Page 37 of Protected By the Convicts
Her mouth fell open again. With a single finger, he nudged her jaw closed.
Ah, he’d shocked her with his question. “Vaughn promised me that you would not be harmed in any way. Ren said nothing. But he knows I’d slit his throat if he ever harmed you.”
Her mouth fell open again. “Really, sha-vi. . . perhaps you should have Vaughn examine your jaw. It seems to be having a problem.”
“I-I. . .”
“And now you’re stuttering,” he teased. It was rare that Hannah was speechless. He couldn’t resist having a little fun, especially since he found himself relaxing as his own confidence returned. Her being with the others had not come between them as he’d feared would happen.
“This is confusing, Ky.”
“Did you enjoy it, sha’vi? Did they give you something I cannot?”
“I enjoyed it, very much, but it wasn’t complete without you.”
He hadn’t expected that answer, though it pleased him immensely. She had missed him.
“I suspect next time it will feel more complete because you know I will always be waiting for you to return to me.”
“This isn’t just lust, Ky. It’s not something I need to get out of my system like a velagie beast in heat.”
“I’ve come to accept that you love them, in a way you cannot love me.”
Her dark green eyes lit with fire. “I love you as much as I love them. You are all special, so don’t you dare make it sound like you are anything less to me, pa’vi.”
He raised a brow. “You call me pa’vi still?”
“It’s who you are, isn’t it? My pa-vi.”
“Do you know what pa’vi and sha’vi mean?”
“My one and only,” she repeated the words he’d spoken to her only once before in her tongue.
“You are and will always be my sha’vi. But I can no longer be your pa’vi. You’ve said as much by claiming them.”
Tears ran down her cheeks. He didn’t mean to make her cry. He only meant to speak the truth. She quickly wiped the tears away. “I won’t accept that. And if the word has lost its meaning to you, then we’ll find another word. I won’t lose you, Ky. I won’t give you up. I love you with all of my heart. Yes,allof my heart.”
“I like that you fight for me.” He stepped forward, pressing her against the rock wall behind her.
“Then why did you step aside, encourage them to take me? Have you given up on me?” she asked, sounding confused, shaken even. She didn’t understand, and he did not like to see her so stressed.
“You need them.”
“I need you.”
“In place of them or in addition?”
“I don’t know how to answer that. When I’m with you, Ky, it’s only you. But they are still a part of me.”
“That’s because they need you, sha’vi. These men are broken. We all are. But not when we are with you.”
“I’m broken as well, Ky. All of you complete me.Allof you.”
“This is still very odd to me, sha’vi. It goes against all that I was taught, all that I expected for my life, but for you, I will adjust.”
“Will you be okay with it? I mean, really? I don’t want it to eat away at you. Or to come between us.”
“I will adapt.”
