Page 69 of Blood Bought

“Yes we do. They’re right here,” he flipped my menu and tapped the section, and I was pretty sure he didn’t breathe the entire time I ordered.

When he walked away, I could feel Alaris staring at me so intently it felt like he was looking through me. “No moaning too loud, Sweets. I’d hate to have to interrupt our date to snap a neck.”

I squirmed in my seat. How could I not? “I think they all know I’m here with you, Alaris. I don’t think anyone would try anything.”

He turned his head like he was listening to people around us and then huffed. “No, they won’t. They’ll think about it though... even though they’re trying not to.” His eyes slid down my chest toward my breasts. “They just can’t help it.”

“Must be annoying having all those voices in your head,” I commented, wrapping my tongue around my straw. “Especially since none of them are mine.”

“It’s a little loud in here, and not being able to hear you is annoying, yes.” He took a drink and then frowned, looking down at the glass like it betrayed him. “What’s wrong with this water?”

I took his glass to have a sip for myself, then rolled my eyes. “It’s tap water, Your Highness. Shitty pipes is all that’s wrong with it. But... before we get too far off topic, I wanted to ask you something. It’s been suggested that if we ever bond, not even the bracelet will keep you out. Is that true?”

“Yes, but if you wanted me to stay out, I’d stay out. You’d have access to mine too, it goes both ways.”

The fact that he wasn’t instantly telling me we’d never bond had me watching him closely. “Right, I was... told that too. But we don’t have to?”

Alaris tilted his head so slightly I almost missed it. “No. We don’t. Wouldn’t work if one of us didn’t want it to, anyway.”

“Oh. You wouldn’t want to?” I asked, nearly kicking Jared when he chose then to deliver our food. I’d never in my life been rude to a waiter, but I snapped at him, making his skin pale when he’d thought he offended me.

“Sorry,” I whispered quickly, instantly feeling bad about it.

“Thank you, Jared. I’ll call on you if we need anything else,” Alaris said. Jared bowed and rushed off, leaving Alaris staring at me again. “I want to, but I assumed you wouldn’t.”

I don’t. I do. Fuck me running, I don’t know.“I assumed you wouldn’t want to since Azel said hardly any fated mates do because of all the... y’know. Complications.”

“What complications did she tell you about?” he asked, cutting into his ridiculously sweet meal choice and dousing it in maple syrup.

“That if one of us died, life would pretty much become unlivable for the other. Guess that’s a good reason for you not to want to, huh? I won’t live nearly as long as you,” I said quietly.

“You won’t, no, but I would still do it. It would keep you safest for the time we do have together. If anyone ever touched you or harmed you, they’d be handing Veresian an invitation to war, and if they were in our lands they’d be handing me a personal invitation to rip out their spine.”

I stopped with the fork halfway to my mouth. “You need an invitation for that?”

“No, actually. Want to see?” His eyes darkened. “Take your pick.”

“Alaris, I’m not going to pick a human for you to de-spine while we eat our food.” I took a bite and made damn sure not to make a sound as I chewed, but it wasn’t quite as good as the ones Kell and Renzo brought me, anyway. “I figured I’d be protected either way if you were punished so harshly for taking another Heir’s bloodwhore.”

“You will be. But that doesn’t mean everyone will always listen. With all of us though, I’m sure we won’t have anything to worry about. Azel thinks a war is coming, but she’s been saying that for so long it’s hard to stress over it.” He finally started eating, and this time it was him who made a noise at how good the food was. “You should have gotten these.”

“I’ll keep that in mind in case we ever come back.” I could feel my blood thrumming, almost like it was jealous he was getting satisfaction elsewhere. “How many people in here responded toyourmoan?”

He shrugged. “I wasn’t paying attention. You don’t have to be jealous, Sweets. Everyone knows I’m taken. No one will touch me, and absolutely no one will ever touch you again.”

It wasn’t hard to believe him after everything I’d seen and heard, and more than that... Iwantedto believe him.

I wanted to believe him with all of me.

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