Page 88 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

His lips twitch. “You might want to do something about your freshly fucked hair before you try to boss us around.”

The room falls silent as Zac calls us out. Archan opens a drawer next to the bed and pulls out a hair tie and a comb. I reach out to take it from him.

“Turn around,” he says.

I huff and spin around. He begins the torturous process of teasing out the knots in my hair. “I can do this myself,” I mutter, “just like I could have dressed myself.”

Jed arches an eyebrow as Archan chuckles. “I am sure you agree. My way was much more fun.”

“Because you teased the life out of me until I snapped?”

“Pretty sure it was me that snapped, or smacked… take your choice.”

Jed’s other eyebrow joins in as they try to climb off his face. All we need is Zee to make this an ‘embarrass Natia’ hour. Footsteps sound on the stairs, and like I wished for him, Zee strides through the door. His gaze snaps on Archan behind me.

“It’s Archan,” Zac says.

Zee nods as he examines me from head to foot. He narrows his eyes as they focus on my shoulder; I glance down, the bite on display like I’ve been marked by an animal.

“How long have you been here?” Zee asks Archan.

Archan runs his fingers through my hair and tugs it back in a braid. “Over an hour,” he answers.

“What were you doing?”

“Talking to me,” I snap.

“Talking? Is that what you are calling it?”

“We exchanged words,” I mutter.

Zee points at my shoulder. “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t done during a conversation.”

“My private life is just that, private.”

Zee tuts. “You are bedding a Primordial god who’s possessed by another god. It doesn’t matter what you do with your sweaty naked bodies, it is my business.”

“I can knock him out with a snap of my fingers,”Archan offers.

“He’s not thinking straight, we are bonded.”

His fingers pause in my hair.“Explain.”

“I saved his life with my blood, somehow it bonded him to me. He’s like a protector on steroids. He can feel my emotions and my pain.”

“No doubt he can also feel your pleasure.”

My eyes go wide, I blink at Zee. “Can you tell when I’m…” I wave my hand in the air.

He grimaces. “I can feel any heightened emotion, I just thought you were alone.”

The blush is back full force, I rub my hands down my face just as Archan snaps the band in the bottom of my hair.

“Come on, it’s time to face the gang,” Jed says, heading out of the bedroom with a smirk. I fling the leather jacket on, wanting to avoid any more judgmental stares. We follow in a steady line, Zee in front of me, Zac and Archan at my back.

“For the record, I am not looking forward to this debrief,” I mutter.

Zac snorts. “You can leave out the sordid details of your naked shenanigans.”

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