Emins’ Mate(42)

Anton just growled and turned away. Maxim was making this a big deal, but it didn't have to be. He waited for his brother to zip his idiotic, grinning face into the one-person tent before he took a step toward where AJ laid.

Woof.

He blew out a long breath. This was pathetic. And annoying. He wasn't going to sleep well if he slept in the other tent and had to wonder about Maxim cuddling up to his gi- AJ all night. And he wasn't going to sleep well with AJ sleeping six inches from him either.

He clung to that annoyance as he briskly unzipped the tent, kicked off his shoes and slid in, zipping it after him. It was dark inside, the blue canvas making the light of the moon even eerier.

She was just a shadow under her blanket. He saw, with a tight little jerk in his stomach, that she'd pushed herself just about as far to one side of the tight space as she possibly could have. He knew why. It was because of the way he'd scared her a few months ago. He'd almost kissed the ever loving life out of her before he'd yanked himself back. She'd acted like he'd held a knife to her throat.

Well. She didn't have to worry about that. He knew how to keep his hands to himself. With the exception of that one time, he'd been doing it for ten fucking years. He yanked his shirt off over his head, decided sleeping with his jeans on was the best course of action, and pulled the blanket up over him.

She stirred a little, shivering, and he realized that their bedding was just two big blankets. One underneath them and one over top of them. Great.

Fucking great.

His cock stirred against his leg and he mirrored her pose and turned to face the wall. It was safer that way.

He slammed his eyes closed and tried to make his breaths even, his thoughts long and syrupy, the way they were before he slid into sleep.

"Anton?" she asked quietly and he felt her roll over. Her movement caused the covers to pull slightly against his skin and every cell in his body went on high alert.

He considered ignoring her, for his own sanity, but instead he just grunted to show he was listening.

"You'll be safe tomorrow, right?"

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

She paused and he knew she was biting her bottom lip back there. He just fucking knew it.

He stayed facing the canvas of the tent, knowing how close she would be if he turned. Inches. Her scent already filled the small tent. There was only so much he could be expected to take.

But if she didn't answer his question in the next ten seconds, he couldn't be held responsible.

"I mean, I know you have a lot of personal stake wrapped up in this. Because it involves Navuka.”

She paused and he grunted.

"But I just wanted to make sure that you," she paused again, searched for the words, “would be safe. Tomorrow."

It meant nothing. She cared about him. She always had. With the detached constancy of a family member. It wasn't news. He refused to let it warm him. That way led to madness.

"Okay," he finally said.

He could feel her wanting to say more. But the intimacy of being awake and so close and pajamas and god. It was too much. He was both incredibly relieved and incredibly disappointed when he felt her roll back over. The covers whispered over him like fingertips and he slammed his eyes closed. Used every ounce of his willpower to force himself into a dreamless sleep.





CHAPTER FIFTEEN





AJ stumbled through the woods, dirt on one of her cheeks and her hair pulled back into a messy bun. The collar of her loose t-shirt was frayed and torn. Mud caked her boots. She shivered against the chilly autumn air as she ran faster. She could see it up ahead. The cinder block shelter.

"Help!" she yelled, weakly at first and then louder. "Please! Help me!"

She crashed through a thorn bush and delicate lines of thin red opened on her arm like lace. Perfect.

"Help!" she screamed again. She fell upon the door, rusted metal with a small sliding opening at the top of it. Her fist rang out on the door with a heavy clang that echoed through the trees.

The metal slide opened, revealing a pair of heavily shadowed eyes.

"What do you want?" asked a man’s voice, accented and unrecognizable.

"Please, I need help. I've been lost for days. I'm so thirsty. I'm starving. I need help." AJ pulled her best desperate look and then allowed it to morph into one of sheer terror. "You have to let me in." She pretended to jump at a noise behind her and she scanned the trees. "There's something out here. An animal."

The voice at the door sounded almost bored. "Of course there are animals. We're in the forest. I'm sorry. I can't help you. Walk west. There's a town only a four or five-hour walk from here. You'll find it. They'll help you."

"No! Please!" AJ screamed as the opening began to slide closed again. "Please, you have to let me in. I know you won't believe me, but I saw something. It was- please, you have to believe me. It was a tiger."