Page 78 of Unveiled

In the bedroom, we head to the right, check on Stefan, and he slides the flashlight onto the bedside table. Stefan is still blissfully asleep, unaware of the power outage.

Good for him.

As we make our way to his bedroom—our bedroom?—the lights flicker back on. It's late at night, so we don't have many around here, but there are a few.

"Well, that didn't take long," I tell him. "Is that the generator?"

He shakes his head. "No, must've been the weather."

I'm glad the power is on because I would've missed an opportunity to ogle him and his tattoos and the hardened muscles of his body. I climb into bed and lift the thick comforter up to my chin. I watch him undress and get ready for bed himself. Then he climbs in beside me.

"Come here," he says in a soft whisper, and he lifts his arm.

I hesitantly move closer, slipping beneath it and resting my head against his chest. He wraps me in a secure embrace, his hold protective and comforting. I drape my hand across his abdomen, letting it settle on his chest, and I close my eyes. Little girl me issquealing.

"This feels nice," I whisper. I can't forget what he said earlier and what's happened, but I can enjoy this soft comfort while it lasts—knowing we're safe. Even knowing that if someone attempted to ambush, he would have it under control. I snuggle in, and he holds me tighter.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep like this," he says in a growl.

"Are you sensitive to other people's bodies? Movement? What?"

"No," he says, his voice low and rough. “But if you lie next to me, I’ll get hard as hell and want to pin you to this bed and make you mine all over again. And trust me, I will. Make nodoubt about it. But right now, I need you to get some sleep.” His gaze darkens. “I told you I want to take care of that pretty pussy… let it rest before I wreck you again.”

I clear my throat. “If you were trying to turn me on, it worked."

"Woman," he says in a little growl, gently turning me over and spooning me from behind. The thick feel of his erection against my ass makes me smile. But when I close my eyes, sleep feels all too close. I tuck myself under the blanket, the pillow under my head. I've never slept in a bed so big, so comfortable, with sheets so luxurious. I take a peek at his hand, splayed across my belly, and notice a thick scar right alongside the tattoos.

"Where did you get that from?" I ask with a yawn, my eyes already fluttering closed.

"A fight."

When he doesn't offer more, I kind of playfully elbow him in the ribs. "Obviously. Which one?"

"Do you remember that time by the creek? When you were crying?"

My eyes open. I didn't expect him to admit that the scar had anything to do withme.

"Yes, I remember it vividly. Why?"

"They came after you again, but you didn't know because you were at school. I did though. I followed them. I watched. One day, one of them made a threat against you."

I swallow hard.

“I made sure that didn’t happen again.”

My heart beats faster. What does that mean? "Did you kill them?"

"Notthattime."

He did that. He's admitting that he killed somebody. Oh my god.

"Get some sleep, Anya. You asked, I answered. Now the discussion is over. I want you to rest."

I stare into the darkness. My brother is safe. My family is, for now. I trust Semyon…

Don't I?

Chapter 21

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