Page 28 of Chained

“I can fight anything. It’s in my nature,” I growl. “But fighting to free my fellow Gryn means I have to find a way.”

I capture her lips with mine. Cleo’s kiss is the sweetest taste, her mouth allowing me to plunder it, to take her, to enjoy her.

She is the reason I fight. She is the reason I go on fighting. She is the reason I must be free.

CLEO

All of me aches as I take my morning shower as hot as I can make it. I should be exhausted after my late night activities, because Maxym didn’t stop at one session. He made it two, and only after he had licked me to completion in between, strumming my body as if he’d known me forever.

My core pulses as I remember what he did. I can’t believe my body is reacting to him in this way. The pathetic fumble which has resulted in my pregnancy pales into nothingness. Maxym can make me come simply by growling my name in his deep, sinful voice.

Which might make things a little difficult at the dome today…

When he stole away in the early nova-hours this morning, I didn’t want him to go. I know what the dome is, and even if he is their best gladiator, the odds of him dying are still too high.

Except Maxym has fought for a long time. Regardless of what he was before, it is his job and he has to do it, especially while we work out how to deal with the information he’s dredged up from some long-forgotten memory.

I’m not sure I can believe it is my presence which has stirred up all his forgotten knowledge. If it is, he seems happy at the memories, pleased to find out the reasons why he rages.

For me, I need to work out my feelings about him and about how he insists my baby is his as much as I am. Such unconditional acceptance of my situation is the most alien thing about him.

That and the two cocks.

I’m still blushing as I walk into the kitchen.

“Good nova-day!” Tibi trills, overly enthusiastic as always in the morning.

The scent which fills my nostrils make my stomach growl. I grab a couple of her sweet rolls and devour them before I get my first cup of joh.

“You’re eating well.” She grins at me. “I’d have thought attending the arena on games day might have made you nervous, but I underestimate you as usual,” she adds kindly.

Hopefully this means the nocturnal visit by the planet’s largest pussy burglar has not been noticed.

“I don’t know when I’ll get to eat today. I expect I’m going to be busy, so I’d better load up on the carbs now,” I say, licking my fingers as Tibi shovels more rolls onto a platter in front of me. “Where’s Retah?”

“He had to return to Sartak again.” Tibi makes a face indicating her displeasure. “He left some instructions for you on your vid-screen, but he insisted he’ll be back tomorrow.”

“When did he go?” I’m seized by a sudden fear.

“Early nova-hours. You’ll have still been asleep.” She gives me a benign smile.

I know I was doing anything other than sleep. Impossible with a huge Gryn in my bed. My face flushes hot again.

“Everything okay?” Tibi asks.

“Phew!” I fan myself with my hand. “Too many carbs too quickly.” I laugh.

She gives me a strange look but bustles off to check on her ovens and bubbling sauces.

I might just have got away with it.

“I’d have thought it was having the big gladiator in your room for most of the night that would have been the reason,” she calls over her shoulder.

“What? No.” I shake my head hard, causing stars to form in my vision. “I was alone all night.”

Tibi turns, a spoon poised under her whiskers.

“My sweet one,” she says. “I’d recognize the sounds of mating anywhere. You’re not fooling this old Cirmos at her own game.”

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