Rage rose in him. Her pale skin was marred with multicolored bruises. All Species had experience with being Tasered and it wasn’t pleasant. She was too fragile and the male responsible would feel far greater pain if he ever got his hands on him. He planned to talk to Justice and go over everything he’d learned from her so she wouldn’t have to deal with the trauma of telling it again. Smiley swore silently to be there when the task force teams brought in the ones who’d hurt his Vanni.
He regretted the faint bruises he’d glimpsed on her ass. His actions had put them there and he made a mental note to be more careful the next time he lifted her in his arms. Avoiding anything that might hurt her in any way was a top priority.
My Vanni. He closed his eyes. None of the symptoms were there that other males had warned him about. He liked her scent but didn’t feel addicted. He’d managed to keep quiet regardless of how good the sex was and it was the best. He did feel protective of her but flashes of memory of the night at the hotel haunted him. She’d been terrified and dependent on him to help her. That had bonded them.
He still wanted her for a mate. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. They were different but they could make it work. He was motivated. She had obviously been ready to settle down with a mate since she’d agreed to marry Carl. He hated even to think the male’s name. Smiley would make a far better mate than that abusive human.
Guilt also surfaced. He’d had an opportunity to tell Vanni that she might be pregnant when she’d remarked that everyone was aware Species couldn’t breed. He should have informed her that was not correct but had been afraid it would remind her of the Woods Church’s accusations against the NSO. She wouldn’t be sleeping in his arms after sharing sex if he had. The last thing he needed was for her to avoid him. He also wouldn’t have taken her on the floor if he’d seen her bruised back beforehand. He hoped that hadn’t been uncomfortable for her.
He sniffed at her again, hunting for any telling signs of pregnancy but detected none, though his sense of smell wasn’t as good as a canine’s. It would be better if he could talk her into going to Medical. They could tell with tests faster than a change in her scent would. He pondered how she would take the news if she did carry his child. He’d mate her for sure if that were the case but even without a pregnancy, he still wanted to claim and keep her.
She was nothing like Species females. Her blushing and nervousness endeared her to him even more. She was shy and it made her adorable. Her lack of sexual experience would be fun. He grinned, remembering the way she’d responded to his mouth on her pussy. He looked forward to teaching her all the ways he could give her pleasure. He just needed time to show her he was the right male for her.
He formed a plan. He would get her addicted to him. She wouldn’t want to leave if she became dependent upon him. Sharing sex was a great way to cement their bond but he needed to connect with her on an emotional level as well. He’d cook for her and show her how domestic he could be. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to a few of the mates to ask their advice. He would do that in the morning when he needed to go home to get clothing. It was a given that he’d move to human housing since he doubted she’d feel comfortable if he took her to the men’s dorms.
He lifted his hand and gently cupped her soft belly. It didn’t disturb her sleep as he kept his palm there, wondering if life grew inside. She couldn’t find out about the possible child until he’d had a chance to alleviate all her fears and she’d want him as much as he did her. He would never forget how Becca had believed Brawn only wanted her for the sake of their child. Smiley wanted Vanni for who she was. Vanni should be certain she knew how he felt about her before any symptoms appeared if she were pregnant. He’d make sure of it.
He closed his eyes again and relaxed. He had slept poorly since returning from the hotel but now his Vanni was safely curled up against him. He drifted into sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Vanni woke alone. She rolled over and stared at the clock on the nightstand, startled to see it was six o’clock. She’d slept for a few hours but it felt longer. The room was dark but faint light still shone in at the top of the curtains. She sat up and heard paper crinkle. She located the note on the pillow next to her and had to stretch over to turn on the bedside lamp to read it.
Good morning, Vanni. I turned off the ringer on the phone after you received a call last night. You were very tired and didn’t stir. Your siblings are safe. I ran home this morning to get clothes but I’ll be back soon in case you wake before I return. You are beautiful when you sleep and it was an honor to hold you all night. I can’t wait to do it again.Smiley
She reread the note and looked at the clock. It sank in that she’d been out for over fourteen hours. It wasn’t evening but morning. She’d also missed talking to her sister and brother. She wasn’t really upset about that. Her brother would raise hell and her sister would complain about how Vanni had upset her perfect life.
She rose from the bed feeling refreshed and entered the bathroom. The smile tugging at the corner of her mouth couldn’t be contained. Smiley thought she was beautiful and his note left no doubt that it hadn’t been a one-night stand. No guy had ever left her a note on a pillow before.
She turned on the shower and stood under the hot water. She finished her shower and brushed her teeth. The towels were large so she just wrapped one around her middle and stepped out of the bathroom, half expecting to see Smiley in the bedroom. He wasn’t. She walked over to the dresser to get another large shirt to wear. They were supposed to go shopping but nothing in the dresser looked acceptable to wear outside the house.
“Hello?”
That wasn’t Smiley’s voice. She shoved on a shirt and a pair of baggy cotton shorts then rushed out of the bedroom and down the hallway. Wager stood in the living room holding a tray. He grinned when he saw her peeking around the corner.
“Good morning, Vanni. I brought food.”
“Thank you.” She pushed her wet hair away from her face and stepped into the room. It made her a little self-conscious to be wearing something she’d normally sleep in. “Good morning to you.”
“Do you want this on the bar?”
“The coffee table is fine. I really appreciate you delivering breakfast.”
“It’s something we do for special guests.” He put the tray down and straightened. His nose crinkled and he grinned. “Smiley stayed.”
“How do you know that?” Her gaze darted around the floor by the couch, looking for any evidence of what they’d done yesterday but the only thing out of place was the coffee table, which Smiley had shoved a few feet from its original spot. “Did you talk to him?”
“I can detect his scent. It’s strong.”
“Wow. Your sense of smell is that good?”
He smiled. “Yes. I can tell all kinds of things with my nose.”
She believed him.
“I’m glad it was not just the breeding drug that drew you both to share sex. I know this time your food and drinks were not tampered with. I’ll be outside.” He crossed the room and the door closed behind him.
“Shit.” She sniffed, unable to pick up anything but the smell of bacon and coffee coming from the tray. It was a little disturbing to know Wager could tell they’d had sex.
She sat, staring at the food—scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and hash browns. The coffee was black but a few creamers and sugar packets had been added to the tray. She unwrapped the silverware from a napkin and dug in. Her stomach rumbled from having missed dinner.
The front door opened a few minutes later and Smiley stepped in carrying a backpack slung over one shoulder and a thick black garment bag held aloft. He grinned.
“You’re awake and you’ve already showered.”
“Hi.” She felt a little self-conscious but tried not to let it show. They’d spent the night together and she needed to get over her shyness with him. He’d made it pretty clear with that note that he planned to spend a lot of time with her while she was at Homeland. There was no telling how long that would be.
He dropped the backpack and laid the garment bag over a chair by the door. Smiley wore a blue long-sleeved, button-down shirt with black pants tucked into a pair of black biker boots. The style looked good on him. Her gaze lifted to his.
“I’m sorry it took longer than expected. Justice wanted to see me. Our public relations team brought this garment bag for you. I was told it contains an entire outfit—ins to outs. I assume that means undergarments and shoes too.”
“That was nice of them. I hope the sizes aren’t too off.”
He crossed the room and sat on the coffee table next to her tray. “I have to confess something.”
Her fork froze on the way to her mouth. The last time she’d heard a man say those words it had been her first boyfriend telling her he’d gotten someone else pregnant. That’s how their relationship had ended and she’d realized what a scumbag he’d been.
“The task force team kind of broke into your apartment and scouted it. They relayed that information to our public relations humans so they could buy you accurate-fitting clothing for today.”
“They broke in?”