Page 10 of Unruly Hearts

"You need to make money?" Agis shifts beneath me, tension radiating through his massive frame. "You make it at the casino?"

"No." The word comes out sharp as broken glass. "I'm not giving Ethan another inch. Gambling my parents' center, when that's all I have left of them..." My voice catches. "I could never."

"You don't like gamblers?" Something changes in his voice, a new tension I can't quite read.

"Definitely not." My fingers trace unconscious patterns on his chest. "That's where it all went wrong with Ethan and me. Gambling brings out the worst in people. Turns them into someone you don't recognize anymore."

His face shutters like storm clouds blocking the sun. Our bond pulses with something dark and painful that makes my brow furrow with concern.

My skin feels sticky with dried sweat, and the autumn air is growing teeth. "Where are my pants, Agis?"

He gathers my scattered clothing with mechanical movements. I can't help but laugh at my mangled bra and blouse - casualties of orc passion. My legs wobble as I stand, still weak from our mating. I don't even remember losing my shoes, but somehow they're there with my socks, waiting to be put back on.

"I need to get home."

"I carry you," Agis says, scooping me up like I weigh nothing. "It's faster."

The forest blurs past as he moves through it with surprising grace despite his size. His skin radiates warmth against the cooling air, and I tuck my face into his neck to breathe in his wild scent.

Back in the cabin, I focus on rebuilding the fire, letting the familiar task help organize my scattered thoughts. The embers glow orange as I add kindling and watch the flames catch.

"Ethan's running an illegal gambling operation." Speaking the words makes them more real somehow. "And he's connected to the poachers."

"Yes." Agis's heavy footsteps pace behind me, uneven and pained.

I turn from the growing fire. "Your leg is bothering you. You shouldn't have carried me."

"I'm fine." His stubborn growl might be more convincing if he wasn't favoring his injured leg so obviously.

"Sit down and let me look at it." When he doesn't move, I point to the bed with my best no-nonsense expression. "Now."

His tusked mouth twitches. "Demanding little human."

"Stubborn big orc," I counter as I gather my medical supplies.

The bed creaks under his weight as he settles. I kneel before him, just as I did a few hours ago, but now everything has changed. The mate bond thrums between us as I carefully unwrap his bandages with trembling fingers. The intimacy of this simple act feels almost as profound as our mating.

"The cuts have reopened," I say, cleaning away fresh blood. "You shouldn't have been running on this."

"Had to keep you safe," he growls.

I look up and find his gray eyes blazing with intensity. "Why?"

"You know why."

My heart pounds. "Tell me anyway."

He catches my hands in his massive ones. "Because you're my mate, Serenity. My true mate."

"Is that why you ran earlier?"

"Yes." His thumbs stroke over my palms. "I'm not worthy of you. I'm not good like Talon."

"Let me decide that," I whisper, rising up on my knees between his legs.

This time when I kiss him, he doesn't run. His lips capture mine with desperate hunger, and his tusks press against my cheeks. I gasp as he lifts me effortlessly and settles me across his lap.

"I'll hurt you," he mutters against my mouth.

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