Page 33 of Bound

His eyes have a far-away look, as if these words are not his.

“How long?” I ask.

“Until my body is ready to release you,” he growls. “Because it knows when you are fertile, little spark.”

RYCH

The more we mate, the more I’m remembering random things, about what it is to be a Gryn, to be a…warrior?

But I was a gladiator, not anything as honorable as a warrior. I’ve seen warriors in the dome. I am not one of them.

But being buried in my mate, having my second cock swell tight in order to fill her? The utter beauty of it makes my heart pound and my vision dance.

I would be a warrior for her, for my Chrissie. I would protect her with everything I had.

“Do not worry, my sweet mate.” I brush a lock of her soft hair back from her face, her concerned face, with eyes too big and a bottom lip I have to kiss.

If I don’t kiss her, my heart and soul will never forgive me. I drag us down below the surface, resting her body against mine, taking so much from her until finally, finally, I can let her go.

“Does this always happen?” she asks, keeping very still on my cocks, which are showing no signs at all of letting her go.

“I don’t know.” I look down to where we are joined. “My second cock has never arisen before, not even when I was sold to females for the night.”

“You were…sold? For sex?” Chrissie gasps. “I thought I knew about Tatatunga…I thought…”

“There was no coercement?” I release a harsh chuckle. “There is always a way of making a gladiator do what he does not want to do.”

“I’m sorry,” Chrissie says, averting her gaze.

I bring it back to me, her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “I’ve already asked if you were part of the dome council, and if you were not, you have no reason to apologize.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t slice those who seek to exploit you to ribbons.” She says, teeth gritted.

Chrissie trembles in my grip, her gaze not wavering from mine. My heart swells in my chest. My Chrissie doesn’t pity me, she fights for me.

“I want you to know what I did, everything I did, because it is important to me you understand what I am. Why I am not deserving of you.”

“Rych.” Chrissie takes in a breath. “You deserve to have a life, to have what you want. But is it really me you want, you believe you deserve?”

“You are my fate, myeregri.” I growl, unable to help myself. “I didn’t even believe it was possible, until it happened. That there was a female out there in the galaxy who I would kill for, who I would die for. But it is you.”

She studies my face.

“I can’t pretend to understand, Rych. Humans don’t behave like Gryn. I’m not a Gryn. I don’t even know if I can have your baby. But I do know I want to be with you, no matter what. I haven’t felt like this since I was taken from my planet, from my family. I never thought I’d feel like I was home ever again, until you.”

“You were taken?” The last word comes out as a snarl.

“Abducted. My dad…” She hesitates, a sob rising in her breast. “He’ll never know where I went. He’ll be waiting…wondering.”

I pull her to me, holding her tightly, my lips against the fragrant skin just under her hair.

“My sweet mate, it is I who should be sorry, that you were stolen and brought here to my galaxy. If it was in my power, I would take you back to your family right now.”

She pushes back, her face wet but her eyes dancing with a sad mirth. “I can just imagine the reaction of humans to you,” she says. “Probably a lot of screaming.”

“I should think so.” I square up my wings. “I am a gladiator.”

Chrissie snorts out a laugh. “That would only be a small part of it. But thank you for thinking of me.”

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