bowl from her hands and set it back on the tray. Then he buried his fingers in the back of her hair, massaging gently. “If you need anything, Arak will remain behind. One from our order, Zeke, was also ambushed last night and is in the infirmary. If he awakes, he might like the company.”
“All right,” Faith replied, leaning into him. She rubbed her cheek against his forearm, sighing softly before she met his gaze, then smiled sadly. “I will get out of your hair in the morning. Let you have your bed back.”
Her comment sent a shot of panic traveling through Bale. His fingers unconsciously tightened in her hair. “Arak said you are still weak. You are not ready to leave.”
“I think I am better than your friend believes.” She gave a husky reply. “Anyway, you don't need me interfering in your life any more than I already have. And I have a life I need to return to.”
His focus narrowed on Faith's last statement, and he suddenly wondered who resided in her life. His emotions were seesawing all over the place. While he knew the best thing would be to let her go, he couldn't tolerate the thought of another male touching what was his. “Is there a mate waiting for you?”
Faith shook her head adamantly. “But I have family…friends who are probably wondering where I am. And I have responsibilities, people who depend on me.”
Bale's gaze continued to bore into hers, silently demanding an explanation as, even on his knees, he towered over her.
“I manage one of my father's clubs…Club Dominus. Since it is Sunday, we are closed tonight. But tomorrow I have to open. I have employees who count on me.”
Bale released a ragged breath, pulling Faith onto the floor and into his arms. He held her tightly, his frantic pulse calming as he realized that even if she left, he now knew how to find her again. She couldn't escape him unless he let her.
He kissed her temple, his lips trailing a soft line until they met hers. With infinite gentleness, he demanded entrance and growled in pleasure when she opened for him. His tongue glided in, capturing her taste as he slowly plundered her mouth.
Faith whimpered, her arms winding around his neck as she strained to get closer to him.
Bale complied, tightening his arms about her. Her breasts pressed against his rock-hard chest for a moment before he angled her to his side. He slipped a hand between them and gently squeezed a taut globe, the puckered nipple teasing his palm. Rolling that pebbled peak between his fingers, he captured her beseeching cry in his mouth.
A knock on the door had him dragging his lips away with a muffled curse. Breathing heavily, he kept Faith pressed against him as she buried her face in his neck. She was trembling slightly, her breath soft puffs along his skin.
“Bale.” Arak's voice rang through the door. “Meeting in ten. It's almost dusk out.”
“Down in just a minute,” Bale called huskily. Ignoring Arak's response, he fixed his attention back on Faith. “I've got to go, baby. Finish your soup, then get some rest.” Bale gently pushed her from his lap but didn't rise until she was once again seated on the edge of the bed.
44
Madelyn Ford
“Will you need to feed again tonight?” he asked, his gaze resting on the top of her head. Not resisting the need to touch her, he reached out and tunneled his hand through her hair.
Faith glanced up at him, her freckles hidden beneath an attractive rose color. Her flushed cheeks filled him with extreme satisfaction, and his cock demanded he ignore Arak, wanting to abate the sudden spike of arousal only Faith seemed to trigger.
“I don't know,” she whispered uncertainly.
Bale bent down to her again, meeting her gaze dead on. “I will return around midnight to check on you. If you need me before then, Arak knows how to contact me. Don't hesitate to ask him to do so. He will understand.” He paused as he studied her a moment. “Baby, do you understand?”
“Yes, Bale,” she said
“All right,” Faith replied, leaning into him. She rubbed her cheek against his forearm, sighing softly before she met his gaze, then smiled sadly. “I will get out of your hair in the morning. Let you have your bed back.”
Her comment sent a shot of panic traveling through Bale. His fingers unconsciously tightened in her hair. “Arak said you are still weak. You are not ready to leave.”
“I think I am better than your friend believes.” She gave a husky reply. “Anyway, you don't need me interfering in your life any more than I already have. And I have a life I need to return to.”
His focus narrowed on Faith's last statement, and he suddenly wondered who resided in her life. His emotions were seesawing all over the place. While he knew the best thing would be to let her go, he couldn't tolerate the thought of another male touching what was his. “Is there a mate waiting for you?”
Faith shook her head adamantly. “But I have family…friends who are probably wondering where I am. And I have responsibilities, people who depend on me.”
Bale's gaze continued to bore into hers, silently demanding an explanation as, even on his knees, he towered over her.
“I manage one of my father's clubs…Club Dominus. Since it is Sunday, we are closed tonight. But tomorrow I have to open. I have employees who count on me.”
Bale released a ragged breath, pulling Faith onto the floor and into his arms. He held her tightly, his frantic pulse calming as he realized that even if she left, he now knew how to find her again. She couldn't escape him unless he let her.
He kissed her temple, his lips trailing a soft line until they met hers. With infinite gentleness, he demanded entrance and growled in pleasure when she opened for him. His tongue glided in, capturing her taste as he slowly plundered her mouth.
Faith whimpered, her arms winding around his neck as she strained to get closer to him.
Bale complied, tightening his arms about her. Her breasts pressed against his rock-hard chest for a moment before he angled her to his side. He slipped a hand between them and gently squeezed a taut globe, the puckered nipple teasing his palm. Rolling that pebbled peak between his fingers, he captured her beseeching cry in his mouth.
A knock on the door had him dragging his lips away with a muffled curse. Breathing heavily, he kept Faith pressed against him as she buried her face in his neck. She was trembling slightly, her breath soft puffs along his skin.
“Bale.” Arak's voice rang through the door. “Meeting in ten. It's almost dusk out.”
“Down in just a minute,” Bale called huskily. Ignoring Arak's response, he fixed his attention back on Faith. “I've got to go, baby. Finish your soup, then get some rest.” Bale gently pushed her from his lap but didn't rise until she was once again seated on the edge of the bed.
44
Madelyn Ford
“Will you need to feed again tonight?” he asked, his gaze resting on the top of her head. Not resisting the need to touch her, he reached out and tunneled his hand through her hair.
Faith glanced up at him, her freckles hidden beneath an attractive rose color. Her flushed cheeks filled him with extreme satisfaction, and his cock demanded he ignore Arak, wanting to abate the sudden spike of arousal only Faith seemed to trigger.
“I don't know,” she whispered uncertainly.
Bale bent down to her again, meeting her gaze dead on. “I will return around midnight to check on you. If you need me before then, Arak knows how to contact me. Don't hesitate to ask him to do so. He will understand.” He paused as he studied her a moment. “Baby, do you understand?”
“Yes, Bale,” she said
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