The monastery gates loomed ahead as they emerged from the mist. She twisted her fingers into Aleksei’s shirt. “You weren’t very nice to Trixie, Aleksei,” she pointed out. “You might want to repair that damage.”
Aleksei set her down right outside the gates. “And I should be worried about this because?”
She heard the challenge in his voice. He had laid it out for her earlier, letting her know in no uncertain terms he didn’t care if people liked him or not. Not her family. Not her friends. Anyone. She had to handle this carefully. She ran her hand up his chest, staying close.
“Trixie helped me. A lot. I needed to talk to someone . . .” She broke off when his body hardened, every muscle locked down. “Aleksei, just listen to me for a moment. I know it’s important to you that we work things out, you and me, together. I want that, too, but I was so frightened of you and so ashamed of myself and feeling guilty that I couldn’t talk to you.”
“You can always talk to me, Gabrielle. I am the person you should talk to.”
His hand came up, sifting through her hair in the caressing way he had that always made her so aware of him as a man and her as a woman. “I know, I know,” she said hastily. “But right then, I was grateful to her because she listened to me when I didn’t think I was making sense and she told me had I been in love with Gary, and he with me, we wouldn’t have been able to keep our hands off each other.”
She risked a quick look at his stone face. He definitely looked as if he could have been carved from granite. She sighed. “I’m making things worse. I just wanted you to know she helped me. That’s all, honey. I needed to sort through everything in my mind, and she helped me do that.”
His hand slid to her face, cupping her cheek. “You called me ‘honey.’ You have never once used an endearment of any kind.” His green eyes moved over her face and her stomach did a slow somersault. “I like that, kessake, I like it a lot.”
He was so sexy. Everything he did. The way he touched her. The way he looked at her. The sound of his voice, caressing her, mesmerizing her.
She sent him a quick smile. “Maybe it isn’t so important that you get along with anyone else. I can live in the monastery and just stare at you all night and be happy.” She bit her lip. Hard. Had she just blurted that out? Aloud? Faint color crept up her face.
His smile sent a minor quake to her sex, and her breasts actually tingled. He didn’t have to do anything at all, not even open his mouth, and she just melted.
“In case I have not told you this rising, kessake, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He bent his head and brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Andre and his lifemate will be here in a couple of moments,” he added in warning.
She felt it then, the disturbance in the mist. She didn’t know if she was enough in Aleksei’s mind that she felt his warning system, or if his lessons in being Carpathian were bringing out other things in her as well. She hoped so. She was in his world and now she wanted to embrace it.
Seconds later, a great owl landed on the ground, a few feet from them. Aleksei instantly glided between her and the bird as it shapeshifted. He made the movement seem natural, as if he was stepping forward to greet Andre, gripping his forearms in the traditional way of Carpathian warriors, but Gabrielle knew it was more than that. He had once again used his body to shield her.
She waited while they spoke softly in their language, but when Aleksei made no move to let her greet Andre, she started to step forward on her own. She’d seen Andre on more than one occasion, although she didn’t talk to him. He had been there when she’d tried to persuade Gary to go away with her. She wasn’t looking forward to facing him, but she figured now was a better time than later. No one else was around. She was completely unprepared for Aleksei to move again, cutting her off. Again, it was a subtle step, but she couldn’t move around him.
Wait until his lifemate joins us.
She didn’t understand that, either. Outwardly, Aleksei appeared calm and friendly, but she felt the tension coiled in him, like a snake, ready to strike. I thought you two were friends.
Yes. But I never risk you. Never. He can bring his lifemate out into the open before he has access to you.
Gabrielle reached up and bunched the back of his shirt into her fist. Connecting them. Holding on. Forcing herself to push down the natural peacemaker in her and stay where she knew Aleksei wanted her to be. In a way, it was easier. Knowing Andre witnessed her betrayal of his friend—and Aleksei was his friend—having him know just how close she’d driven Aleksei to madness was beyond mortifying. She hated that he knew how she’d rejected Aleksei’s legitimate claim on her.