Page 35 of Guarded By the Orc

With a sigh, he pulled me closer, into a hug, his big palm running up and down my back, encompassing most of it. “Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’m going to make sure of it,” he whispered against my hair, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

Tears popped into my eyes faster than I could ever imagine and my hands went to his back right away, tightening into his shirt. I couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not after I’d finally found him.

“And nothing’s going to happen to you, right?” I gasped against his throat, squeezing my eyes shut and letting the tears fall.

“Nothing,” he agreed, his voice low and intimate. “We’re going to be together. I won’t let anything separate us.”

I shuddered against him, wishing that could be true, but I’d seen what the warlocks were capable of. Rudgar had never dealt with them. They were evil in its purest form. Power hungry zealots who didn’t care who they hurt in their hunt for more.

I’ll protect you.

“M-my mother,” I started, swallowing hard against the lump forming in my throat. “She tried to protect me. She dideverythingto protect me, and in the end, because she used so much of her power…” I trailed off, the words stuck in my throat, but instead of rushing me, he just stayed silent, allowing me to finish on my own. “Her life energy was so drained that she couldn’t survive anymore and she… died.” I buried my faceagainst his throat, and he ran his big warm palm over my back.

“That wasn’t your fault, Gul-ar,” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head, pulling away to glare at him.

“Of course it was! Who else’s fault was it?” I demanded, and he searched my gaze before sighing.

“Were you the only one she was protecting? Or was she protecting herself and the coven as well?” he asked, his voice even.

I gritted my teeth, turning away from him, but he pulled me back into his arms. “No, answer the question,” he murmured and I shook my head, a sob that I didn’t want to release building inside me.

“She could have lived so much longer—” I whispered, and he pressed a kiss to my hair.

“And if she hadn’t guarded your coven, then they would have found you all and taken her back. She was able to live a free live and she gave that to you with her sacrifice. Don’t taint that with the guilt you’re holding, Gul-ar. Live your life the way she wanted you to. Do you think she’d want you carrying this around with you?” he asked, and I squeezed him close.

“No,” I gasped, tears escaping and being soaked into his shirt. “No, she would never want that.”

“If you don’t let it go, you’re doing a disservice to her,” he told me, nuzzling his face into my hair.

I allowed myself long minutes of crying, basking in his comfort—in the security that he provided to me. And then memories of my mother flooded me. Her laughter, her joy.

The essence that made herher. She would have loved Rudgar. She would have shoved me into a bedroom with him and locked the door until we provided her with a grandchild. I smiled, despite myself, knowing that she was looking down at me and wouldn’t want me to not grab life with both hands.

I’ll get rid of Veron and then I’m going to live the kind of lifeyou always wanted me to.

I gave her the silent promise, running my lips over Rudgar’s throat again. He groaned, shaking his head.

“None of that. I’m trying to comfort you and you’re seducing me. Stop it right now,” he scolded, but there was barely any censure in his voice. His fingers swept down my back to give my ass a tight squeeze and I couldn’t stop a moan from slipping past my lips.

“Pretty sure that’snothow you comfort someone,” I giggled, swiping my tongue into the hollow of his throat. A low rumble of sound came from his chest and let me know that he enjoyed the touch.

“I think I did a great job,” he told me, leveraging us until he fell backward against the sofa. He took me with him and I fell against him with a yelp. He grinned up at me, and I puffed at the curls that had fallen into my face.

“You’re in big trouble,” I told him, taking a nip of his nose. He was grinning, holding me tight against him.

“I don’t mind being in trouble with you,” he whispered, tugging me up on him until he cupped my ass. “Since you’re always in trouble yourself.”

“First of all, I’mneverin trouble—” I started, but his snort of disbelief made me tickle his side. His laugh boomed out of his chest and his head tipped back, baring his throat for me.

I nibbled and sucked for a long moment, eventually able to leave a mark there that made me proud. Females probably drooled over this male wherever he went.

While I was here—in his life—I wanted everyone to know that he was mine. I could already feel the possessiveness spreading inside me. I had never been a very good sharer. It was something that made my mom sigh and shake her head at me constantly. Being an only child could do that.

But when it came to Rudgar, I didn’t care if I was being selfish.He wasmineand no one else was going to touch him. If they tried, I didn’t know that I had enough control over my powers to stop myself from hexing them.

“Now that we’ve moved in together—” he started and everything screeched to a halt in my head.

“Wait, what?” I asked, blinking at him and brushing aside my wayward hair. “No, we’re notmoved in together.”

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