Page 41 of The Alpha

“Easy,” she said in a soft voice. “It’s not like I can go anywhere.” She crawled onto the bed and stood.

He moved toward her but didn’t put a hand to the wall. Instead, he stood and watched her.

A tremor of something ran through her, and once again, she knew what he wanted.

She slowly lifted her right hand to the wall.

He smiled and put his left hand against hers.

Pari put her other hand against the wall. He did the same. At least now she wouldn’t get a kink in her neck. Standing on the bed made her taller than him, but at least they could look at each other better. So long as he stayed standing, that is. She didn’t know how longthatwas going to be.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “Does it hurt, when they shoot you?”

He looked into her eyes and said nothing. His eyes roamed Pari’s face, then the rest of her. His head cocking right, then left as he studied her.

“Gosh, but you’re gorgeous,” she whispered. “Jeffrey wouldn’t dare harass me with you around.”

Her face fell at the thought of Jeffrey. If she got out of this, she’d still have that weirdo to deal with, and he’d gone from bad to worse. But maybe after what happened under the shuttle bridge, he’d be too afraid to get near her. That would be nice.

The man took on a satisfied look and sighed.

Pari studied him. “What was that for? We’re prisoners, and you… you look… happy?”

His smile was back, and he looked her in the eyes again.

“Why don’t you say something? Anything?”

His eyes softened and his mouth moved ever so slightly.

Pari watched him. “Do you understand me?”

The blue of his eyes intensified. “Ayah trulah, Kahtala Miah.”

Pari almost fell off the bed. “You can speak!”

He took on a desperate look. “Kahtala Miah.”

She pressed her forehead against the wall. His voice was heavenly. “I don’t know what that means.”

He looked up into her eyes. “Kahtala Miah…”

She shook her head.

“Kah…” he said opening his mouth wide.

Their gazes locked. “Kah,” she repeated.

“Tala…”

She smiled. “Tala.”

He smiled back. “Mi-ah.”

Pari’s heart warmed. “Mi-ah.”

His smile grew as he put a hand over his heart and patted it a few times. “Kahtala Miah.”

She stared at his chest. “Kahtala Miah.” Pari put a hand on her own chest. “Your heart?”

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