Page 10 of Stars At Dusk

Harlow was about to launch into another self-righteous diatribe when she paused and forced herself to look at him. He seemed exhausted. She spotted a white edge to his full lips. His nose flared, and he yawned. Like he was fighting off an intense urge to nap. Then, she remembered his reference to being starved, and it all came together in her head.

‘You’re hangry.’

‘What the everlovin’ fokk?’ Kage flung back.

‘Yup. Come with me. Now.’

For a split second, she analysed her life decisions. She’d never invited a strange man into her home before. She also wasn’t the type to want to rescue men from themselves. This was a first.What was wrong with her?

The pinched look on his face won the day. She felt an unlikely wave of compassion overwhelm her.

She waved her wrist comm over the apartment building’s glass-panelled door, which slid open.

She marched in, and he jogged to catch up to her, barely slipping his large frame past the sliding doorway as it shut.

‘Harlow, you’d better be heading upstairs to pack. We don’t have time for anything else.’

Kage’s low voice echoed in the empty lobby.

Still, Harlow’s low heels clicked on towards the lifts. ‘And I don’t have time to debate with your salty, starved and low-glucose ass for much longer. I’m not leaving this city until I feed you.’

She marched through the open lift doors. ‘You coming?’

He stalked inside, ducking under the high jamb while muttering in annoyance.

The doors shut, and she glanced at his hulking, sulking form.

‘Here, have a curl on me,’ she offered, pushing the box of garlic butter-soaked potato goodness into his nose.

She swore that he almost swayed with need. His helmet fell to the floor.

He flicked a silver glance at her, then nabbed the box and proceeded to tear into it and chow down with no aplomb whatsoever. His eyes momentarily fluttered with pleasure as his powerful jaws worked.

‘Told you, you were hangry. And those are the best damn potato curls in all of Dunia. Incidentally, the most amazing hangry curse breakers.’

‘Now, who’s smug?’ he taunted between breathing in the food.

Harlow shot him a sweet, self-satisfied grin and chortled.

Their eyes met, his glinting with intense emotion. Like he had the potential to devour and devastate her more than she could ever imagine.

Damn.

Harlow bustled into her Level 8 apartment with Kage closely behind.

‘Sit,’ she commanded, pointing to her green velvet couch while placing her bags down and kicking off her heels. She took the empty fried curls box from Kage’s hands and headed further into the apartment.

He prowled into her open-plan living area, instantly making the bright and airy space feel crowded.

She ignored the zap of wild and untamed energy she felt through her body as he whipped past her body on his way to the living room.

What was she doing?

Compassion won over logic, and she marched into her mid-size galley kitchen where she’d wasted zero expense on a stone bench, quality stainless steel appliances and the latest cooking implements.

His silver eyes snapped around, taking in the top-quality finishes, high-end features and timber flooring throughout that she was so proud of.

She watched as he stalked across her lounge and planted his armour-suited self in one of her armchairs. He flung one giant foot over his knee and leaned back. Watching her across the room with hooded eyes.

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