Page 22 of Savage Queen (Blood Empire 3)

“Listen here, mountain man, I told you, I don’t need you babying me,” I say, getting irritated. Reaching up, I grab onto his nipples through his shirt and twist them.

“Fuck!” he hisses, rubbing at his man boobs. “Did you just...” he looks down at his nipples, then to me with a death glare.

“I did, and keep pushing me and it will be your balls next time,” I smirk.

“Sam,” he huffs. “She hasn’t eaten much in the past few weeks. She needs to take better care of herself and take it slow for a few days. Can you try and talk some sense into her?”

Sam looks at him, then to me. “Want to watch a movie and cuddle in bed?” he asks, giving me a hopeful smile.

“You know what, I think a lazy day in bed is perfect,” I answer, making his smile grow.

“Awesome, I’ll go shower. We just fed the animals, and Susie sneezed on me.” He wrinkles his nose. “Then I’ll grab some popcorn and Rosie. We’ll meet you in your room?”

“Sounds perfect,” I tell him, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek. His face blooms an adorable shade of red before he takes off down the hall to his room.

“So, you’ll listen to him, but not me?” Axel grumbles.

“He asks me nicely,” I say before pushing past him and heading into my room. I’ll admit it, I do feel weak and tired. I’m not helping anyone by forcing myself to do things.

Axel mutters to himself as he follows behind.

“You need to tell Beast I’m back,” I tell Axel as I crawl into my big, warm bed. “But don’t tell him any details. If he finds out... Well, I don’t want them knowing right now, okay? He won’t take it well.”

“None of us are,” Axel growls.

“But you guys have control over your blood lust.”

“For now,” he grunts.

“Come here, you big overgrown gorilla.” I laugh, pulling the blanket back for him to get under. He raises a brow.

“I’m starting to think maybe the guys and I need to run some tests on you to make sure there’s not an imposter among us,” he mutters and lets out a sigh before crawling in under the covers.

“Shut up. I know this is new, but...” How do I tell him that for the weeks I was gone I thought I was never going to see him, or the others, again? How do I say that there were moments that I regretted a lot of things in my life, and not being more open and affectionate with them was one of them? “I’m willing to try new things. And I’ve been locked up by myself with no one but the mice in the walls to talk to. I just want to feel you, okay?”

He stares down at me for a moment, looking like he wants to argue, but he must see something in my eyes that tells him I need this more than I care to admit. He moves his body down so that I’m able to lay my head on his chest. Grabbing the bedside remote, he turns the TV on and brings up the OnDemand movies. “What do you want to watch?”

“What about the new movie with Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum?” Sam says as he enters my room. He moves to the other side of my bed with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a few pops in the other. He watches us for a moment, and there's a look that passes over his face.Longing?Does he want to be snuggled up with Axel or me? Or both?

“The Lost City, yes! The trailer looks really funny. I could use a good comedy right about now,” I say, sitting up so that I can take the bowl of popcorn. Sam stands there awkwardly, not sure what to do.

“Get in, silly.” I laugh. “I’m in a cuddly mood.”

“Don’t get used to it, I’m still convinced this is a shape-shifter impersonating Harlow,” Axel mutters. I turn to glare at him.

“Shut up,” I huff.

“Make me,” he counters.

“Maybe I should go...” Sam says. This isn’t like him. He's used to Axel’s and my banter.

“Stay, please. I missed you both.”

“Uncle Sam, stay!” Rosie says, coming into the room.

“I don’t think this is a movie for kids,” Axel says as Cass, Dean, and Evie follow her in.

“Oh goodie, it's a party.” I smile, then it drops remembering Neo isn’t here. The idea of him going mad locked up in the showroom while thinking I’m still missing sends another way of unease through me.

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