Page 35 of Blood Bought

“Mmhm.” He didn’t look up, just got up to wash his already-healed hand and went back to eating like it was nothing.

Moment over.

“Do you need anything else?” I asked, toying with that silver band around my wrist. “Want me to send for Sloane? It looks like your eyes are getting brighter already.”

“No, I’m fine. See you at lunch, Miss Silk.”

He didn’t look up at me again, and I only lingered a moment hoping that would change before taking my leave.

I’d never have admitted it, but I didn’t do anything or think about anyone but him in the time between breakfast and lunch. I was impatient and jittery, jumping when people tried to talk to me — though I blamed that mostly on the silent treatment I’d been getting from almost everyone.

I had a ton of apologies and questions on my tongue when it was time to go back, and when I opened the door, he was laying on the floor reading one of his romance novels. “Lunch already?” He set it aside and stood up, this time fully dressed in some comfortable sweats and a red shirt that said‘I Bite’across the front. “Will you eat with me again?”

“That depends. Is your shirt a threat?” I asked, setting the tray down. “Not in the mood to be bitten right now.”

“No. Renzo said you would think it was funny. Is it not?”

I licked my lips in an attempt to keep a straight face — not because of the shirt, but at the thought of those two insanely hot idiots picking out cheesy loungewear together. “Guess he doesn’t know me that well, either. It’s a little too on the nose for my tastes.”

He looked down at it with a frown as he reached the table. “You never told me your favorite color.”

“Black,” I said simply, letting him read as much or as little into that as he wanted to. “What’s yours?”

“Red. Too on the nose?” He waved at the chair for me to sit and my attention was momentarily drawn to the new table. “And what’s humorous to you?”

“Did you guys paint each other’s toenails while he was helping you pick out clothes?” I asked. “Maybe have a pillow fight?”

“Ah, so youdohave a sense of humor.” I could see the smile on his face, but it was obvious he also hadn’t properly fed since before I saw him that morning. “We paint Kell’s specifically. He likes purple.”

“Very regal of him,” I conceded, grinning a little wider. “Did Kellian agree I’d find your lame shirt funny?”

“No, he said you’d hate it. Guess he knows you better than us since he gifts you burritos that make you moan.”

I picked at the little finger sandwiches he’d ordered and hummed. “He’s definitely my favorite. You’re a close third though, if that helps.”

“Third?” he whispered sharply. “Even Renzo’s above me? Seriously?”

The sheer offense on his face had me outright laughing — it sounded so weird from my own lips that I snorted and covered my mouth quickly, silently shaking as his eyes widened. “Sorry. You’re actually kind of cute when you get jealous.”

“I’m not cute.You’recute. I’m scary.”

I laughed a little harder, then slowly made myself calm down. “To be fair, you’re insanely scary. You’re... like a barbarian, but actually a little soft sometimes. It’s infuriating and frightening but also a little intoxicating.”

“I was offended at first, but you got me with intoxicating. Keep going. Am I wooing you now, Miss Sour?”

“You’re getting better, I’ll give you that. More dorky t-shirts and less locking me in cells and starving me because you can.” I brushed my hair behind my ear and took a breath, exhaling sharply. “Do I still smell sour to you?”

“Not right now. Now it’s my turn to callyouintoxicating. I know you’re not ready, and I’m not going to force you into anything, but sometimes you smell so sweet I just want to pull you in and bask in it. Then I say something wrong and ruin it. But I’ll keep the dorky shirt thing in mind and see if it helps.”

ThisAlaris... this Alaris could own me for the rest of my life and I’d thank him for it. I just knew this Alaris was still a rarity. “So do it. I’m here, and there’s no law against smelling people.”

“Eat first, I ordered you a burrito. Then I’ll lose myself in your scent for as long as you’ll let me.”

I eyed the second tray and lifted the lid, then chuckled. “It really offended you that you were the only one who didn’t hear me moan, didn’t it?”

“Yes,” he replied honestly, then started eating with his eyes still on me. “But seeing as I’m your third favorite, it makes sense.”

“I may have lied about that,” I admitted, tapping the bracelet before cutting off a piece. “I really took to Azel and Elenor, so you’re more like my fifth favorite. Sixth if Tamsin survives.”

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