Page 23 of The Minotaur's Milkmaid
I sniff and hug my knees tighter. “I’m not crying.”
“You’re thinking about crying.”
I pout. “Maybe.”
He chuckles and comes to me with a bowl in his hand. He kneels, offering it like I might bolt if he’s not careful.
“Tell me what's wrong, Maeve.”
And just like that, my eyes sting.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I whisper. “I should feel happy. I’m happy. I think. But also like…like I’m not—” I swallow, unsure of how to describe my feelings.
He lifts my chin, guiding my eyes to meet his. “Was that your first time coming like that? With a male?”
I nod.
His expression softens, and he leans down to press a warm kiss to my forehead. “Sometimes it hits harder than you expect. Not just your body, but your heart too. It’s alright, Little Cow. You’re safe.” His thumb strokes my jaw, and he gives me another soft kiss on my lips.
I bury my face against his chest, heart thumping wildly. “I feel like I’m not supposed to like it as much as I do.”
His hand slides up my spine. “You’re supposed to like it. That’s the whole point, sweet mate. You’re allowed to feel good. To want. You’re mine now. You don’t have to hide any part of yourself.”
I nod against his skin, tears slipping silently down my cheeks. Not from fear or shame, but because I feel…understood.
“Now eat, then I’ll hold you while you cry about how good it felt.”
I snort, even as my throat tightens. “You’re such a jerk.”
“And you like it.” He smirks at me, and I roll my eyes.
Gods help me, I do.
The smell alone makes my stomach growl. I take the bowl with both hands, careful not to spill it. It’s meat and root vegetables and some kind of spiced gravy. I don’t know how he made it taste this good out here in the wild, but I moan around the first bite, and he grins like he just won a battle.
“Good girl,” he murmurs.
Heat flares in my cheeks, and not just from the food.
He sits beside me, close enough that our legs touch, and we both eat.
I set my spoon down in the bowl. “Dakar?”
“Hmm?”
“The other girls. From the village. Where did your men take them?” I bite my lip. “Are they okay?”
He stops eating to look at me.
“They’re safe,” he says with certainty. “They’re at my stronghold. Well fed and protected. None of my men will touch them against their will. They’ll be treated with respect until they choose a mate. Or not. That’s their decision.”
Relief floods me so hard my eyes sting. I blink quickly, looking down at the bowl again.
“When will I see them?” I ask quietly.
“Soon.” He tips my chin up with two fingers, making sure I hear every word. “We’ll need to travel there before long. I’ve been away too long already. I’m the Commander, I have responsibilities. You’ll see them soon, Maeve. I promise.”
Something unknots in my chest. “Okay.”
