Page 22 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“What are you doing, Katya?” His voice was low and strained even to his own ears, and he was painfully aware of his cock thickening beneath only a godsdamn towel.

She looked up, confusion evident in her eyes. “You aren’t going to… This isn’t what you wanted?”

“Why would you think I asked this of you?”

“You told me to get comfortable.”

“And you thought this was what I meant?”

“It’s not?”

“No, Katya, and I’m not sure why?—”

Except he did know why. He knew exactly why, and the fury that surged through his blood had him clamping down on power and any arousal immediately disappearing.

Without another word, he crossed the room to the sofa and grabbed a throw blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. She gripped it between her fingers, covering her nakedness and watching him with wary eyes.

“Stay here. Let me get dressed. I’ll be right back,” Axel said, and she nodded.

He quickly slipped on a pair of loose pants. Normally he’d lounge around shirtless, but he slipped on a short-sleeved shirt. He went to grab something for Kat to wear, but he didn’t know where she kept her clothing. There was nothing in the closet that he could see.

Going back to the bedroom, he asked, “Where are your clothes? I’ll grab them, and you can get dressed.”

“That’s all right,” she said, moving to retrieve a pile of folded clothing from a chair. It was the same training clothes she’d been wearing when he came into the room.

“Don’t you want something else? That’s what I meant by ‘more comfortable’ clothing…”

“My other set is being laundered.”

“Your other… Katya, do you have other clothing besides these two sets of training clothes?”

“The dress I wore for the Emerging Ceremony,” she answered. “Would you like me to wear that?”

He really was a rude fuck, just like he’d told her while he drew the markings on her wrist that night.

Axel swiped a hand down his face. “Do you have clothing and other personal items at the Fae dorms?”

“Yes.”

“I will have those items delivered here tomorrow.”

“All right.”

“Do you want something to eat? You know, other than peanut butter. Have you been eating?”

She shifted again, adjusting her hold on the blanket. “I eat at the Pantheon.”

“Ford doesn’t give you dinner here?” Axel demanded.

Katya was quiet for a moment, clearly debating what to say. Finally, she said, “I’m sorry. I do not understand why you are upset.”

She didn’t understand why he was upset?

“I’m upset because you don’t have clothing here,” he said.

“But Idohave clothing here.”

“Two sets of training clothes hardly counts as clothing,” Axel scoffed.

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