Page 62 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

She got a sad look in her eyes and quickly hugged me.

“No, Kells. I promise he didn’t. I meant emotionally. We lost Dad. We lost our home. We lost the lives we knew. How does that make you feel, Kells? You never say. You don’t cry except when I make you cut the onions. I’m worried about you.”

“Sometimes tears purge what we feel, and sometimes they don’t help like they should and are simply a way to pass time. That’s where I’m at. Rather than sitting around, letting my anger and worry eat at me, I’m doing what I can to help us stay safe in this new life. When we have our feet under us again, then I’ll ask you to pass me the tissues.”

She gave me another squeeze and released me.

“Fair enough.”

We finished making dinner and ate a quiet meal together while mindless reruns played on the television. Zoe gave me a cheeky grin as she left the kitchen since it was my night to clean up. When I glanced at her in the living room, she was standing at the window again.

“Dammit, Zoe, stop watching for the neighbor.”

She waved a hand at me then held her finger to her lips. Worried, I set the knife aside and moved toward her. As I neared, I could hear a voice.

“…point of keeping you? You’re useless. Get up.”

Zoe laughed. Then her eyes went wide before she immediately looked at the floor.

“Not again,” I hissed.

This time, I grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the hallway.

“Are all your thoughts your own?” I demanded.

“No urge to start humping your leg, but I’m thinking about smothering you in your sleep again. That hurt.”

“It was supposed to hurt. Pain can bring you out of a thrall.”

“I’m really sorry, Kells. Please don’t make us go back to the room for another three hours. I’ll go crazy.”

Exhaling slowly, I caved under the pressure of her pleading stare.

“Fine. If the windows are clear, we don’t have to go to the room.”

“Thank you.”

Carefully, I peeked around the corner. The man wasn’t by his house, safely twenty feet away. He was two inches from the window, staring in. Right at me.

“Ah!”

I immediately looked down at the floor. However, my gaze didn’t stay there. It bounced back up to the window. Tohim.

The warm hue of his skin set off golden eyes and dark, wavy hair. Perfect eyebrows…nose…jawline. He was mouthwatering. My gaze slid to his lips. The bottom one was just a tad fuller than the top.

Biteable.

As I watched, it curved in a slight, seductive smile that did things to my insides. I started to smile back.

“Are you looking at him?” Zoe asked in disbelief.

“Shit!”

Ducking back around the corner, I stared at my sister.

“He’s fucking gorgeous.”

“Told you.”

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