Page 3 of Rix & Val
“Who hurt you,a stór?” I ask her softly. So softly that it surprises her.
I’m not sure what she expects from me, but my gentleness throws her off.
“Too many to count,” she replies just as softly, her eyes clinging to mine. The sadness in their depths obliterates my heart. There’s so much pain in that one look.
Taking one step closer to her, I raise my hand so that she has time to track it until I can cup her cheek. Tilting her face to mine, I’m not surprised when I see resignation in her eyes and thenthe flare of surprise when I tell her, “Nobody will ever hurt you again,a stór,this I swear to you.”
She smiles wistfully at me and curls her fingers around my hand, pressing my hand to the softness of her cheek. “You’re not the first to say that. I’ve learned the hard way not to believe words.”
Dipping my head, I breathe in her ear and smile as her breath hitches when I tell her, “But none of them were your mate. And I promise you,a stór, if anyone hurts even a hair on your head, they’ll meet my berserker, and that’s not something that anyone wants to do.”
She tilts her head back in surprise. Lightning fast, my hand shoots up and I cradle the back of her head in my palm before it can hit the wall of the tavern. Her eyes widen, and her pupils elongate as her incisors lengthen. She slaps her hand over her mouth in surprise. A muffled “Oh,” escapes, making me chuckle.
“What’s your name,milseán?” I ask, my lips hovering just above the hand that’s still covering her mouth. She mutters something. Then rolls those expressive eyes in disgust at herself when she realises I won’t be able to hear her and removes her hand, replying, “Valoria, but my friends call me Val.”
“Valoria,” I hum as I roll her name experimentally off my tongue. Nodding, I look back at her and say, “I like it. It’s beautiful, like its owner. My name’s Xanderix, but my brothers call me Rix.”
She smiles a blinding smile, and I bite back a hoarse moan when it hits me right in my cocks and they twitch in my leathers. They’re going to be bruised all to hell if they don’t quit it. The last thing we need is to frighten our mate, especially as I know she’s been mistreated.
Running my nose up her cheek, I hold back a smile as she lets out a soft sigh and tilts her head to the side, allowing me accessto her neck. She may not know what it means, but to me it’s a flashing green sign of trust. And I’d not break that.
“Val,” I breathe in her ear and smile when she shivers, and her breathing speeds up.
“Yes?”
“Can I kiss you?”
Her breath hitches and stops at my request before it starts up again. Patiently, I wait for my mate’s decision, and I want to crow and beat my chest when she utters one small word that changes the course of our lives.
“Please.”
Gathering her close, I nibble at the sides of her lips and brush butterfly kisses across her cheeks before coming back to her lips that I gently lick and suck until she opens for me. Only then do I take what is freely given, and I kiss my mate for the first time.
Her shy advances and retreats make me wonder if she’s ever been kissed before. Not that it takes my mate long to become enthusiastic as her tongue twines with mine. The slight roughness of hers against the smoothness of mine has a growl rumbling from deep within my chest.
Running my hands down the sides of her body until I reach the lush globes of her ass, I firmly cup and knead them until she jumps, and I’ve suddenly got my arms full of my delicious female. I meet her tongue thrust for thrust, and it’s only Vena’s loudly cleared throat that breaks us apart. We’re both panting, and resting my forehead against hers, I ask a question I hope she’ll say yes to.
“Come home with me?”
She hesitates, and her eyes search mine. I let her take her time to decide.
“Okay.” She agrees, unwrapping her legs from around my waist and allowing her feet to drop back to the floor. I hate that I no longer have her plastered to me, but it won’t be for long.
Taking possession of her hand, I draw her towards my bike, only to come to a stop when she calls out in an uncertain voice, “Vena.”
Vena’s been watching us, but she hasn’t interfered. Her gaze softens when she looks at Val. Waving us on, she says, “Go on. I’ll manage. It’s nearly closing time.”
Taking Val’s staff from her, I slide it into a pocket sewn into my saddlebags. I’d wondered what I’d ever use it for when I fashioned these; now, I know. I’ve been waiting for her. I’m about to swing my leg over my machine when Vena calls out in a cold, deadly tone, “Male.”
Turning back to her, I have to be impressed because not many would take us on head-to-head. But I like her protectiveness when it comes to my mate. “You best be bringing my sister home in the same condition she’s leaving in. If even a hair on her head is harmed—”
She doesn’t finish her threat. There’s no need to—she’s said all she has to, and I understand the warning.
Tilting my chin at her, giving her the respect she deserves, I assure her, “Val will be safe with me, that I can promise you.”
When she says nothing further, I mount my bike and help Val on behind me. As we pull away from the tavern for the twenty-minute ride home, I can’t help but wish it was longer. I’ve never thought of having a female on my bike, but with Val wrapped around me as close as she can get, her soft, lush curves warm against my back, I find that I love it and hope she’ll go for many more rides with me.
VAL
