Twenty six year old virgin? People would laugh. I didn't even tell you, apparently."

"So young." Nick smiled then, shifting onto his elbow, and his lips found mine. He kissed me gently, softly, warmth spreading across my body even with the shock that morning had given me. "Who'd laugh? I should have been much gentler with you."